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Customer reviews: independent walking holidays

Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.

Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.

Stephanie Johnson
Walking in El Hierro
16/03/2024

Excellent company to travel with. Highly recommend

Richard Sumption
Walking on Gran Canaria
14/03/2024

The booking experience, holiday information and the walking app were all very good.

The briefing documents from the local rep didn't arrive until the evening of our first day, but otherwise, apart from one route not being navigable, all went well.

Rosemary Rogers
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
13/03/2024

Our local representative didn't show up.

The car hire company were very helpful when we had an accident.

Some of the notes on the routes for walking need updating and further information to make them clearer.

The hotel was great it was nice to have this level of luxury after a days walking.

Although we normally walk about 10miles a day we thought that the walks might be a little short but this was unfounded, we hadn't taken into account the effect of altitude.

Rhian Rees
Contrasts of Cyprus Walking
13/03/2024

Great service, great holiday. Great trip, fantastic accommodation and people along the way. The app was particularly helpful and kept us on the right track!

Elisabeth Baranowski
Contrasts of La Gomera
12/03/2024

We loved the hotels and surrounding views from each hotel,breakfasts were amazing!

Ferry and transfers very smooth!

Enjoyed all the walo

Theodore Emms
Walking on Gran Canaria
11/03/2024

lovely walking routes which although short were very scenic and challenging .

Driving in Gran Canaria is probably not ideal for unconfident drivers

Patricia Pearl
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
09/03/2024

Route finding – the app worked perfectly.

Local agent Lea pleasant and efficient

We had sunny weather. No rain.

The scenery at the coast is stunning. We experienced fantastic wild flowers at every turn. Lots of interesting birdlife.

Trails not difficult

Accommodation excellent

Veronica Steele
Discovering the Maltese Islands
07/03/2024

Anne Craddock
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
06/03/2024

Ralf was wonderful - very informative and helpful. Gave us advice and answered our questions. He was very reliable with the transfers and it was reassuring to know that we had his phone number if we needed any help. Transfers from airport to ferry & vice versa were very good too.The app looked very good. We downloaded the info before we left and printed the walk instructions. The directions didn't work with our phone on most occasions, due to loss of signal.

Andrew Newbold
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
05/03/2024

An enjoyable experience and the walking instructions were very clear. The local representative Ralph provided excellent support throughout the trip.

The overall holiday once in Puglia was fantastic. The local partner was excellent, the walks and accommodation hit the mark. The walking level was spot on and the options worked well. Using local trains also worked well. All transfers and pick ups worked like clockwork. More work is needed in the outbound flight arrangements. The choice of hotel in Milan was poor - nature (old), location and price. The whole flight combo to get to Brindisi or perhaps Rome / Bari needs thinking through. The original return flight had a 24 hour stopover in Rome which we had changed. With a 5 hour connection, no stopover is needed.

Michael Degraeve
Islands of Bermuda Walk
01/03/2024

The holiday was very well organised with only one hitch, the failure of the pickup to turn up to the airport. However I managed to share a taxi with others quite easily. The walks detailed were all excellent though I did not do the Cooper's Island walk as the buses were not running the whole way. I did, however, enjoy a shorter walk at St Davids. The weather was very good, which helped. The small nature reserves were impressive as were the local museums and colonial architecture. The views were tremendous, the flora along the Railway Trail was amazing ,lush and very varied, and the birdlife wonderful, especially tge nesting Longtails. But above all it was the exceptionally friendly and helpful Bermudians which made this trip special for me.

Russell Smith
Volcanoes and Vineyards of Lanzarote
27/02/2024

We enjoy the freedom of self-guided walks in areas off the beaten track, but with the luxury of having bags transported and the routes worked out for us.

Philippa Blackwell
Marvels of Madeira Walk
25/02/2024

My experience was very good - and I was particularly impressed with how flexible the itinerary could be. We met 2 other couples on the same trip and I think we all felt impressed as Headwater newbies! It was our first experience of a self guided tour and would definitely do this again. The staff at both hotels were lovely, and we appreciated the opportunity to spend the day at the sister hotel to Porto Bay Serra Golf to find the sun finally having had a mostly wet week!

Sally Cunliffe
Marvels of Madeira Walk
25/02/2024

Excellent all round!

John Taylor
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
24/02/2024

We find Headwater easy to deal with and flexible. The self guided packages fit the bill for us and the delivery of them has been faultless. We’re back with you in June.

Peter Banyard
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
20/02/2024

The holiday offered all that we wanted. The walking was challenging at times owing to recent landslips, mountain weather, and the exposed & precipitous nature of some paths. To me this was part of the enjoyment. Headwater advised us to be ready for these conditions but there would be obvious hazards for those who did not take the time to read your guidance and to be prepared; perhaps this should be stressed? We made 2 new friends who were also guests of Headwater. Enjoying some of the walks and meals together certainly added to our enjoyment of the holiday. Thank you very much! 🙂🙂

Colin Pearson
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
19/02/2024

Great holiday in a very different setting to all the other Canaries. Without Ralf's expert local knowledge, we would have found things way more difficult. To be honest, the breakfasts were all good but the evening meals are pretty basic. Apart from this, it's an excellent holiday for serious walkers. Walking poles are essential...

Holiday was enjoyable. Parking at the first hotel should be changed from roadside to old football stadium.

Adrian Pomfrett
Volcanoes and Vineyards of Lanzarote
13/02/2024

This was a well organised.

Lanzarote was lovely and the people some the friendliest we have met. I would recommend this to other travellers.

Dorothy Crossan
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
10/02/2024

Once again I really liked the choice of hotels. I like hotels that are quirky and friendly and this has been the case on this holiday. I really like the app for guidance while walking and think that GPS should be available for every walk. I like the freedom to be self-guided and the app provides the necessary reassurance to help me feel confident about striding out on my own. Going on a self-guided walk with an organised timetable means that I bump into other travellers doing the same route in the evenings. I like this as I don't feel on my own while also being entirely independent. I am becoming a bit addicted ... :)

Simon Wilkinson
Volcanoes and Vineyards of Lanzarote
10/02/2024

Easy walking and unusual landscape, very windy and quite humid but lovely to have warmth and sun

Great food and local wines

Anne Robinson
Walk the Garden Island of Madeira
05/02/2024

This was our 3rd holiday with Headwater our experiences have been excellent. This year our hotel was full and the company upgraded us at minimal cost

Isabelle Mcgrath
Contrasts of Tenerife Walk (with car hire)
04/02/2024

We were lucky with the weather being perfect for an early spring walking holiday but the overall experience was enhanced by the Headwater backup of accommodation, welcome guide, and especially the Walking Route App. So straightforward.

Paul Wilcox
Marvels of Madeira Walk
03/02/2024

Excellently organised and with the weather being kind we did all the walks plus a bonus walk to the highest peak.

We had an excellent holiday. The variety of walks chosen was very good and each day showed us a different aspect of the island. The walk on the fourth day when we transferred from one hotel to another was planned to start from a small parking area on the Teide plateau. By the time we arrived there mid-morning the parking was completely full (it was a sunny Sunday afternoon) and there was nowhere to safely park in the vicinity. We were therefore unable to undertake that days walk which was a shame. This was the only problem we encountered on an otherwise faultless holiday. Thanks to all the team.

Helen Belton Jones
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
28/01/2024

I have already recommended to friends who like to walk and crave a little more adventure than a circular walk from the hotel or compsite. The Headwater model is ideal and local gents are invaluable. I am looking forward to the next one.

Edwina Lloyd
Walk the Bonita Island of La Palma
25/01/2024

A very professional and personable organisation that has looked after me and my late husband through, now, three walking holidays.

Vidar Vidarsson
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
25/01/2024

We have had excellent experience with Headwater and their services. We will use Headwater´s services again for sure.

Excellent communication. Well planned and the added assurance of 24hr local support

Ruth Gavin
Marvels of Madeira Walk
20/01/2024

Jane Lavender
Walking on Gran Canaria
19/01/2024

Great holiday - we did self guided. We had a great time. Found room in first hotel unbearably dark although a very nice room. Needed one on lower level with decent window. On first walk we hadn't got the sounds the app made (for wrong way etc) sorted out and got very lost down the gorge ! Path down there very tricky to find and we met a lot of lost people (Spanish).once we sorted out app it worked really well. Loved Tejeda and being in little village - unfortunately as off season very little open in evening (but enough).

Mark Baseley
Walk the Garden Island of Madeira
05/01/2024

Really lovely island. Great walks. Hotel in excellent location

Anne Aldis
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
23/12/2023

A great way to explore new territory

Jane Guyer
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
23/12/2023

John Corfield
Islands of Bermuda Walk
22/12/2023

Very well thought out visit to Bermuda. I felt we got a good introduction to the island and explores the key areas. Clear and unambiguous guidance made the self guided walking straightforward. I would strongly recommend the trop to any walker wanting to visit Bermuda.

Linda Broughall
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/12/2023

Samantha Pattinson
Discovering the Maltese Islands
16/12/2023

Richard Salt
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
05/12/2023

Norma Gardner
Secrets of Malta Walking
24/11/2023

The Headwater rep in Malta, Stephanie Tickle, was excellent. She was very helpful and gave us lots of recommendations for our stay there.

Birthe Hilton
Walk the Bonita Island of La Palma
23/11/2023

After the excellent walking holiday we enjoyed in Portugal with Headwater, we felt this trip is a work in progress and needs more development. This is especially true of the grading and variety of the walks offered. We are fit sixty year-olds and very keen walkers but we found some of the walks challenging. However we had a really great holiday and La Palma is a wonderful holiday destination.

Marian Lewis
Islands of Bermuda Walk
23/11/2023

A safe pair of hands

Mark Gladman
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
22/11/2023

Clare Highton
Contrasts of Cyprus Walking
12/11/2023

We enjoyed the holiday. Weather was lovely. Walks very nearly all on gravelly tracks and roads esp in the mountains rather dull, better near the sea, swimming in the sea great.

We have had over 10 holidays with Headwater and always enjoy the walks and the hotels. It gives us a flavour of the country we are visiting.

Nicola Davies
Walk the Kumano Kodo
26/10/2023

Headwater were helpful from the beginning and came up with an itinerary for us to include everything we wanted to

do. Any queries were sorted before we left England and whilst in Japan. The notes we were given were extremely clear, detailed and invaluable; as a result the trip went smoothly with no hiccups. I would certainly recommend Headwater ( and have already!) and would certainly travel with them again

Sarah Weston
Catalan Classic Walk
22/10/2023

Great holiday, excellent local team, Headwater app is fabulous, hotels are great, varied walking - had a lovely week

Douglas Lawson
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
21/10/2023

This is our 12th holiday with Headwater mostly cycling holidays. For a second year, we loved walking the routes of the Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus customizing our time over two weeks - one week at Droushia Heights Hotel followed by one week at Aphrodites Beach Hotel - so enjoying a balance of walking the longer routes every second day. We enjoy both hotels very much indeed. We are keen to return to Cyprus to experience both previous walks and new walks.



With experience we have learnt to tailor-make our holidays by researching what additionally paid-for room upgrades are available, and depending on locations, deciding whether it is more advantageous and relaxing to pay for half-board.



Malcolm Williams
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
21/10/2023

Good communication very well organised transfers

no issues at all

Sheena Millar
Dalmatian Islands Walk
20/10/2023

Advance preparatory information was clear. Management of an itinerary change, due to unforeseen circumstances whilst on holiday was well managed and communicated with us clearly.

This was a fabulous holiday. We enjoyed every bit of it.

David Mason
Marvels of Madeira Walk
19/10/2023

Jane Flockhart
Marvels of Madeira Walk
19/10/2023

We were very pleased with our first ever self-guided walking holiday, and would definitely consider one again, as it takes some of the pressure off finding planning time beforehand. Madeira is truly beautiful and an excellent location for walking, but be prepared for very variable weather, although it is not cold. It is not great for vegetarians or vegans, but the food is very fresh and healthy.

Overall, it was a great experience- for all the reasons given earlier.



One small point is that the local rep company had made a bit of a mess of the hotel bookings. We were booked in under our first names, which led to some confusion when we gave our surnames. And they appeared to be under the impression that we were travelling in a group with another couple on the same holiday, the Fletchers. This led them to book a four bed room in the aparthotel in Lagos, which had to be changed. Lea was very responsive in sorting put these issues, but they need never have arisen.

David Potter
Walks in the Troodos Mountains
16/10/2023

My first solo self-guided walk and with Headwater. Have used Exodus several times in the past for group walks. Overall the organisation from Headwater was excellent from start to finish and I will certainly use them again. The app was brilliant for keeping me on track particularly where bushes had grown to obscure a path at a junction or where several paths had been made as short cuts so the actual route was unclear.

Catherine Hill-kelly
Volcanoes of Sicily Walk
14/10/2023

Our experience of Headwater is very positive, the staff are very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We liked that one person, Megan took care of our booking it made our holiday feel Taylor made for us. Many thanks.

Michael Tebbutt
Secrets of Sicily Walking
14/10/2023

Not perfect but we will use you again. Thank you.

Keith Guthrie
Discovering the Maltese Islands
13/10/2023

Temperatures were much hotter than typical for mid-October. This made everything hot and dusty and the walking more difficult. As a result we took the shorter options where provided and improvised shorter options where not. The buses on Malta were very busy and often they would be too full to pick anyone up. Once we realised this we got out earlier to beat the crowds. Gozo was much quieter and much more our cup of tea. The people on Gozo were very friendly. We had no problems with buses on Gozo, always on time, always plenty of space. The food was excellent throughout the holiday.

The locations and walks were interesting and varied. Accommodation was good.

Anita Thomson
Walking the Algarve's South West
10/10/2023

The walks I really enjoyed were the last two when we were walking along the cliffs and by the sea - these were the sort of walks I was expecting and they were fabulous. The first four walks were predominantly inland and quite dull through fairly featureless landscape along wide man-made tracks with very little shade - a hat, sun cream and plenty of water is required. The walk on day 5 around Vila do Bispo had nothing to recommend it other than providing some exercise, but we liked Vila do Bispo itself which had a couple of great restaurants. Overall, the food was fantastic - good quality, simply cooked and delicious. I would recommend the Memmo Baleeira hotel in Sagres over the Pousada for many reasons, one being that it has an excellent restaurant, but be aware that if you want to dine there during your second visit you will need to book in advance, especially if the weather is unpredictable - when we arrived after our walk and tried to book, the restaurant was already full! However, Sagres has some great restaurants so it wasn't a problem, and we managed to avoid the rain! Where dinner is included we would prefer to be given an amount to spend (as was the case in Pedralva) rather than be presented with bread, pate etc. and then three further courses - far too much food for us. We did not massively enjoy the hotel in Lagos - it felt out on a limb and as of now is in the middle of a building site, and again, too much food at dinner - we would have preferred to eat out.

Well organised; good selection of hotels ; thoughtful planning of walk sections

Excellent. The only observation is that the full fees must be paid months in advance of the trip taking place which differs from many other providers.

Very pleasant and helpful to talk to and arrange the holiday. I will certainly arrange another holiday with them.

Judi Ashley
The Amalfi Coast Walk
09/10/2023

Loved our holiday, and the walking navigation app was really great. The hotel Taverna del Capitone was wonderful

Peter Craig
Discovering the Maltese Islands
07/10/2023

Fine

Sarah Hawkins
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/10/2023

Gerald Payne
The Amalfi Coast Walk
07/10/2023

As we only booked 3 days in advance of travel, I found your staff most helpful in booking our trip.

Although we made some compromises on accommodation, which inevitably affected the cost, due to our late booking this was acceptable. In hindsight the necessary upgrades made the trip more memorable than being in a standard room after a long hot hike.

Mitesh Amin
Portugal Coastal Way to Santiago
07/10/2023

From start to finish the experience was smooth and seamless. From the initial booking the service from your agent Toni was 5*.The itinerary was very well laid out, the guide book was extremely detailed and generally easy to follow. The hotel transfer of the main luggage was a godsend.The Camino itself was very well organised. Generally the hotels were above bar and the service was extremely good. At no point did I have any problems out there. The route gave a good variety of terrain along the coast, through small towns and woodland area. The weather ranged from amazingly hot and sunny in portugal to wet and colder in galicia but all part of the journey. It did not detract at all from the overall experience. Also the safest i've felt travelling ever on a holiday!

You meet a variety of people along the way from countries from all around the world all travelling for their own reasons being religious, spiritual, active holidays etc. I wouldn't say mine was spiritual as such but it was a brilliant way of zoning out from life back home and resetting the mind. You start your walks thinking, then you run out of things to think about and then you just keep walking to your next destination truly appreciating everything around you. The satisfaction when you reach your final destination cannot really be described properly. Receiving your certificate of distance travelled and your compostela tells you that your feet did not travel in vain. I would book with confidence😊.

Lynne Graham
Catalan Classic Walk
04/10/2023

An excellent experience from first communication about the holiday right through to the end

Susan Herbert
Discovering the Maltese Islands
04/10/2023

The Headwater experience included a lot of good points - the holiday booking experience and the travel and accommodation were all good, with everything going smoothly and very easily for us. However, we found some of the walking in Malta much harder than expected, partly no doubt due to the unusually hot conditions (30 deg in October) and we experienced some challenges getting used to the app and following the routes. Our expectation of the activity grading level for parts of this holiday was significantly off!

Gordon Stewart
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
03/10/2023

From first contact to end of trip Headwater folks on the web and in the field provided top-notch advice and assistance in decision making. It was like having personal service throughout. Interesting walking routes and fine hotels.

James Langtry
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
02/10/2023

El Hierro is a fantastic walking destination. It is a privilege to walk in this unique biosphere. The people are friendly, the food and local wine is good, the senderos are well marked and there is a a good variety of routes in the 6 days of this trip

Angela Gaffney
Discovering the Maltese Islands
02/10/2023

Paul Codd
Walking on Kythnos Island
01/10/2023

Excellent destination if you don’t want crowds, fabulous walks and beaches and great service from Headwater who dealt with all our pre-trip queries most professionally.

All five of us thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. We thought the combination of 4 nights on Gozo and then 2 nights in Valetta provided lots of variety with coastal walking on Gozo plus a visit to the citadel and then sightseeing in Valetta. Both hotels were excellent. We used taxis to get around on Gozo. We also enjoyed the pools and 2 of our group also went to the spa whilst on Gozo.

Timothy Wilyman
Dalmatian Coast Island Hopping
30/09/2023

Pauline Boyne
Contrasts of Cyprus Walking
30/09/2023

This was the first time my husband and I had been on a walking holiday together - although I have done similar holidays with friends. Based on our experience we would certainly take another trip with Headwater

Angela Platts
Secrets of Sicily Walking
29/09/2023

Communication with Headwater staff was easy, with quick response times to any queries. We were able to tailor the trip to suit our needs and it felt like the staff really cared that we had a good holiday / experience. The trip ran smoothly with transfers always arriving on time. The accommodation was of a good standard.



Our walking holiday in Sicily was in October 2023 and the weather was still very hot so we chose to do shorter walks, rather than the more strenuos of the route options. This gave us time to enjoy swimming in the clear blue sea waters and to use the hotel swimming pools and loungers. The walking tracks were clearly marked and easy to follow.



We booked ourselves on to a boat trip around the island of Marettimo which was one of the highlights of our trip, with several opportunities for snorkelling and even a swim through a sea cave. The waters here are unbelievably clear.



Our trip itinerary included visits to some historic sites (additional entry fee for some) which were interesting and added to our trip.

Samantha Furlong
Walking the Camino de Santiago
29/09/2023

Excellent holiday overall which was well organised from start to finish and all information given was clear and helpful.

David Vaughan
Catalan Classic Walk
28/09/2023

Overall an enjoyable holiday.

Good walking route and good accommodation

We would use Headwater again

Ruth Kukla
Walking in the Venetian Hills
28/09/2023

Very well organized and great places to stay

Jerry Ouderkirk
Literary Walking in the Lake District
27/09/2023

We thoroughly enjoyed our hike in the Lake District. The initial briefing with Ian Jones particularly helpful- delightful man. Looking forward to another trip in the future

Tanya Hutchings
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
27/09/2023

Very enjoyable holiday, well organised, would highly recommend to others (have done so already!)

Janet Hewson
Chateaux Of The Loire Walk
27/09/2023

The Loire Valley is an historically fascinating place. As others have said, I think a two day stay in Blois is merited. One day for a leisurely visit to Chambord and another day for exploring Blois and its very interesting chateau/ castle. The Hotel Monarche is a disappointing start to the holiday. I think alternative accommodation should be chosen.

The rest of the accommodation was good particularly the Hotel au Charme in Amboise. However, it only does breakfast and the dinner at the adjoining Hotel . Le Clos was uninspiring. We did however come across a real gem of a restaurant by the name of Les Arpents. Incredible food. Apparently, it is full almost every night of the year so it is necessary to book.



We visited six chateaux and found them all really interesting especially Le Clos de Luce in Amboise where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last three years of his life. Some of his inventions are recreated.



All in all a very good holiday accompanied by undiluted sunshine except for one morning.

Nigel Turner
Contrasts of Lanzarote
27/09/2023

We've travelled with you often before without any difficulty. This time, we found that the walks were a lot stiffer than we were expecting, nearly all the paths were littered with stones which made it hard to look at anything apart from your feet, and it was unseasonably hot even by local standards. We didn't do all the walks, but on our days off we visited some interesting places and ate excellent fish by the sea!

Paula Hargreaves
Walking on Gran Canaria
27/09/2023

Excellent service, information etc. both before and during the holiday.

Susan Russell
The Amalfi Coast Walk
27/09/2023

We have now completed 3 Headwater holidays and we would definitely use them again. The quality of the hotels is excellent, the app makes the walks easy to navigate and we feel we get a better sense of each area by walking through the countryside, mostly away from busy roads.

Gillian Struthers
Highlights of Southern Montenegro Walk
26/09/2023

We enjoyed our first Headwater holiday after years with New Experience. We miss the personal touch of NewEx and dealing with Anna and Matthew but we appreciate times have moved on - and Headwater didn’t disappoint. The Montenegrin local company 3E are absolutely superb and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them. Taxi services always on time and what a benefit having a tourist SIM card provided



We don’t think some of the footpaths have been walked much and the instructions for the walk from Lovcen National Park to Cetinje are out of date and could d9 with revision

Clare Mccann
Chianti Classic Walk
26/09/2023

What was so good was the excellent service from Headwater. I would particularly like to mention Helen Hodson.

She was so professional, friendly, patient and helpful with my all various queries and requests.

Paul Lacey
Contrasts of Cyprus Walking
25/09/2023

Overall it was an excellent experience and any apprehensions we may have had about the operational arrangements on self guided trip were dispelled whenever something like a taxi pick was scheduled to happen as it always did. As none of us had travelled with you before then we had no reference for your grading which is probably about right although anyone our ages (66,69 & 74) of a lesser fitness level would find some aspects of day 2,4 and possibly day 6 very challenging. The app is excellent with maybe only a couple of ambiguities (day 2). Second part of Day 5 on reaching the coast at Lara Beach is quite disappointing as pretty much all the rest of the walk is an expansive construction site to one degree or another. There is a lot of site traffic and heavy plant machinery causing disruption, partial road closures/diversions. The dusty conditions created combined with that caused by the beach buggy safaris make this stretch quite uncomfortable at times. The walk on Day 6 was the best for us with a great range of terrain and views, the descent down the mountain side towards the end being the highlight. Would certainly consider Headwater again and recommend you. Would also be happy to discuss/expand on any of the feedback given here if you wanted to contact us.

Rebecca Abraham
The Amalfi Coast Walk
25/09/2023

Booked with friends who had already booked the trip - so whole thing was not hugely researched by ourselves. So the whole thing was a wonderful experience

Wendy Hall
Walk the Kumano Kodo
25/09/2023

Our trip to Japan was just fabulous. We loved every part of it.

We added a few days at the start and finish of the trip to travel independently, and it was good to have this extra time to explore Kyoto and to travel a little further afield afterwards. Having the reassurance of our booking with Headwater gave us the confidence to do this.

The travel and transfers all worked out very smoothly. The walk itself, the hotels and guesthouses, the food, and the welcome we were given by all our hosts along the Kumano Kodo were exceptional.

It was a very special experience which will live long in our memories.

Glen Macdonald
Catalan Classic Walk
24/09/2023

Another excellent and really enjoyable self guided walking holiday with Headwater on the Classic Catalan Walk

Deborah Jenkins
Discovering the Maltese Islands
24/09/2023

We were originally booked to do another walking holiday in Greece which cancelled 10 days before departure to storms and flooding. Headwater team went all out to find us an alternative and we settled on enjoyable twin-centre holiday with just the right amount of time at each. Flights, transfers & ferry journeys all worked out perfectly. Hotels were of good quality and we felt welcomed at both. Local transport came in the form of local buses (passes provided) and were amazingly reliable. We used them every day to get around for both walks and tourist visits. Local agent, Stephania, was amazing and reachable for all queries. She recommended several restaurants, two of which we thought were outstanding.

Only disappointing factor was a room downgrade at the first hotel. It was very hot even at the end of September and there is very little shade on the walks but we started off relatively early to try and finish by lunchtime and then find a swimming option in the afternoon. Looking forward to the next one!

Brigid Daniel
Marvels of Madeira Walk
24/09/2023

Everything was well organised and the trip was very enjoyable.

Peter Costello
Volcanoes of Sicily Walk
23/09/2023

I was very happy with the organisation of the holiday

Helen Parkinson
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
23/09/2023

The transfers were excellent and we really enjoyed the family run hotel, the service was great and food very good. I think we’re found the walks quite strenuous but that’s probably because we ourselves weren’t really fit enough but we thoroughly enjoyed them nonetheless! The views were amazing. Everything was very well organised, the flight was diverted for refuelling but that was obviously nothing to do with Headwater! So we were on the plane for 7 hours whereas it should have been 2 hrs 40.

Angela Darby
Contrasts of Crete Walking
23/09/2023

David Adams
Secrets of Sicily Walking
23/09/2023

Generally a very enjoyable holiday with well organised transport

Karen Trogstad
Secrets of Sicily Walking
23/09/2023

Andrew Cole
Walking in Austria's Lake District
23/09/2023

I had a nice time.strange I was on my own. I did plan my own itinerary. I was lucky with the weather. I would go back to Austria but it was nice and relaxed and I controlled my day.nice hotel a good breakfast selection happy to go back, but disappointed that I didn’t get the free things on offer displayed in the lift.bad isch was a nice location for bus and train

John Tappon
The Amalfi Coast Walk
23/09/2023

We loved it.

Sally Cremeens-strong
Walk the Highlights of Northern Portugal
23/09/2023

The hiking was excellent and unforgettable! The app worked very well. Loved the variety of country that we hiked through. However, four of the nights’ accommodations were well below what we expected.

Anne Mihailovic
Walking the Camino de Santiago
23/09/2023

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday and the whole experience and met some wonderful people.

Rosemary Morris
Literary Walking in the Lake District
22/09/2023

Overall we enjoyed our trip despite a couple of days of very wet weather. It is the Lake District after all. The forestry work on the way to the Far Sawrey ferry cut off the route and we had to detour through the bushes and walk along very muddy. Again not something Headwater has control over.

However, the cafe at the Yew Tree Farm hasn’t been a cafe for about 10 years

Colleen Hawthorne
Literary Walking in the Lake District
22/09/2023

Eiriksina Eyja Asgrimsdottir
The Islands of Amalfi Walk
22/09/2023

Very well planned and everything went smoothly. It would be nice if there’s weren’t better or more information about where the hotels are situated relating to centrums

Clare Nelson
Secrets of Sicily Walking
22/09/2023

Excellent at home and away

Nav app was excellent, different accommodations brilliant, choice of route itinerary was also excellent for varied scenary and interesting holiday.

Peter Bergholdt
Contrasts of Cyprus Walking
22/09/2023

The main remark is really about the grading of the tour. Cyprus is hilly and perhaps a "Moderate" grading in hilly territory is correct, but tough it was.

And then we were indeed surprised not to meet one single trekker during the entire tour - therefore our question: have you really sold this tour before?

Another important information (perhaps) missing is the fact that during the different tracks you cannot buy anything (there simply no shops - no nothing) - hence its important to highlight that plenty of water has to be taken with you from the accommodation. We experienced very hot weather (35-37 degree) and there was no shades to find at all. Hence water is crucial. One final comment: we would have liked to get off earlier in the morning (to avoid the hottest period of the day), but the hotels only serves breakfast from 7:30 or 8:00 and consequently you can only head off by 8:00 or 9:00 leaving you with not option, but to be out in the hottest period of the day.

Carole Parnell
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
22/09/2023

David Robertson
Walking on the Francigena Way
22/09/2023

The staff were knowledgable and helpful and the app was really good

We had a great time. We got lost once but recovered ok. We were unable to download the map app. One hostess was not advised Re food allergies but she accommodated us nicely.

Walter Mcallister
Walking in Sierra de Aracena
21/09/2023

I had a good holiday with Headwater, everything was well organised and the local agent, Patricia, was very helpful when changes to restaurants were required.

I had no issues with the travel or accommodations.

I would have no hesitation recommending Headwater holidays to family and friends.

Deborah Preece
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
21/09/2023

This was a great holiday. Walks just long enough and challenging enough as we had a very hot week (end of September). Although not really difficult terrain we were glad of our walking poles as some of the vineyard tracks are very steep.

The hotels were so lovely it was a pleasure to relax there on our free days. We stayed at Casa Pavesi in Grinzane Cavour as the advertised hotel was not available for our dates. This was a great result as Pavesi is charming and characterful, castle interesting and has Michelin-star restaurant (book in advance) and Grinzane Cavour has other restaurants, wine bar/coffee/deli and was a nice place to hang out on a free day. We had steak cooked on the open fire at La Tagliata, a short walk out of the village.

A short detour into Albaretto on the last walk found us a restaurant whose owner kindly made us coffee and takeaway paninis for our lunch. Unfortunately the tower was shut - looks amazing.

The last night tasting menu at Villa d’Amelia was incredible - better than the Michelin restaurant above!

Worth noting that vegetarians/vegans might struggle in this part of Italy, it’s a very meat/dairy cuisine.

One criticism - the local guide (and other people) said the walk to Serralunga d’Alba (from Grinzane Cavour or the other hotel) was really well worth doing but with no notes, nothing on the app and no map provided for this we did not feel confident to attempt it.



Thank you Headwater for organising a great holiday!

Gary Armstrong
The Islands of Amalfi Walk
20/09/2023

All the hotels were excellent, great staff, good food and very comfortable, especially Il Monastero in Ischia. We found most of the walks too challenging for us and on reflection we would have preferred to visit only Ischia and Capri, having longer on each and the flexibility to do less walking each day.
Procida: Walking in Procida is not our idea of a relaxing walk. The island is so small it is difficult to get off the beaten track and every narrow street is a main road. We felt vulnerable walking through the narrow streets with locals speeding past in their cars, vans and on scooters and electric bikes. The whole island was very run down.
Ischia: A much nicer island, more pleasant to walk about. We found the buses completely unfathomable, no signage along the routes, on one occasion we ended up going back to Ischia Port because we missed our stop! Not as easy to buy tickets as the information suggested.
Capri: A lovely, upmarket island, stunning views.
Some initial confusion over logistical arrangements, due to this being a new trip for Headwater in 2023, We were given compensation for the cost of the ferry from Naples to Procida and also given extra evening meal because of incorrect info on itinerary.
We had a problem with a cancelled EasyJet flight and Headwater were extremely helpful and efficient in helping us to resolve this issue.

Mervyn Hill
Alpine Walks in the Stubai Valley
19/09/2023

Everything went according to plan and we were very satisfied overall. The accommodation was excellent and the transfers went smoothly. There were a few minor issues that I have listed below.

Eleanor Weir
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
19/09/2023

This was our second self-guided walking holiday with Headwater and, as before, the organisation of transport, accommodation and the itinerary were excellent. The walks were well-chosen with a variety of terrain. Although the written walk details were good, they were unclear in places, so the Headwater app was an absolute necessity. The hotels were all charming, lots of character, lovely outdoor areas and excellent food.

Paul Knight
Walking the Algarve's South West
19/09/2023

A thoroughly enjoyable 10 days walking holiday. It was good to have 2 days in each hotel in case we needed to recuperate, but in the event we did all the optional walks on the "rest" days anyway - not bad for a couple of 75 year olds!

We really enjoyed using the Navigation app which gave us confidence we were on the right route.

Full marks to Headwater for up-dating the app within 2 weeks of us notifying them of a blocked access on the route.

Michele Zorzi
Discovering the Maltese Islands
18/09/2023

Michael Fletcher
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
18/09/2023

Well organised, well documented,and helpful patient staff in the office, all very smooth travel and better than expected hotel. First time with Headwarter. Impressed.

Gordon Mcleay
Marvels of Madeira Walk
18/09/2023

Excellent holiday. Impressed by quality of hotels and the transfers - they were always on time.

Michel Dench
Secrets of Sicily Walking
18/09/2023

Very satisfied with the itinerary and the smooth transfers.

All the advantages of independent travel with the logistics taken care of.

Elizabeth Beresford
Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj Walk
18/09/2023

Excellent

Dorothy Crossan
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
17/09/2023

I like Headwater a great deal. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I like going on solo self-guided walks and I feel I can do that with the support of Headwater staff. Things do sometimes go wrong, eg i get lost, or there's an issue with a hotel. In such cases I've found the staff genuinely want to help me, not just because it's their job, and they will make sure I'm ok and everything is sorted out.

Tessa Goodchild
Walking St Cuthbert's Way
17/09/2023

Good friendly service providing regular updates. I like more detailed knowledge of an area, history etc check out trailblazer books that had maps length of time to next location etc, stop here for a break…

Damien Healey
Walking in the Outer Mani
17/09/2023

The itinerary is very well organised and documentation provided is extensive and comprehensive.

Andrew Appleyard
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
17/09/2023

A superb trip which i have wanted to do for awhile and i would highly recommend a few days in Turin. Would suggest late September just before the harvest and the truffle festival but the region is busy and remember certain places and restaurants shut Monday/Tuesday and other random days so worth booking well in advance.

This was my 7th Headwater trip and wonderfully put together with changes by Megan in the sales team.

Tracey Groves
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
16/09/2023

Fourth holiday with Headwater over the years. Always very enjoyable and exciting destinations. Great routes and we visit places we would never have seen otherwise. Thank you.

Steven Lambert
Catalan Classic Walk
16/09/2023

Overall everything worked well, the App and local Rep probably the best features. The route could have been significantly better as there is no particular need for it to be circular. The farmland walking is pretty non-descript. The hotels felt tierd and/or in secondary locations. It was dissapointing that the feature hotel, Castella d'Emporda was not offered. Difficultly of the walking was fine and as described and the route notes were good. It should be noted that the main attraction from Encis is closed on a Monday. Value for money wasn't great given the price the hotels could have been booked directly at and transfers seemed very expensive although good.

Anne Black
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
16/09/2023

The pre trip information allowed us to focus on the walking and appreciating the beauty of the local area.

Peter Alvey
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
16/09/2023

Overall good. We requested a front facing room with twin beds and balcony but given a rear and side facing room with a double bed. We did get a large balcony. My wife was disturbed by train noise at the rear because we had our window open due to it being warm.

Susan Fewell
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
16/09/2023

My first walking holiday with Headwater. Fabulous-from start to finish. The walking, food & stunning views.

We were self guided but it was lovely in the evenings to be asked if we wanted to join a group in the kitchen to see our meal being cooked, included in bbq.

But had our own table etc. ( you need to enjoy local food & not expect to eat early)

Other benefit being with like minded people- they are there for the walking, socialising, food, wine but comfort of a clean bedroom, hot shower & not late noisy nights🤣

Caroline Mcdonagh
Contrasts of Crete Walking
16/09/2023

Always had excellent holidays with Headwater in beautiful locations and charming hotels, and very helpful staff at Head Office.

Robert Metcalf
Highlights of the Picos de Europa
16/09/2023

Lovely people at Headwater; easy to deal with. Great itinerary. Super hotel and staff in a lovely location. Super walks.

Woeful pre-trip notes.

Too reliant on app and e-mail.

App misleading in terms of walking time remaining but loved the breadcrumbs

Probably the best organised holiday I have ever been on. And I'm a travel agent! Less than a week before we were due to travel our holiday had to be cancelled due to damage caused by extreme weather in Greece. We had trains and hotel booked in Gatwick for the night before departure and Headwater moved heaven and earth to get us an alternative going on the same day so our arrangements weren't ruined. They did it within 24 hours, at no extra cost and boy was it a good alternative. The accommodation we had was outstanding, quirky, high standard and very different, the walking was varied through some lovely countryside and along the coast. The app worked perfectly, especially when we managed to miss a turning, it got us back on track very efficiently. The local transfers were by suited chauffeurs in large Mercedes which was a bit above and beyond. I can't say enough good things about Headwater, this was a fabulous trip and we will definitely be doing another. Thank you.

Andrew Asteriades
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
16/09/2023

It’s not our favourite walking holiday with Headwater, because at time the Strada Blanche seemed to drag on. We prefer walking in woodland, such as in Alsace Vosges or the French Jura. I think this holiday is more suited to cycling - we saw many happy cyclists out there.



However Stefano is definitely one of the best hosts we’ve had, such fun and passion. La Pietriccia is a great location too, with lovely food and service.

Patricia Mumby
Walking through Bohemia
15/09/2023

Generally reliable and deliver the promise

Lynne Jones
Marvels of Madeira Walk
15/09/2023

Excellent holiday. All details managed well. Would travel with headwater again.

Wendy Cole
Secrets of Sicily Walking
15/09/2023

Johanna Ovenden
Marvels of Madeira Walk
14/09/2023

This was very well organised. The App was great and it was lovely to stay in different parts of the island

Overall it was a wonderful experience. We enjoyed the variety of the scenery. The first walk was amazing.

Niall Hadden
Catalan Classic Walk
12/09/2023

I am fan, as I have now done a number of trips with Headwater. On a few occasions I have not really liked some of the 3* hotels (too basic) and I guess it would be good to have the option of choosing better hotels. But overall, I love the concept and I have always enjoyed the trips. Will continue to consider future self-guided trips with Headwater.

David Wells
Walking through Bohemia
12/09/2023

The overall experience was fine and we felt it was an attractive walk - no doubt enhanced by the superb weather we experienced. The only small difficulty that arose concerned the timing of transfers to the start and from the end of the walk but that was satisfactorily resolved in the end.

One comment I would make about the walk is that I would strongly recommend the green route around Prachovske Skaly as it gives a much better oversight of the park

Stuart Pettet
Alpine Walks in the Stubai Valley
12/09/2023

Really impressed with Headwater. Great holiday in Austria and discovered a new holiday destination that we would return to. Thank you.

Joanna Morley
Alpine Walks in the Stubai Valley
12/09/2023

Well planned and organised. The only disappointment was that we were told the Tibetan bridge in Matera was closed, which it wasn't. The final walk Matera would have been much more interesting if the bridge had been included (although we can understand why it wasn't).

As the weather was vey hot, which we would normally have no problem with as we love the heat, we did fewer of the walks than we might have done had it been cooler. We did, however, do some shorter walks in and around Port de Soller. That is in no way a criticism of Headwater, just a fact of the weather.

As I’ve already said, we did not realise that nearly all the walks involved a tram or a bus or a train, or a combination of them, and we would not want a holiday that was so reliant on local transport in the future.

We did, however, like Port de Soller, and the hotel Aimia.

Good

Gary Ratcliffe
Walking in the Altmuhltal Nature Park
11/09/2023

Lesley Garner
Island Hopping in the Azores
11/09/2023

Holiday was fantastic. Lost more time transferring than I had realised. Though this is the first time I have done this type of holiday. Have only done inn to inn before. Overall the islands were amazing, the people friendly and helpful and would love to go back .

Joan Macleod
Island Hopping in the Azores
11/09/2023

This was a fabulous holiday to a beautiful destination, generally a high standard of accommodation and efficient travel arrangements given number of flights/transfers/ferries. (As per more detailed feedback provided ) - One or two tweaks would reduce some of the airport waiting time. Great variety of walks, and of course freedom to choose to follow plan or not. Would be good to suggest walks directly from accommodation/town locations - as part of joining Information. local tourist offices can do this but then you have the extra time to find out/plan etc when only 1-3 days available per place. Will definitely plan to return to the Azores and explore some of the other islands too.

Joanna Rogers
Walking in Kandersteg - short break
10/09/2023

Highly recommended! Well-curated selections in lovely places. Commitment to sustainability and local communities much appreciated too.

Lesley Church
Walking in the Venetian Hills
10/09/2023

Your representative, George, together with the hotel staff we met along the way, were without exception pleasant, friendly and efficient.
On our walks, the app worked very well and the printed route notes were an excellent back up. The walks themselves (apart from the second half of the walk to the Sporting Hotel) were enjoyable.
We were not happy with the Sporting Hotel - a hotel closer to the walking area would be better, and the motor bikes at Teolo spoiled our enjoyment of the Villa Lussana. As we have mentioned we had paid for a superior room with balcony at this hotel and would appreciate a refund for this.

William Bowie
Walking in the Venetian Hills
10/09/2023

We had a very pleasant holiday where concerns and questions we had before travel, particularly re the navigation app, were addressed beforehand. All arrangements worked smoothly

Mark Harvey
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
09/09/2023

Excellent all round

Peter Ogden
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
09/09/2023

My first headwater experience was excellent from beginning to end. I love the choice to holidays and will definitely book one again you are a brilliant travel agent.

Samantha Mcintyre
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
09/09/2023

We loved the holiday so much, Headwater were excellent in terms of organisation! The only issues we had was with the friendliness of the staff at the hotel and the price of a suite when it was very dated and basic.

Heather Patel
Volcanoes of Sicily Walk
09/09/2023

Headwater take care of the work required to produce a complex itinerary so we can relax and enjoy our holiday. We got to see a lot of Sicily in just one week and have returned home with some extraordinary memories. The highlight has to be the guided night hike up Stromboli to witness the volcanic fire show, very humbling.

Stephen Arnold
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
09/09/2023

The holiday was well-organised and the walk descriptions were easy to follow. The walks were perhaps more strenuous than we had expected. The only thing that spoiled the holiday was that one of our suitcases did not arrive and still has not arrived. We would appreciate more help from Headwater with this.

Francois Loudwig
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
09/09/2023

A great walking holiday in a great location .

Janu Ramkissun
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
09/09/2023

a great holiday once we got there and amazing views and walking. Details of the holiday could have got to us earlier and you need to be more clear with what is expected and additional costs of passes/transport in future advertisements. The hotels were excellent and we would visit again

James Newton
Secrets of Sicily Walking
09/09/2023

The holiday exceeded our expectations. The change for a second cup of coffee at the Marettimo Residence was at best surprising and at worst enough to make recommending the holiday different

Some of the walks were more challenging than we expected. We are experienced hill and costal path walkers and we found some walk’s difficult particularly in the heat.

David Griffiths
Secrets of Sicily Walking
09/09/2023

This "walking holiday" is different from many others as there is only one point-to-point walk (Cofano), several sights (Erice, Segesta), and a lot of pickups. Thankfully, as it would have been a disaster to have had 5 point-to-point walks in 34+°C heat.

We didn't attempt the sensible length circular walks in Zingaro or Marettimo as it was too hot.

The longer ones were out of the question.

If you don't like tuna or swordfish, your restaurant choices will be very limited, but octopus lovers will be quids in.

We stayed on for 4 nights in St Vito lo capo in the middle of the Couscous Festa. This is a very Italian affair and the town was packed with Italians, not foreigners!

Lovely safe beach.

David Edwards
Alpine Walks in the Stubai Valley
09/09/2023

Had the pleasure of dealing with very friendly and informative members of the Headwater team who were always able

to offer expert advice and answer queries immediately .

Gwilym Edwards
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
09/09/2023

Thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. Walks were long but manageable through stunning tuscan countryside. You will need to have a portable charger for your phone in order to use the app as it uses up battery life quickly. The accommodation was good, spacious rooms clean and comfortable. The staff were helpful, efficient and welcoming. The food was very good filling and tasty. Local wine was very pleasant. On the free day the spa was very enjoyable. There is a long train journey to contend with which was a slight drawback. However, I would highly recommend this holiday if you like long self-guided walks through stunning countryside, comfortable accommodation, good food and wine, expertly organised by Headwater.

Christopher Hilton
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
09/09/2023

This was our first Headwater holiday. It was fantastic from beginning to end. Everything ran smoothly. We had a wonderful time

This was an excellent holiday, with lovely scenery and some very nice hotels and restaurants. There's also something inherently pleasing about a walking trip that takes you between two different countries. It was really helpful to have two walking options each day (one on the coast and one in the hills), meaning that you could select the length and difficulty of the walk depending on how you felt. The route guides were also extremely clear and it was not necessary to rely on the GPS app, although was still a handy extra resource.

Shaun Perry
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
08/09/2023

Good as it’s been every time

Ian Mccoll
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
08/09/2023

The holiday completely met my expectations/intentions. I found Headwater easy to deal with. It was my first holiday with Headwater since 2011 (Slovenia) though my wife and I had been on at least seven previous Headwater holidays, starting in 1988. We were always very happy with the service provided.

Carolyn Annand
Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj Walk
08/09/2023

Well organised, efficient, attention to detail and personal preferences. Excellent information and communication. Good value for money.

John Martin
Dordogne River Walk
08/09/2023

Please do take note when someone says they have vertigo problems. I do appreciate it is difficult for someone who does not have that problem to see any difficulty.

We were very happy with 99% of the holiday and our interactions with your staff.

Paul Hamilton-viall
Walking in the Venetian Hills
08/09/2023

Overall, we were quite happy. Villa del Poeta, really made the holiday. The staff there were amazing! They made me feel like a friend, not just a walking wallet. We felt Headwater could have done a little more to make us feel welcome and take any concerns away, such as 'How to catch a bus/train in Italy'. More advice on places to visit and their opening hours, even if it has to be revised regularly. Although I'd have thought once a year enough.Lists of nearby restaurants would be good and local customs. We didn't realise dinner generally isn't eaten till 7.30 ish. Our intro felt rushed and fitted around the guides other work, as nice as he was. There were some great stops on some of the routes (Villa Beatrice). The routes were a bit tougher than we were expecting but there were some great views and it definitely felt like a slice of Italy.

Peter Gilbert
Walk across Andorra
07/09/2023

We had an excellent holiday, great walks ,scenery, weather , accommodation, and food . Many thanks

Stephen Bunnell
Walk across Andorra
07/09/2023

We felt that Headwater provided an excellent pre-trip service. During the holiday all transfers occurred without problem. The hotel selections were good, and standards were generally high

Irene Morgan
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
07/09/2023

Very good pre-booking. Great local agent.

The route notes need reconsidering. The hotels need re-inspecting. It would be helpful to have dinner recommendations.

Everything went well with all aspects of the holiday.

Enjoyed holiday and booking went smoothly - the tour round Puglia was good and well thought out. Staff at Headwater were good and very helpful.

Would also like thanks passed to your agent in Italy for their excellent service.

Jayne Hawkins
Walking on Kythnos Island
05/09/2023

Melanie Haydon
Contrasts of Devon Walking
05/09/2023

Neil Johnson
Contrasts of Lanzarote
05/09/2023

J Ron Byler
Walking Devon's Coastal Highlights
04/09/2023

A bit challenging for 70year olds but we had a great time!

Steffan Evans
Highlights of the Pembrokeshire Coast
04/09/2023

The way they put the holiday together is amazing I thoroughly enjoyed myself it was my first self-guided holiday I normally do guided holidays but I took the plunge and went self- guided it was harder as you have to think outside the box but at the same time liberating without having to be in certain places at a certain time.

It was a fantastic experience and I made memories to last a lifetime! Thanks Andrew and all at Headwater.

Sara Cranfield
Gems of the Amalfi Coast Walking
04/09/2023

Beautiful part of Italy with ample opportunities to sample local food and refreshment. The walks are not for the faint heartened. Shortish distances each day but a lot of climbing up and down. Very easy to use local buses and ferries to get around

Margaret Darlington
Walking the Bernese Highlights East
04/09/2023

An excellent holiday. Good routes with options Useful information about cable cars, public transport and places on route for refreshments. The map app didn't show enough information for us but the paper maps sent were a necessary addition.

Winfried Meier
Walking the Bernese Highlights East
04/09/2023

I know you have taken these over from New Experiance, but I believe you current staff should do or participate in this walk to get first hand knowledge.

Unfortunately Eurotrak App walked along slightly different routes to the walking book, for example from Schwartzwalt Alp we wanted to walk the Romantic Track to First not covered by Eurotrak, Otherwise this is a wonderfull walk.

Heather Hislop
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
04/09/2023

Fantastic holiday , beautiful weather, amazing scenery . Suggested itinerary of routes was first class & pretty easy to follow. Easy walks to start gradually leading to more strenuous ones, but even the harder ones were fine for someone who keeps themselves fairly fit. Hotel was lovely & in a beautiful small town. 10 minutes walk to the local bus station & 5 minutes to the train station which were all very easy to use once you got the hang of it. There really isn't anything negative to say about this holiday.

Elizabeth Wallek
Secrets of Sicily Walking
04/09/2023

We had a most enjoyable holiday, enhanced by the peace of mind that all would go as planned due to your pre-travel information and the excellent briefing and care from your local partner.

We enjoyed the holiday very much but didn't always get on that well with the navigation app or the printed notes.

Ian Andrew Young
Walking in Sierra de Aracena
03/09/2023

Headwater went out of their way to expedite the trip and resolve the few problems that arose. The seif-guiding aspect worked well.

Michael Witty
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
02/09/2023

Excellent company to book with. Were helpful and receptive to tailoring travel plans to extend holiday.

Andrew Gray
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
02/09/2023

Excellent holiday wonderful scenery with a variety of well planned walks. All staff helpful friendly and attentive. Difficult to find fault

Timothy Billington
Dalmatian Coast Island Hopping
02/09/2023

Belinda Bulsing
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/09/2023

Excellent Navigation App. We did not use/need additional maps. Very good transport information on how to use the fantastic transport system to arrive at start and departure from walks. Glorious walks. We were very lucky with sunshine every day and so could see wonderful views. Hotel comfortable with mountain views. Good breakfasts and supper. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables! Chef on duty up to Thursday - lives in San Candido - makes the best porridge I have ever tasted! Found it useful to have German as well as Italian knowledge as several mountain lodges spoke German. Pool at hotel useful to use after a day of walking.

John Priestley
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/09/2023

Wonderful area to walk in, rather busy at times in places as it was obviously very popular . This also put local transport under a certain amount of pressure

Anne Smyrl
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/09/2023

One of the best holidays we have ever had. A mix of exercise and relaxation. Well planned via the app, very easy to book and staff cheerful and helpful. Thank you

Andrew Rushworth
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/09/2023

The Headwater staff were very helpful in setting up this holiday at relatively short notice. I never had to wait on the phone for it to be answered! The App and Route Notes are excellent except for the outline maps provided in the notes which lacked information - so I would strongly recommend buying the Tabacco maps as it is easy to take a wrong turning in this terrain and to give some perspective for each walk. Some of the walks were more like those in the lower Alps than true Dolomites (the Dobbiaco location being geologically at the far northern end of the Dolomites) but they all had superb views of the Dolomite peaks and some were of course right in them!

Everything about this holiday was superb. Having travelled with Exodus in the past (which is also excellent) we appreciated the superior quality of accommodation on this trip. The holiday was to celebrate my 60th birthday and I was very pleased that we made this choice. Even the weather was beautiful!

Roger Bishop
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
02/09/2023

We thought Tuscany was great and so was the whole holiday. We are all getting on a bit average age 77 and Stephano helped us shorten the walks. We loved the hotel, always too much food and the local wine great and excellent value. Swimming pool just what was required and used every day. Owner great fun and very helpful. Four of us had 3 extra days and he helped us hire a car locally. All the staff were very helpful. The extra days were used to visit Siena and Pienza and were well worth it.

Robert Salsbury
Villages & Vineyards of Alsace
01/09/2023

This was our first holiday of this type, we loved the freedom of travelling unguided. The route guidance was excellent and the difficulty and daily distances were just perfect for someone with average walking fitness. The hotels were tremendous, being perfectly located and we could not fault service, food or anything else. The walks were truly superb, blending wonderful strolls through the area's vineyards and gentle climbs through the forests of the foothills. The routes were really well way-marked and so it was easy to navigate. The walks passed through ancient villages and Chateaus and there really were no sections that were anything but breath-taking. Our personal stopover highlights were Riquewihr, a fabulous medieval walled village, and Itterswiller, a tiny village surrounded by rolling vineyards. We will definitely be returning to France again with Headwater.

Christine Page
Walking in the Lower Engadine
01/09/2023

Found service good even when I had trouble doing API as fault with Swiss air!

Overall, we had a fantastic time. Thank you very much!

Marion Sugars
Catalan Classic Walk
29/08/2023

As before, Mark (local rep) was very good.

It's probably unfair of me as I was travelling alone and relying on Mark for safety back-up, but I do have an ambivalent view of the app, as in some ways I think it detracts from the fun of self-navigating. Also it's not 100% reliable when you are in a more remote area with little or no GPS signal.

James Langtry
Walk in the Home of the Matterhorn
29/08/2023

Hotel Europe &Spa in Zermatt was excellent - top tip; they have an electric car and will pick up and drop off from railway station on arrival and departure. Cicerone travel book on Zermatt & Saas Fee is very good with well described and various walks & other useful info. The App Swisstopo has excellent maps. The Glacier express is good but the local trains (despite the need for changes to do the same route) is very good and usually less busy. We were not sure the extra expense of the GE worth it

Bryan Donoghue
Walking in Kandersteg - short break
27/08/2023

Really good trip, the walks were varied and there were good options to extend them if you felt up to it. The food in the hotel was amazing as well.

Margaret Ardagh
Catalan Classic Walk
27/08/2023

Great first trip with Headwater

Elena Besley
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
26/08/2023

In Switzerland, we were given a travel guest card so that all public transport in the area was free including cable cars and boats and trains! The travel card gave us extra flexibility as we could adapt our plans on the day depending on the weather and not worry about additional expenses.
The staff at Alfa Soleil Kandersteg are simply the best. They made us feel at home from the moment we arrived, treated us to some amazing Bernese cuisine, and looked after us with great care.

Marion Tyrrell
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
26/08/2023

Good choice of location, hotel and routes. We were disappointed with the quality of the route directions and the discrepancy between the app routes and the written route directions but there is good local signage and most paths are well maintained. The suggestions for optional extensions and optional additional routes were very useful. NB the app routes provide additional extensions, which we made use of. A proper scaled walking map with contour lines was not provided - if appropriate, consider buying one locally to help plan your routes.

Nicholas Cox
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
26/08/2023

It is good to have a company that will allow a traveller to be flexible in terms of travel arrangements; we flew to Zurich but went everywhere else, including returning to the UK, by train. Likewise the flexibility to walk as often as you feel like, although we walked every day when the weather allowed.

The local knowledge at the host hotel was invaluable and the cuisine was excellent.

Martin Ashcroft
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
26/08/2023

We had a really good week, even though the weather was variable. That’s life. The hotel was very comfy and food was good. We enjoyed the walks -especially the path of the gods.

The walking app was very good and saved a lot of time and effort looking at a map, or instructions.

Buses were a nightmare, especially with the road from Agerola to Amalfi being closed for half the week. This obviously restricted our movements.

The bus in Priano (to Amalfi) didn’t stop at bus stop 5.

The trip to Vesuvius and Pompei was excellent, with great guides at both locations.

As self guided walkers we missed out on some information such as the bbq evenin (until it happened), and receiving info about our transfer from the hotel back to the airport. We were not on the drivers list!

Carmen was very helpful.

Janet Offord
Walking in Austria's Lake District
26/08/2023

Everything was perfect had a fantastic time

Gerald Clarke
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
26/08/2023

Very good. Prompt. Friendly. Accommodating. Made us feel important. And adaptable to our suggestions.

Yvonne Scott
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
25/08/2023

Yvonne Scott
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
25/08/2023

Overall really enjoyed the holiday - will email regaling the walk that was unsuitable

Anna Maclauchlan
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
25/08/2023

Had a great holiday despite endless rain and worst storm in45 years including large hailstones causing damage to cars! Map app was easy to use and very helpful. Lots of detail in the guide book but I didn’t always find it easy to get my head around! Bavarian people were friendly and helpful. Really enjoyed our holiday 😊

Peter Laing
Walk the Welsh Highland Railway
22/08/2023

Very helpful.

Marion Sugars
Catalan Coastal Walk
21/08/2023

Very good. I was particularly impressed with your local rep Mark who went out of his way to make me feel safe (as I was hiking alone in some quite remote places).

Navigation app worked brilliantly.

Holiday well managed from start to finish - but accommodation varies in quality.

Margaret Garai
Highlights of the Picos de Europa
19/08/2023

Good for those who don't like walking in big groups but enjoy the security of local support and route guidance

Joanne Griffiths
Walking on the Francigena Way
18/08/2023

I really enjoyed this trip, despite travelling in August and experiencing an Italian heatwave which is always going to be tricky on a walking holiday! Beautiful scenery, picturesque towns and villages, and varied terrain. I travelled solo and and most days I walked miles and miles without seeing another person, which I quite liked. The App/GPS routes worked brilliantly, and the Via Francigena is very well marked, however less so as you get closer to Rome. The peace of mind that all hotels were booked and baggage transported efficiently just took all the stress out of the holiday, and I consider the premium worth paying. A few bits of advice if you do book this holiday - the taxi transfers suggested at the start and end are unnecessary, get the Funicular up to Orvieto and the train back to the airport at the end. Getting the Pilgrim Passport stamped can be a bit of a trial, but some of the hotels have stamps so always best to ask when you check in. Before you go, research how to get your Testimonium from The Vatican, there is loads of advice and help on-line. Take bug spray and use it as soon as you get to Orvieto if travelling in Summer. Take a power pack out with you every day, my phone battery struggled on some of the high mileage days with the App running and taking lots of photos. I have done a lot of small group holidays, and it was a bit of a leap of faith giving a self-guided trip a go, but it was great, and I'm already looking at which one to choose next!

We enjoyed an excellent trip which went incredibly smoothly. On Day 1 which was transfer to start the holiday all arrangements went to plan and the 1st class Train ticket was appreciated. We were lucky that there was a food festival in Brig on our arrival with a great atmosphere. On Day 2 (first walking day) we skipped the 2nd cable car so started walking earlier and effectively added 2 hours to the walking time. Day 3 we followed the itinerary and had a great day. Day 4 was an optional day, we decided to do a walk not part of the itinerary to the largest Suspension Bridge in Switzerland from Randa. We did find the cost of local transport was significant, we probably spend ~£150 each in first 3 days on trains, busses and cable cars. Day 5 was a rest day for us in terms of walking, we took the Metro Alpin option from the itinerary. Day 6 we done the walk that was Day 5 on the intinerary. Day 7 we went Off-Itinerary and done a fabulous walk from Mattmark back to Saas Fee via the Glacier Trail. Day 8 was our return trip home, it was a bit bumpy as the travel time coincided with a large music festival so the train was overcrowded and uncomfortable, the return ticket was second class, we would have valued a 1st class ticket due to the situation. The Headwater App was a great reference, during the walks the signposting in Switzerland are excellent so we did not need to continuoulsy refer to it. I would go B&B only to have flexible dinner options rather than hotel only.

Lisa Mackay
Alpine Walks in the Stubai Valley
12/08/2023

It was a great holiday, the app was useful but the itinerary was too difficult for us. The general info was ok. We used the trail information at the resorts and used their leaflets instead as it suggested a choice of trails and the grading instead of one trail only. We loved the resort and the hotel but not the room. Would recommend the area to friends.

Margaret Lewis
Walking in Jersey, Guernsey and Sark
09/08/2023

Overall we had a lovely holiday. The travel arrangements worked well particularly those whilst in Jersey and Guernsey - all transfers on time and very helpful staff. The walks we did were lovely and our only criticism relates to the assessments which were certainly a bit optimistic for us!

Suzanne Schiller
Highlights of the Camino de Santiago Walk
08/08/2023

Terrific experience. I do not see your name mentioned among the traditional Camino companies but it should be. It was a very easy and terrific experience.

Deborah Nunn
Walking the Tyrolean Mountains
07/08/2023

Lovely holiday in this beautiful Austrian town. The hotel was ideal, with friendly staff, great breakfasts and two indoor pools. Amazing scenery - we loved being able to catch the cable cars up the nearby mountains, then gradually make our way down. In the end we only did 4 of the walks - one day was too rainy, so we instead caught the train to explore Innsbruck, and we opted to spend a whole afternoon at the Schwarzsee bathing lake. The hotel is a short walk from the historic old town, with lots of restaurants, bars and street performers.

Susan Holt
Dordogne River Walk
06/08/2023

Once again another fantastic holiday! Amazing organisation, great support throughout. Just one hotel let the whole experience down a little,but this could be due to local culture/personality differences. All meals inlcuded were FABULOUS! Would definatley travel with you again, but would be GREAT if you could take AMEX please. We really trust you to make great selections and trip notes, which goes a long way for us as we are super busy and would not have time to plan all this ouselves. We have really built up a trust with you now after travelling with you 5 times myself!

Patrick Curran
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
05/08/2023

Wonderful holiday and really well organised Thank you very much and look forward to our next holiday.

Georgia Scott Dench
Walking the Dolomites of Alta Badia
05/08/2023

Toni was very helpful and got everything sorted quickly. We really enjoyed the walks; the app was easy to use. Our hotel was outstanding and the airport transfers worked well.

Timothy Blackstone
Walking the Best of the High Pyrenees
05/08/2023

All very good, excellent introduction to the Pyrenees itinerary.

Christopher Jilbert
Portugal Coastal Way to Santiago
05/08/2023

Our Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago has been amazing and the trip has been made even more enjoyable with the excellent service from Headwater. The management of hotels, bag transfers, and availability of support has been excellent. Thank you.

Paul Goldswain
Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj Walk
02/08/2023

The itinerary was good. I thought it was sensible to split the first and last days in two. Going from the start in France to Roncesvalles in one day, whilst doable would have been tough given the amount of ascent required. Equally stopping in Viana rather than going all the way to Logrono was sensible, given the heat and distance. The entrance to Logrono isn't particularly interesting and to put that at the end of a long day would have been dispiriting. The signage along the way was very good apart from the last section coming into Estella, where a series of new cycle tracks has made things confusing. A stone arrow on the ground helped, but it could be easily missed. As it happens I chose the right option.

We had a great holiday. It was relaxing and inspiring to walk among the Burgundy vineyards and amazing landscape of the Cote D'Or. The walking routes were well organised and varied. Navigation was easy with the GPS app. We walked 40 miles over 5 days and climbed 1100m, higher than Mt Snowdon!

Paula Digby
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
22/07/2023

Really good trip. Travel arrangements were really robust. Communication was good. Trip notes were really helpful. I'd recommend the Switzerland trip we did, and also travelling with Headwater - I've travelled with them before and would travel with them again

Robert Morgan
Walking the Camino de Santiago
22/07/2023

Very enjoyable holiday

James Russell
Catalan Classic Walk
21/07/2023

We loved our trip to the Catalan Coast. Such a beautiful area! The walks and suggested walks were well planned, with minimal time spent walking along busy roads. The hotels were very good and the staff at each had helpful suggestions for places to eat and things to do. This was our second Headwater trip and we have already planned a third!

Nigel Goodwin
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
18/07/2023

Great walking on what is an amazing piece of history

Alison Pearce
Walking the Dolomites of Alta Badia
16/07/2023

Fantastic in every way , so relaxing

Janice Erskine
Walking South Devon's Coastal Path
15/07/2023

Well planned holiday.The scenery, the weather, most of the accommodation and the advice and support of the on the ground representative (Richard) made it one of the best walking holidays we have ever been on.

Esme Gilling
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
15/07/2023

We were impressed with the speed and efficiency with which problems were sorted, also the friendliness of your staff. A real dislike of flying may make us think twice about going abroad in the near future but we may consider holidays in the UK with your company.

Kenneth Roberts
Walking Mallorca's Mountains and Coast
15/07/2023

As I said earlier, we have enjoyed many happy trips with Headwater over many years. However, as I said on an earlier page, the route notes seriously need some attention in our opinions. Although they read well enough, the sentence construction suggests they were written by a local with local knowledge. To us, they appeared unclear and sometimes inaccurate. In the end we devised our own walks. Staff at the hotel were fantastic, Megan at Headwater was most helpful and we shall almost certainly book with you again but the itinerary needs looking at.

Susannah Edwards
Walking from Coast to Coast
15/07/2023

This was a brilliant trip, and I was very sorry when it came to an end.

I have travelled with Headwater on a number of occasions. The booking staff are excellent, helpful and friendly. The hotels are generally well chosen and offer a varied experience. The well trodden routes are well managed and offer an efficient service. If travelling to less popular destinations, there is a sense that the wheels are less well oiled, so be prepared for a few hiccups.

Brian Lloyd
Marvels of Madeira Walk
13/07/2023

Thank you Headwater for another excellent Holiday package.

Stuart Revell
Walking in Val D'Anniviers
11/07/2023

Communication was good, and we felt we were kept up to date with our booking. Any queries were promptly answered.

Kevan Thorley
Walking Canada’s Sunshine Coast
11/07/2023

We had a wonderful time Vancouver, a lovely city and in the ebautiful Sunshine Coast of Canada. The walks were splendid and apart from some difficulties, the instructions were good. The Rocky Mountaineer was a very good experience.

Jack Bowles
Jewels of the Jurassic Coast Walk
10/07/2023

Overall a good holiday experience

Gillian Pett
The Cotswold Way Walk
10/07/2023

I was rather disappointed that the walk itself was not managed by Headwater as i did appreciate detailed route instructions which I could download. I did not enjoy relying on gps. A map would have been helpful as well as information about deviation from the route. I did appreciate having a meal booked for 2 of the days when I got badly lost and was unable to get help, I did receive help from the next day

Andrew Quinlan
Portugal Coastal Way to Santiago
10/07/2023

An excellent holiday - well organised and very helpful staff -Andrew Palmer was great. The hotels were excellent - clean and mostly modern with really positive staff.Thank you

Ian Gallagher
Walking in Kandersteg - short break
09/07/2023

This was our first holiday and experience with Headwater and we hope it will not be our last. From my initial query, Jo Chaplin provided us with an excellent service in helping us book our holiday. She was very attentive to our needs and returned my calls/emails promptly and when promised, displaying an excellent customer focussed service. Getting connecting flights from Belfast via London Heathrow to Zurich proved difficult but Jo simply booked us on direct flights from Dublin to Zurich using Swiss Air, resulting in a good financial saving. We booked in May 2023 and travelled in July 2023 and Jo kept us informed every step of the way, sending us train tickets and information guides (including detailed route walks and maps) well in advance, so we could read and ask any further questions before travelling. The Hotel Alfa Soleil exceeded our expectations and is in an ideal location on the edge of Kandersteg. Everything about the hotel was perfect and we would not look to stay in another hotel if we returned to Kandersteg. Being met on the train platform by Adriano from the hotel was a great start to our holiday! Our only 'complaint' is that 5 days is not enough time to fully explore the Kandersteg area, so we look forward to booking a return visit!

Linda Storey
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
08/07/2023

You are helpful without being in any way intrusive. Excellent customer service. I travel with confidence

Hilary Denny
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
08/07/2023

We thoroughly enjoyed out holiday with Headwater. The location and hotel were perfect for an alpine walking holiday. The hotel was friendly and the food good. We loved the walks and thought the programme of walks suggested was just right. We adjusted the order slightly to allow for two days of low cloud and a sore foot. The transport arrangements worked well. We both came back relaxed, refreshed and much fitter than we went out.

Andrea Frame
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
08/07/2023

Accomadation and food very good . Hotel staff very helpful. Headwater staff very helpful organising the holiday

John Lambert
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
08/07/2023

Walks excellent as previously. Hotel significantly disappointing.

Nigel Goodwin
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
07/07/2023

A lovely week exploring the Cotswolds with some unique accommodation experiences

Linda Lord
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
06/07/2023

Fantastic. I have been singing your praises to all my family and friends. Any foreign holiday we go on from now on I'm sure will be with Headwater. The staff have been amazing throughout. It's not been easy for your staff as this holiday had to be rearranged so many times due to covid restrictions but we got there and it's the best holiday we've ever had. Thank you Headwater.

The process was relaxed and informed making it easy to choose our walking holiday with confidence. The local agents in Pembrokeshire were also excellent and couldn't have done more to make us feel welcome.

Sarah Lord
Walking in the Venetian Hills
04/07/2023

This was an outstanding holiday in every respect. The Euganean hills are a lovely place to walk and virtually undiscovered by tourists from outside Italy itself: you feel like you are in the real Italy, while still enjoying the stunning views, food, and culture you would get in more popular parts. The weather got pretty hot making some walks more challenging, but generally there was enough shade so it didn't feel unsafe. The accommodation was nicely varied and excellent throughout. We especially loved the pool at the Hotel Sporting and the food at Villa del Poeta. We had a great day out in Padua by bus from Teolo - highly recommended. And we had a perfect city break in Venice at the end. What more could you want! Headwater team was excellent throughout, with George and Carmen on the end of the phone if needed. One suggestion for future guests is to make sure you bring enough food and water with you every day, as (despite what the trip notes say) we found shops and restaurants were closed or non-existent most of the time. On day 1, there was no packed lunch available from Il Feudo, and we had to make do with some stuff from the breakfast table. It's a good idea to bring plenty of snacks (perhaps from the airport) and you really need to carry 2L water per person per day in the summer.

Nigel Kirk
Villages & Vineyards of Alsace
01/07/2023

Overall very good, we have used your company many times over the years and have always enjoyed our holidays . This trip was slightly let down by our stay in Riquewihr as the restaurant was terrible and really left us with negative view of that part of the trip . Fortunately we have never experienced this on any of your previous trips and I suspect might be due to the subcontractor.

Camille Pigott
Walking St Cuthbert's Way
01/07/2023

The locations and walking are lovely. Generally accommodation very good. All staff friendly. Thank-you to headwaters staff

BOAG
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/07/2023

Based at a comfortable family-run hotel with particularly good food in a quiet location within a pretty (but not overwhelmingly busy) village, we enjoyed some spectacular walks, plentiful alpine flowers and attendant butterflies, and even the opportunity for a lake swim with an amazing view at Oeschinensee.

Jonathan Sykes
Walk the Crossroads of Five Passes
01/07/2023

We had an excellent self guided walking holiday to Switzerland. We had a good Hotel which was convenient for the Railway and Bus travel. The information we received was great but anything we didn't know we found out at the tourist information which was located in the train station. The food was really good with plenty of options. The Hotel staff were also very kind and extremely helpful. Overall it was a really enjoyable holiday and we are looking to travel again in the not too distant future.

Carol Mitchell
Walk the Crossroads of Five Passes
01/07/2023

Our experience with Headwater was fantastic, everything was very well organised and we couldn’t fault the hotel or location. We had a fantastic time and that’s all we could ask for.

Relaxed single centre walking holiday. The selection of walks provided were useful in a week with quite unstable weather. The transport links from Dobbiaco made travelling to walks no problem. It made a change from the place to place walks that we have done in recent years. Overall a great taster for the high Dolomites.

Katherine Murton
Walking the Dolomites of Alta Badia
01/07/2023

A great trip - superb hotel with excellent staff. Super location with challenging but achievable walks. Would be more than happy to return.

Caroline Clack
Discovering the Maltese Islands
01/07/2023

As novices to walking holidays, we had an enjoyable trip to Malta and Gozo, however due to the exceptional heat it was quite challenging! Some of the walks have a 30-60 minute bus ride before the start, so cannot be started really early (we weren't prepared to forgo a reasonable lie-in and enjoy the hotel breakfasts!), but over the course of the week we did learn how to make the most out of the buses to shorten or amend our route plans and still see much of both islands! We enjoyed the many swimming opportunities and the peaceful walks that were a nice balance to the bustle of Valetta and Victoria and the main towns.

The holiday was very enjoyable and everything went smoothly, (thanks) some of the route directions provided were a bit vague in places and we'd have preferred to have had a proper map to refer to from time to time. Overall it was a great holiday and we'll need to start planning the next adventure as soon as possible.

FENNELL
Walking the Speyside Way
28/06/2023

A variety of walking from disused railway trackbeds to hill and forest. 95% of the route was on fenced pathway so little concern about encounters with cattle or horses, which I know some would worry about. Accommodation was first class.

Christine Day
Dalmatian Islands Walk
26/06/2023

Highly recommended walking holiday to Split and Dalmatian Islands. We chose to do some of the shorter walks suggested to keep near the sea as it was very hot, so every walk also included a swim. Great accommodation with v friendly hosts.

The standard tour was excellent but the 'tailor-made' part did not go well.

LEWIS CLARKE
Walking in Kandersteg - short break
25/06/2023

An amazing walking holiday in stunning Kandersteg. The walking was jaw-dropping, the hotel warm, friendly, efficient and Nico’s restaurant served a wonderful 3 course dinner. Everything was of a high standard yet also personal. Saunas great too. Thank you so much.

CURTIS
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
24/06/2023

It was a good walking holiday, with 5 out of the 6 walking days having good or excellent weather. The hotel was quiet and in a quiet, peaceful village. Kandersteg is much quieter and smaller than Grindelwald or Zermatt for example. Most of the walks are accessed by gondola, cable-car or bus for which you are given a ticket. There are two walks that you can do straight from the hotel. There are a mixture of moderate and harder walks and there are more walking routes than there are days available to do them, so you have a choice. The higher altitude walks gave the best mountain scenery, but it’s only worth doing them in good weather. One could see snow-covered mountains from outside the hotel, but not every day owing to cloud. The hotel food was very good. Headwater provide the route notes and it is better to print them out before leaving home.

Be aware there is not a lot of shade and no access to water. Coastal walks can be too hot in the summer months. We went at the end of June and it was very hot there were signs on some routes warning people it was too hot to walk. . Using the gps app provided is an absolute must , if using paper instructions we'd have got lost.

The train journeys were really picturesque and added to the holiday experience.. Our local guide was excellent and punctual.

Fantastic holiday! Challenging walks with unbelievable scenery. Park Hotel Bellevue was the perfect place to rest (fab spa) and re-fuel after a day's walking. The hotel staff, the food, the rooms, the spa and special mention for Fabio, our favourite barman, made our holiday very special. We hope to be back!

John Macmillan
Walking the Dolomites of Alta Badia
24/06/2023

We have now experienced Headwater on a number of occasions. We had a wonderful weeks stay at Hotel Ciasa Salares. The staff in every department couldn't be more helpful. Restaurant food from breakfast to dinner was of a very high quality and variety. Our room was spotless, however the shower was teeny tiny so it was just as well we are slim people. That said, it was still difficult to wash ourselves without hitting the wall, screen or temperature control. We had no air conditioning which would be a must during the summer months. The Headwater app was amazing and we never found ourselves lost. The Dolomites were outstanding in their scenery and we are keen to go back for winter snow. Would thoroughly recommend.

One thing to mention was the transfer cost from airport to resort which was extremely expensive. As we were extending our holiday, we hired a car for 10 days which was considerably cheaper than the taxi fare from airport to hotel.

Excellent hotel - location, facilities, staff and food.

Navigation app was outstandingly good, informative and with a few very minor exceptions accurate and easy to use. Made our walks highly enjoyable and stress free.

Austria's Lake District is a fabulous area to visit and explore. Wonderful breathtaking scenery, plenty of attractions to choose from, great food & drink and friendly locals.

It was a fantastic holiday for me & my wife. Everything was just perfect. We really enjoyed ourseve very much. I really recomended this hotel (Alfa Soleil) for foodies.

Great walking location and a lovely hotel made for a fantastic holiday - all the better as the weather was sunny.

Helpful and efficient for independent travel. Very Good routes and accommodation

Overall the holiday was very enjoyable and the accommodation excellent (helped by a complimentary upgrade at Madeira Park!) The breakfast situation needs a bit more thought. At Shades of Jade, the breakfasts were excellent, but not so in he two other resorts. At Madeira Park we had no cereals, but did have a litre of milk, which went mainly unused. At Desolation Sound, we had neither bread nor cereals (we had to go and buy bread ourselves). Fruit and juices were plentiful at all three locations.

DRAGE
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
17/06/2023

A great holiday in a wonderful location. Excellent variety of walks, accurately described in the route notes. Having all meals including picnic lunches, provided by the hotel was ideal for us. The food was excellent.

A very high quality experience, from the excellent responses of Katie in the office to the first class transfer and hotel to the proposed Dolomites walks through high altitude flower meadows and scenery.

The wide variety of walks allowed us to choose according to conditions. The free access to bus train and chairlift made it all very simple. The Belvedere was exceptional with very interesting meals. There was direct access to a very large swimming area with a variety of temperatures, water jets and saunas.

We had a great holiday in Slovenia. The area was stunning and the local bus made getting around easy. The hotel was comfortable. The staff were excellent, and the food was good and very plentiful- we’d challenge anyone to try and eat three courses there! The range of walks available was varied and this was really helpful as on really hot days it was good to try and stick to more shaded walks. It was good to be able to choose which walk we wanted to do on each day. We felt that the instructions for some of the walks could have been improved and moving to an app would make more sense. Keeping the time spent planning is an important part of the holiday for us and sometimes it was challenging to juggle the map, grid references and instructions. If this had been made more simple it would have made our holiday an excellent one rather than a good one.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback it is invaluable to us, I have fed this back to our product team. Regards Katie

BEDFORD
Marvels of Madeira Walk
15/06/2023

The holiday was a joy and delight, the hotels were excellent, the scenery was stunning and the flowers were fantastic.

Walks were cleverly graded , becoming more difficult by the day so that we were able to build our fitness. Staggeringly beautiful scenery.

WHISTLER
Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj Walk
14/06/2023

Ideal for independent walking (and cycling). Beautiful, peaceful and friendly country very much suited to a slow pace of life.

BROWER
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/06/2023

Incredibly well organised break. App was great and easy to use. Gorgeous food and beautiful hotels in stunning locations. Some of the walks were more challenging than suggested, particularly when walking uphill in the heat, to reach a final hilltop destination. There was mention of “trattoria” along the way, but these were often not named or noted on the map. The last day there were no toilets, bars or restaurants along the route, which wasn’t indicated on the app. Being more specific would be extremely helpful. Highly recommend the holiday. We had such a great time and would definitely do this again.

MACDONALD
Walking in the Venetian Hills
14/06/2023

Headwater proved to be a reliable company, courteous and helpful when booking and during the trip. George and Carmen were supportive representatives. Accommodation and hosts were mostly very good in particular Gabriella (Il Feudo) and Julia ( Borgo Petrarca ) Walks were sometimes challenging in parts .We had to negotiate difficult, steep and rocky sections. The Navigation App guiding us was good. One final stretch was on the road and tedious, however the Spa we arrived at more than compensated! Plenty of sightseeing on days off, using taxi or cheap local transport. Giottio Frescoes in Padua were wonderful and we managed to buy tickets on the day.Good cheap wine, lovely meals and lovely people.Managed a trip to Venice on last day as we had a late flight home. Overall, Fabulous experience, loved every step and will do more with Headwater.

It was a lovely holiday but the maps were not topographical so at times there were of nouse. We used the app on the phone all the time because if we had to make a decision about which path to take it showed us if we had made the right decision.

An outstanding hotel in a great setting, with easy access to the mountains and the Stubai Valley

BARKER
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
12/06/2023

The holiday and venue were super. Walking super and hotel facilities excellent. Although we had forgotten how expensive it is in Switzerland!!!

Yvonne Barker
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
12/06/2023

The Headwater name was clearly useful at both hotels - I felt we were looked after better because of it. The local transport provision with Savvas was brilliant, he is a key part of teh holiday, and definitely earnt his tip! The agent was irrelevant to our booking, but maybe with bigger parties there would be some benefit. We had a wonderful experience during (to us) a very hot week. (Savvas and the locals thought it was mild). the walks were progressively more amazing; the inland walks to start with are a great introduction and aclimatiser, with the peninsula walks being stunning with the forests and coastal views. A head for heights is useful on the way down from Moutti tis Sortiras! Amazing views!

Beautiful destination, family ran hotel made us feel very welcome and they were very helpful.

HALLIWELL
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
10/06/2023

We had a perfect week, completed beautiful walks and enjoyed the whole experience.

KENT
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
10/06/2023

Kandersteg is a picture postcard Swiss village, with an alpine panorama from the moment you leave the train. Our hotel was easily accessible, comfortable and provided a warm welcome; the suggested itineraries took us to some fabulous mountain valleys, upland meadows and rivers.

The local agent, Emmanuel, was excellent and also a careful driver. The hotels were generally good, but the first hotel we stayed in ("Port Toga", not "le Bastia") was very good. The level of facilities in the rooms of the hotels was different which is to be expected from 3* hotels. All had AC's that worked, which was good given the temperatures we experienced. The pools at "Belle Vue" and "Le Revellata" were very good; we did not try the one at the Port Toga, and "A Storia" didn't have one.

The app for these walks is a must have. It shows precisely where one is relative to the paths available. The route maps are OK but not clear enough, and the descriptive could be better. The walks were generally quite spectacular, but on unmade and rugged ground, so care is needed along with proper walking shoes. Shame about missing the boat trip to the Loku beach but a storm was forecast.

The holiday was generally very enjoyable despite the heat, and a blister or two. Mr. Norbury - June 2023

SAUNDERS
Dalmatian Coast Island Hopping
10/06/2023

Croatia is a beautiful country. We had great walks, lovely scenery and good hotels. At the briefing we felt a bit overwhelmed with the amount of info re transfers, taxis and ferries but all worked well and all the tickets , bookings etc are well presented in a folder so we didn't loose anything! Day 3 - St Antonie - route on Jelsa - the bus drops you just outside of town rather than in the town centre so keep an eye out and check with the driver if you're at Jesla - we missed the stop but the driver very kindly took us back! Walking to the Tor at the beginning of the walk is more like a 3 booter and involves quiet a bit of scrambling. Once at the top though the rest of the walk is easier. We shared a cab back to Hvar with other walkers on the trip later in the day so as not to have to clock watch/ rush for the last bus back in the early afternoon. Overall a fab trip with varied and interesting walks.

Fantastic and iconic hiking country, with more ups and downs than a roller coasters, and flora and fauna to shout about. Even the storms are dramatic!

Hotel is friendly, comfortable and basic. You won't spend much time there, but when you do (and are not sleeping) you are enjoying gourmet food, chatting with friendly owners and staff in the bar, or just soaking in the scenery on the terrace.

John Baker
Transylvanian Castles Walk
10/06/2023

A wonderful trip in a wonderful country. I would suggest providing gpx files is a must have for this trip (and instructions for new users on how to use gpx files - ie download the free GAIA app)

Lake Bohinj is an excellent base from which to explore the region. Quieter and less developed than Lake Bled, it is very unspoilt and yet provides easy access to Lake Bled and the capital. One point to near in mind is that Hotel Tripic is a bus ride from the lake, so you can spend a reasonable amount of time on/waiting for buses. the other hotel (Jezera) is right by the lake and so more convenient.

We had a lovely time walking the Camino - very helpful staff and everything went as it should have done. Helpful walking notes.

An incredible experience in Bavaria. Amazing combination of lakes, mountains and forest scenery. Lots of forest paths at first, but sensational views in later days. There are some tough stretches where you climb or descend steeply over long periods of time, on proper paths but nevertheless it requires stamina and walking poles are handy. The app for guidance was useful but needs a few tweaks and we'd have preferred an old-fashioned map as well. All hotels met or exceeded expectations, friendly welcome and great breakfasts, although it helps if you speak some German. Public transport is part of the itinerary, it's easy and the hotels provide travel cards for free bus travel across the area. The local partner was very efficient with luggage behind the scenes. The booking process was frustrating - sloppy admin, complicated by IT system requiring separate bookings and paperwork for our two rooms. Plus we missed out on cheap flights because it took 3 weeks to confirm our reservation.

KEEFFE
The Islands of Amalfi Walk
08/06/2023

We loved this holiday - great app - well researched walking trails and good small family run accommodation - we will definitely do another Headwater self-guided walk

JEANS
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
07/06/2023

Very helpful office staff. Communication sometimes a little slow. Walk maps for Kandersteg need updating. Walks were utterly superb, flowers and scenery amazing. Great too to see how little Kandersteg had changed since 1980s. Lovely too to see how the Swiss gov's support for farmers means systems here are extensive and the result wonderful flowers and Wildlife alongside dairy and meat production. As we farm we were jealous!

Hotel is excellent. Friendly service and good food. Picnic lunch much appreciated.

An excellent first start to walking holidays. The mobile OS map app was extremely valuable, gave peace of mind, and minimised getting lost.

Fabulous - thoroughly enjoyed all parts of the trip

Good variety of walks of differing difficulty with extremely detailed route instructions. Made extensive use of the bus and train system, which was included and also used a number of gondolas and chairlifts to access higher plateaus. The mountain backdrops are spectacular. In early June the area is pleasantly quiet.

A tranquil break on a beautiful island, with good walking and a brilliant hotel. A really fabulous break. Adding 3 days on the back to see Valetta was a great idea.

Easy walking holiday. Navigating some of the routes was a bit tricky and full use had to be made of the digital maps supplied. The hotels were very good and fairly close to restaurants for an evening meal. English to a certain extent was spoken by hotel staff. If you want to go to the visitor centre at the American Military Cemetary be aware that they won't let you in if you have a knife. I had a small Swiss Army Knife in my rucksack whiich was measured and declared to be too big. Couldn't leave it at reception so couldn't enter. Also having taken a taxi (20 euros) to Omaha I intended to have lunch in one of the 2 nearby restaurants but both were closed. Walked back to Port en Bessin on an empty stomach. Overall a very enjoyable holiday.

Spectacular scenery but not a huge amount of variation in the walking for the first 3 days. Coastal path challenging at times..

Excellent coastal walking in a beautiful part of Pembrokeshire but still allowing some time for sightseeing

HOPES
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
03/06/2023

The holiday struck the right balance for us, between support and organisation and independence. You always felt there was somebody who could advise you, and this took away any stress or worry. We felt in good hands. The choice of resort and accommodation exceeded our expectations.

The walks were challenging enough to get a sense of achievement without feeling overstretched. The GPS navigation made it almost impossible to go wrong and was a source of comfort, as was having Azra answering very quickly when I had to phone her with a question.

The accommodation and instructions were spot on, which led to me having a more relaxing week than when I have organised my own trips.

Self guided suited us as we’re used to ‘doing our own thing’ but this tour gave us our own space (with everyone having different walking paces) but provided the benefit of having other similarly minded people to share our trials and tribulations with at the end of each day - if you wanted to.

I would definitely recommend Headwater/Exodus to anybody wanting a self guided walking tour.

This holiday was beautiful! It was so well organised. Island hopping is very different to the other Headwater holiday's we have done and be aware of the extra mileage of ferry hopping on top of the walks. The hotels were well placed and their hosts were amazing! Mljet was stunning and the walk to the top is so worth it!!! Hvar was beautiful but the Jelsa bus walk was very tight on time. Adding an extra day in Split was fantastic and he Croatian people were so friendly and kind. Overall we enjoyed every second and i would thoroughly recommend it!

Mary O'dea
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
03/06/2023

We had a wonderful time in the Dolomites, stunning scenery and interesting history on the walks. Amazing food in the refugios on the walks and in our hotel in Dobbiaco. As we went in early June, the weather wasn't as predictable and some walk options weren't fully operational,( which we had been told could be the case by Headwater) it was still worth going at this time as it was much quieter. On the some walks we only met a handful of people which was our preference. Also it was important to carefully read the bus timetables as some buses didn't run as frequently in early June ( marked by a 1 at the top of the column). The App was amazing and made it so easy to navigate and enjoy the walks. You can turn on different audio options, one will actually tell you to turn while another option beeps when a turn is coming up. The hotel was perfectly located near the train station which made it so easy to get the train. Some buses also went from there. Food and the service in the Park Hotel Bellvue were excellent, a real personal service with a drinks reception one evening to get to chat to the other headwater walkers. Organisation and communication from Megan at Headwater was excellent making is all very easy.

JEFFERYS
The Islands of Amalfi Walk
03/06/2023

Great holiday overall - would definitely travel with Headwater again

The Channel Islands offer beautiful, scenic walks with opportunities to view wildlife.

We did this trip in reverse; Capri, Ischia & Procida. That fitted with other plans we had. Headwater were great at accommodating that change and updating a significant chunk of their documentation. Walking in Procida is a bit of a struggle given the nature of the island but the other islands made up for that. We especially enjoyed Ischia where the accommodation was fantastic and we used the buses (as we did in Capri) to visit some of the sights including a day at the Aphrodite Apollon Thermal Park which we would heartily recommend.

PENMAN
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
02/06/2023

Walks were fabulous. Great accommodation. Food was excellent. We learnt a lot about the wine and food at Villa Amelia both of which were exceptional. Do do the walk to Serralunga it’s fabulous.

ROULSTONE
Walking on the Francigena Way
02/06/2023

This was a magical ten days, walking in the wonderful Italian countryside with some amazing wild flowers in the hedgerows and some interesting small towns to visit on the way.

The itinerary was tougher than we expected for the moderate description so we will be more cautious in future. If using trains, we would recommend buying tickets on the day so you can catch the most suitable one as the ones suggested by the agent involved a lot of unnecessary waiting around and changes. However, the walking was through beautiful countryside and we visited some lovely towns and villages. A very enjoyable holiday.

So pleased we worked with Headwater. We used them to book our flights and rail tickets too. We found the maps and the GPS app on our phone useful too. it helped to read previous reviews and learn the we could turn our phones on to airplane mode and the app still worked. The towns, villages and coastline were magic. The local guide who met with us and ran us to one of the hotels was terrific and very knowledgeable. There was only one day we felt that the route overlapped with a but we had covered the previous day but only for about an hour. The suggestions for dining were good but the towns we stayed had loads of eating places so we didn't pre book any. Doing this walk the week leading up to the D Day anniversary was extra special as there were lots of events, people etc creating a very heart-warming atmosphere in the towns and at the two cemeteries. As well as enjoying the wonderful scenery we loved taking time to learn about the role Normandy played in history.

This holiday provides a great opportunity to see some of the main highlights of the Puglia region, visiting many sights of historical interest, a good standard of accommodation, nice manageable walks, and very efficient transportation (apart from some unpredictable Italian train services).

FLOWER
Secrets of Sardinia Walking
27/05/2023

This was a really excellent holiday with some lovely walks through quite varied landscapes, ranging from moorlands to coastal cliffs and beaches. There were also great opportunities to see wildlife, including flamingoes. The hotels were all very good and welcoming. We went in late May/early June, which was a good time of year to be there. The temperature was just right for walking and it wasn't too busy, but plenty of bars and restaurants were open.

JACKSON
The Amalfi Coast Walk
27/05/2023

It is a lovely part of the world.

The hotels were fantastic in every respect. Really made the holiday.

The path of the Gods walk was a good challenge for us. The other walks could have been longer.

Spectacular views everywhere you look!

An excellent holiday with pleasant walks and good food. Some knowledge of Spanish will help.

This was our first visit to Sardinia. We were provided with a good insight to the country and to the the lifestyle. The walks were varied with interesting contrasts of landscapes. Staff at all stages were helpful and operated very efficiently.

BRENNAN
Islands of Bermuda Walk
21/05/2023

Bermuda is simply stunning. Fantastic coastlines & colours. Very friendly people. It was easy to get about via bus & ferry services, with not too challenging, scenic walking. The itinerary enables you to see most of the island in all it's glory.

The walking holiday in Puglia was exactly what we expected and hoped for. Using the GPS system we were able to walk at our own pace and enjoy the beautiful wild flowers, scenery and the varied walks that made up the tour.

Almost all of the accommodation was very good although our stay in Ostuni left a lot to be desired.

We were generally very happy with the organisation and planning that had gone into the visit.

FITZPATRICK
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
21/05/2023

Fantastic few days walking. Walks were well documented, hotels good and the day rest in between meant we could enjoy the location we walked to. May was a fabulous time of year to do this walk with the abundance of wildflowers and warm temperatures.

This is a great holiday for people who have a good fitness level. The walks take longer than stated as the scenery is so magical

MICKEL
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
20/05/2023

An enjoyable holiday with stunning scenery but the walks were somewhat more difficult than indicated due to the number and height of the steps involved. We particularly enjoyed the Tre Calle walk. Trying to use local buses was often impossible and we had to resort to taxis on a couple of occasions. The hotel was very good but is dominated by large groups if you are on a self guided holiday.

We visited Croatia May 20-28th 2023 and were very glad that we were not there in high season when apparently most of the islands we visited would be heaving with tourists. The weather was perfect and on many of our walks we met very few people, if any. Island hopping is an ideal way to enjoy the amazing scenery. One word of advice, make sure that you keep all your paperwork safe. It can be quite confusing at first to receive so many vouchers, which are essential for ferries and pickups. Having said that, everything worked seamlessly, apart from the time we nearly ended up in Dubrovnik, not realising we had docked in Mlijet! Take poles- nearly all walks are downhill on stony ground. I struggled a bit with the walk on Day 2 and opted to skip Day 3 walk due to the tight schedule. Otherwise all the walks were manageable and definitely worth it for the spectacular scenery. We found Croatia to be a little more expensive than anticipated. However, we would thoroughly recommend this holiday.

HANCOCK
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
20/05/2023

Fully up to expectations. our host provided us with an app called Ride with GPS for our phones. The routes were marked and easy to follow in real time except that we were caught out by a failing battery power.It might be good to remined future clients that it is worth having a reserve battery power pack to top up the phone if they want to use this facility. Howevere the written instructions you gave us were very good.

CAMERON
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
20/05/2023

A full days journey to get there and return home which is tiring particularly as the service on arrival at Rome Airport was bad and rude.

Once at Chiancino it was a delight

HUGHES
Catalan Classic Walk
19/05/2023

A beautiful walking holiday taking in castles, hilltop villages and dramatic coastal walks.

The holiday gave us a good variety of walks - coastal; river valley and moor. Richard was an excellent walk manager. He kept in touch and had excellent knowledge of the walking routes so he was able to ‘tip us off’ where there were anomalies with the instructions.

Post Covid has affected the availability of choices of places to eat in the more rural areas. Worth checking websites and up to date information.

A wonderful holiday full of places of interest

Enjoyable, but see below.

Walking in very attractive wooded/hilly countryside, on a mixture of tracks and minor roads. May was a good choice - not too hot, but mainly sunny - although this meant some potential restaurant stops were closed. Estimate that about 5% of the itinerary is Level 2, with some scrambling required. Used the Navigation App, but glad that we had printed notes as backup when the satellite signal seemed to drop off. Second half of walk on Day 4 is tedious along roads, but Hotel Sporting Terme with its thermal swimming pool and copious buffet made up for it! Recommend a direct road transfer (at extra cost) from Venice airport to Cortela and back. We used the excellent local agents for this and they also provided day transport to/from Padua for a good day out there (Scrovegni Chapel etc). Overall a very good week.

We had an enjoyable week. The walking was, very good, although perhaps slightly more hilly than we had anticipated. The latter part of the holiday was in hotter weather about 20 to 23°, but much of it took place in dappled shade, and was a pleasant, walking temperature. We took a taxi to Padua from Galzignano a fabulous day out. I would recommend a visit to The Villa Barbarigo at Valsanzibio and also take the suggested walk and restaurant from Teolo on the day off. We chose the longer route to Cortela as it was our last walk, the terrain was quite demanding and on reflection wished we had cut out the zig zag on the way down.

An enjoyable experience, with like minded people

Beautiful coastal paths. Visit to Comino a must for the walk but very busy at the Blue Lagoon and extremely limited places to sit and enter the water. Fungus Rock area is spectacular as are the cliffs between Ta Cenc and Xlendi Bay. Easy to get around on the buses. Only 2 Euros for two hours travel on any route. There is no courtesy bus from the hotel, however, to Kantra Cove (which we thought was dangerous anyway) or to Victoria. Buses go one per hour. Had a few issues with our room but these were rectified promptly. The swimming pool in the spa is the loveliest I have ever swam in. Great way to end the day before dinner. Staff were all very pleasant, especially Natalie. On the downside, there is no shop or bar close to the hotel.

An enjoyable holiday overall. Sadly the weather wasn't great for the first few days, and a couple of the ferry rides were quite rough and sea-sickness inducing. Procida is well worth a visit and relatively quiet, hotel was quiet and had a lovely garden, swimming pool, and covered patio restaurant. Sadly the evening meal was not good. Ischia is becoming very touristy, but the Monastero hotel was a wonderful find. Excellent breakfast. We did not try the dinner there as it was an expensive tasting menu. Our bathroom was a bit cramped, but others were better. A lovely garden to explore and a free ticket to the Castello which was wonderful. The walking was a bit much for us (pensioners). Taking a bus to Campagnano on the first day would cut out a tedious climb through the outskirts of Ischia town. Capri has become very overcrowded with tourists, but the hotel was well placed away from the crowds, and had a lovely terrace. It was easy to shorten the walks to allow time to visit attractions.

MARCHANT
Castles to Coast Walk
16/05/2023

Great walks, excellent accommodation, good food. Romina's briefing was an excellent introduction and made the walking notes very easy to follow, hardly needed the GPX tracks. On the walks we saw snakes (not poisonous!), orchids (Lady, 3-toothed and a bee orchid) and heard the cuckoo. Hotels were all very friendly and loved the indoor pools after the walks. Lots of food choices in Motovun, only a couple in Buzet (but a good supermarket at the end of the walk). Great pizza/food after the long walk to Groznjan at aModoMio - worth seeking it out!

GLOVER
Dordogne River Walk
16/05/2023

Locations, accommodaton, food and general organisation were excellent. 2 of the days were hard/long.

Very well organised. Good routes. Mainly good hotels. Maps etc very good.

DAVIS
The Amalfi Coast Walk
15/05/2023

The planning of the holiday had been excellent. Although in one resort I was not accommodated in the hotel advertised, the alternative accommodation was delightful, suited me perfectly. and could not be faulted in any way. Transfers between transport hubs and hotels were excellent, so too the moving of luggage from location to location. A trouble-free vacation which I would love to repeat..

This was a hugely enjoyable but challenging walk. The hotels we stayed were very varied , welcoming and of a good standard. The staff were very helpful especially at La Giustiniana. We walked through stunning countryside, along old Roman roads in some places .The Headwater app was excellent for general information and navigation . Our bags arrived before us all but one day and they were quickly recovered and brought to the hotel .We met lovely people along the way. The walk into the St Peters was especially memorable .We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday.

BRUCE
The Amalfi Coast Walk
14/05/2023

The itinerary and app were excellent. I think we could have opted for a harder level as despite the despicable weather we managed our walks faster than anticipated. I’m not sure the welcome chat was really worth it. It was more useful having your agent at the end of WhatsApp.

FOWLER
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/05/2023

A relaxing, beautiful place to visit with outstanding food and wine! Headwater organised everything well and the local agents were highly efficient. Service in the comfortable, clean hotels is second to none. I can highly recommend Piemonte. The routes were well marked by Italian authorities and the guide notes for walking were accurate. It is a spoiling holiday with an associated price tag.

HAWKINS
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
13/05/2023

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole holiday. The walking was very varied taking in stunning coastal scenery, verdant valleys and beautiful natural landscapes. The locals were friendly and the accommodation and food all brilliant. We especially loved staying in the ‘slow village’ of Pedralva. We would thoroughly recommend this excellent trip.

SINGODIA
Catalan Classic Walk
13/05/2023

Headwater walking holiday provided a challenging adventure, exploring beautiful countryside in Catalonia. We have memories of Spanish castles, poppy filled valleys and turquoise rocky coves. What a wonderful holiday.

Shirley Payne
Volcanoes of Sicily Walk
13/05/2023

We felt very well looked after by Headwater both before and during our trip to Sicily this Spring. We have travelled with Exodus and Headwater on several guided and self-guided trips over the years, both with and without our family, and for activity holidays they would always be our first choice.

COUSTICK
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
13/05/2023

Amalfi Coast is overcrowded so be aware of this.

A very good holiday in all aspects. The food in Ta Cenc was disappointing. Few local dishes or Maltese cuisine.

EARNSHAW
Secrets of Sicily Walking
13/05/2023

We loved Sicily but experienced poor weather conditions so were unable to reach the island of Marettimo (which is the core of the holiday) and were offered a poor series of alternative activities.

GOSCOMB
Secrets of Sardinia Walking
13/05/2023

This was an enjoyable walking holiday taken in the first half of May 2023. We were very fortunate to be there at the same time as three other couples from the UK which made our time there particularly enjoyable. The walks were interesting and well chosen though we struggled with the walk on day one because of indistinct paths due to undergrowth. The walking App (Ride with GPS) was pretty good (save Day 1). It is worth noting that many places to eat or take refreshment on the walking routes are in fact closed during this time of you, as other reviewers have also commented.

All the hotels were comfortable and reasonably well chosen. Perhaps the hotel at Santu Lussurgio deserves some caution as the fixed five course meals there are on the expensive side, as is the accompanying wine. Overall, bearing in mind that all the hotels are on a B & B basis only, this turned out to be quite an expensive walking holiday though very enjoyable all the same.

MAIDMENT
Walking in the Venetian Hills
13/05/2023

This was an excellent holiday. Northern Italy had just suffered a deluge on our arrival and the weather was unusually mixed during our stay. The local contacts Carmen and George were extremely helpful, and with the useful and thorough notes provided by Headwater we were able to adapt the walking. The app was very good and reliable. Villa Poetica was the stand out hotel, high on a hill in a pretty village, our host Carla was excellent . All hotels were very clean and comfortable in good locations. We added two nights in the nearby city if Vicenza to our tour, a beautiful relaxing city. This was our first walking holiday, we hope to do more with Headwater in future.

A very enjoyable and varied walking holiday which zigzagged around one area in South West Portugal, providing hills, forests and spectacular coastal walks. The hotels in Sagres were both excellent, with super pools. The pool at Pedralva was out of action, and there was nowhere to relax in the sun after a long walk. Thankfully the pizza restaurant was open on the day we arrived. No amenities or shops in the area. Lagos was very enjoyable, with various local places of interest and eateries. Personally we would have preferred B&B at Costa D'Oira - the breakfast was excellent.

Our first walking holiday and it was a fabulous experience. The pre-departure notes and information provided, made planning easy. A necessary cancellation and re-booking was handled expertly by Helen. The itinerary and route notes were very detailed. The overall quality of accommodation and meals, was excellent. We never went hungry or without a glass of wine! All taxi and bag transfers went smoothly. We hadn't anticipated being joined by other Headwater guests at the various hotels and it made it very enjoyable to meet new walking companions. We would definitely book another trip in the future.

A really interesting and thoroughly fascinating taste of North Portugal, providing three contrasting locations. The Douro region was perhaps what we had most anticipated, with rolling vineyards down to the river and certainly did not disappoint - truly stunning walks. The National Park was the best surprise, travelling in and back out of Spain to reach, you are then in granite mountains with amazing rock formations, medieval paths and bubbling streams. Finally, you hit the river and coast for a real change of scene. The walking is quite challenging at times, with climbs and rocky paths for the first two locations, but although the river/coast days are long, the terrain is flat. The hospitality everywhere we stayed was amazing, and wine only 1.30 a glass! We finished with two nights in Porto, a must extension if you have the time. Having had a first introduction to what North Portugal offers, we will certainly be back at some point to revisit some of our favourite places.

Great location and wonderful walking. Just need to upgrade hotels.

Mr DUGGLEBY
Contrasts of Devon Walking
10/05/2023

A really good walking holiday and an excellent way to see South Devon - coast and inland. Accommodation was excellent and the local agent Richard Price could not have looked after us any better.

As an experienced walker I enjoyed being able to do interesting and varied walks in an area that I didn't know at all. The tranport of luggage meant we could take a bit more than we normally would which was a bonus.The app was excellent and worked flawlessly. The descriptions of the walks were accurate and they were largely off the road. Spectacular wild flowers.It was good to have coastal walks then inland ones. It would have been good to have some options for extended walks. We did an extra section at Otranto towards the lighthouse that was spectacular. The accomodation was varied and interesting though we did have issues at one hotel with lack of hot water and heating. These were responded to appropriately by Headwater. The towns we stayed in were interesting especially Matera and Lecce. The additional information given about each site was useful and we followed some of the recomendations for restaurants. We would certainly use Headwater again and indeed visit Puglia again.

A great experience with interesting and for the most part, rural, off the beaten track accommodation of a very high standard. The hosts were without exception extremely welcoming. The walk is challenging at times but no less enjoyable for that and the experience of arriving in Santiago and the sense of achievement at the end of the 6 days of walking was one I won't forget any time soon.

Mr Kilburn
Dalmatian Coast Island Hopping
06/05/2023

We travelled with our son who has special needs and we had a great time. The itinerary, organisation and choice of hotels and food was really good and the small number of special requirements we had were met really well. Croatia is a beautiful country and we had the best mix of activity and relaxation and met some lovely fellow travellers too.

Mr Jacques
Highlights of the Picos de Europa
06/05/2023

Excellent location Jim had extensive knowledge of the arrea the walls were challenging but fantastic area. The hotel was well run great food attentive staff

Mrs Winnett
Walking through Bohemia
05/05/2023

Very interesting walking and spring a good time of year as everything very green. Dramatic rock cliffs and beautiful woodlands. Little towns of not much interest (apart from Jicin) but countryside more than made up for that. Good idea to extend in Prague as there's loads to do and the hotel (Hasta) is superbly situated with excellent restaurants close by. Staff also very helpful in Prague hotel in particular.

Ms Whitlum
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
05/05/2023

We greatly enjoyed the holiday and our apartment was lovely. We found the walks physically hard. Walks were problematic if one relied solely on the paper walk guides. We had battery problems when using the navigation app.

Mr Evans
Walking in Sierra de Aracena
03/05/2023

Beautiful walking in forested hills, mostly easy, but with a few stiff climbs. Good boots needed, and walking poles helpful

Mrs Todd
The Islands of Amalfi Walk
02/05/2023

We were looking for a relaxing holiday in interesting locations with lovely walks and good food. This holiday was perfect. We especially enjoyed staying in the monastery in Ischia. Breakfast on the terrace there was a delight. The walks were excellent and the navigation App was very helpful. A wonderful holiday.

Mr Valentine
Castles to Coast Walk
02/05/2023

A good holiday. However the route notes were, according to our local guide, written 10 years ago and we thought they needed refreshing as they were often confusing. Over 10 years growing vegetation and fallen trees had changed the paths. Also the descriptions of where to go next were often poor and didn't reflect the reality on the ground. There were a couple of days which had crazy inclines on very muddy or stony paths which would have been quite dangerous in the wet. The distances quoted in the guide were often considerably out.

Mr Mullen
Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj Walk
01/05/2023

The flight had been delayed for 3 hours but the transport was waiting and Hotel Tripic stayed up to welcome us and had left a meal in our room. The owner and staff were always helpful and friendly. The room was clean and comfortable. The routes for the 6 walks we did were usually clear except the one to Vogel. We then moved to Hotel Cubo in Ljubljana which was really excellent. The staff again were pleasant and helpful, the room wonderful and breakfasts were particularly special!

Mr Speakman
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
29/04/2023

An excellent week on Gozo with some great walks.

Good hotel.

No hotel minibus service provided to the start of the walks.

Buses and taxis are very good on Gozo with great online booking and information.

Mrs Meadows
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
29/04/2023

Very pleasant week was had by us both. Anything we needed to know the hotel was always happy to help us. the food and accommodation was great. we may well return there, even though we have been twice before

Mrs Gardner
Secrets of Sicily Walking
29/04/2023

A well organised holiday from start to finish. Wonderful locations with great walks and scenery. We especially enjoyed the spring flower and shrubs including many Orchids and catching sight of the wild goats and birds on Marittemo. The additional visits to Segesta and Erice were well worth doing with spectacular views. Walking notes and maps were very good and easy to follow. All three locations were very different. We especially enjoyed the last stay at Daniella's where we were welcomed on arrival each day with a pot of tea on the terrace in her beautiful landscaped gardens. All in all, we would thoroughly recommend this holiday especially if taken in May when the flora is wonderful and the temperatures are perfect for walking.

Ms Wall
Secrets of Sardinia Walking
29/04/2023

Sardinia is beautiful but I don't recommend walking, especially in early May, when the island holiday season has not really started.

Headwater booked the trip but the hotel actually provided were different than reality. Having arrived expecting Hotel Homiday time we were then told actually it’s Galeon. Itinerary were incorrect. Guide didn’t arrive on first day. The walks were excellent and enjoyed. Hotel Romantica left no options other than hotel to eat. It tries to be fine dining which is not what you want after a long days walk resulting in large food bills.

Mrs LEE-APPLEBY
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
25/04/2023

I would thoroughly recommend the Highlights of Hadrians Wall Walk as offered by Headwater to anyone looking for an interesting, moderate walk lasting less than a week including travel days. The landscape was more varied than I was expecting, with amazing views from the Sill, delightful pockets of woodland and lakes and rivers. We spent a bit of time exploring Vindolanda, Housesteads, the Roman Army Museum and the Sill Discovery Centre which added to the interest.

Mr Sharp
Catalan Classic Walk
25/04/2023

We loved the holiday. Each day seemed to get better and better and it was nice and varied with lots to see. The app makes navigation a cinch. We loved the hotels as well, all three quite different with different offerings. Headwater were brilliant in their flexibility re changing pick up times and adding days on. This was our first walking holiday so I can't compare to others but we had a very enjoyable time.

Mrs Pigott
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
25/04/2023

A well organised walking holiday to a stunning area of France. All accommodation and local cuisine of a high standard.

Varied and interesting itinerary, with a good mix of private transfer, train and walking. The accommodation was excellent, especially my trulli in Alberobella. The local agents, Slow Active, were excellent, always on time and ready to help. Matera was an amazing city to end the holiday with, and I'm glad we had several days there.

Mrs Pittam
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
22/04/2023

A superb walk along a magnificent coastline & through countryside alive with wild flowers & butterflies in this lesser known part of Portugal. The accommodation chosen is delightfully varied - part luxury/part simple. Quality food in terms of breakfast & evening meals. Both the written walk notes & maps together with the GPS App are very accurate & helpful. The staff & service provided from start to finish and during the holiday was professional, knowledgeable & pleasant. This is our 6th walking holiday with Headwater. We will definitely book more.

The Cinque Terre has some challenging walking and beautiful scenery. Unfortunately it is overly touristic (during the period we were there the local villages received some 40000 visitors per day) so village locations were impassable - walking routes not so much. This uncomfortable but also difficult as all transport is by rail, many trains being full to overflowing with daytrippers and also travellers with full baggage. Sestri Levante was a very pleasant and manageable base, and the hotel friendly and professional

Dr Evans
Secrets of Sardinia Walking
22/04/2023

We had a lovely time. We went in late April. We wouldn’t recommend this particular holiday until May as Sardinia is basically closed until May 8th. Cafés and bars that would have given useful sustenance were firmly shut. Two of the better-located seaside hotels were closed and the alternative hotels involved a trek inland and no sea access which would have been nice to view sunsets, go bathing before supper. The Sat Nav guidance is great but lost voice prompts when we were diverted off the usual path by hotel switches. We only went wrong once and that was solely due to hubris on my part. We did this in trail-running shoes but stout walking boots might have been more sensible. Be prepared to clamber over boulders and navigate flood-damaged stony steep downhill paths on the mountain sections on walks 1 and 2. The bird life was magnificent with Flamingos , Stilts, Calandra Larks, Marsh Harriers and Tawny Pipits a highlight. The organisation and taxi transfers were faultless.

Mrs Newton
Walking on the Francigena Way
18/04/2023

This was as much an adventure as a holiday. We loved it. Setting out every day, heading for some where different, walking through beautiful country side and meeting friendly locals and the daily thrill of our luggage arriving at the next hotel before we did. We enjoyed the interesting sometimes quirky hotels and thought the navigation App was really good. Thank you for a great trip.

Great holiday especially out of season! Would be very busy in peak season and loved having walks and beaches to myself, not having to book restaurants and everywhere so green and lush! Great walks and plenty of time to explore the towns.

Excellent and responsive advice from the start from your staff; the ensuing paperwork was thorough and comprehensive.

All the arrangements and logistics throughout were smooth and efficient.

We thought the walks were very well chosen and well balanced: demanding at times but never anything but enjoyable and rewarding. The final walk back to Benevello was our favourite - a varied and delightful walk through absolutely beautiful countryside. You definitely need to purchase a picnic for this walk.

All the hotels were very good though it took us a while to get used to the arrangements at Fontanafredda: be sure to make good use of the roof terrace - it’s a well kept secret! The Uve Rooms were also unusual but the staff were delightful and we would thoroughly recommend eating there. Our favourite hotel by far is Villa d’Amelia; it’s such a beautiful house and grounds and the staff are delightful. We ate very well there and would love to return one day.

Walking Hadrians Path was an excellent holiday but I think the 2 rating is too low. There were some parts that were difficult to walk and scrambling is not a 2 rating. I could not get a taxi to take me to Lanercost on Day 2 for the start of the walk. Other clients have said the same thing but nothing addressed. It was the goodwill of the Blenkinsopp hotel owner that saved the day. The Blenkinsopp staff are amazing as is the hotel and food esp. Carol's lamb roast. It is remarkable that guests are put in the George Inn esp. given previous feedback. The hotel is tired, my room was dirty and the staff are not welcoming. I realise location (Corbridge) might be the essential factor, but I wonder what is being done to incentivise the George to make much needed improvements. I received a Day 1 briefing but for the sake of 10mins, I am not sure what the point was. Going over the literature that I had already read didn't seem fruitful. Overall a positive experience and great walking holiday.

Mrs Brown
Dalmatian Coast Island Hopping
15/04/2023

Wonderful mixture of walking and culture - really beautiful, walks not too strenuous and so give plenty of time for sitting down and reading a book etc as well.

Ms Cutts
Secrets of Sicily Walking
15/04/2023

Fabulous itinerary making the most of this region of Italy. A good balance with historical visits. The walking made the most of the wild coastline and the locations of all of the accommodation were just perfect. We traveled in the second half of April so enjoyed gorgeous wild flowers on our walks. The seafood in particular was amazing throughout and the home cooking of our last accommodation (Baglio La Luna) just perfect. Absolutely loved this week!

Well organised - well directed walks with accurate instructions. Good back up in emergency. Lovely places to stay and enjoyable walking.

Mr Cheney
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
11/04/2023

Very well organised and a beautiful area to explore. Local rep was excellent and highly recommend this holiday where you choose the mix of walking and relaxing.

Mr Davies
Contrasts of La Gomera
10/04/2023

La Gomera is a wonderful island to explore. Walks are quite demanding. While we enjoyed driving around the island it's not recommended if you're nervous negotiating hairpin bends and/or roads with sheer drops on one side!

I would recommend this holiday on basis that the selected itinerary and choice of accommodation which was excellent

Mrs Holden
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
08/04/2023

Varied walks in a beautiful area of The Luberon with very comfortable accommodation . Fabulous in the Spring with the cherry blossom.

Excellent walking break though you do need a reasonable level of fitness as its long and tiring at times with lots of ascents. Hotel choices over all were well above expectations to the point that the worst accommodation was more within our expectations for a walking break. All instructions were very clear and easy to follow. You can book with Headwater with a level of confidence.

Miss Adnitt
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
04/04/2023

Fantastic walk along Hadrian’s wall. Beautiful scenery throughout . Very easy to follow the route via the route notes and waymarks . Accommodation was comfortable and friendly. The walking was just about right - challenging enough to be enjoyable but totally achievable . We used trains and taxis at the start and end and that was very easy. If you want to visit the museums it might be worth putting in an extra night as would be tricky to fit all that in with the walking; we were happy just to walk . Highly recommend and good price

Mrs Clark
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
01/04/2023

A lovely hotel with excellent staff who were both helpful and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the walks as they were interesting and varied. The Headwater app was brilliant at keeping us on track. We visited both Pompeii and Herculaneum because we visited the latter on our way to the airport - it would have been helpful to have known that that was a possibility when we booked.

Mrs Hilton
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
25/03/2023

Having never tried a holiday like this we were a little apprehensive, but we needn't have worried. Thanks to Headwater's meticulous planning we can highly recommend 'Walk The Algarve's Wild West' - it was a most memorable experience from start to finish. The delightful scenery meant the walks were all hugely enjoyable, with only a couple of slightly monotonous sections which were thankfully short. We went in late March when the flowers and birdlife were at their best, as was the weather. As the maps are not exactly OS standard, the app proved to be invaluable. We were amazed by the quality and variety of the three hotels, especially in Sagres and Pedralva. And while Vila do Bispo may not be the most exciting town, we had two exceptional evening meals in the local restaurants. All transfers ran like clockwork and Headwater's local agent, Lea, could not have been more helpful. We are already perusing the brochure for next year's adventure.

Mr Lowther
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/03/2023

A landscape where the "Bible meets the Burren" ! Amazing rocky, parched landscapes with dramatic cliff walks, ridgeline villages, church domes and clear seas you want to dive into. We self guided around the coast and villages of Gozo, relying on the local buses and a stout stick. Relatively eas y walking but the unremitting hard surfaces can be sore on your feet and knees. We travelled in March and benefitted from the wild flowers and green valleys. Hotel Ta Cenc was wonderful with its dramatic cliff setting. The ridgeline villages are beautiful, although quiet, but we loved the bustle of Victoria and would especially recommend a visit to the Citadel.

Mr Scheinkonig
Marvels of Madeira Walk
24/03/2023

Consider more variety of walks possibly with more challenge

Hotel excellent; some of the walks quite tricky. Driving (to the hotel and to each walk) is not for the faint hearted!

Interesting walks in beautiful unspoilt areas of Northern Portugal. The service from the local company Green Walks was outstanding and the navigation app priceless, we wouldn't do another self-guided holiday without the navigation app

Ms James
Contrasts of La Gomera
15/03/2023

La Gomera is a stunningly beautiful and totally unspoilt island. The walking is fabulous but you must have a very good head for heights and be a confident driver too as the roads are very serpentine. Travel arrangements were very straightforward.

Mr Hardie
Contrasts of Cyprus Walking
15/03/2023

Excellent walking holiday although we were unlucky to lose 2 days walking due to thunderstorms. The Mill hotel in Kakopetria was quirky but very comfotable and we enjoyed the spa bath after the walks. If wifi was necessary the speed was very slow. Droushia Heights hotel was modern and comfortable with good speed wifi. However, we were quite early in the season and the outdoor pool had not been filled. That did not bother us. The final walk we decided to start from Neo Chorio and take the Aphrodite trail. Fabulous walk and terrific views. We completed the walk after refreshment by walking to the next hotel, the Aphrodite Beach hotel. This also was clean and comfortable with good wifi but the beach cafe was not yet open. On our final day we walked to the little port of Latchi for a nice lunch. Gps system worked well.

Mrs Marchant
Walking on Gran Canaria
11/03/2023

Excellent holiday with very good accommodation and wonderful, scenic walks. Favourite walks were in Firgas (the one with the climbing ropes and log bridges!), Artenara ridge (make sure you have a phone to ring for a return taxi) and Barranco de Guayadeque with spring flowers. Both hotels were very good, although it's worth mentioning that they have central air-con which was still set to heating in a 26 degree heatwave. Fortunately Alberto was able to help us persuade them to switch over to cooling mode.

We weren't able to eat at El Mondalon as the restaurant was closed for the 3 nights we were there (2 nights for a private function and closed Monday as standard). Casa Miranda, a 10 minute walk up the road, was very good but also closed Sunday evening and Monday. At the Parador there's a choice of either the restaurant or the cafe/bar and the watercress soup is an absolute must (it's not vegetarian, despite the name). Tejeda, a 15 minute drive away, has lots of eating options too.

This is a lovely walk and well waymarked, however the description fails to mention that a lot of the walking in on soft sand so the distances and ascent/descent descriptions are very misleading

Mrs Hazeldine
Marvels of Madeira Walk
10/03/2023

This is a good walking holiday based in very comfortable hotels with excellent meals and facilities. The itinerary means that you experience different areas of this beautiful island. The taxi transfers were always on time and the drivers often gave very useful advice. The actual walks were varied, but some were very challenging and good boots and walking poles were essential for these.









Good varied walking - each day was different. Beautiful places to stay. In Fuente Heridos, there is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant called “Veg and Veg”. The food is really good and interesting, and it is run by an enthusiastic couple who told us all about the food. We had one of the best meals of our trip, and we are not even vegetarian. Thoroughly recommended, particularly as a change from the general pork-based cuisine of the area

Mrs Wilson
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/03/2023

Enjoyable vacation in a beautiful country

Mr Banyard
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
22/02/2023

The itinerary worked smoothly & efficiently. Both hotels were welcoming, comfortable, and responsive to our special dietary requirements. The walks were most enjoyable, especially the (rather earlier than usual) Spring flowers, panoramic views, and beaches. We found a secluded little bay with a rocky, wave-fed, & rocky “spa” pool that was ideal for a bracing quick dip at the end of our day’s walk. The navigation app was quick to master and worked well. (No smartphone battery problems occurred with an iPhone 11 switched to low power mode.j

Ms Gravelle
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
22/02/2023

The Akamas Peninsula is a good destination and we were fortunate with the weather for late February. We liked the choice of short or longer walks which suited us. But the walking notes were not always accurate and were clearly designed for those using GPS. Facilities in the locality were limited, e.g bars and restaurants not yet open for the season. This was despite having checked with the agent that they would, mostly, be available. Food in the second hotel was very poor, although the staff were friendly and tried their best to please. Rooms were adequate but a few additions such as slippers (the tiled floor was very cold at this time of the year) and decent towels would have made the stay more comfortable.

Mr Vinsot Pothuau
Contrasts of Tenerife Walk (with car hire)
18/02/2023

A fantastic way of discovering the rugged beauty of Tenerife and its well preserved natural areas. The option of long routes and short routes provides the needed flexibility for each day of the trip.

Mr Pomfrett
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
16/02/2023

Well organised. App was excellent. Walks were harder than anticipated from grading. Island is beautiful and feb weather is good for walking. Hotels were okay but we would have liked the option to upgrade to a sea view. Second hotel restaurant was overrun with cats. Not very hygienic.

Mr Christy
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
14/02/2023

We were very impressed by the customer service provided in setting up the holiday arrangements: Headwater also helped us to arrange an extension of our stay in Cyprus with a rented car, all of which worked very well. Both hotels were excellent, with a special commendation for the home cooking at Aphrodite Beach. The walks were very well explained and the app-based route guidance was easily accessible and reliable. It is a very good idea to offer long and short versions of the walks each day, together with plenty of advance information about ascents and descents. The routes were generally well-chosen, with very little use of roads and we enjoyed some marvellous scenery.

We had a very enjoyable holiday. The hotel was comfortable and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Food was very good.

We were lucky with the weather and enjoyed the walks although on a few of them we found the instructions ambiguous on occasions. Some of the paths were quite hidden. Generally directions were good as were buses.



Walks were more challenging than anticipated but gave us a sense of achievement at the end!

Mrs Usher
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
09/02/2023

The walking on El Hierro was excellent, the paths are very well waymarked and generally in good condition. The local agent Ralf was excellent and looked after us very well. For future trips to El Hierro please note that the path normally taken from Jinama to El Frontera is closed due to a landslip, so Ralf collected us from there and drove further along the escarpment to the next path. Also, please note that when we arrived in Tenerife, there was no taxi arranged to take us to the ferrybport, although a phone call soon sorted that out. Also, although we were told we were staying in Los Verodes in El Frontera, we were actually booked into Apartments Alameda, so that caused some confusion. This may have been due to the changeover from New Experience to Headwater.

We had a great time with varied walks and lovely swims in sunshine in February. The local guides were helpful and supportive; for example they informed us about a closed road with ice and fog. Driving in Tenerife is challenging with many windy roads and we felt we could have been told in advance about this.

Ms Dennis
Marvels of Madeira Walk
06/02/2023

An excellent adventure, great walking and fantastic hotels. The walking can be tricky in wet weather, slippery down hill sections and February a prime time for wet weather, but the challenges were well worth it, Madeira is a wonderful walking destination.

Mr Hill
Bermuda Islands Discovery
03/02/2023

Excellent choice of destination and hotel offering a mix of history, nature and culture.

Mrs Bibko
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
28/01/2023

Beautiful location, excellent walking.

Travelling in late January meant that it was very peaceful and we passed very few people on our walks, however there were also very limited options to eat and drink. Fortunately, the hotel breakfasts were excellent and set us up well for the day, but we would recommend that you come prepared with cereal bars and snacks.

Mr Spicker
Discovering the Maltese Islands
26/01/2023

Malta (and Gozo) are great destinations for independent travel. The bus service is superb - an extremely reliable way of getting to and from places to start and finish walks. There are plenty of excellent walks to choose from taking in a range of spectacular coastal scenery, historic sites and attractive towns and villages. Gozo is the prettier, and quieter, island of the two so suited us more but we wouldn't have wanted to miss the historic attractions on the main island. We could easily have spent 3 days exploring Valletta and the 3 cities! A final word about Headwater's local guide, Stephania. She was one of the best guides we have had for this type of holiday. She was very attentive, full of great ideas on how to improve on the walks provided by Headwater and offered a number of great alternatives to the Headwater suggested itinerary. She kept in touch throughout our stay in an unobtrusive but reassuring way. A credit to Headwater and to Malta!

Mr Wilcox
Walking the Trails of La Palma
26/01/2023

Weather in January was disappointing. Damp, cold and on the day we should have walked down from the highest point icy, so walking was prohibited.

Contrasts of Tenerife Walking holiday does just what it says on the tin! It was a series of excellent, very different walks - contrast between and within the walks! Superb variety, lovely hotels to stay in and a great holiday!

Mrs Lewis
Marvels of Madeira Walk
19/01/2023

The holiday was so enjoyable. We were pleasantly surprised that it was only us on the holiday and not a group. We usually organise our own holidays and so it was a change to have it all done for us - once we realised how well everything worked we really relaxed - knowing that the taxis would arrive when they said they would, the hotels were of good standard and the navigation app worked really well. The scenery was stunning and we absolutely loved all the walks.

We enjoyed the holiday so much that we were looking at your website to see which holiday we wanted to do next whilst waiting at the airport in Madeira for the flight home! Thanks to Helen from Headwater for making the booking of our holiday such an easy experience too. We would definitely recommend Headwater to our friends.

Routes were varied, interesting and well documented. Hotel standard and service was excellent. Location was probably too remote with a tortuous car journey back to near sea level from 800m, to start access to many walks. Location also meant there were no local alternative dining destinations.

Dr Belfield
Marvels of Madeira Walk
12/01/2023

We had a very good holiday. The first, third and fourth hotels were excellent

The fourth hotel Quintinha São João was the best - recommend you use it regularly. Transfers were all very good We shared the trip with a very nice English couple. The second hotel Porto Bay Serra Golf in Santo da Serra was average, service was stretched and the staff were less customer focused. The hotel was cold, condensation continually ran down our room windows. Santo de Serra has little to offer and everyone on the island seemed to know it rained there most of January. The holiday in the winter months would be better with the Santana hotel and then more days in Funchal which does get some sun. The walks could be reached by transfer easily. We found the App brilliant as were our printed off instructions. The walks were moderate/ challenging- the levada on day 2 has tremendous exposure with 300m drops and the coastal walk is exposed. Friends in Funchal sorted gentler walks easily.

Mr Evans
Marvels of Madeira Walk
09/01/2023

An excellent introduction to the beautiful island of Madeira. Well-planned walks and spectacular scenery from the high levels of the levadas to the stunning coastal walks. Hotels are well chosen and the local service is efficient and friendly.

We greatly enjoyed the varied walking routes and the comfortable hotels. The detailed route notes and gps maps gave us confidence.

Mr Mills
Marvels of Madeira Walk
22/12/2022

Communication and service from my first conversation and email communication with the Headwater Team was excellent. The Airport, hotel and daily activity transport and guidance was excellent through out, with all the team involved being knowledgeable and helpful. Thank you all.

Mrs Leverton
Walking the Trails of La Palma
22/12/2022

The majority of our trip was lovely, the only downside was our experience at Hotel Romantica, which was quite negative. The hotel was quite uncared for, in need of maintenance and modernisation, the public areas particularly had a musty feel and were dark. The owner was rude, we had queried the previous evening why our starter took an hour to arrive after we had sat down. The following morning, Christmas day, he confronted us aggressively, insisting it was half an hour, he didn't even bother with 'Good Morning'. This incident soured our stay at this hotel, he rarely acknowledged us for the remainder of our visit.

We enjoyed the walking, the routes and the Holiday Time hotel in Santa Cruz was delightful.

We enjoyed the variety of the hotels, the walking routes and the new places visited. It was nice to be a bit off the tourist trail. The peacefulness of the countryside and the wildness of the coast was a good contrast.

Dr Shea
Highlights of El Hierro Walk
16/12/2022

Wonderful location, amazing walks and landscapes, friendly helpful locals.

A wonderful walking holiday in Tenerife. Walks extremely well described in the trip notes. Weather variable as expected this time of year but suitable alternatives to high level hiking were suggested for the days with poor weather. The hikes gave us a fantastic experience of the variety of climate, terrain and aspect of this beautiful Island. It was our first visit to Tenerife but we will return.

We used a hire car, organised by Headwater. When we arrived at Garachico late on Friday evening we found it difficult to find parking in the narrow streets and to navigate the one way system. Your advice was to park in a street nearby the hotel. The hotel receptionist suggested the car park , the campo futbal,only a two minute walk from the hotel. The car park was free and there were always spaces. We suggest that you direct future clients here.

Mr Courtenay
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
29/10/2022

Great walking holiday, efficiently organised and accurately described accommodation. Walks were through some beautiful remote countryside and the app was brilliant at ensuring we never got lost. Would definitely book through Headwater again, as soon as possible!

Mr Lawson
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
25/10/2022

We thoroughly enjoyed walking the Akamas Peninsula in late October / early November 2022. We really benefitted from being able to stay at the Droushia Heights Hotel for 7 nights followed by 7 nights at the Aphrodite Beach Hotel. The staff at each hotel were most helpful and welcoming. We received room upgrades at both hotels. Two weeks provided us with plenty of scope for walking the routes and exploring and relaxing locally. We walked all five 20 km routes, all of which we loved. We cherished people's friendliness; experiencing the detail of the Akamas landscape of foot; the quiet and peaceful villages and environments; the wonderful scenery; pristine beaches for swimming and sunbathing; the delicious food and the warm sunshine. Thank you to Joanne Chaplin and the staff of Headwater, Cyprus Walks, Droushia Heights Hotel and the Aphrodite Beach Hotel for a wonderful holiday.

Mrs Sharples
The Amalfi Coast Walk
24/10/2022

The staff at Headwater were really polite, friendly, helpful and efficient, especially when our flight was cancelled. The different hotels were great (clean, beautifully maintained, friendly staff). Treks were easy to navigate from the detailed descriptions provided and rewarded us with stunning views. It's not the cheapest way to go but Headwater took all the stress out of organising the holiday and for people with busy lives, that's worth a lot.

Absolutely fantastic holiday. Would highly recommend Headwater for their destinations and organisation. Have been with them a number of time now and they are always the first place I look at when going to book a holiday.

We booked our own hotel in Valletta as wanted it to be an old hotel in the old area – and would suggest you do offer that option to travellers on Malta. We were disappointed that at the 5 star Ta Cench hotel we were initially put into a room with clearly broken air-conditioning control and function, and workmen working on the roof from 7.0 a.m. onwards. This was not good for one of your customers, but one of the lovely customer managers was excellent at showing us replacement option rooms and upgrading us to a better room. We greatly enjoyed our stay on Gozo, and appreciated the detail of your walks. Over dinner in the beautiful restaurant on Gozo, we met several other headwater holiday travellers, who were all unanimous on their pleasure at the headwater holiday – as well we. We have limited funds, but if we can ever afford it, we should certainly travel with your company again and recommend it. Thank you

Mrs Johnson
Walking on the Francigena Way
16/10/2022

A comfortable way to walk the Via Francigena. The route was very quiet when we walked it in October. We enjoyed the lovely countryside and interesting villages. Accommodation was basic but clean and comfortable.

Mrs Collier
Marvels of Madeira Walk
14/10/2022

Excellent holiday in October, lovely flowers- our weather was good enough to swim in outdoor pools - Serra Golf and Quinta do Furao had indoor pools . Our first day walking along the coast entailed significant climbing up at end of walk. On day off some of the group, we went away with ,walked on the peninsula which was beautiful. My husband had a eyesight problem whilst we were away and despite lots of phoning around by Headwater folk no eye specialist was available . We visited an emergency department in a hospital in Funchal and had excellent care given reasonably promptly. As regards flights please be aware Funchal has a challenging airport - our flight was aborted just as we were about to land . We enjoyed taking part in the sledge down and tele-cabin up, visited botanical gardens and took part in Madeira wine tasting. Walks were stunning, great views - remember either your phone or head torch for tunnels . I used my walking sticks throughout, for security and down hills.

Dr Craggs
Marvels of Madeira Walk
14/10/2022

Fantastic trip and introduction to Madeira. Some of the walks are challenging so you need to be fit.

Useful to have B&B in last hotel to make the most of the restaurants in Funchal. Taxis reasonable price. Try A Bica but advised to book as very popular.

Mr Wilkinson
Marvels of Madeira Walk
14/10/2022

Excellent holiday. Very well looked after. First walk along the coast was quite challenging due to number of steps and heat but we really enjoyed it. The levada walks were amazing due to the views, wildlife and plants. No really scary bits and felt safe at all times with appropriate safety rails. Food in hotels excellent, all hotels had pools and very relaxing. We enjoyed Funchal for meals out and visiting the botanical gardens and other sites. A great relaxing holiday. Highly recommend doing the wine tour at Blandys if you have time and taking home some Madeira.

Holiday was good and as expected. Ta Cenc is excellent, and all transfers were on time etc. Would certainly recommend. Walks varied and easily accessible on Gozo. A relaxing, quiet place to stay!!

Mrs Hudson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
11/10/2022

This was a fantastic trip. Well organised. Navigation App very good but interestingly my younger companion (daughter in law) found the written instructions very helpful. Lovely part of Europe, food amazing, walking really enjoyable and good weather.

Good walking through beautiful countryside

Ms Parkin
Marvels of Madeira Walk
10/10/2022

The booking, information and support from the Headwater agent was excellent, any queries were answered promptly and fully. The island of Madeira is fabulous and this holiday gave a really good picture of life there. The walks are challenging but worth it and walking the levadas is a unique, if at times, scary experience! The taxis drivers are excellent and beyond helpful, their pride in their country shines through, their English is excellent. Recommended if you have a head for heights and a love of landscape and flora. The cable car to the botanical gardens is well worth doing and a free one way ticket is included in your holiday. It is worth noting that the toboggans do not routinely run, we were not bothered by this but some others were.

Mr Hunt
Marvels of Madeira Walk
10/10/2022

Overall the holiday from start to finish was extremely well planned and managed in both the UK and Madeira.

The walks were varied and showed the contrasts of the island. In general the route notes were excellent, a couple of minor updates required. All transfers were very good with excellent, pleasant and informative drivers.

All hotels were very good, all with excellent breakfast options. We were slightly disappointed with the dinner at Quinta do Furao as it had a limited menu. Location of Porto Bay Serra was good with an easy walk into town. Quinta da Bela Vista was a nice hotel with good facilities but for us was too far from Funchal Old Town and the shuttle service does not run weekends. As we were only B&B here it was also a long walk to the sea front restaurants.

Took advantage of the cable car ticket to vista the botanical gardens, would have liked to take the toboggan down but they don't operate on Sundays.

Would definitely recommend at least one or two extra nights in Funchal.

A great experience - we did regret that we hadn’t extended the 5 to a 7 night holiday . Gozo is a very special place. The hotel was excellent particularly the friendly service and the superb evening meals. The walks were delightful .The highlight was joining in a procession through a village streets as part of a local festival.

Excellently organized holiday where most things worked well let down by the occasional flaw. For example the B&B in Lecce claimed not to be aware of our early arrival, whilst the initail briefing was of little added value party coz the guide admitted to being distracted by events elsewhere. The wealth of overlapping, sometimes conflicting, documentation does not always instill confidence. The walking app can be a little quirky but overall works very well particularly the off route and proximity alerts, making guidance very easy.

Mrs Stanley-Adams
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
01/10/2022

We had a great time - lovely area, comfortable hotel and amazing walks. It was great to stay in an authentic Italian village free from tourist traps.

great experience

Mrs Pring
Marvels of Madeira Walk
26/09/2022

An excellent holiday with lots of variety in the walks. Madeira is a beautiful place. The route notes were very good and the arranged transport and transfers were efficiently carried out. The hotels were very comfortable and in good locations for the walks.

Mr Hutchinson
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
26/09/2022

Piedmont is a truly beautiful, enchanting and interesting corner of NW Italy. We learnt a lot about the social and economic history, enjoyed the wines and food, and found all of the local people to be extremely friendly. The milk ice cream at the restaurant Guido was to die for! Our few days in Turin at the end were very enjoyable: a fascinating and beautiful (former capital) city with lots to see and do. We had very good weather and the end of September/early October was perfect for walking, seeing the grapes being harvested and the start of the truffle season. Some of the walks were quite tough in terms of ascent but the beauty of the landscape made up for it. We will certainly return to Piedmont.

Mrs Yaniv
Walking in the Venetian Hills
26/09/2022

Holiday was very good expect for staying in Belvedere Hotel

It could help if we had maps and app

Mrs White
Walks in the Troodos Mountains
25/09/2022

Some interesting walks in Troodos but I found it to be a bit repetitive. The mountains were very peaceful- we didn’t see or hear anyone until day 4. However we also didn’t see much else other than trees - very little wildlife, birds, flowers etc…so a bit monotonous at times.

Mrs Bartlett
Coastal Walking in Brittany
24/09/2022

Excellent holiday except our night at Le Chateau de Mont Dol

Mrs Mcardell
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/09/2022

Overall our holiday was great, well organised transfer, lovely staff, location and facilities at the hotel. Food and drink options also excellent. Walking options were varied.

I enjoyed a varied and interesting walk in Normandy.



The highlights of the trip were the times spent in Honfleur and Bayeux and its well worth tagging on an extra day at each end of your holiday.



The accommodation I stayed in was not as grand as that I experienced during a recent Headwater trip to the Dordoigne but it was more than adequate. The locations of the hotels were generally excellent. While in Beuvron en Huge I stayed at Le Manoir de Sens and just a bit of advice for any future travellers. There is no onsite catering so make sure you stock up on food and drink in the village at the end of the days walking.



The walking was generally interesting, taking in a combination of farmland, villages and coastline. At times the route was a little undulating but it shouldn't present a challenge to a regular walker. One of my objectives was to visit the D-Day beaches and I found the American and British war cemeteries particularly moving.



Overall, a very enjoyable trip.

Mr Wilkes
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
23/09/2022

From start to finish the whole service was first class. Highly recommended

Dr Howden
Marvels of Madeira Walk
22/09/2022

Thoroughly enjoyable, and well organised trip

Mrs Ramsay
Walking in the Venetian Hills
22/09/2022

September was a wonderful time to walk in the Euganean Hills. The countryside was beautiful and the walking interesting and scenic.

Mr Howells
Walking in Burgundy’s Vineyards
20/09/2022

The holiday was excellent. We had a great time. On balance we would have preferred slightly more upscale accommodation. We especially thought that the Arts et Terroirs hotel in Gevrey Chambertin was extremely dated, and generally disappointing. The staff however were absolutely charming.

We found the printed walk instructions and maps very poor, and had we not downloaded and followed the app we would have got lost countless times. The instructions were too perfunctory and just didn’t do the job. Using the ‘Ride GPX’ app made the walk way easier.

Overall we loved our holiday and hope you will take any criticism in a positive way.

Mrs Mcclymont
Catalan Classic Walk
19/09/2022

The classic Catalan walk offered a varied route from coastal scenery to well preserved villages in the interior. The standard of accommodation was good and well located.

Mrs White
WALKING THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
19/09/2022

On previous Headwater holidays the local rep has met us on arrival at the hotel to go through the itinerary but this didn’t happen here. We rang Cyprus Walks on the first evening and we spoke again a day or so later to arrange pick up times when we had more idea of what we wanted to do and how far we wanted to walk. It was good to have a choice of short and long routes each day. In Droushia we ate out each night. There was a choice of tavernas within walking distance but we went to Finikas Tavern every night which had a lovely courtyard at the back with a grape vine for a roof and did a fabulous Greek salad amongst other things. On our first walk we went to Mylari Bistro in Kritou Terra at lunch time for some welcome refreshment. Lovely walk to Lara beach. The Aphrodite Beach Hotel had a nice beach below it and a good fish restaurant not connected to the hotel which was only open in the daytime. Stoney beach so would recommend wet shoes/pumps in the sea. Overall, good holiday.

At the time of our visit dining and drinking options in the area were very limited with most cafes, bars and restaurants closed. The only real option was the hotel where food choice was limited and repetitive.

This was our first trip to the Maltese Islands and we had a couple of days staying at the Pheonicia Hotel in Valetta, Malta before going over to our walking holiday in Gozo, which helped us to aclimatise to the area and understand its history a little. Both hotels we stayed in (the Pheonicia and Ta Cenc) were excellent, very comfortable, with great facilities and lovely food. The walks in Gozo were very interesting and helped us to see most of the island using the local bus service to take us to the start point for some walks. Our only criticism is that we needed larger scale maps and some of walk instructions need to be updated. We have done many Headwater Holidays and this was the first one where we struggled with some of the instructions, but a more detailed map would have made the difference. Otherwise it was a most enjoyable holiday- thank you!

Mr Fulcher
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
17/09/2022

Overall, the holiday was very good. In mid-September we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine, and the walks themselves were enjoyable, varied and largely on well signposted wide gravel paths. We made full use of the cable cars, buses, Headwater’s GPS files and a free app called Swiss Topo. This enabled us to veer off the suggested routes, for example to the summit of First from the Allmenalp lift, although paths were well-marked. The views from the Oeschinensee walk were exceptional, but the stroll to Blausee (currently green) did not really merit a place on the itinerary. The location was ideal for a 7-day walking holiday. We got off to a poor start as the train from Bern was cancelled and when we rang the Alfa Soleil they weren’t expecting us until the following day. The superior room with balcony, for which we paid an extra £40 a night, was sunless, cold, cramped, dated, had no Wi-Fi and the fire escape ran through the middle of it. Make sure you get a room on the front.

Headwater response:
We would like to thank you for providing such comprehensive feedback.
We are pleased that you did enjoy your holiday and would like to assure you that your comments regarding the accommodation will be reviewed by the Product Manager for this holiday.
Headwater Customer Services

Mr Carr
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
17/09/2022

Incredible holiday, communication back and forth with Headwater prior to the trip was simple and straight forward, very friendly, knowledgable & was always able to help, easy to get hold of via email & over the phone. Flights, train & bus transfers from start to finish was seamless and very straight forward to follow. Hotel was in a prime location for accessing the mountains which meant everyday we were straight to the gondolas without any faff inbetween. Hotel was clean, friendly & happy to help with good local knowledge of the area, food & service was on point. 100% would be happy to use Headwater again to book a holiday, prior to the trip I had booked a trip with a different company which sadly fell through, their communication was poor and lacking leaving me unsure about these types of holidays. Headwater is the full opposite, a professional company who has completely got my confidence in using them again in the future. My holiday to Switzerland was one to remember so thank you!!

Miss Barr
Walking the Pelion Peninsula
17/09/2022

Varied walking,steep and challenging at times.Lovely scenery.

A very lovely holiday staying in beautiful cities in a variety of different types of accommodation. The walks were varied and well explained.

Mr Baker
Catalan Coastal Walk
16/09/2022

We loved this holiday. The walking was very manageable even if tiring at times. The route took us into what felt and looked like really remote, open and unspoilt countryside. Many beautiful views and a lovely mix of coastal and inland paths. We generally took an hour or two longer each day than the published figures because we needed to enjoy resting for lunch and taking photos. Tickets to Salvador Dali's house are well worth buying but really this must be done on-line at least a month in advance as it is so popular. The hotels and small towns were a delight. Local food was excellent and good value.

Very well organised holiday and run very efficiently

Prof Perry
Coastal Walking in Brittany
14/09/2022

I have sent separately suggestions for improvements to this walk, to enhance future travellers' experiences.

We enjoyed our holiday in Puglia. All the hotels were good except the one in Alberobello which wasn’t a brilliant location and the breakfast was average.

We didn’t go to Otranto as the train times weren’t great. The driver at Alberobello was lovely and extremely helpful.

Mrs Weir
Chateaux Of The Loire Walk
12/09/2022

This was our first "organised" holiday and so a new experience for us. The organisation was excellent, including travel bookings, taxis from hotels to start of walks, and luggage transfer. The hotels were superb, all with character and very "French" (family-owned, no chains). The walk directions were clear and accurate, as were the maps, and the availablity of GPX files was very helpful. The staff at Headwater were very helpful and efficient, and replied to emails and phone-calls very quickly. I would certainly book a walking holiday through Headwater again.

Mr King
The Amalfi Coast Walk
12/09/2022

We had a wonderful holiday! The unique selling point of Headwater is the combination of walking in beautiful scenery and high-class accommodation. The pace of the holiday allowed time to explore the local area as well as enjoy the hotels. The walks were generally very well described, and the maps we only used as back-up on odd occasions. I would thoroughly recommend Headwater....we had a great time ! Thank you !

The Altmuhltal 5 day walking holiday is one of the less good Headwater holidays we’ve been on - we've been in more than a dozen. Our holiday was in September and therefore just after the season ended. As a result finding restaurants was difficult - we actually had no dinner at Dollnstein since all the restaurants were closed. A little tricky after a 17 mile walk!



The walking was enjoyable, through pretty countryside. Day 2 was tough (Pappenheim to Dollnstein) and dragged on a bit towards the end. We’re glad we didn’t do the longer holiday, which would have been very tough.



Eurohike notes were scant, but their App was excellent.



One high point was Hotel zur Sonne in Pappenheim. A lovely hotel and fabulous restaurant.



One last point. We don’t recommend flying via Nuremberg. BA flights in and out were late in the day. Our outbound flight ran 3 hours late, meaning we arrived at our hotel after midnight. Our return flight was almost as late, meaning we got home similarly very late.

This was a lovely trip. The notes for the walk were excellent - very helpful. This a walk so worth doing even though it was quite taxing in parts.

Ms Osborne
Catalan Classic Walk
11/09/2022

All hotels excellent, but all slightly different. Had a little trouble with walking notes and ended up walking much farther than expected. Very nice part of Spain and area I didn’t know I enjoyed Girona on the way back again very good hotel and right in the centre

Ms Stileman
Dordogne River Walk
11/09/2022

The walking was fine but a bit too much on lanes/roads for us personally. That said I appreciate that this was as much to do with the area chosen as anything else and also the fact that we had to get from A to B. The hotels were all very different and without exception fun to stay in. The only downside was the limited choice/unchanging menus at two of them (already corresponded about). The maps didn't arrive until after we'd left for the holiday and were awaiting our arrival home. Luckily my husband had managed to buy copies as they proved essential at times, although the walking notes were on the whole, very good.

Mr Gilbert
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
10/09/2022

Our week in Kandersteg was highly anticipated and still managed to exceed our expectations. The Alpha Soleil was a lovely location with a fantastic breakfast and supper dinner meal. Portions are generous, but not excessive. The provision for lunch packing made each hiking day so easy, The hike plans were so clear and maps so excellent we never wondered if we had strayed from the intended path. The staff was cheerful and generally kind. Many made you feel like a new friend, without being overbearing.

The hike itineraries were stunning, for those who love the mountains. The trails are clean and adequately maintained and not too heavily populated. We would do every hike again, they are so wonderful. They are challenging, but not difficult. We commonly spent 6 hours/day on the trail, basking in the beauty of this spectacular setting.

Further, Kandersteg is so convenient to other marvelous Swiss mountain towns, you can easily extend to see even more.

Miss Porter
Walking the Pelion Peninsula
10/09/2022

What a complete break from the everyday. Warm welcomes, and enthusiasm to communicate at every hotel, from discussing Greek education systems to the barefoot chef and the amazing discovery that Greece has winter ski resorts, every day had a great balance of activity and interest. Your rep mr thannassos was amazing, I am sure he even arranged for the dolphins to swim past us on our last afternoon . Fabulous scenery, food (especially lost unicorn and hotel Kritsa) and comfortable hotels. the Pelion is a real gem.

A great holiday as long as you are happy to find your own way around places and have a good level of fitness. Very well organised and efficient.

Mr Tebbutt
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
10/09/2022

All that we were looking for in this holiday - great location, stunning scenery, peace when walking, great support and excellent food - the first proper holiday for one of us in a long while and well overdue.

The only note is, wow, Tuscan food can be rich/heavy!! Used to more of the Mediterranean style Italian food and occasionally it was a bit too much for both of us in the meat and/or cheese combinations. But always excellent in taste and quality which really shone through.

Stefano and the team were outstanding, very helpful and knowledgeable. He's a great host and ambassador for you and the rest of the team were also very kind and helpful. Location is perfect, the walks measured and always end in somewhere nice for a late lunch and wander in some shady streets. Mid September was a great time - not too hot or crowded but still plenty going on.

The holiday and value for money was let down by the George Hotel experience

Menorca is a beautiful, quiet island ideal for 1 boot walking. I cannot rate the hotel anything other than excellent, it surpassed all expectations. Great location and facilities.

Mrs Craven
Walking the Trails of La Palma
08/09/2022

Headwater were really helpful and met our various requests. It was an excellent trip with varied walks which really give you a feel for the La Palma. Recommend you use the first walk to gague the timings suggested in the instructions, and use a map too. Take plenty of water and snacks as cafés along some routes are closed. Take a swim suit on the Charco Azul walk as the sea pools there are great, and a refreshing way to end the walk. Make sure you have your camera charged as the scenery is stunning!!!

Mrs Illing
Walking the Trails of La Palma
08/09/2022

Excellent walking trip on a beautiful scenic island

Mrs Mcdonagh
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
07/09/2022

Excellent trip, very well organised, great hotels with lovely swimming pools, just what we wanted and can't wait to book our next holiday with Headwater.

Mrs Waddington
Walking in Kandersteg - short break
04/09/2022

The company have been fantastic, we’ve had the holiday postponed for 2 years. The best communication & customer service I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with. I can not recommend the company highly enough. The all inclusive deal at Kandersteg Switzerland was absolutely fantastic. The hotel was fantastic and the food was 5*. Well organised and stunning views

Ms Dawson
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
04/09/2022

Fabulous walks and incredible scenery

Ms Stewart
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
03/09/2022

Very enjoyable overall. The hotel was excellent apart from their billing system which conflated my bill with another couple. The scenery was beautiful but the difficulty of the walks was understated and we did not find the App helpful. More guidance is need on how to deal with an emergency situation whilst walking as access would be difficult. The written walk notes were very detailed and accurate, except for the walk from Amalfi to Ravello.

Mrs Young
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
03/09/2022

For a walking holiday, be very sure you are a strong, able walker. The walk grading is very misleading.

Stunning location - most walks are from the hotel but there is also a shuttle which always seemed to be available for us when required but in any case the local buses are frequent. We cannot rate the hotel staff highly enough, fun and enthusiastic people on reception, really knowledgeable staff in the restaurant (especially regarding the local wines)

Ms Hutchings
Chateaux Of The Loire Walk
03/09/2022

It would have been useful to review the walking notes prior to booking as our first day fell on a Sunday when places were closed, it also meant other things on consecutive days were closed on the days that we were visiting so we could have altered our day of arrival to make the most of our time in the area. Would have requested an upgrade on the first hotel had we known how basic and small the room was, would also have liked the opportunity to explore Blois and its chateau but we were shipped out at 9am the day after arrival. If we'd read the notes we could have requested an extra night in Blois. There was nothing in Chitenay other than the hotel, the days we stayed it was a fixed dinner menu so the only choice was between dessert or cheese - no option on starter or main course. We didn't enjoy the dinners here, but our taxi driver had said it had a very good restaurant - it was a shame we couldn't choose from the main menu on the days we were there. Very helpful local staff at Rando

Dr Gowers
Secrets of Sicily Walking
03/09/2022

A well organised and very interesting introduction to the geography and history of Sicily. Transfers and site visits were well planned and always ran like clockwork. We appreciated the range of walks offered to suit weather and fitness levels. Strongly recommended.

Mr Sainsbury
Secrets of Sardinia Walking
03/09/2022

If you enjoy walking and don't mind doing it in hot conditions, this holiday in Sardinia is very good. Beautiful scenery and coastline, delicious food and cold beer. Hotel staff are energetic, courteous and very helpful. Rooms are clean and comfortable.

Mrs Mitchell
Walking the Camino de Santiago
03/09/2022

The Camino De Santiago was a wonderful holiday, great accommodation, food, route notes, etc and when our plane was delayed Headwater could not have been more helpful to arrange alternative flights.

Mr Godfrey
Catalan Classic Walk
02/09/2022

Holiday was actually booked via Exodus so difficult to comment.

Mr Calver
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
02/09/2022

Great trip - the locations were stunning and the walking routes were fabulous. Our only mild complaint was the communications about what was open and when, on the trip. For example - we booked the trip to start on a Friday, which meant our first 'rest' day when there were 4 local wineries to visit - was a Sunday. When all 4 wineries were closed.

It would have also been useful to have the heads up about restaurant closings on Monday and Tuesday in the region. Both days it was very difficult to find lunch and dinner spots, and all that was needed was the heads up from the agent that you need to have this in mind and book in advance. The same goes for all winery tours and restaurant bookings - the places are so small and the places get booked up. The impression we had from the guide and itinerary was that you can simply drop into places, which is not the case. You need to plan much more yourself.

Softley
Following St James' Way
02/09/2022

Excellent pace of itinerary and well thought out accommodation. Local guide in Leon was enthusiastic, well informed and very collegial.

A good holiday for those who prefer easier walking and time to visit places of interest en route e.g. St David's Cathedral. We had excellent accommodation (and breakfasts!) with knowledgeable and helpful hosts - having left a camera behind, one even offered to bring it out to me, a 10 mile round trip! Our briefing by Laura was thorough and she assured us she was available at all times. She remained friendly and informative throughout.

It did what it said on the tin. Easy walks of suitable distance and effort. saw all literary locations but we did need to do our own route to see Beatrix Potter's house which was a meaningful ommision from the itinerary.

Mrs Rosewell
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
31/08/2022

Lovely walking holiday in Provence - beautiful hilltop villages, vineyards and views. Not too challenging and good to relax by the pool in the afternoons.

We loved our trip to Corsica. The local agents, and particularly Emanuel, were chatty and informative. The hotels were good and the one in St Florent had a huge terrace overlooking the sea - which was very special. The sea swimming was beyond brilliant. A note about the walks however - don't rely on the maps and instructions. They are not 100% accurate but there is an app (so think about data and battery life) ... we used the app - and it stopped us going wrong many, many times. Also - many of the walks are labelled "coastal" but don't be fooled into thinking they're flat or easy - the paths are rugged, so bring robust walking shoes. The walks are stunning, and challenging in places ... but always worth it.

Mrs Brown
Walking on the Francigena Way
29/08/2022

Wayfinding instructions not always accurate. Briefing in Orvieto unhelpful, Ingrid didn't know about our lack of full information from Headwater, assumed we could print info from our phones. Headwater asked for travel insurance details when we were already in Orvieto. But taxi to S. Lorenzo Nuovo excellent, luggage transfer worked, all accommodation able to cater for a gluten and dairy free diet. We enjoyed staying at small family-run hotels - Capranica probably needs refurbishing - location excellent.

Prof Browning
Walking in the Venetian Hills
25/08/2022

We had never heard of the Venetian Hills, before spotting the trip on the Headwater website, and we are delighted to discover to this beautiful and unspoilt area. It seems almost unknown to British tourists, and the visitors seemed mainly to be locals. It is perfect walking country - clear paths, lovely countryside, very quiet and peaceful. We often walked for hours without meeting a soul, enjoying stunning views.

The scenery is lovely - steep and (sometimes) rocky wooded hills, olive groves, vinyards, isolated farms, pretty villages and interesting historic villas, historic towns. The walking is good, on very quiet lanes, tracks and footpaths. The directions were almost always very clear and reliable.

Although the distances are relatively short, hills are steep and some paths are rough and rocky - especially the full option on the final day (which is well worth it). Hotels are all lovely - excellent dinners, welcoming staff. The excellent wine (very cheap) is a bonus.

Excellent walking and grand countryside. Luggage transfer worked perfectly. Walking notes were spot-on. The choice of itinerary, start and end points were excellent for public transport. I took the advice of some of your reviewers and stayed an extra night at Twice Brewed to visit the museums (Vindolanda, Chesters, Housesteads) on a non-walking day (AD 122 bus) and was glad that I did. Vindolanda alone took over 2 hours and I could have stayed longer. I allowed time at the end to visit the Roman Town and museum at Corbridge - an excellent finale to the week. Some of the walking was challenging but the lengths of the stages were well managed and this 76-year-old enjoyed herself very much. Hotels were well chosen (the food at Greenhead and at Corbridge was excellent) but although The George at Chollerford is stunningly situated and I had a lovely modern room, management was woefully absent and food was awful. The weather was perfect. I had a great holiday. Thankyou Headwater!

Mrs Ellis
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
20/08/2022

If you are lucky enough to be there at the right time of the year, the Swiss Alps is a wonderful place to be. This tour, with its centrally located hotel, offers access to some excellent walking in outstanding mountain countryside. It was also great value for money compared to what we would have had to pay had we booked the hotel and cable cars and found food and drinks ourselves.

Mrs Marris
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
20/08/2022

La Peitriccia is a delightful agriturismo. The family were charming and Stefano could not do enough for us. We had a meeting with him every day after breakfast when he helped us work out what we wanted to do. We were a group of four, all over the age of 69! We did find the walks a bit too much for us but Stefano adjusted them and drove us to destinations and collected us when we finished the walks. The rooms were simple but very adequate and we had a lovely terrace looking over vineyards and up to the hill top village, where we had an interesting delicious wine tasting following our first day's walk.

The meals were excellent. They were always cooked freshly using local produce. There was no choice but this did not prove a problem and they felt very authentic. We drank the local wines which were delicious. The swimming pool was not heated but was very pleasant although we didn't have that much time to use it. Highly recommended.

Mr Balfour
Marvels of Madeira Walk
15/08/2022

Brilliantly organised-good walks/maps and transfers.

Well looked after-can’t think of any way to have made it better than it was

We loved our holiday. The arrangements worked very well, although changing planes in Munich seemed to involve numerous checks of passports and boarding passes. The Ostuni Palace was of the highest possible standard and so it took quite an adjustment to settle into Palazzo Rollo where the room was much more basic. Everyone was exceptionally kind and helpful. Taxis worked well and so did the train journeys.

Dr Kokai
Chateaux Of The Loire Walk
08/08/2022

Great places and scenery, pleasant walks, very nice accommodation (except in Blois), delicious food and good fun altogether. Some fine tuning and adjustments in logistics would improve the overall exprience of otherwise great holiday!

Mr Sykes
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
08/08/2022

La Linghe is a beautiful area, almost medieval with its vistas of extensive vineyards peppered by numerous hilltop towns and villages. The walks are great, well signposted and easy to follow. Some of the views are stunning. We really enjoyed the range of locations in which we stayed: smart winery hotel, cosy wine bar rooms and some villa glamour. Just a note: If walking in August you will need to carry plenty of water as many places are closed. We found we had to be quite self-reliant on occasions which was fine but which a first timer might find a challenge.

The hadrians wall holiday is well thought out with extremely detailed route notes and with accommodation in all the right places . The scenery is stunning , and the food in all but one of the pubs was good . We stayed two nights at twice brewed in order to be able to take part in an excellent star gazing event and also to visit vindolanda. The baggage transfers worked really smoothly . The AD 122 bus ( every two hours along the route ) was really helpful for getting around . The only thing I can say is that the taxi to

The start of the first days walking was expensive … but there is no other way of getting there ! Also , the stay at the George hotel was decidedly substandard : grubby rooms, weedy garden, food not great , broken shower . I would want to stay somewhere else really .

Thanks headwater for a great holiday .

Mr Bishop
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
06/08/2022

Kandersteg is a great location for a hassle free centre based walking holiday in Switzerland. The surrounding mountains are spectacular (helped by a week of near perfect weather) and the recommended walks are all good, providing variety to fill the week. The inclusion of all meals at the very hospitable Hotel Alfa Soleil as well as the provision of two separate guest cards on arrival to allow for free use of the local cable cars and public transport makes the holiday good value for money given that prices in Switzerland can be quite high. Headwater emailed me GPX files for downloading onto my phone a few weeks before arrival for navigation purposes. Route finding in the Swiss Alps is already straightforward with excellent waymarking on the ground, but the GPX files were very accurate and made finding my way even easier.

Mr Bottomley
Walking the Pelion Peninsula
06/08/2022

Excellent on site agents and staff. It was tough to get things booked and agreed at short notice but the staff were very nice

Mrs Baird
Walking in the Venetian Hills
05/08/2022

We had a wonderful holiday in the beautiful Venetian hills with excellent walking routes and directions, lovely views and good hotel locations on our itinerary. It was the first holiday of this type we had done, and our first Headwater holiday, but we would definitely do a similar trip again. Headwater were really prompt and helpful at all times when we needed anything or had minor changes to request, and also incredibly efficient - they managed to sort our holiday when our booked holiday was cancelled at short notice, so were really so helpful on this occasion.

We have travelled a lot and done a variety of different holidays and would say that this was the best walking holiday we have ever done. The hotel is outstanding and the app was brilliant. I was worried about navigation as I usually go guided but it was so easy to use. I couldn't recommend it enough.

Mrs Dawson
Salzkammergut Lakes Walk
30/07/2022

It was Type 2 fun. Some of the walks were quite hard going in the heat but we were pleased once we’d completed them.

The locations were good.

Miss Mcintyre
Highlights of the Pembrokeshire Coast
24/07/2022

We had an excellent stay at Ty Helyg. The host were very welcoming and the standard of the accommodation were excellent. We were very unhappy with the Imperial Hotel. The standard of the accommodation was poor. We had to move rooms. The lift did not work and it was unkempt, unclean and generally unpleasant. The walks were excellent and we enjoyed them.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your comments. We are pleased that overall, you enjoyed your holiday. Your comments regarding the Imperial Hotel will be closely monitored for future consideration.
Kind regards
Customer Services

Mr Wetz
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
23/07/2022

We had an excellent holiday. The train travel arrangements were all excellent from London and then onto Kandersteg and after this onwards to Florence. Thank you to Megan our travel contact with you for all her work on this. Our only criticism would be that we booked a superior room with Balcony. The Balcony was a real asset but the room was small for a superior room for which we paid extra and the bathroom was needing updating.

What an incredible week! Not sure what was the highlight the walks, scenery and views or the Casa Salares hotel and the fantastic staff, food and ambience! Seriously the walks were fantastic and helped by the weather. Could feel I was getting fitter as the week went in with the walking and the swimming pool at the hotel when we got back each day! The GPS was fantastic and worked brilliantly as my sense of direction not great which is why I normally do walking holidays with a guide! The scenery was stunning and great that most of the walks you can do straight from hotel. The hotel was something else! My friend kept telling me about the reviews for the food but I did not personally read anything about it! Blown away by the hotel and one of the best I have ever stayed in due to the wonderful staff, the incredible food and facilities! A proper family owned and run hotel. Fantastic trip all round, thank you! Not too crowded either, not like TMB!

Mr Cross
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
12/07/2022

Circumstances forced us to choose mid-July, which predictably was a bit too hot for walking after c.11am. We nevertheless enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and the outdoor pools at three of the hotels were very welcome. The old town centres visited are also beautiful, with local museums/galleries of interest on the "non-walking" days. The restaurant of the Volterra hotel is closed on Tuesdays, necessitating a 20 minute uphill walk for dinner (food included).

The Walking notes seemed a bit "tired" and sometimes ambiguous: we lost the route on two of the walks, but (thanks to a kind local lady with a car, and Google map on our phone) these mistakes were soon rectified. The local agent Alessandro was also very helpful.

Recommended, but avoid July/August if possible.

Miss Robbinshallam
Jewels of the Jurassic Coast Walk
11/07/2022

Good accommodation ( especially Mortons and The Limes , which were both excellent) and great walks, although the walk to Lulworth Cove we felt was more challenging than the 1.5 boot rating. We are experienced walkers so were fine, but there are some pretty steep ups and downs. However, another successful Headwater walking holiday for us.

The itinerary notes were outstanding, truly impressed.

Quite long days of walking but the landscape and scenery was absolutely stunning. Keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife such as deer, hares and we were also lucky to spot some wild mink. Would perhaps add some extra days in around Killarney and Kenmore to explore the areas - just not enough time. Would recommend pre booking restaurants although there are plenty of choices in most places they were also quite busy. Definitely book in Cahersiveen as only two main restaurants and they are very popular. Would definitely recommend this holiday but walkers need to be prepared for the long but great walking days but with a challenging walk between Waterville to Cahersiveen.

The whole set-up of the holiday was very good, the accommodation wonderful, it was just the detail of the walks that let things down - it seemed in many cases that the routes had not been revised for a considerable length of time. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday but much of this was due to the work that we put in rather than relying on the information provided. The walking maps are poor - why are they not provided by Headwater and in colour?

In country experience, excellent. Local guide and transport first rate. With some minor exceptions, hotels good. HQ admin would benefit from some customer service upgrade.

Mr Robertshaw
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
02/07/2022

The area surrounding Kandersteg is absolutely beautiful and some of the walks were outstanding particularly the walks around “Oeschinensee” (which we saved for our last day)and “Gasterntal and the Klus Gorge”. Getting around the area is easy with the ski lifts and public transport and we had no problem getting to any of the walks. The Alfa Soliel was an excellent base with excellent views from the balconies to the mountains. We found this single centre self guided holiday excellent where we met like minded couples who we could chat with in the evening over a drink and compare notes on the days activities but have the freedom to decide our own agenda and pace throughout the week.

Altogether this was a great holiday which we really enjoyed.

With Covid it took 3 attempts to go in the holiday but it was well worth the wait.

Mrs Manion
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/07/2022

Perfect location of hotel with outstanding food, service, comfortable beds and room

Amazing scenery and brilliant hiking opportunities

We will definitely return Outstanding ❤️

Mrs Graham
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/07/2022

You need a good level of physical fitness to make the most of this holiday. Despite being experienced walkers we found the going tough, although this was probably due to the extreme heat. An interesting and varied itinerary which would have benefited from longer than a week’s stay.

Mrs Harrison
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
29/06/2022

The Cotswold village circular walk holiday was a really enjoyable experience. The walking was well signposted with detailed walking instructions in a handbook provided by Headwater in conjunction with Hikes and Bikes. The villages were delightful with the beautiful cotswold yellow stone cottages. The countryside was amass with flowers. June/July is a wonderful time to visit. Our luggage transfer was very efficient and our suitcases were waiting when we arrived at our hotels/bed and breakfast en route.

A first walking holiday booking with headwater proved most enjoyable and I regret not having discovered the company nor the concept of walking holidays in my younger years

Mr BOWIE
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
25/06/2022

Delightful walking holiday in an accessible, beautiful and interesting area. Walks were accurately graded and we had no problem following the routes.

Mrs Bryce
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
25/06/2022

All information required for our self guided holiday was excellent and any queries were dealt with quickly by Megan who kept us up to date on everything. We did not arrive at our hotel until 1am but access at that hour had been pre-arranged. Dobbiaco was the perfect place for our self guided walking holiday and the choice of walks on the app plus the paper maps and transport tickets made it easy to work the itinerary to suit ourselves. The Dolomites are awesome!!

When BA cancelled our Saturday flights home (Venice to Glasgow via Heathrow) late Thursday afternoon I contacted Karen in the office. She couldn't have been more helpful and passed the details to Steph who managed to book (after discussion with us) alternative flights from Innsbruck to Manchester, overnight accommodation there and a new transfer from Bellevue Hotel to airport. This was all sorted by early the next day so that we could enjoy our last day in the Dolomites. your company is lucky to have employees of this standard - I could not fault them!

Mrs Hall
Walking the Pelion Peninsula
25/06/2022

A brilliant holiday! The Pelion is such a beautiful part of Greece, with our route taking in very different terrain, from beautiful beaches and coves to the wooded hills and flower filled meadows. The hotels were very varied, each wonderful in their own way, and all our hosts were exceptionally welcoming, kind and helpful.

The walking was fairly challenging at times, with many of the paths quite steep, rocky and overgrown - we got lost a few times. More of the red path markers and more information re timings would have been helpful on some days. However we enjoyed the challenge and loved the peace and solitude - we hardly met another soul on the paths, though were helped a couple of times by a local goat and a couple of friendly dogs who led us up the path to Kissos!

The organisation and support from the Headwater Team was excellent, with staff being unfailingly helpful and friendly, and the local support and pick ups organised by Thanassis in Pelion were easy and reliable.

Thank you!

Mrs White
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
23/06/2022

We loved this holiday. The walking notes were excellent, the Cotswolds is just stunning and the accommodation was to a high standard. We highly recommend this holiday.

Mr Macdonald
Walking in the Venetian Hills
22/06/2022

We very much enjoyed our self guided walking holiday in the Venetian Hills. The area is beautiful, quiet and unspoilt and the scenery and views during our walks were both impressive and attractive in equal measure. The hotels and B&Bs were varied in style and nature and were all very good. In particular the staff were invariably very friendly and accommodating, the food and wine were first class and the service provided everywhere was excellent. The local agent, George, has very good English and he was very helpful, reliable, friendly and informative. We combined the walking trip with a really enjoyable city break to Verona where Headwater arranged an excellent city centre B&B for us. All in all another first class and ver well organised Headwater holiday.

Mr Britnell
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
21/06/2022

From the first trip communication to the last, I have never experienced a travel group who is as thorough and professional as Headwater. First rate, all the way!

Mr Flower
Castles to Coast Walk
21/06/2022

This was a very good and varied holiday, mostly based in the interior of Istria but with two nights on the coast as well. The walking in the hills was through a range of landscapes, including vineyards and hilltop towns, and there were great views from the escarpment above Buzet and from the heights of Mount Učka. The two-night stay in Opatija involved much less exertion and was a chance to relax after the other days of walking. The transfers were very well organised and the local support and guidance was excellent, as were the hotels, with particularly good breakfasts in Buzet and Opatija. There were also very good restaurants in all three locations. We added a short stay in Pula onto the holiday, providing a chance to see some of the Roman sites there, especially the impressive amphitheatre. It was quite hot at the end of June, but there was a good amount of shade on the walks and so this didn't cause us any problems.

Ms Riordan
Walks in the Troodos Mountains
20/06/2022

Overall a positive experience. The booking procedure was good. The local guide/agent, although we didn't meet him in person, was at the end of the phone at any time. The first two hotels lacked any outside communal space so apart from the bar or restaurant - there was nowhere to relax after a hard mornings walking. The third hotel had been invaded by a party of footballing school children and their families on the Saturday night/Sunday morning. The pool area was filthy on our first trip down there, this did get cleaned up, but not until the Monday morning. The pool area looked very sad and neglected in general with disused buildings and broken parasols. The Hotel is past it's best but the staff were amazing and by the end of our stay we'd become quite fond of it; but not sure if we'd return. Finally, we both felt that the 1+/2+ boot rating underestimated the walking challenges. We are fairly experienced walkers but some of routes, especially the descents, were brutal.

Scrase
Salzkammergut Lakes Walk
20/06/2022

It was a very enjoyable holiday. However hiking is not all that easy in 30 degrees + heat. One needs to be careful of you descriptions. These walks are for the average fit person. 18 k walks that include ' a steep incline for the next kilometer' are not for such people.

Mr Neville
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
18/06/2022

We have found Headwater to be a very good company to travel with on self guided holidays. They provide the route guides and maps required so that you have no concerns about getting lost. The Alpha Soleil Hotel is well situated and the staff were extremely efficient and friendly. The food was beautifully presented, but for us we felt some of it, though looking very pretty on the plate, was rather uninteresting in flavour. The wines were very pricey (even the house white wine which had a very peculiar taste and there was no indication of the grape variety on the bottle). The house red wine was fine.

Ms Philliben
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
18/06/2022

With a few tweaks this was an excellent holiday with great support fro Headwater before, during and after our holiday. Looking forward to next year. Thank you

This was one of the best holidays we have been on.Either by itself or as we did combining a week in Toblach at the Bellevue . The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful and with a well signposted footpath system clearly marked on the maps provided. All the walks are enjoyable and the cable car /gondola system can be utilised. The walks can be as hard or as easy as you wish and can be integrated into the local bus system .

The hotel is excellent with a comfortable rooms and a well appointed restaurant. The food is very good ,excellent variety, well served in a delightful environment .

There is a indoor swimming pool and a small gym, so do take swimwear . Overall I could not fault this holiday in the area or hotel.

Mrs HOSKINS
Chateaux Of The Loire Walk
16/06/2022

The holiday worked well and the routes well planned. However the area is very flat and there was a lot of road or cycle path walking. This region is well suited for cycling but would not recommend for walking. The first walk was particularly long and we had temperatures of above 35 degrees on roads that were reflecting up the heat and little shade. At one point we did not think we would be able to complete the walk because of heat exhaustion. We had run out of water and there was nowhere to get refreshments. I knocked on a door and fortunately a very kind French lady refilled our water bottles. The second and last hotels were exceptional.

Mrs Edmondson
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
16/06/2022

A wonderful selection of places to visit, staying in quality accommodation and a good balance of walking and relaxing. Comprehensive walks directions and well researched routes.

I found Headwater and the local Tour Company in Portugal to be helpful, responsive and, in the main, efficient. There was some temporary confusion as to which hotels I would be staying at in two of my destinations but this was resolved satisfactorily. I felt well supported throughout my time in the care of the local agent Alex who was always available with helpful suggestions but never overbearing. The GPS app was generally reassuring but there was the odd occasion when the route became unclear. However, any deviation was clearly indicated by the app meaning it was always possible to re-find the right path fairly quickly. Occasionally the GPS signal would be lost but never for long. I would advise older people (I am 65) to inquire about the degree of difficulty of the route terrain as parts of the path involved steep (and occasionally) slippery ascents and descents, rather more strenuous than I had expected from the rating shown. Hotels all quite acceptable - friendly and comfortable

Mr Hancock
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
11/06/2022

I cant see how you can improve it.

Mr Mayson
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
11/06/2022

headwater are well organised and helpful. The hotel staff were very helpful too, after initially putting us in a back room, they kindly moved us on day 2 to a room with a view.

Mr Dentith
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
11/06/2022

Well organised holiday with easy to follow walks to chosen standard of ability. Good opportunity to meet like minded people if you wish. Scenery is absolutely stunning in Dolomites and Headwater hotel choice very good.

Mr Ellis
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
11/06/2022

Fantastic and adaptable walking holiday. Excellent hotel, with great (and lots of) food, and perfect location. Most of the walks require a bus journey, which adds a little bit of logistics to the start, and some nifty speed/time/distance calculations to ensure you're not hanging around too long waiting for your bus at the end.

GPS app is good, but maps and map reading skills are still essential to enable you to properly plan your day and to figure out a 'plan B' if there are any trail closures enroute (this happened twice for us).

The scenery is absolutely stunning, and no camera can fully recreate the image. So take time to properly stop, catch your breath, and soak the views into your memory.

Mr Aslin
Salzkammergut Lakes Walk
11/06/2022

A beautiful area of Austria with relatively easy walking and great hotels

Mr Ball
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
11/06/2022

Stephano offers an authentic Italian experience which is all about his organic farm and what he produces, and the countryside and birds that he knows intimately and which he loves. Stephano (and his brother) welcomed us and did everything to ensure we had a good experience, we thoroughly enjoyed them and their offer. The food was prepared with care/attention to its health benefits and food miles. We loved the Tuscan countryside which you see so well by foot although it was extremely hot by midday so walks had to be undertaken earlier in the day, and some were shortened to avoid the heat. This was an unusual level of heat for June. The only difficulties we had with travel was when we returned to Heathrow, otherwise tickets and travel arrangements were excellent. Our holiday was post Covid when the hospitality industry is under pressure, we were therefore not able to have the Cookery session. Thoroughly recommend the Theia Spa and massage which had to be booked ahead.

This was a fabulous hiking holiday with great walks, lovely hotels and fantastic buffet breakfasts. This was our first self guided holiday and and I would definitely do one again as it provides an extra degree of freedom and independence. I’m not sure if the written walking guides were written by someone who speaks English as a first language as some of the instructions were ambivalent to say the least - especially at the start and ends of walks. We met two other people on the same holiday via Eurohike who also experienced some difficulty. For example the first days walk was stipulated as 18 km whereas by the time we finished it was 26 km!! Also landmarks had changed and that makes me wonder whether they generally need updating. We were also issues with a wrong return train ticket which if I had not checked could have caused us a problem returning to Munich. Notwithstanding this, we had an amazing time and Headwater we’re quick to respond to my questions prior and during the holiday.

Another excellent Headwater experience. This time to rural Normandy. We did not know this area at all and this walking holiday enabled us to explore this beautiful and rustic area. The walks were of good length, the hotels all very good and we had a real opportunity to experience great French cooking in the evenings in the towns and villages in which we stayed. The staff at Normandie Rando (the local tour company) were all terrific. We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in this little known part of France. Recommended.

Dr Adams
Dordogne River Walk
10/06/2022

The itinerary and the walking distances were good but, unfortunately, I happened to book my trip to coincide with the worst French heatwave for a number of years. By making early starts and benefitting from the coolest parts of the day I managed to complete the entire route. Had the water been a little less extreme the route would have been easily achievable. On the whole the hotels were very good and the accommodation in Carsac and St Vincent de Cosse was absolutely stunning. The hotel in Souillac was a little more functional but perfectly adequate. Souillac has suffered badly as a result of the Covid pandemic and it needs renovation. However, while there and although it was a rest day, I planned my own walk, doing a loop in the hills to the south of the town. This comes highly recommended as I've never seen so many butterflies except in a butterfly house. There must have been at least twenty species almost literally competing for air space. I will be booking with Headwater again.

Mrs West
Walking in the Venetian Hills
10/06/2022

The Eugenic Hills were unknown to us, but provided a beautiful area for walking, abounding with flowers and wildlife, with endless views over the Venetian Plain.

Overall I can't grumble, the most significant pain was the airports, going and coming back, the walking holiday was fine.

Mrs Cranfield
Coastal Walking in Brittany
08/06/2022

An interesting part of France to visit, with variety along the walk, from coastal paths to stretches along salt flats. The taxi connections need to be refined as we found ourselves waiting as they had gone to the wrong place. The hotels were ok but we found higher quality meals when we were not on a HB day. On most days it is difficult to find refreshments en route (without retracing steps from a previous day) so planning ahead is essential.

Mr Watson
Catalan Classic Walk
08/06/2022

Headwater provide a stimulating itinerary, with walks that are fairly graded and staying at good boutique hotels. We really enjoyed the holiday.

Dr Beattie
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
08/06/2022

A most enjoyable holiday even for 80-year olds like us. The walks are realistic in terms of difficulty. The only problem was the unseasonably high temperature but this was tolerable by starting walking at 8.30am and reaching the destination by 2pm.

Mr Milsom
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
08/06/2022

A lovely holiday - beautiful scenery, butterflies and birdsong. Our photographs (of which there are many) will never do it justice.

Some challenging walking as it was particularly hot, hotter than usual for early June. The last walk from San Gimignano back to Volterra was particularly challenging in the heat . We had taken plenty of water with us but the restaurant Prato d'Era suggested in the walking notes was closed, and looked as if it had been for some time, and there was nowhere else to buy water. We had JUST enough.........

THe walking notes were generally good but may need updating in places. The Volterra to Casole d'Elsa walk mentions areas of woodland clearance (Dispensa di Tatti ) but the trees and shrubs have regrown and the two barrier posts are no longer there.

Hotel Park le Fonti rooms are rather tired but food and service were excellent and the swimming pool was superb. Relais Santa Chiara 'classic' room faced a wall, but Headwater sorted this out very quickly.

Mrs Stewart
Villages & Vineyards of Alsace
06/06/2022

Great part of France to visit - pretty villages, acres of vineyards and hotels off the beaten track. During the week we covered over 10,000 feet elevation - more than Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike,, Snowdon put together in 5 days walking. The combination of forest walks and vineyards was excellent arriving into villages. Most of the villages have a baker’s shop and cafe, but remember most places closed after 14:00. Not always easy to find lunch, so be sure to take your lunch before you set off.

Mr Bateman
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
04/06/2022

A well selected one centre location, with a well thought out set of walking routes which be easily adjusted depending on our wishes each day.

Mr Williams
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
04/06/2022

Great place to visit with nice walks and places to visit - would particularly recommend Ravello. Food was varied and good in hotel and Geraldo looked after us very well.

Mrs Lammiman
Secrets of Sicily Walking
04/06/2022

We had a fantastic holiday in Sicily.

Everything went well, good walks and hotels. The weather was hot 34 degrees (first week of June)on first day ....too hot for a 4hr walk... good there was a pool at the hotel... Marettimo was beautiful and 25degrees with a

breeze..Great restaurants fresh fish and everyone friendly. Looking forward to our next holiday with you.

Mrs Blyth
The Amalfi Coast Walk
01/06/2022

The holiday was in a beautiful region and hotels were mostly excellent. All taxis ran to plan and services received were polite and friendly. Our only issue was that we are experienced walkers and map readers but the described routes had clearly not been updated for many years and were at times near impossible to follow and we did get lost twice! Paths were labelled with the wrong number and 'tiles' did not exist. Also temperatures were well over 30 degrees on some days ( we travelled 1 June) and it was bordering on being too hot to do the walks on some days. It would be helpful if some guidance on this was given in the brochure.

Mr Learmont
Walking in the Venetian Hills
31/05/2022

Walking in un-spoilt/un-touristy countryside, with many interesting places to visit along the way. A refreshing tonic from over-crowded Italian hot spots.

Ms Nicolson
Walking in Austria's Lake District
28/05/2022

Austria is a hidden gem! Locals could not have been friendlier. Be prepared for mixed weather. Scenery spectacular. Walking could be challenging especially in damp/wet conditions

It was a fun holiday with some exertion thrown in

Dr Soul
The Amalfi Coast Walk
23/05/2022

we designed a bespoke itinerary to celebrate an anniversary, which despite several rounds of alteration caused by intervening commitments, was created and implemented to our great satisfaction. This was one of the best holidays we have ever had. The scenery is spectacular, the walking was not too strenuous (despite the unseasonal heatwave), the transfers all ran to schedule and the accommodation of a high standard.

Mrs Brand
Catalan Classic Walk
21/05/2022

An excellent week's walking with varied landscapes and beautiful scenery, flowers and birdsong. A good mixture of tough days and easy walking.

Mrs Lynch
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
21/05/2022

We highly recommend that you use the .gpx files provided by Headwater. These were really valuable eg in providing some extensions to the recommended routes.

Mrs Naylor
Secrets of Sicily Walking
21/05/2022

Excellent holiday

Mr Cheek
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
21/05/2022

Headwater's attention to detail always makes for a good holiday.

Mrs Henderson
Walking the Coastal Trails of Menorca
20/05/2022

We have enjoyed twelve holidays with Headwater since our first visit to Sicily in 2006! They have all been thoroughly enjoyable and one of the beauties of booking with Headwater is that you can relax at every stage knowing yoiu are in very capable hands!

Mr Newmarch
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
19/05/2022

Overall a most enjoyable holiday. The walks are fine until the last 1-2kms steep uphill which is quite arduous in the heat. We were pleased to have a rest day in between to enjoy the local sites. Scenery was great and the tracks easy to navigate.

As vegetarians the food options were rather restricted.

The guy who collected us from Pisa was rather cavalier with road safety. The agent was very welcoming and helpful.

Mrs Aldridge
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
17/05/2022

The walking was varied and not difficult, with abundant flowers and birdlife. The directions were very good, and we would recommend printing them before travel. it was helpful to know if and where refreshments would be available each day. The accommodation was very good, with the swimming pool at Pedralva a very welcome surprise.

Mr Holroyde
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
16/05/2022

Everything went well, service, help from Headwater, notes etc. The only thing as a group was why we were put in the Hadrian Hotel, rather than the George Hotel. Whilst the Hadrian hotel is good, its no longer geared to walkers, with their expensive evening taster menu and slightly further off the walk. We found it odd walking the extra 1.5 miles to this hotel, as we passed the George Hotel. The breakfast at the Hadrian's was excellent. We did talk to the staff who explained some of the history with Headwater, but going forward I would have thought we should have stayed at the George, particularly as we booked over a year ago.

Mrs Swallowe
Walking in the Venetian Hills
15/05/2022

Walking was very good. Villa del Poeta was how all your accommodation should be for a holiday in this price bracket.

Ms TURNER
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
14/05/2022

Excellent walking holiday, but be prepared for lots of steps! I would recommend to use the private transfer as there is a limited train service on a Saturday. The Hotel Due Torri was excellent and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

An excellent holiday, but the experience was let down by no local Rep input. The return travel arrangements to the airport were eventually sorted by the excellent team at the Hotel.

Mr Rawes
Walking the Pelion Peninsula
14/05/2022

A great holiday in lovely walking country. Good service from Headwater but let down in place by local agents (although not really the fault of the rep Thanassis).

Mr Oliver
Walking the Pelion Peninsula
14/05/2022

This walking holiday was well organised with excellent transfers and a good level of interesting and varied walks. The fact that we went in mid May meant the temperature was perfect- hot but not overwhelming. The hotels and villages we stayed in were generally of a good standard and very pleasant. Do bother to clamber down to little coves when you can because they are the best beaches, imho. I would also strongly suggest you get one of the navigation apps and your own map as the written instructions are not terribly accurate and the map provided doesn’t have enough detail. Great holiday though and would thoroughly recommend it!

Dr Horne
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
14/05/2022

This part of Tuscany is beautiful and the hill top towns and villages are delightful. The agro tourism accommodation is a pleasant change from a standard hotel. It is lovely to be surrounded by olive trees and vines.

The food was of a very high standard, but as someone who eats little meat, I opted not to eat some of the main courses. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the walks, although the temperature was 8 deg C warmer than is usual for mid May. There are many wonderful photo opportunities. On the free day we enjoyed a visit to the thermal baths and a well deserved massage. I would encourage others to do this holiday and it was very good value for money. The only down side is the two trains and taxi journey each way to and from Rome airport, but it is ultimately worth it to reach your final destination.

Mr Brearley
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
14/05/2022

The hotel looked after us well. We went half board - the evening meals were generally good. The area was very scenic and the wild flowers were lovely. The ascent/decent from to the village was quite severe especially after a long walk! On the first day the walk took us through an area with poor GPS signal where the paths were also indistinct and in places over grown.

However the biggest challenge was the heat - in mid-May we were expecting low to mid 20s but instead central Spain suffered a heat wave up to 37C making walking after 11am not sensible. As a result we spent our last 2 days in and around the hotel. As a small local hotel it was an ideal base for walking but by its very nature its facilities were limited for the days when it was too hot to go outside! This is by no way a criticism of the hotel or the holiday but the severe heat somewhat spoilt our last few days.

All of the elements are there but the complete package lacked the something special.

Brilliant holiday, excellent hotel, great walking (although relaxed and appropriate for us mid 70s age group with health issues) and sea swimming (much helped by the lovely May weather of course). We recommend booking the best rooms (we had experience of the best and the cheaper ones).

A great way to introduce yourself to a different type of holiday, especially if you are unsure of how to plan things and the best route.

Mr Powell
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
11/05/2022

I would recommend at least one holiday a year like this - it's different - feels good and is very satisfying. The team were very helpful and everything went smoothly.

Highly recommended

The Cinque Terre walks are challenging and a certain level of fitness is required. The first walk on the itinerary is particularly challenging in terms of length, elevation and terrain and resulted in us changing the order of walks for balance. Having to use public transport to get around was not a problem and the routes generally took us to places worth seeing. The hospitality and food in Liguria was very good and there was little problem in finding gluten free options as required.

Mr STANTON
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/05/2022

The scenary in Western Sicily is spectaclar. The island of Marettimo is a particularly special "away from it all" place with virtually no cars but boats parked everywhere. The people are friendly. The food - fish of course - is very good. The walks and the swimming excellent.

Mrs EVANS
Secrets of Sardinia Walking
07/05/2022

This holiday was in an unspoiled corner of Sardinia. At the time of our visit in May, the wild flowers were absolutely spectacular, which made the holiday for us, along with the profusion of birdsong. Most of the walking was level, on large tracks and easy to follow but at other times it was essential to have the GPS app to help with route finding. Some of the walks had little shade and could be quite uncomfortable in the heat of summer, though fine in May. All the local people were extremely friendly and welcoming and the accommodation and food were very good.

Mrs Everson
Walking the Camino de Santiago
07/05/2022

We would like to thank you for organising our pilgrimage on the Camino to Santiago de Compostela. We had a truly wonderful time, and the memories will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Everything went smoothly, and Headwater arranged lovely hotels with fantastic food. We would recommend this unreservedly

Mrs French
Chateaux Of The Loire Walk
05/05/2022

Very good except for length of walks! But we managed this after first day by getting taxi to drop us into the route a few kilometres.

Mr Peters
Castles to Coast Walk
03/05/2022

Lovely walks in an area we would not have thought of if we hadn’t seen it in the catalogue.

Mrs Shott
The Amalfi Coast Walk
02/05/2022

We had a very good holiday with some lovely walks in beautiful locations. The weather was perfect at this time of year (2nd - 10th May) for walking and all the 4 hotels were clean and comfortable and all very different. We ate some delicious food and tried some excellent wines. 3 of the walks were consistent with the grading but we found the Path of the Gods very challenging and harder than we had expected. One of the features of the Amalfi coast are the hundreds of steps both in the towns and villages and on many of the walks and this is something that anyone booking this holiday should be aware of.

Alfa Soleil is a really super hotel. While we were there the restaurant was officially closed but Nico opened it for us. He is an exceptional chef who provided us with a personal service in his menus and also advice as to where we should go. The staff are friendly and welcoming and all had a great sense of humor. Switzerland is very expensive but somehow our experience in Alfa Soleil made it not matter.

All the organisation ahead of our holiday was excellent. The hotel in Sestri Levante was a gem. Magda, Santo and all the team were so welcoming and friendly there were hugs and even moist eyes when we left. Santo's dinners were excellent and we ate at the hotel beyond the three arranged nights at a very reasonable price. A free laundry room and a roof terrace with clothes horses was a great help. Rooms are fairly basic but spotless and comfortable. The hotel is well located for the station and exploring the town.

The Cinque Terre is a popular area for walkers and the five towns are very busy with tourists. Some of the paths were fairly busy and would be more so in high season. The walk notes are copious and route finding very easy. I would suggest the walks might be graded tough rather than moderate, there are many very steep sections which are less path and more rock climbing. A fair bit of hands, knees and bottom especially on descents. Trains are not as frequent as might be hoped!

Mrs Day
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
30/04/2022

Headwater arranged our train travel from London to Naples. Whilst we have arranged journeys like that before, it was much easier having them do it. The app was great for our self-guided walks. The thing that really made our activities work so well was the advice from Gerardo in the hotel. He advised which day to go where according to the weather and also the May 1st Public Holiday. He helped us organise a trip to Paestum (really recommend that). The hotel was very comfortable and staff were both friendly and efficient.

The slight downside to our trip was buses. Although we were very happy to stay just off the coast, getting the bus back to Bomerano each day is quite difficult. There were days when not everyone got on. We often had to stand on a very crowded bus - not easy when waiting for a hip replacement. We were asked if we would share out transfer to Naples. We were happy to do this but were then told the time would change to suit the others as we had over 2 hours at the station.

Mrs Barlin
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
30/04/2022

This was my first experience of an "unguided" walking holiday. The walks are detailed but the directions are not always very clear and do need updating. Lovely walks, scenery and points of interest but found some of the walking along road became a bit tedious and repetitive. Having a good map or GPS allowed us to "personalise" the routes! Easy to get around the island on the buses when needed. The 7 day unlimited travel card was perfect. Squeezed in a day trip to Valletta. The Hotel Ta' Cenc has a 5* location. Beautiful cliff view point. The hotel itself doesn't quite hit the 5* rating today, but has a certain charm and quirkiness with lots to recommend it. Relax, keep a sense of humour and enjoy the differences!



































































tedious.

A lovely holiday in a quiet, unspoilt part of Italy.

Mrs Dibben
Marvels of Madeira Walk
29/04/2022

Another great experience with Headwater among the beautiful flowers of Madeira. Highly recommended.

Walking in Puglia is a great way to see the area, as there is time to see both the countryside and the beautiful towns.

Mrs Jones
Marvels of Madeira Walk
28/04/2022

All in all and excellent holiday, which was challenging but very enjoyable. The standard of the accommodation was outstanding and the walks were varied, very demanding in places, but achievable and wonderful. This holiday would be difficult for people with a fear of heights, but we managed to walk on the levadas, even in the most vertiginous places and felt a great sense of accomplishment. The scenery, accommodation, helpfulness of the staff at the hotels, food, flowers, and weather all made this a holiday which exceeded our expectations.

Mr Bennett
Walking the Trails of La Palma
28/04/2022

Should any changes be made to your accommodation, make sure that Headwater explain any differences between the original and new accommodation. The changes didn’t bother us but may bother some people (ie. Spar hotel with swimming pool was changed to a simple - albeit lovely B&B).

Well sited hotel with plenty of flexibility

Mr Flower
Secrets of Sicily Walking
23/04/2022

This was an excellent and really well organised trip, staying in three very nice hotels. All of the management by the local agents was great and the transfers worked perfectly. Late April was a good time to go, with pleasant temperatures for walking without being too warm. The scenery was lovely and there were excellent views from the hotels, especially on Marettimo and at San Vito lo Capo. Walking on Marettimo was particularly enjoyable as it was very peaceful and the air was filled with the smell of the wild rosemary. There was also very good food, especially fish.

Hadrian’s Wall is England’s greatest ancient monument, a unique defensive structure that defies belief, and to walk so closely alongside it for four days is an absolute privilege. It is in many places a challenging walk because the Romans did not try to build round the major crags and contours through which it winds. The atmosphere the Wall generates, of looking north and imagining the possibility of imminent attack, is present throughout and further enhances the whole experience. This is greatly increased by visiting the museums along the route, especially Vindolanda and Housteads, though we would strongly recommend going to these a day before setting out on the journey rather than at the end of a strenuous day’s walking. This holiday was splendidly organised for us by Headwater, the walking notes were excellent, the arrangements for leaving and picking up our car worked well and despite some variation in the quality of the hotels, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

Mr Francis
Walking the Camino de Santiago
16/04/2022

A good experience for anyone walking the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Did not get to visit the cathedral in Leon due to the Easter Penitent festival taking place over the weekend. But this was more than made up for by the spectacle of the parades of about 20 religious societies that were taking part in the festival, which, I believe is the biggest of its type in Spain. All of them with their own bands which had very good and noisy drum sections. All of the venues where I stayed were good, and mainly in renovated old stone built Galician houses, some of which were former Pilgrim Hospitals. Staff very helpful, especially at Rectoral de Lestedo who greatly facilitated my visit to the church of San Salvador at Vila de Donas, which was well worth the effort made to see it. On the travel from Madrid Airport at the Railway station at Charmartin. Went to take a Taxi, advised by operative that price could be 50 Euros and it would be better to take the metro at 3 euros. This I did.

Mr Swain
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
12/04/2022

Great trip. Well organised. Maps brilliant. A bit expensive but probably worth it

Mrs Henderson
Walking on the Francigena Way
08/04/2022

An excellent holiday. Walking in the beautiful Italian countryside away from tourist places. The warmth & friendliness of the Italians. After 20+ years away & Covid, it was so good to be back! The luggage transfer was 100%. We shall be booking further self-guided walks in Italy.

Ms HAMMOND
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
02/04/2022

Fairly easy walking on good tracks in beautiful and peaceful countryside and coastal areas. The routes were easy to navigate with an interesting mix of terrain. We really enjoyed the delicious local food and wine and a good hot shower at the end of the day and all the accommodation was very comfortable and the staff helpful and friendly. Not every hotel provided in-room tea and coffee so you might want to bring a travel kettle and English tea bags.

Mr Evans
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
31/03/2022

A really lovely part of the world to visit. The coastal walk and beaches were amazing. The last walk into Sagres, particularly offered fantastic geological views. Reaching Capo Sao Vincente gives a real sense of why it once was thought of as the edge of the world. Unless you're hell bent on walking for the sake of walking, I'd give the first walk out of Vila do Bispo a miss and catch the bus to Lagos for the day. An interesting place with history and plenty of cafes for a coffee and nata. The local people are friendly and easy to get along with.

Mr EVANS
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
31/03/2022

Some stunning scenery and memorable walks along the Algarve coast. We travelled in Spring so the weather was not too hot and the wild flowers were beautiful. The hotel Memmo Baleeira in Sagres is a fantastic place to stay and the Aldeia de Pedralva lived up to the billing as a wonderful, quiet haven. We didn't enjoy staying in VIla do Bispo so much as the hotel is rather basic and the town is quite dull with limited restaurants (but it was early season, so maybe it is more lively in summer). The walks on the first two days included stops at some fantastic beaches and the walk on the last day along the rocky Atlantic coast, finishing up at Cabo sao Vicente is the undoubted highlight. The walks in the middle two days were less interesting.

Very good. Route guides need updated. Hotel Ta Cenc very good. Rooms not 5* but food and service were.

it is very well worth going up to the lighthouse on the Ta' Pinu day, because the views are great. Also on that day, it’s worth adding the “stages of the cross” walk, again for the views



We added three nights in Valletta and would recommend that to others doing this trip. One day we used the hop on and hop off bus tour to see more of the island and would strongly recommend a visit to Mdina. We also recommend the harbour tour by boat from Sliema, and the military/history museum at the old fort in Valletta.

Ms Roberts
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
19/03/2022

Holiday was made easy, flexible with alternative walking available due to the weather.

Ms Caicedo
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
14/03/2022

Hotel meals were excellent great range of choices every evening. Staff exceptional very friendly and helpful. The hotel is in a fabulous location some areas of the site need refurbishment but the main areas of restaurants,pools and gardens are well tended. Transfers went very smoothly with a very helpful driver Pierre who pointed out various sites of interest on the way to Gozo.

I would recommend this self guided walking tour of Gozo to anyone.

Mrs Hunter
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
12/03/2022

Beautiful location, very welcoming family run hotel, great walking area. Level 2 for activity is right but guests should know several walks include long periods of ascent/descent using steps rather than paths. It is very hard on the knees.

Excellent holiday, superb walks in great locations. We did all the longer walks, some with a fair bit of ascent/descent and they were all excellent. Take sticks for the descents! Vilaflor & Garachico hotels were great, good food (and large portions) included in Vilaflor. There was an event in the main square in Garachico for 2 nights whilst we were there, but fortunately the music stopped around 10pm both nights.

There's a great little bar/cafe in Vilaflor with a large terrace overlooking the views at the back - Casa Pana, just down from the Dulceria Vilaflor below the main square. You can't see the terrace from the front! And in Garachico we had great meals at Hotel San Roque, just around the corner from Quinta Roja, and also at El Caleton by the sea.

We had a couple of nights added on at the end and stayed at the Hotel Botanico near the botanical gardens, both excellent. La Orotava is also worth stopping at to look at the gardens.

Dr Adams
Marvels of Madeira Walk
17/02/2022

Excellent walking holiday. Good accommodation and logistics.

Very enjoyable holiday. Excellent walks, hotels, food & friendly people. Was worried about the GPS navigation app, but it was great - didn't use all the maps & routes that we downloaded ourselves. Would recommend this holiday.

Mr Ridges
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
12/02/2022

The hotel is a good, friendly, little family hotel. It's in a town so the views are more of surrounding buildings than of the distant hills [a top floor room might have been better]. The scenery on the walks is wonderful. Weather in February was mixed. It was a perfect walking temperature but there were a couple of days when there was a fair bit of mist, and one very rainy day. Overall I'm very glad that we went.

Mrs Lyon
Marvels of Madeira Walk
12/02/2022

As a sole traveller, I wanted the reassurance of not wasting time finding my way to the start of trails or back to hotel. Being able to move between 3 hotels was great to experience different areas of Madeira. Headwater route instructions were mostly accurate but the first one needs an alteration as a barrier has been put up to prevent walking under the cliffs. This was ok though as I just did an out and back rather than circular.

The 4 star hotells were excellent in every regard but the final 5 star was over-priced and not what I would expect of a five star. I'd prefer 4 stars. Location were ok but my personal preference would be overlooking the sea.

Plus points -

Organising transport to and from trails taken care of

Variety of locations was excellent

Walking was perfect standard for me

Madeira is a friendly welcoming island, crime free and chilled.

Mrs Woodruff
Marvels of Madeira Walk
10/02/2022

Great experience, well graded walks as good organisation

Mr Sharples
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/02/2022

All transfers and pick ups from the end of walks worked very well. Hotels very good standard. The walks showed very different aspects of the Madeiran geography.

Mrs Foot
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/12/2021

Madeira has fantastic walking at all levels. This self guided tour means you get to see lots of the island.

Mr Dlugokecki
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
19/12/2021

Perfect mix of accommodation and good deal of very practical advice. Superbly organised and highly recommended.

An energetic walking holiday in stunning surroundings. Tenerife was surprising and stimulating, from the rocky coastline, amazing views through to the extraordinary volcanic landscape. Thoroughly recommend.

Mrs Spencer
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
09/11/2021

If you’re allergic to cats, this hotel is Not for you! At least 8 roam the complex. Breakfast was great but evening meal disappointing. Great menu but tired ingredients. Vegetable selection poor and overcooked. Meat and fish overcooked. No freshly made desserts.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Spencer, thank you for summarising your experience at the Hotel Ta Cenc. We are very sorry to learn of your disappointment during meal times, please be assured your invaluable feedback will be passed on to the Hotel Ta Cenc for them to review and ensure they are able to make improvements. Thank you for choosing Headwater and we look forward to welcoming you on many more holidays in the near future.
Kind Regards
Headwater Customer Service Team

Mr Slater
The Algarve from West to East
06/11/2021

We had a lovely autumn break in the Algarve with excellent walks. Our accommodation was excellent in both locations. Our car supplied by Europcar was excellent too, although we did have to queue for an hour at Faro airport to collect it. As others have commented, most of the walks required a significant drive to reach the start, but we felt it was well worth it with the roads fairly empty on the whole. Overall an excellent trip.

Mr Field
Marvels of Madeira Walk
04/11/2021

Some of the guides need revising - Where is the wooden bridge on Levada do Norte for example. The other logistics excellent. e.g. other guests in Bella Vists were ferried to airport for same BA flight some 2 hours before us. Our timing was just perfect.

Mr MCMILLAN
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
30/10/2021

An enjoyable holiday based at a good local hotel with excellent food. The walking is quite rugged, although not strenuous and there is sufficient variety for a week. In fact, being based in one location allows you to get to know the topography well and appreciate the local way of life to some degree. We hired a car which meant we could visit other villages after our walk each day.

Comfortable hotels in prime locations and still the opportunity to hike and walk and have an active yet luxury holiday feel.

Mr FENNELL
Walk the Welsh Highland Railway
17/10/2021

Holidays in Wales are always likely to be weather affected and mine was no exception to the extent that low cloud, rain and wind meant that any of the high ascents were pointless from an enjoyment point of view. However I was advised by local reps/accommodation providers of other quite challenging options that could be done despite the weather. Additionally the Welsh Highland Line was not operating its normal service because of Covid so taxis were laid on where necessary. This detracted to a degree from the overall enjoyment of the holiday.

Mrs JACKSON
Paths of the Amalfi Coast
16/10/2021

The trip was well organised and instructions clear.

Overall this was an excellent holiday: we had a great time. As ever, there is always room for improvement: the route notes need slight updating; the staff and ambience at the hotel are excellent, but our room needed some refurbishment in the bathroom (the shower was very scruffy). The transfers to and from Gozo worked very well and our driver (Vincent) was very helpful and informative.

Mr SHERRARD
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
04/10/2021

Although we are restricted to short/morning walks, there are plenty of options. Longer ( more than 8 miles) are also available. Local buses very convenient. Hotel excellent with both indoor & outdoor pools, a gym & excellent food (large portions). Kantra restaurant at Mgarr-ix-Xini excellent for lunch & or rest day. Walking notes v good, but take extra care between Calypso's cave & Ramla Bay. Our trip was unusual, as we arrived by cruise ship at Valletta port & returned home by air. The booking was made in Jan/Feb 2020. The Maltese authorities required our vaccination certificate to be via nhs app ( rather than the paper version) which caused us some anxiety - I don't know whether that was because we arrived by ship; I suggest you confirm the exact requirement for customers arriving by air. This was the 4th time we've stayed at Ta'Cenc & we enjoyed our 12 days gentle 1 boot walking (up to 4miles/day)

Mr HAINSWORTH
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
04/10/2021

Perfect shoulder season easy walking destination; well chosen hotel and helpful guidance notes for each walk.

Mr COLE
The Cotswold Way Walk
27/09/2021

I had a real adventure walking the Cotswold Way. Having my luggage sent ahead was best. The accommodation was mostly delightful and provided many pleasant surprises and some real characters to talk to.

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, and found all the accommodation very comfortable. You definitely need walking boots on the route as there are some stretches of scrambling over rocks, and some very muddy parts. The generous breakfasts set us up for the day, so we found that we didn't need a packed lunch,but just took a cereal bar and some fruit each. However, we did on some days find a café en route or at the end of the walk for the odd cream tea etc! The only place where we found that there was no pub or restaurant for an evening meal within walking distance of the accommodation was Porthcurno. Overall a very inspiring holiday.

A very enjoyable holiday, but quite challenging walking at times, both because of the boulders on some of the paths and the length of walks. We were very lucky with the weather, and the scenery was stunning. We really felt we got to know Cornwall in depth by walking along this beautiful coast.

A beautiful walk over 5 days on the coastal footpath. A little more challenging than we had expected. The terrain is quite difficult in places and we are experienced walkers. The last day from Porthcurno to Mousehole was especially hard. The accommodation overall was great, a mixed bag but no complaints.. The St Austell Brewery pubs at Sennen Cove and Mousehole are lovely, very comfortable rooms with wonderful sea views.

We would do it again.

We needed more cash than we had anticipated so would recommend people take at least around £50 per person. There is a cash point in Lands End which the walk passes but it was out of order.

Mrs LAWSON
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
20/09/2021

A lovely circular walk through the Cotswolds

All in all a fabulous holiday, my only criticism is that some of the notes were not very clear at times. Having said that I would definitely travel with you again.

Mr DUGGLEBY
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
14/09/2021

An excellent route with excellent route notes. All accommodation was also of high standard apart from the White Hart at Winchcombe which should be dropped immediately.

A wonderful opportunity to see the real lake district away from the roads and crowds. The walks and views were sublime and came with a glorious sense of isolation with the traditional countryside and sheep as a reminder of traditional farming through the centuries. Every walk gave way to such fabulous photo opportunities and we were blessed with warm september sunshine so we could see for miles.

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday but considered it an expensive holiday as our travel was not included - even travelling to and from accommodation that was not located at the route end, particularly when we had two nights at the Old Success Inn.

The level of difficulty was more extreme/dangerous than we had anticipated. We were very glad that our weather conditions were excellent! Some of the route instructions weren't very clear and Coastal Path way signs were lacking in some areas - almost non-existent on Day one.

We were delighted with all of our accommodation until we reached our last destination in Penzance where we had booked an additional night. The accommodation was clean but fell far short of our previous hostelries. How disappointed we were!

Russ couldn't have been more helpful particularly when our initial flight from Edinburgh was delayed.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our challenging holiday and would certainly like to return to see more of Cornwall.

We've used Headwater many times in mainland Europe but this was our first experience in the UK - for obvious reasons this year! As always we found the experience second to none, really enjoyed the walking and the excellent choices of accommodation. The rep's briefing was really helpful and the maps, gradings and alternative walks all worked really well. Thank you!

Headwater's choice of start and end points for the Hadrian's Wall walk were absolutely spot on. This, combined with the West-to-East direction of travel definitely gave this an advantage over others. The hotels were very welcoming and of a high standard. We couldn't fault any of the arrangements. The guide notes and maps were easy to follow and very comprehensive - especially when pointing out Roman remains that might otherwise have been missed. Our friends had to postpone this trip and we are extremely happy to be re-booked to do it all again with them. We are also looking to see which other walking trips we can book with Headwater as we have been so impressed with everything.

Accommodation was well spaced to allow moderate day walks. Path was slightly more difficult than we had anticipated, so we found we were at the slow end of the timings suggested. The South West coast path is poorly signposted in places - it is important not to be side-tracked by public footpaths. Bag collection and delivery was excellent.

Had a lovely break and really enjoyed all the walks. My first time doing self-guided but no problems and easy to follow routes. Enjoyed house visits but logistics of booking them was quite challenging as had to pre-book specific time slots. Fortunately they were flexible and helpful when needed. Only real problem I had was that some places were closed on the day that I was due to visit which was disappointing. I found everyone very friendly and welcoming which was really nice when travelling alone. I was lucky to have very good weather which helped too!

Mr BECKER
Walk the Welsh Highland Railway
05/09/2021

This holiday has been lovely, with very well selected walking tours that kept me challenged and entertained. The GPS has worked well and has avoided me taking the wrong turn here and there., including on the misty mountain side. If I would have tried to organise this all on my own it would have taken ages, so I feel it is worthwhile using Headwater's service. In total I only interacted with 2 people, the person booking the trip and a local person knowing the intricacies of the walks, hotels etc. Both were always very helpful.

Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Becker for your holiday summary, it is lovely to read that you had a great time away with us.
Headwater Customer Service Team

We found getting taxis problematic. We struggled but did suceed to get a taxi from Twice brewed to Greenhead but with 24 hours notice, the greenhead hotel was unable to get ys a taxi to Lanercost for the 1st days walk, for which we had prebooked tickets at the priory. Luckily your helpful agenr was able to find us a taxi but it was £30. I think this taxi in particular should be part of the included arrangements.

We took tge bus back to the car rather than another difficult and expensive taxi ride.

I would recommend 2 nights ar twice brewed as we did not have time to see Housesteads at all and rushed Vindolanda.

I found day 3 walking exhausting and the times optimistic for an over 60s moderately fit woman. We used the bus for the last part of the walk.

Day 1 was the highlight

The Angel Inn is quite noisey and id recommend investigating other eating options in Corbridge.

Mrs HOSKINS
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
16/08/2021

This holiday exceeded our expectations

Mrs DUFFIELD
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
16/08/2021

A great week. We have to mention the Star Gazing at Twice Brewed which was great. Walk notes were very accurate and easy to follow. A well needed holiday enjoyed by everyone.

Mrs FEELY
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
11/08/2021

Another very successful Headwater walking holiday. This was the first UK walking holiday we have taken with Headwater and, whilst we did miss the atmosphere of being abroad, given the current Covid-19 situation it was an excellent way of having a change of scene, walking in some lovely countryside, experiencing comfortable accommodation in different villages in our own country. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

A walking holiday packed with historical sites. Advisable to pre-book taxis and evening meals.

Mr REEVE
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
09/08/2021

Expected more and better accompdation

Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Reeve for your holiday summary, we are sincerely sorry to read your review of our holiday. A member of our team has privately contacted you to discuss further, thank you.
Headwater Customer Service Team

Ms VAN VELSEN
Literary Walking in the Lake District
06/08/2021

Excellent holiday - shame about the torrential rain for part of it!

All pick ups and transfers were smooth.

the accommodation was good/excellent.

The trip was described as leisurely but there were very rocky ascents and descents at times - I wish I had brought a stick.

We would have appreciated some notes as to the walk from Hawkshead to Hill Top Farm.

Mr BARDSLEY
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
26/07/2021

Very happy with hotel accommodation, food and taxi transfers. Hotel staff were pleasant & helpful. We are confident and experienced walkers who enjoyed the holiday and were able to work around difficulties encountered, but some may find certain omissions and changes to the guidance notes challenging. For example: There was no 'Headwater Information File' in the hotel. There was no hotel shuttle bus service. The walking routes were good and covered all of the features of the island but they were all longer than stated. Some of the route notes were out of date as directional landmarks were no longer present or the route was blocked by fences and/or private land and in one case by bridge repair works, in particular walk 9, walk 13 and walk 21.

Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Bardsley for your invaluable feedback, your feedback has been passed on to our Senior Programme Manager in order that we can ensure we make improvements to our literature provided. We look forward to welcoming you on many more self guided holidays with Headwater.
Headwater Customer Service Team

Mr GOLDINGAY
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
24/07/2021

Extremely enjoyable walking, with lovely pubs to stay in at the end of each day. Food in the hotels at the end of each day was good, with the Hadrian Hotel in particular standing out as excellent.

An excellent walking holiday with a lot of variation each day in landscape and history.We spent an extra day(and night) at Twice Brewed to enable us to visit Housesteads and Hexham at leisure using the AD122 bus and fitted in Corbridge Roman Town and Aydon Castle by arriving early on Day 1. It was not as easy obtaining a taxi for 9-9.30 am from Greenhead to Lanercost Priory on day 2 as explained in the Information Notes. We managed to get one but the cost was £18. Having to leave our car at Twice Brewed rather than at Corbridge was a great advantage. However, we managed to avoid the suggested use of a taxi at the end to get us from Corbridge back to Twice Brewed at the price of £40 by using a No.10 bus to Hexham and then an AD122 bus to Twice Brewed as advised by a local taxi firm! As we have bus passes, this was a free option!Because of the number of places of interest to visit and the length of the walks,the preliminary research done proved very beneficial.Baggage transfers excellent

Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday summary, it is great to see you had an excellent holiday with us. We appreciate the additional advice you have offered - very beneficial to our team and future customers. Thank you for choosing Headwater for your UK break in 2021.
Headwater Customer Service Team

An amazing privilege to travel this ancient route and see the remains and ruins of the Vindolanda, Housesteads and Chesters forts, as well as the impressive roman town at Corbridge. (It's worth joining English Heritage, as this repays itself by the time you have also visited these sites as well as the medieval Lanercost Priory and Aydon Castle.)

If you are looking for history, Wordsworth, Ruskin, Cunliffe as well as beautiful scenic lakes and fells this is for you. Staying in the beautiful Grasmere, Coniston with its lake and the world famous Bluebird cafe and finally to the quintessential village of Hawkshead. Taking a Gondola ride on Coniston, the peace and quiet of Grizedale forest and spectacular views towards Hawkshead. From start to finish this holiday offers all you need for a perfect weeks walking.

Very enjoyable, but the walking was challenging

Well organised, good comms and very good service with no hiccups. All the accommodation was very comfortable and close to our walking route. We were very happy with it all.

A well planned itinerary with good guidance and clear indication of walking difficulty. Highly recommended.

Although we had walked in the Lake District before, this holiday gave the opportunity to experience routes new to us and it certainly covered a wide variety of scenery. The standard of accommodation in each centre was excellent and we would like to make special mention of the staff at the Wordsworth Hotel and the Queen's Head who could not do enough for us despite having the extra work of coping with Covid procedures. Lakeland House being a B & B staffed only part-time was a different experience but we had been advised of this in advance and as a small building it did the best it could to be Covid secure and was certainly adequate for our needs. Thanks also to the staff at Headwater for helping us to have an enjoyable holiday after the disappointment of our Catalunya Activities week being cancelled last year.

A wonderful walk that takes in the best of Hadrians Wall with plenty of time to see various sites along the route. The walking is very varied each day so no chance of getting bored of the scenery. The Hotel(s) service and food was a genuine pleasure to experience at the end of the day. A most enjoyable holiday.

The Hadrian's Wall walk was excellent - beautiful scenery, lots of history and good weather. The routs was easy to follow and the walking well within our capabilities. Two Brewed is on the Pennine Way and the Hadrian's Wall Way and was quite crowded. The Angel in Corbridge felt under staffed at times and was also busy. This would be less of a concern when COVID was not around.

Price wise, which acknowledging hotels are keen to recoup losses from the last 16 months, we felt there were some issues in respect of charges and the quality offered. This was particulalry so in respect of The Angel.

Headwater response:
Thank you for taking the time to share your holiday experience with us. It is lovely to read you enjoyed your time away with us. Thank you for your comments regarding price and quality, our Programme Manager is in receipt of your feedback and will look further in to this matter.
Headwater Customer Service Team

Overall enjoyable and a helpful local representative. One B&B was below the standard expected, and there was a problem on our last day with our luggage going astray.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday summary. We wish to thank you for your time earlier on the phone to discuss in more detail our properties used on this holiday. We were also very pleased to hear the luggage going astray was resolved locally and the hotel arranged a bottle of wine for you as an apology. We look forward to welcoming you on a future holiday with us.
Headwater Customer Service Team

Lovely holiday walking Hadrian’s Wall organised by pleasant and efficient office staff. We even had some sunshine as an added bonus! Hotels all good but bag transfers arriving late was very annoying after long days walking. Value for money questionable overall. Had to get own taxi to start our 5 days (£45 Corbridge to Greenhead). Then charged £30 for taxi from Greenhead to Lanercost. Suggest others shop around taxi firms and book in advance. Admission to Roman sites also additional cost. We ate in the hotels in which we stayed. All very good apart from the Angel Inn which was just ok. Suggest book a different restaurant in Corbridge. We booked with Headwater as it gave us a sense of security in these uncertain COVID days. Some room for improvement though!

Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday summary, we are very pleased to learn you enjoyed your time on holiday with us. We are sorry to learn of the luggage arriving late, we have addressed this with our baggage handling company and we have sent you a private message with a more in depth explanation. Thank you for your feedback, it is only through our customer feedback that we are able to continuously improve our product.
Headwater Customer Service Team

Beautiful walking, wish we had been able to complete the south coast elements, but zennor to sennen was on a par with Dolomites and Swiss walking for challenge and views

Looking forward to doing something similar in the uk again

Mr SLINN
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
21/06/2021

Excellent organisation from the operators, including very detailed maps and directions. However bear in mind that you will be “living out of a suitcase” and pack carefully, don’t take too much stuff, beware you have to walk come rain or shine.

We loved our time away - everything was arranged smoothly and all necessary information was received in good time. The walking instructions were superb and very thorough - we did not get lost once. The accommodation was very suitable for our needs.

Fantastic week away - we were blessed with perfect blue skies. The landscape is stunning. We are regular walkers and found the walks were strenuos in parts (particularly St Ives to Zennor and Portcurno to Mousehole) However that certainly didn't spoil the holiday. Accommodation was good. The local representative Russ couldn't have been more helpful. We definitely would recommend this holiday! Only criticism was the route notes were not very detailed and didn't really add much value.

Mrs VOLLER
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
14/06/2021

The holiday was excellent with good accommodation and very clear instructions from Hikes and Bikes. There were a few B&B's that we stayed in which aren't on the list above and the Guiting Guest House in Guiting Power was the best of the lot. It was a lovely quiet village after the hustle and bustle of Bourton-on-the Water and the best night's sleep I have had in years and breakfast was excellent - a definite 10/10. Hadley House in Broadway wasn't so good but comfortable and clean and the breakfast was lovely. The Noel Arms Hotel in Chipping Campden was also very good. We have travelled with Headwater 4 times now and will continue to do so. Thank you for being a company that genuinely cares that their customers have the best holiday they can.

Mrs WOODHOUSE
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
13/06/2021

Enjoyable, plenty of time to enjoy countryside.

Though pretty gruelling (for two old men at any rate), it was a wonderful experience. The Headwater organisation from start to finish was superb and all the arrangements with hotels etc went very smoothly.

Dr HINDS
The Cotswold Way Walk
26/05/2021

A wonderful walk through woodland, countryside and villages. We recommend doing this walk in the late spring, when the bluebells, cow parsley, and cowslips clothe the countryside. We passed so many interesting historical sites, from Neolithic tombs, Iron Age forts, ancient battlefields, and finishing in Bath was a pleasure. Don’t forget to photograph your feet at the start plaque in Chipping Camden, and again at the finish outside Bath cathedral.

This was an excellent holiday exploring some stunning countryside along the Cornish coast. The routes necessarily involved quite a few ascents and descents, but I don't think they would pose any problems for anyone who enjoys walking. The local guide was really helpful and attentive and the accommodation throughout was at very nice B&B's and pubs. Would definitely recommend.

Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Flower for your lovely comments, we are really pleased to learn you had an excellent holiday with us and that you would recommend. We look forward to planning many more holidays for you in the future.

A self guided walking holiday was a brand new venture for me

since I had always been on group guided walking holidays before. This new venture turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. The trip notes and maps that I was provided with to download onto my phone were very accurate. In fact I didn't have to refer to the OS maps that I was sent as well. The Lake District is a fantastic area to visit to start with on a first self guided walking trip, very pleasing. Hotels along the way were very good. I enjoyed the walking routes ,Grasmere to Coniston was my favourite. Overall I had a very enjoyable time and I would definitely do this self guiding experience again in the UK.

Mrs Bartlett
Walking the Best of Hadrian's Wall
20/09/2020

We had very enjoyable holiday despite the restrictions

Mr BOARDMAN
Secrets of Sicily Walking
12/09/2020

The self-guided walking was well planned and suited our levels of ability (a challenge, but a good challenge which allowed us to feel we'd earned our dinner!). Varied itinerary, which added to the enjoyment, and plenty of opportunity to adjust the programme to suit our wishes (for instance, adding a boat trip round Marettimo and snorkeling in the translucent waters).

Mr Grainger
Best of the Cotswolds Walk
26/08/2020

An excellent holiday and we feel that a lot of credit should also be given to the local organiser, Hikes & Bikes, with whom you are in partnership. The walks were easy to follow & well explained with photographs where needed. The transfer of luggage was very efficient

Ms Norton
The Amalfi Coast Walk
24/08/2020

Provide exactly what you expect and what you hope for. Walks are lovely and well planned and well judged. Everything went smoothly. Hotels were great.

Mr Higginson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
13/03/2020

We loved the area - very unspoilt and the wild flowers were a joy. Unfortunately coronavirus impacted on the overall enjoyment. It was reassuring to have your Representative Stephanie giving us a call during the week. We'll come back to this area once the current crisis is over.

A great walking holiday in beautiful unspoilt scenery with some welcome warmth and sunshine. Despite the uncertainties of Corona we were able to relax, though were glad to leave Portugal safely as the situation "hotted-up" !

Mrs Owen-Jones
The Algarve from West to East
07/03/2020

Enjoyable as a walking and sightseeing holiday. The car gave us greater freedom to see the country. The walks were well way marked and the route notes were very accurate giving us some lovely days in beautiful scenery.

Mr Tompkins
Marvels of Madeira Walk
06/03/2020

The holiday was very good. We very much enjoyed the Quinta do Furao hotel set on the cliffs over looking the coast. Even with building work going on we did not even notice it going on. Their hospitality with a welcome/ departing gift were a nice touch and would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to others.

Ms Napier
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/02/2020

Gorgeous walking in an unspoilt part of Portugal: dramatic coastline views, stunning beaches, abundant wildflowers and amazingly warm and sunny in late February, Often you wouldn't see another soul all day on the walk. Hotels were mostly of an excellent standard (Pedralva was a disappointment, mainly because it was blighted by extensive building work during our visit, but both other hotels were great) and food was outstanding throughout. Detailed and reliable trip notes. One of the best holidays we have had.

Mr Smith
Walking the Trails of La Palma
20/02/2020

An interesting island for walking with a good network of well signed footpaths. We enjoyed our week and everything went smoothly.

Mrs Marrin
Bermuda Islands Discovery
16/02/2020

Excellent holiday but very expensive destination, it would be nice to offer some self catering accommodation.

A great way to walk through the country and see the fantastic coastline with a high degree of comfort in the various hotels.

Gozo was a quiet island, perfect for a relaxing walking holiday. As a self-guided holiday we could adjust each day's walks as we felt necessary which provided great flexibility. The Hotel Ta Cenc was excellent, and although some parts of the room décor were aging slightly, the bar and restaurant service were superb. We fully intend to return to Gozo and Ta Cenc to walk the parts of the island we couldn't reach in the short time we had booked.

Mr Sampson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
01/02/2020

We were lucky with the weather. No real complaints

Mrs Meusz
Islands of Bermuda Walk
19/01/2020

This is a "full-on" holiday to try and complete all the walks in a week, especially if you have bad weather, so would recommend booking extra days to include other sightseeing options. Hotel was pleasant enough, and a great location if you like a beach view, but somewhat remote - you need to familiarise yourself with other bus routes/directions if you want to return any later than 9.15pm! The food there is reasonably good but limited, we chose to eat out a lot of the time and there are plenty of good eateries in Hamilton. My personal suggestion would be to book room only to maximise your dining options. Tim provides a wealth of information at the briefing and we didn't need to contact him for anything else during the week - the route notes are fairly straightforward and it's relatively easy to find your way around. And if you do get lost it won't be long before a friendly local approaches you offering help and directions! Overall a good intro to Bermuda, its history and its people.

Mr Anderson
Islands of Bermuda Walk
29/12/2019

This self-guided walking holiday in Bermuda was fabulous in every way. The hotel was a luxurious island paradise, with fine dining from a large a la carte menu every night. It was well worth having the inclusive meals package suggested. We enjoyed the trip immensely. Everything was good!

Mrs Mcculloch
The Algarve from West to East
23/12/2019

The administration of our booking was poor and we were disappointed that we had to drive a fair distance to the start of each walk.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs McCullough
Thank you for your review. I’m sorry to hear you had a poor booking experience, Our team take pride in delivering a great service from the booking process to the actual holiday. I'm sorry and regret that you feel that we missed the mark on this occasion. With any feedback we receive both positive and negative we will endeavor to make the necessary improvements.

Yours sincerely
Customer Services

Mr Barrett
Walking the Trails of La Palma
21/11/2019

La Palma has some wonderful walks. Pretty, attractive landscape, varying from lush, verdant plantations at sea level to stark volcanic landscapes at 2,400m. There is nowhere flat on La Palma! Some of the walking is very strenuous, but quite spectacular as you walk up and down steep-sided barrancos. Day 4 is the equivalent of walking from sea level to the top of Snowdon in 12kms. The location of the accommodation and the combination of taxis and buses to get to and from walks works very well. Santa Cruz is picturesque and compact with plenty of good places to eat and drink.



Mrs GALLAGHER
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
17/11/2019

Excellent walking and food in an unspoilt area. Felt very welcome everywhere and reps were extremely friendly and helpful.

Prof Williams
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
11/11/2019

Generally good. Some stretches of walks boring but necessary to get to destination. I loved Pedalva but didnt like sharing track with motor bikes around Pedalva. November not best month for flowers. and outdoor pools and sea too cold for swimming. Jude and Tim were really welcoming and helpful

Mrs Tattersall
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
09/11/2019

Once again we have had a wonderful holiday through Headwater

Mr Evans
The Algarve from West to East
09/11/2019

The holiday was easy to book and exactly as described in the brochure. The hotels were outstanding especially Hotel Memmo in Sagres which was faultless. There were lots of lovely walks although we found the distance we had to drive to some walks was excessive and therefore chose more local walks instead.

Mrs Barker
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
08/11/2019

Very relaxing holiday in pleasant location. Walking easy but walks could be extended.

Hotel facilities very good and staff friendly and helpful. ONLY down side was the weather - torrential rain and wind for two days but it was November! But hotel facilities good pool - fitness suite spa so no problem filling in the day.

The first time for many years that the Gozo ferry had to be cancelled! All in all an enjoyable break.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Baker
Thank you for a lovely review. We are glad that you had an enjoyable holiday , despite the weather! Unfortunately something that none of us have control over what ever the time of year.
I do hope that we will be able to welcome you on another Headwater holiday in the not too distant future.
Kind regards
Customer Service

Mr Brearley
Walking the Algarve's South West
03/11/2019

Walking in SW Algarve in November gave us wonderful sunny weather, great temperatures, but be prepared for wind. The hotels we used were all top class or unusual; great locations and food. Routes were clear- made much more sense when you were actually doing them, as a lot of the routes were more straight forward than the instructions seemed. The 10 miles per day on the moving days were at the upper end of my range; plus the walk suggestions were good- but again, at my age (70, and not a regular walker), I found the holiday rather tiring. Tim & Jude were superb hosts for the holiday, & we wouldn't have hesitated to call on them if we'd had any problems- which we didn't.

Mr Newbold
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
02/11/2019

A lovely hotel and flexible itinerary made for a great holiday.

Robinson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
14/10/2019

It was our first organised walking holiday and it was fantastic. We especially appreciated the excellent notes and enjoyed the coastal walks.

Excellent hotel on Gozo, lovely walks and scenery, and friendly locals. But don't expect any support from a Rep.

Headwater response:
Dear Ms.Short, thanks for leaving your review. We are pleased that you loved your experience in Gozo. I am sorry if you were under the impression that this holiday is managed by the Headwater Representative; This particular holiday is actually managed by the hotelier. If it is a holiday supported by a 'rep' that you prefer please speak to our team who will be more than happy to advise you on any future bookings.
Again, thank you for taking the time to review your holiday.
Kind regards
Headwater Customer Service

Mr Fletcher
Walking in Austria's Lake District
12/10/2019

The walks gave an excellent taste of the area and coming in October we saw the autumn colours at their best yet were able to enjoy warm sunshine!

The walk instructions and timings were spot on for us. We had a really enjoyable and relaxing time

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Fletcher
Thank you for taking the time to post your review. We're so pleased that you enjoyed your holiday and managed to relax and enjoy the warm autumnal sunshine in Austria.
We do hope that we will be able to welcome you on another Headwater holiday in the not too distant future.
Kind regards
Customer Services

Mrs Drage
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
12/10/2019

One reason we choose this holiday was because all meals were included in the cost of the holiday. This was exactly what we wanted. I see that future holidays in this area/hotel don't include a picnic lunch (essential as there are no shops on the walking routes) and only one evening meal. So I can't recommend on the basis of what we experienced. The food at the hotel was really good. The walks were as described on the itinerary and were enjoyable. In October the temperature was just right for walking. I'm glad we chose this month.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Drage, thank you for your review. I am pleased that you enjoyed your holiday and I would like to assure you that the opportunity to add picnic lunches and evening meals on this holiday are still available as additional options. It is important to Headwater to offer the choice to customise your own trip, therefore the standard trip is B&B, apart from on the first night when dinner is always included and the option is there to add the extras that you require.

Excellent holiday with efficient service and great transport. Good choice of locations and good walks with good route notes. A very enjoyable holiday.

Miss Reid
The Amalfi Coast Walk
07/10/2019

Amalfi Coast walk was a wonderful holiday, stunning views, passing through olive and lemon groves, watching the locals harvest their olives, accommodation was outstanding with lovely friendly host's felt like part of the family. Enjoyed the days off to wander around the beautiful villages, swim in the sea, perfect. This is our 6th walking holiday with Headwater and we are always impressed with their holidays.

Headwater response:
Dear Miss Reid, thanks for leaving us such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved your experience; Your positive comments are really appreciated and thank you for taking the time to make them. Hopefully we can look forward to seeing you again on your 7th Headwater holiday.

Mrs Love-Fordham
Catalan Coastal Walk
06/10/2019

Catalonian is a wonderful place and the five of us enjoyed the trip. The weather in early October was extremely pleasant. The paths are covered with small rocks and there are a lot of descents that are tedious. You will need hiking poles. There are several places on the first and third hiking days where the path is very narrow (18 - 24 inches?) with a sheer drop off on one side. The walking notes need a lot of work. Most days we could follow the trail markers so it didn’t matter. The third day notes are a mess offering partial options that make no sense (like follow the road if you don’t like heights... but follow the road where? We were still 5 miles from the hotel). The last day, we walked about a mile out of our way before we turned back. This is our ninth Headwater trip and this has never happened before.

Make plans to see the monastery on the first hike, the turtle reserve, the wineries, and Dali’s house. Each will take some pre-trip planning, but it’s worth it.

I am disappointed that Headwater sent us back on the train to Barcelona without warning us that there was rioting. Our train was the last into the station before it was closed for two days. We were greeted with a dozen armed vehicles and protestors. Roads were blocked and flights cancelled. We got a text 3 days later from our rep asking if we were okay.

Having said all that, we enjoyed the trip. Best part was swimming in a secluded cove mid hike and the picnic afterwards.



A perfect balance of independent travel with the knowledge of knowing that at the end of each days walk there will be a comfortable bed and an excellent meal in an unspoilt rural location each with its own individuality.

Mrs Grief
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
02/10/2019

This was our 7th headwater holiday but the first we had done on foot. Every holiday has been special in one way or another but this one certainly ranked among the best. The walks were excellent, carefully routed to avoid any distances on busy roads and include a lovely range of scenery. We enjoyed the sense of being right out in the countryside and away from the main tourist centres although there were several times when a café or bar along the way would have been welcome (We had to carry drink and snacks with us on each walk although we did find a bar open in Gargas on the first walk.) Coming from a particularly flat part of the UK we were worried about steep climbs but the inclines were generally quite gentle and we managed fine. The weather helped. At the start of October, it was warm and dry but with a cooling breeze. In the summer heat we could have found it more challenging! The route notes were very good, as long as we read the details carefully. We only lost our way once, adding a few extra kilometres to the walk into La Fontaine de Vaucluse.

The hotels were all of a high standard, Each had an individual character, all were very comfortable and the breakfasts were wonderful. We especially enjoyed the Hotel de Poete in Fontaine and the Hermitage at Pernes les Fontaines.

The Headwater rep, Joey, couldn't have been more welcoming or more helpful. He went out of his way to make sure we had the best holiday possible. He was always cheerful and fun to be with.





Mr Greenslade
Catalan Classic Walk
30/09/2019

Good for people who like an energetic walk

Dr O'Grady
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
28/09/2019

A charming hotel with lovely staff in quiet part of Andalucia

Ms Jones
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
26/09/2019

An excellent walking experience with fabulous food and wine offerings. We came home thoroughly relaxed from this week’s break.

Mrs Lancaster
Walking in the Venetian Hills
26/09/2019

Lovely, varied walking in an unspoilt, lesser known area of Italy. It was good being able to intersperse visits to beautiful villas and the historic city of Padua. The rep, James, was very professional and friendly and very well-organised.

Mr Foster
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
24/09/2019

A very enjoyable holiday. The scenery and places on route were very interesting. The walks are a good length but it's worth remembering, particularly when the weather is hot, that apart from to Colle they all end with chunky climbs. The hotels were generally very good but we suffered some poor service at times at Terre di Casole and Relais de Rovere. Hotel Pescille - not the standard hotel Headwater use for San Gimignano - was great; a lovely location and the staff were excellent, and benefitting from a top-notch restaurant Zafferano 400 yards down the track from the hotel. We added on a day in Siena which worked really well. Special mention for Headwater's rep Frankie; a super guy, extremely helpful, flexible and informative and he clearly works very hard for the company.

Mr James
Walking in the Venetian Hills
24/09/2019

A joy to walk in vineyards, olive groves and wooded areas in anunspoilt untouristified area.

Mrs Henderson
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/09/2019

A very well balanced walking holiday on a beautiful island with genuinely friendly and flexible taxi drivers!

Mrs Jones
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
22/09/2019

First time with Headwater. We found the holiday to be as busy or as relaxed as you wanted. The walks provided were interesting with various levels of difficulty, meaning that you chose which route to follow. The hotel accommodation, staff and food were excellent. The food being some of the best food that we have ever been offered in a hotel. We will be looking at Headwater breaks in the future.

Mrs Cotton
Walking in the Venetian Hills
22/09/2019

Holiday made perfect by care .commitment and expertise of James . It was very reassuring to have his constant but unobtrusive help throughout our holiday Excellent in every way .Thank you

Mr Robinson
Secrets of Sicily Walking
21/09/2019

A good opportunity to see a corner of Sicily that is not often on the tourist trail. Spectacular scenery and pleasant walking, though walks were often quite short in length, there was plenty of interest along the way. Several alternative walks offered at all venues.. Worth combining with a few days in Palermo, for a marked contrast.

Mr Higginson
Catalan Coastal Walk
20/09/2019

The holiday was exactly as outlined - a 'Catalan coastal walk'. We loved the little Coves & bays along the route plus the delightful small towns we passed through.

Mrs Dolan
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
20/09/2019

Having travelled with Headwater before, we knew what to expect, but this holiday didn't dissapoint. The hotels and restaurants were of a very high standard. We were lucky with the weather which really helped. It was dry and sunny most of the time but not too hot for walking. We on,y got lost once - this was on out first day and probably due to a farmer seeking to discourage use of paths across his land. The instructions for that day may need a quick review. There wasn't really a map to cover everywhere we walked, but we managed with the sketch maps provided and maps covering various parts of the area we walked in. We walked an average of about 7 miles a day and found places for a light lunch which is all we would want after the spreads provided for breakfast. A lovel holiday

Mr Chancellor
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
20/09/2019

Our walking holiday in the Luberon was an excellent way to experience the area and

Miss Robbinshallam
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
20/09/2019

We really enjoyed our 8-day walking holiday in Tuscany - we have been with Headwater many times before and this trip didn't disappoint! We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the hotels (all very welcoming), trying the Tuscan food and wine and of course the walking. We found the notes particularly good this year - no extra mileage! - which was good because it is a hilly area and the last day is a long one - but we finished it with a smile and a beer and gelato in Volterra! Lastly I'd like to say how helpful and informative our rep Frankie was (and we fell in love with his puppy Drago!)

Mrs Jones
Walking in the Venetian Hills
20/09/2019

This kind of holiday was a first for us, and we loved it. It was great to walk from one place to another and have our luggage moved for us. The hotels were well chosen and comfortable. The area is beautiful and the views from the hotels were lovely. If we were to do this again, we would probably go early summer in order to have more daylight when you can sit outside at the hotels in the evenings and appreciate the views. For the last Walk we did from Teolo to Il Feudo, we chose the longer option but cut it short at the point where you could do so. With hindsight we would probably have preferred the shorter walk on the hard surfaces, as the walk we undertook meant that we were in forest for most of the time with no views at all and the paths were not just steep, but very uneven with lots of loose stones, which meant that we spent more time than we would wish having to concentrate on getting a foothold. Notwithstanding this, we thought it was a great holiday and will look forward to planning another one for next year.

Mr Mallett
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
18/09/2019

The general standard of the walks, route notes and accommodation made this a very enjoyable holiday. We also used the supplementary guidance notes for things to do and these also proved helpful. The local reps kept us informed as necessary and ensured all arrangements were in order.

Mr Cunningham
Walking the Coastal Trails of Menorca
16/09/2019

We found it too hot to complete all the walks but time by the pool was a god restorative. If one wanted to start early one had to miss breakfast which is only available from 8.00am. If we wanted to go to Cala Turqueta we were advised to get to the queue for access to the road leading to the beach by 7.30am - after that and for most of the day access was prevented. The hotel is isolated so there is no chance to wander off easily and enjoy local life without a fairly long car journey along an unsympathetic, narrow road. Once in the hotel the ambience and staff were charming and welcoming.

Mrs Ajder
The Amalfi Coast Walk
16/09/2019

This holiday was a wonderful way to enjoy not only the the Amalfi coast but also the villages we walked through in 'real' Amalfi. Paths into countryside abundant with food being grown, not only lemon and olive groves but grapes, tomatoes, kiwi fruits and all sorts of beans and other veg. Staying two nights in every location allowed time to explore these beautiful towns and take a trip to Pompeii. Consider staying in Naples for a couple of extra nights.

Mrs Hammond
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
16/09/2019

An absolutely great walking holiday in truely beautiful part of Italy. Food and wine were fab except for the Michelin restaurant on our first night. The food was strange. We went there because the Michelin restaurant in our hotel was close on Monday nights. A shame as we ate in their bistro on our last night and it was very good. Our reps were excellent and friendly and not intrusive as this was a self guided walking holiday. There were some glitches with a couple of the walks but this was because a farmer had closed and lick a gate and another time the instructions weren’t clear at a confusing junction. However we got to our destinations easily despite some very steep incline to coast into the villages. It would have been helpful when booking to tell us what else there was to do on our days off as this was very limiting by the time we got there. Moving every two days was ok but we felt that at least one move was unnecessary as the walks were all quite close together. Over all an excellent holiday and we would use Headwater/ Exodus again

Mr White
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
15/09/2019

The family run hotel was excellent in every aspect. The staff were friendly and welcoming, the food was first class and the service was prompt and efficient. We had a super room at the front of the hotel with a balcony looking out at the snow capped mountains. It was ideally situated for all the walks for which excellent information was provided. The walks were amongst beautiful scenery with typical Swiss mountain chalets, cows with ringing bells etc. We made good use of the included cable cars. We were lucky to have had excellent weather apart from one day of low mist & cloud. If we had had poor weather for the entire week it would have considerably lessened the enjoyment of the holiday as the point of being there was to experience the wonderful mountain scenery. Of course, you can't do much about the weather!

Mrs Currie
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
15/09/2019

Perfect location ideal for walking. Stunning scenery. Kandersteg is picturesque and the hotel ideal with great staff.

Go with the itinerary, or do your own thing with flights transfers and accommodation taken care of, its easy and stress free.

An amazing holiday that far exceeded our expectations. Lovely hotel with a great choice of food friendly and welcoming staff. We went on some amazing walks, not too challenging for novice walkers like ourselves. The scenery was simply breath taking and would strongly recommend walking the Valparola Pass, not just for the stunning views but also for its history during WW1. We chose walks provided by Headwater to suit us and made use of the public buses and cable cars.

Mrs Davies
Secrets of Sicily Walking
14/09/2019

Wonderful way to see this area of Sicily. Temple of Segesta a highlight. Beautiful inland scenery & fantastic coastline. We had excellent, driver, Nicolas, punctual and safe, also flexible & happy to change itinerary to suit us. We were the only guests to our surprise! Far too hot for 70+ yr olds in early Sept. to walk in Zingaro Reserve. Found shady, rocky beach near Scopello & enjoyed the sandy beach & umbrellas of San Vito Lo Capo. Marettimo was delightful with excellent walks. Beware vertigo on one! Il Veliero - great fish restaurant. Stunning location back on mainland for last two nights. Highly recommend adding on at least 2 days in Palermo.

Mrs Higgins
Walking in Austria's Lake District
14/09/2019

We had a wonderful holiday which more than lived up to expectations. We loved the location. The lakes and mountains, towns and villages in Austria, were really picturesque and were fortunate to see them in amazingly good weather.

Our holiday Reps, Jill and Colin were exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble for them. Their knowledge of the area and advice on walk routes were the basis we used to planning what turned out to be a wonderful week of walking.

Mr Mcintyre
Chianti Classic Walk
14/09/2019

We had a great time on the ‘Chianti Classic’ walking holiday. The only glitch was when Ryanair lost our luggage, but Headwood staff and local rep came to the rescue and couldn’t have been more helpful. The walking trips were excellent, the directions provided faultless and our destinations interesting. The choice of hotels was very good and our luggage (once received) was transported effortlessly and always waiting for us at the end of each walk. Would definitely recommend.

Mrs Black
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
12/09/2019

We had an excellent walking holiday in Piedmont. The accommodation was very good. It was a gastronomic holiday. We would describe half of the meals as gastronomic but others were disappointing. The food in Villa d'Amelia, Benevello was wonderful. We were disappointed, however, with the food in Hotel le Torri, Castiglione Falletto although the local restaurant we ate at, 'L'argaj', was excellent. The local restaurants in Montforte d'Alba were 'rustic' rather than 'gastronomic'. The countryside is beautiful. We really enjoyed the walks even in the high temperatures. Had it rained some of the chalk footpaths would have been very difficult. The walking instructions were very good - there were only a couple of occasions were local farmers had altered the paths or field layout but we managed to work it out. The Headwater reps were fantastic. Although we didn't need to call on them (probably due to the excellent quality of the Headwater set up), we were very confident that they were looking after us ie moving our luggage and checking we were safe and happy. We would certainly consider travelling with Headwater again.

Ms Field
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
12/09/2019

Really Happy with the overall experience - & would recommend Headwater to others

Our first trip with Headwater, and we were very impressed. We liked being in charge of our day (unlike when walking with a group) - we can leave when we like, and walk at our own pace. Walk instructions were (mostly!) very clear, accommodation very comfortable and well-located, with plenty to do on the 'rest' days. Overall organisation good, and all involved very helpful.

Mrs Martin
The Amalfi Coast Walk
09/09/2019

Great to see an area on foot with sufficient down time to explore independently.

Stress free baggage transfer between accommodation aiding an enjoyable experience

Mrs Mcdonagh
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
08/09/2019

If you like good food and excellent wine look no further than the Gastronomic Barolo Walk-it ticks all the boxes and was absolutely fabulous .

Mrs Edwards
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
07/09/2019

Excellent in every respect, flight arrangements, hotel transfer, accommodation and route guides.

Miss Cherry
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
07/09/2019

Excellent hotel which was a great base for a range of amazing walks.

Mrs Smith
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
07/09/2019

Dobbiaco / Toblach is a lovely small town and a great centre for walking in the Dolomites. Public transport is very good (and runs on time) so it's easy to plan and feel confident of your arrangements - vital when self-guiding. The route notes were very good and we never needed to actually look at the provided maps - though having the routes pre-downloaded on a gps was a godsend, because sometimes there was a plethora of paths in popular places initially going off in similar directions. The suggested timings worked very well for us too, so again we felt confident that we would arrive at various locations on time. The Hotel Bellevue was very good and their packed lunches quite generous, though there were also opportunities to buy lunches in town and most routes had refuges or cafes en route.

Ms Gaskell
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
07/09/2019

Great hotel in a lovely location in the centre of Dobbaccio. Impressive rugged mountain peaks as you walk, with some wonderful traverses, a few tricky ascents and descents and a lot of gravel paths. Only a few of the suggested walks start directly from the hotel so if you don't want to take a bus to start your walks then this may not be the holiday for you. However, the buses are great and they always stick to the timetable so we had no problems. The Tre Cime walk was the highlight. Nemes Alps was next best but we recommend you miss out the last downhill slog (a 600m altitude loss all on a wide gravel 'road') - instead we suggest you either get the bus back from Kreuzberg/Monte Croce Hotel after a hot chocolate at the hotel - it's like thick chocolate sauce! - or do the pass from the Kreuzberg hotel and retrace your steps to the hotel and then get the bus home. Check out the gun turrets at the foot of the mountains during the first half of Nemes Alps walk. Consider researching these before you go - we wish we had.

Mrs Dey
Castles to Coast Walk
07/09/2019

Our 5th time with Headwater and once again a great experience. Great booking service, excellent hotels, fab walks with great notes/maps all making this a FAB experience.

Mr Warburton
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/09/2019

A great way to see several places in one week in the Sicily area. We could tailor the walks to suit our own needs using the Headwater routes as our starting point. Also it was nice to meet our fellow travellers and spend some socialising time with them

Excellent from start to end, great base for walking holiday. Glad we could fly from local airport. Team in Austria - very friendly and knowledgeable.

Mrs Guthrie
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
06/09/2019

A fine, challenging activity holiday with excellent back-up support re luggage forwarding, through-out the week. Idylic Provencal hotels and villages interspersed among vineyards and Olive groves galore. A region dominated by both limestone and sandstone cliffs clothed with dense forests and providing stunning views of the surrounding countryside.

Mr Perry
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/09/2019

We thoroughly enjoyed the hills. What a relaxing place to go. Everyone we met were very friendly. The hotel staff couldn’t do enough to please us. James the Headwater rep went out of his way to ensure everything went smoothly. The only downside for us was American Express was not accepted at any of the hotels. This was our fourth Headwater walk and I am sure there will be many more.

Mr Riley
Catalan Coastal Walk
04/09/2019

This was a fantastic holiday with a wide variety of locations, accommodation, eating experiences and challenging walks with lovely views and interesting history.

The Hotel Vilamont Spa was particularly welcoming and helpful and despite having smaller rooms and being in a small inland village was charming and very comfortable. The Café Colon where dinner is taken is a delight and food delicious, fresh and exciting, reflecting the owners' Parisian and Catalan origins; the restaurant itself is very rustic and oozes much history.

Though very different in style, all hotels are comfortable and clean and in good locations, in particular the Hotel Blaumar.

The walks are all excellent and the routes easy to find and follow. All the main walks involve ascents and descents, quite steep at times, but afford fabulous views and dramatic changes of landscape.

There are some very interesting local walks on the rest days which are well worth doing, some offering a chance to swim in the Mediterranean.

This is one of the best Headwater Holidays we have taken

Ms Osborne
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
04/09/2019

Beautiful hotels and food. Interesting area to walk. I much enjoyed it. (Although walking instructions not as clear as other holidays I have taken with you ( I found the french maps easier to follow )

Mrs Provan
Chianti Classic Walk
04/09/2019

Well planned route, excellent travel rep and lovely area

Mr Lumsden
Castles to Coast Walk
03/09/2019

Walking was very challenging but we felt real achievement completing the routes - especially up the escarpment! Overall it was excellent walking - scenery - lack of other walkers - very good instructions (as the maps were not recommended). Hotels were very suitable but the Jakov restaurant was extremely expensive (it was pouring with rain so we had to eat in). Overall it was another successful Headwater holiday and we are already planning our next one!

Dr Green
The Amalfi Coast Walk
02/09/2019

This was probably the best holiday we have had with Headwater out of the four we have experienced. One of those was in Tuscany. What we liked was the accurate grade of and types of walks and the well situated hotels - within easy access to the main towns/cities. The first and last hotels - Miramalfi and Continental were accurately starred and very comfortable. The Grand Hotel Continental in particular we found outstanding in quality and service. Our decision to stay another night was the right one as we were able to get round and visit the different sights. We were disappointed with the Hotel California. Although the bedroom was spacious with an excellent view (though the bathroom could have been cleaner) we found the service lacking - a three star hotel with a two star service (the family appeared inexperienced in relation to customer service). There were no lounge areas to relax - we had to spend any time at the hotel in our room. Hotel Punta Campanella was the only hotel were we had half board. We don’t think this was necessary as there were a number of good restaurants close by. Others in the party who stayed at Taverna De Capitano enjoyed the local tavernas at a reasonable cost. We found the restaurant pretentious and the offer of a three course meal was unnecessary. If we were to do this trip again happy to stay in the same hotel without half board package. We did not meet Anna we forgot to attend the meeting. We made contact -she was unable to meet us.

Mrs Thompson
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
02/09/2019

This was our first organised walking holiday from hotel to hotel and we loved it. The pace was relaxed with welcomed days off in between and amazing food and wine. The description of the holiday is accurate. The hotels were very comfortable and beautiful apart from Le Torri. Although the hotel is in a great location, our room was disappointing, very stark and dark.

The walks were very good with length and timing as advertised. The scenery was as described through vineyards, woodlands with at times exceptional views. The notes provided for the walks were on the whole very good and useful however we felt that at times more accurate and or additional information on distance would be useful. The map provided was useful in conjunction with the notes.

All the restaurants we had dinner at were really good, especially Larossa in Alba.

We would highly recommend this trip for anyone who enjoys a more leisurely pace.

Mrs Witney
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
02/09/2019

This is the first holiday of this type we have done. It won’t be the last! The accommodation was excellent, food amazing and some of the best views we have seen! The area offers a lush, manicured landscape with amazing hilltop villages and a warm welcome from the local people.

The logistics of the trip were superbly organised so that we felt like we had an independent holiday but without the need to worry about making any arrangements! Phaedra and Paul were fantastic- helpful, knowledgeable and easily contactable. All the arrangements they made ran like clockwork and when local taxis were used they were luxurious. The gastronomic aspect was such good value. All the restaurants had been carefully selected and pre booked so there was no need to waste time scrolling through trip advisor and trying to make reservations. Each evening felt different. There was a good mix of high end restaurants and quirky more local establishments. A particular highlight was the castle at Grinzane Cavour! It doesn’t get much better than eating dinner in a Michelin Star establishment at a UNESCO world heritage site! It was a privilege to be there.

Mr Lutener
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/09/2019

The booking with our requested addition was handled quickly and perfectly. Travel was great with all connections working well. The hotel and staff were great with nothing too much trouble - we had a dietary request that was fully met without having to repeat it having notified Headwater. The routes were easy to follow and the Swiss know how to signpost. Weather was variable but normal for area and time of year but even so we did what we set out to do.

Mr Alexander
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/09/2019

Brilliant holiday. We had a fantastic time. Thank you.

Mr Barlow
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/09/2019

Generally good, but confusion at the point of booking as hotel was confirmed, we booked our travel and later we were advised Alfa Soleil was unavailable, so an alternative found. The Hotel Ermitage was very good. However, we were promised pick up on arrival and drop off on departure between the railway station and hotel, but neither were available, so we had a 15 minutes walk with heavy luggage. We attended the briefing meeting at the original hotel (Alfa Soleil) and received everything we needed for the week, with good advice, but there was no further contact with the local rep and our hotel (Ermitage) were not really aware that we were Headwater clients and never asked about our plans. They did ask who was paying the overall bill for our stay on departure, which was embarrassing (we were settling the drinks bill). Overall the holiday was very good, walking excellent, local staff friendly, hotel very nice and Headwater staff at HQ helpful and prompt, but some aspects (as described) did not live up to expectations. We prefer self-guiding, independent holidays, so not a big issue for us, but others may not be so happy. It would not put us off travelling with Headwater again, as it was very enjoyable, but there are areas that should be looked at to prevent repetition.

Mr Smith
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/09/2019

Kandersteg offers a great deal of scope for a walking holiday and the Hotel Alfa Soleil is well situated for accessing walks in the surrounding area.

Very comfortable place to stay with excellent food great service and wonderful walking

Good walking, some of it reasonably challenging in the heat in a spectacularly beautiful corner of Sicily.

Excellent and efficient transfers made arrangements run smoothly and were a real time saver.

I really enjoyed myself.

Ms Kinder
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
31/08/2019

A lovely holiday with congenial fellow guests in a beautiful location. Stefano is a welcoming and enthusiastic host, and endeavours to be flexible to his guests' needs and wishes. We would recommend going when it is not as hot - late September or May would be perfect. Our favourite walk was from Castiglioncello del Trinore, through the forest, and we recommend visiting the thermal baths, and paying extra for the spa and the 'emotional showers'!

Mr Broad
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
31/08/2019

Excellent and well organised.

Mrs Shannon
Chianti Classic Walk
31/08/2019

Really enjoyable walking holiday mixed with days for other cultural activities which for us worked really well. Food and wine opportunities on the trip were fantastic. September proved to be great weather but bad time for mosquitoes so be prepared!

Mr Bruce
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
25/08/2019

This was a fantastic holiday in beautiful surroundings. The mountain paths were more challenging than those we had experienced in a Dolomites itinerary with Headwater but totally passable with care and a reasonable head for heights; you did need a good level of fitness for the steeper routes but it was never an issue. Although not included in the suggested walks, we climbed to the Doldenhorn Hut which gave spectacular views. The Gasterntal Valley is another essential.

Mr Boyce
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
17/08/2019

A charmingly rustic hotel, placed perfectly for all walks. Passes for buses and cable cars extremely useful - but beware train fares are on the high side!

Hotel Ciasa Salares gave us a genuine mountain welcome. It was sophisticated without being pretentious. The food was of the finest quality and delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The only criticism was that the advertised gym was unavailable twice due to it being booked out for the day by another party.

There was plenty of choice of walks for a week's break.

A lovely taste of different low level walks available in the area which makes us want to go back and do more on our own. Walking notes were excellent and easy to follow despite being discouraged from doing so and lack of confidence in them provided at the briefing. Given how often it rains and n the Lakes some walks are a little unsuitable after seriously heavy prolonged rain and alternatives would be useful. But all in all a great trip with delightful views and interesting history.

The Route management was fabulous.

Mr Sykes
Dordogne River Walk
09/08/2019

This was our third walking holiday with Headwater and lived up to expectations. The walking was lovely, although the second one was quite challenging! All the hotels were comfortable and the last two were luxurious, but all had wonderful food. France is not an easy place to be if you are gluten free, as one of our party is, but the last two hotels were particularly good. Taxis too, are scarce and very expensive, if you wish to go out on your rest days. However, the reps (Janet and Andrew) were very helpful and we all had a lovely holiday, and would certainly use Headwater again.

Ms Cross
Marvels of Madeira Walk
08/08/2019

I loved it! Walking was varied and spectacular. Madeira a stunning holiday destination. Will definitely book with Headwater again. Quality of hotel accommodation was great.

Mr Maitland
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
04/08/2019

Excellent walking in fantastic mountain scenery. All walks well signed and directions very good. Bus transport was also reliable and very comfortable so could plan walking easily around the timetables.

Hotel very comfortable, in good location and served excellent meals (choices for main course and starter). Staff were really helpful.

All made for a most enjoyable week in a beautiful location. Plenty more walking than there was time for so would very happily come back for another go.

Mrs Nekrassova
Catalan Classic Walk
03/08/2019

Very enjoyable experience, pleasant walks, nice hotels with friendly staff and excellent food. My favorite walk!

Good value for money

Where to start? This was a fabulous holiday, so good that we have decided to return next year. The staff are delightful and cannot do enough to help even knowing what to do when confronted with a diabetic hypo. We enjoyed the splendid food, the wine and the ambience. The scenery is breath-taking. At 6000ft up the mountains still tower over the landscape. It really is a beautiful place with many well marked tracks for walking. There are cable cars to transport you to the alpine meadows which was a relief as I would have found the climb up challenging. If you would like a memorable holiday this is the place for you.

Mrs Hinchliffe
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
03/08/2019

This was a fabulous experience - the food, views and staff were all wonderful

Mrs Grobler
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
01/08/2019

Barolo gastronomy self guided tour is an excellent way to see the countryside of the Alba district. Beautiful scenery ,some long walks , with a welcoming Hotel with excellent food options and glorious wine!

Ms Lanchbury
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
01/08/2019

We really enjoyed our stay in Tuscany. The walks were all in beautiful places with the right amount of challenge for my level of fitness and stamina. I really like the balance of having a day's rest between walks, which makes it a more restful holiday. It was lovely to explore the towns and villages we stayed in. Most of the routes were strade bianche, and we also enjoyed the sections which were on the Via Francigena. We hardly saw a soul on the walks, which was nice. It's worth mentioning that there were very few cafes or places to stop en route, which wasn't a problem, but you need to be prepared. Day 1 walk - we wished we'd taken our swimming things to swim in the Elsa river on the last section - the water was fabulous. San Giminano was a fantastic place to visit, despite the volume of tourists - it was August, after all! Park Hotel Le Fonti was our favourite hotel with a gorgeous pool and restaurant on the terrace, serving delicious meals. Our Rep was very helpful indeed - much appreciated. This was a great tour, with an added day in Pisa, which we loved, and a morning in Lucca by train from Pisa, also beautiful, where we easily squeezed in a parkrun around the old city walls. A great trip which we would recommend!

Mr Goscomb
Walking in the Venetian Hills
01/08/2019

We just wanted to thank Headwater for another fantastic holiday experience. We are very grateful to the helpful Headwater team for helping us to put together a 14 day holiday in Venice and the Venetian Hills that combined a 3 night city break in Venice, the 8 day ‘Walking in the Venetian Hills’ walking holiday, followed by 3 days to relax at a nearby Agriturismo with a pool.

All the arrangements went well and we had good support from James, the local Headwater Rep who was helpful and knowledgeable. We travelled during the first two weeks of August and enjoyed excellent weather throughout our stay with daytime temperatures around 28 to 32 degrees.

Venice is such a beautiful and extraordinary city to visit and we had sufficient time to explore the city and visit several of the islands. The beautiful little islands of Torcello and Burano were particularly memorable. Our hotel in Venice, the Hotel Kette, was ideally placed to explore the city, less than 5 minutes walk from San Marco.

The walking tour in the Euganean Hills completely lived up to our expectations. We found the walking notes straightforward and the 1+ activity level for the walks was about right. Often we were walking through wooded hills but we also enjoyed wonderful views of the surrounding Venetian countryside and saw some interesting wild flowers. Please note that carrying plenty of water on the walks is essential.

The accommodation at Cortela was simple, but comfortable and Gabriella made us feel very welcome. The Prosecco produced on their vineyard was delicious! We particularly enjoyed the beautiful little village of Arqua Petrarca and the food and accommodation at hotel Villa del Poeta were excellent. On our rest day there we took the opportunity to walk to the pretty nearby town of Monselice.

The hotel at Galzignano (Belvedere Resort Ai Colli) was very comfortable and our room enjoyed a lovely outside garden area. The food and wine there were excellent. At Teleo we stayed in the B & B Tito Livio in accommodation that was to a very high standard and there are plenty of opportunities to eat at local restaurants in the evening.

For the final part of our holiday, we transferred to a nearby agriturismo, the l’Albara, Villaganzerla. This was a great opportunity to relax and unwind after our walking holiday before returning home. Our room at l’Albara was very comfortable and the pool was lovely set in a pleasant large garden area … a perfect place to read and relax. Everybody was so welcoming there and the food and wine were both excellent. Dinner is served in one sitting on trestle tables (with choices and the offer of second helpings!). The wine produced on their own vineyard is superb, reasonably priced and highly recommended.

We are looking forward to choosing our next Headwater holiday next year!

Mrs Hayashida
Literary Walking in the Lake District
28/07/2019

We generally enjoyed good walking without any major issues. Our initial transfer to the hotel was not booked but we had a very good follow up from your local representative and staff. Also, one of the hotels was trying to charge room cost directly to us, but eventually they understood.

Mr Lloyd
Walking in the Venetian Hills
24/07/2019

As usual, very well organised and with first class assistance from the Rep on the ground. The walks were rather more challenging than the rating suggested under 37 degree temperatures. An unusual and interesting location but not one to be recommended for walking at the height of the summer season. This would probably explain why I saw not one other walker on the entire time (though many on bikes). But excellent overall.

Mr Mitchell
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/07/2019

I would recommend The Dolomites holiday. Its a very special location for walkers and cyclists. Scenery outstanding, people friendly and accommodating. We stayed in the Park Hotel Bellevue, which was virtually opposite the train station and about 10 mins walk from the main bus terminus. Included in our stay were travel passes for the week on both transport systems and a shuttle pass which conveys you to the start of the Tre Cime walk. There are a myriad of walking/cycling tracks available in the area for both low level and high level jaunts and all are excellently marked and easy to follow. Headwater provided exemplary guide literature and maps to ensure that it was pretty near impossible to get lost. Hotel was well positioned and very comfortable, staff were very friendly and accommodating, but the downside was the hotel opposite, which had live music on 3/4 of the evenings, one of which ended at midnight. Apparently the local district governor approves licences for such events, our hotel manager told us his hands were tied, but, given that this area attracts walkers and cyclists, whom in general want an early night and an early start the next day, this was irritating. Hotel food was indifferent, some lovely pasta dishes, but also undercooked fish (twice) and potatoes and inedible polenta. Breakfast, whilst sufficient for us, lacked variety and the salad starter(evening meal) time consisted predominantly of varieties of leaves, overall though it was acceptable.

Mrs Evanson
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/07/2019

Walking in the Dolomites is amazing. The scenery is breath-taking, the wildlife is special and the walks are easy to follow. The detailed instructions on the use of public transport is invaluable.

The holiday was excellent, the walking in the area was great, some challenging but easier options available. The hotel was superb, the staff were very friendly and helpful, food excellent and great facilities.

Mr Wood
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
20/07/2019

The location for a walking holiday was excellent. Stefano and Family provide a most welcoming atmosphere for all aspects of your holiday. Stefano provided excellent route guidance, modifications and recommendations. Stefano's passion for local produce and good healthy eating is reflected in a diverse daily menu, which is both very enjoyable and adaptable. This was our first visit to Tuscany, we would highlight recommend this holiday and would most definitely visit again.

Mrs Cerny
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
14/07/2019

Kandersteg is a truly lovely location. The hotel was very welcoming and our room very comfortable. We were upgraded to a Junior Suite and had a view of the mountains from our balcony. The food was excellent. Being able to prepare a packed lunch was a real bonus, as food and drink in Switzerland are both very expensive. Luckily,apart from the first day, the weather was ideal for walking. Most routes were clearly marked, although there were a couple of walks which would benefit from clearer instructions. The scenery is spectacular, particularly as the alpine flowers were still in full bloom. The grading is accurate. Some walks are relatively steep and if, like me, you are not keen on walking downhill on loose stones, can be a little daunting, but they are well worth the effort. We haven't stayed in one location on a walking holiday before, but had no regrets, as the walks were varied and never less than stunning. We would thoroughly recommend Kandersteg and the Alfa Soleil to anyone contemplating walking in Switzerland.

great hotel,great location, wonderful holiday

Mrs Smith
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
07/07/2019

The walking is good and varied with stupendous views if the weather is kind, as it was for us. Plenty of flowers, butterflies, lizards in mid-July for added interest. The hotel staff were very friendly and the food was definitely a cut above usual hotel fare, both in content and presentation. Switzerland is an expensive country but Headwater's price includes most of the basics so that we paid for little else except wine, a couple of cups of coffee and the rail fare to the Sudrampe walk. We heartily recommend the latter as it is such a contrast to the other mountain walks, rather like going from Switzerland to Provence!

Excellent hotel in Bad Ischl with very good transport connections to various walks just 10 minutes walk from hotel. All walks suggested were within the grade with some being a little more challenging than others. All with outstanding views. If there weren't so many other places to visit in the world I wouldn't hesitate to return. A friend and I found the walk descriptions easy to follow and going at your own pace gave you the options to take as long as you liked at various places of Interest. Would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone who enjoys walking with a little challenge and stunning views .

Mr Plumridge
Walking in Austria's Lake District
06/07/2019

Good location, great walks, brilliant food.

Mrs Smartt
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/07/2019

We were only away for eight days but it felt like eight weeks. The walks were wonderful, we never met anyone and reading the notes and hiking the wonderful Eugenian Hills made me clear my brain and relaxed my mind. The locations of the hotels and inns we stayed at were in beautiful surroundings. We would never have found these places had it not been for Headwater's ingenious way of finding them. Having a tour representative is such a good idea. Other walking companies do not offer this.

Headwater response:
Thank you for leaving such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved the wonderful Eugenian Hills. We are proud that we are able to find these hidden gems for our customers to experience and enjoy and it reaffirms the hardwork that the team put in to create these holidays. Hopefully we will be able to welcome you to another Headwater holiday in the future to enjoy as much as this one.
Kind regards
Customer Service.

I enjoyed it

As a Literary Tour it was thoughtfully planned, apart from Day 6 when your Highlights suggests alternatives, but the walk sheet offers only a rather unneccesary trip to Wray Castle. Surely the walk to Beatrix Potter's High Top (returning via Moss Eccles Tarn) should have been the first choice. The National Trust is establishing an off-road path from Hawkeshead, which we took to Near Sawrey. And the extension to Day 7/Bowness was a downer. Being thrust into such a touristy place took us away from the empty countryside world of our walk.

Mrs Oliver
Catalan Classic Walk
02/07/2019

We had a good week though in very hot weather. Overall we thought the week was underated at 1+ boot. 2 would have been more appropriate. Greg, the rep was very conscientious. The walking notes were good. The Hotel Garbi and The Castle were extremely comfortable and helpful. The Hotel Rosa in Begur was extremely friendly and welcoming. However the room was very small and the air conditioning not able to cope with the ambient temperature. Not comfortable. But overall a good holiday.. very interesting hilltop villages.

Mr Allen
Dordogne River Walk
02/07/2019

Very enjoyable walks with excellent notes. We are experienced walkers but even we struggled with very high temperatures on Day 4. We were offered the opportunity to swap one day’s walk to canoeing; this is an example of Janet and Andrew ( the reps) going out of their way to tailor our holiday to suit both us and the weather conditions. We thoroughly enjoyed the canoeing and it added a new dimension to our holiday! The hotels were very high quality as we have come to expect with Headwater ( our ninth holiday with you). The only exception was La Terrace in Meyronne where the menu was limited and was the same on both evenings. It gave the impression that we were less important guests and didn’t add to the ambience.

Headwater response:
Thank you for leaving a lovely review. We are so pleased that you enjoyed the canoeing a great alternative to walking in the extreme heat that you were experiencing. Janet and Andrew will be really pleased to read what you have written. I am sorry that the menu in La Terrace was limited and would like to assure you that your comments have been fed back to them.
Kind regards
Customer Services

Mrs Scrimshaw
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
30/06/2019

Hotel Alfa Soleil is very traditional, comfortable and welcoming and it’s worth making sure you get a balcony room as the mountain views are outstanding. The small pool was never busy. The food all week was excellent and in particular the hotel catered for a special diet with great care.



Many of the walks use lifts, trains or buses and it was really helpful to have the lift pass and bus pass included, especially as the lift pass puts you ahead of the queue. We thought the Blue Lake was a bit over-

the walks were all fabulous and the walking notes accurate and interesting. All walks were open in July and the waterfalls in particular were spectacular because of melting snow from the very high peaks. The Sudrampe walk is different from the other walks, but the further we went, the more memorable and fantastic it was.



You need to change platforms at Bern railway station. There’s just enough time for the change of platform with luggage but it is a bit tight, particularly as one of our trains was running a few minutes late, so it’s worth knowing which platforms you need before you set off.

Mr Ford
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
30/06/2019

Great wine and food , great walking and no worries.

Mr Henderson
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
30/06/2019

Beautiful part of Provence to walk in despite it being atypically hot. In view of the high temps, not many hotels offered an early breakfast (07:30) to allow us an early start. If I was to do again then out of main season would be sensible.

Also some popular village restaurants get booked up quickly so having some contact details at the hotels could help smooth these difficulties

Mrs Roderick
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
29/06/2019

This was our eighteenth Headwater holiday and one of the best. We hope to return in the near future.

Mrs Davies
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
29/06/2019

Excellent holiday that worked really well mainly to the efforts that Stefano has put in to ensure that routes are easy to follow with his electronic guide and the friendliness and helpfullness of his staff and family.

Mr Baigent
Walking in the Venetian Hills
28/06/2019

My self guided holiday in the Venetian was a perfect holiday for me, as my friend and I had never been to Italy before. A good introduction the people, food and wine, and of course the region. The itinerary was quite leisurely for us, but really enjoyed it, plenty of time to explore the area on our days off. Public transport is very good and the people very helpful.

Ms Jackson
Walking in the Venetian Hills
28/06/2019

The booking and arrangements were overall excellent with good choice of hotels, catering very well for our pescatarian diet. The route instructions were mostly accurate and easy to follow. The local rep was very helpful and knowledgeable. We have now travelled with Headwater on a number of occasions and will happily do so again in future.

A memorable trip in a wonderfully scenic location

Mr Fowler
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
26/06/2019

The entire trip was a pleasure, Frankie was punctual efficient and friendly. All the hotels were good. The only exception were some of the staff at Relais Rovere. Details with Frankie

An excellent holiday thoroughly enjoyed.

Mr Huddlestone
Castles to Coast Walk
25/06/2019

Despite the record June temperatures for Croatia, which proved very challenging to complete the walks, the holiday proved to be a great success with some lovely relaxed evenings after such strenuous exercise with excellent meals in these great hotel locations in this lovely country.

Mr Morgan
Chianti Classic Walk
24/06/2019

As described in the brochure/online. Good combination of walking/sightseeing/leisure. Great locations and hotels.

Representative (Frankie) particularly helpful and provided reassurance by always being available, contactable by phone and ready to assist. We could not have asked for more.

Ms Rumpus
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
23/06/2019

A brilliant holiday, everything worked like clockwork, the staff in the office were efficient, helpful and charming, the location and hotel were superb. Very happy customers.

Mrs Birchall-Scott
Catalan Coastal Walk
23/06/2019

We possibly misunderstood the references to coastal and beaches/ coves not realising that the walks would be so strenuous/ steep and spend most of the time elevated above and unable to access these. It wasn’t until we received the walk details that we had a better understanding. Unfortunately we were also there during a heatwave and so the walks were not as expected/as enjoyable as we had hoped. Walking poles were an essential along with the walking boots etc. The fact that we could skip a walk and travel to the next hotel in the taxi was really helpful and so we both did the first two walks and my husband the fourth. All in all very enjoyable holiday and as noted our understanding plus the weather were the issues and these were just an unfortunate combination.

Mr Miles
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/06/2019

Normally would be a great place to stay but currently due to roadworks, traffic is being diverted past the hotel that is making it noisy. Friendly staff, good clean rooms and good food, make it an ideal base. As it is central, with good bus and train service, it is easy to get to all walks.

This was a really excellent trip. There are some beautiful walks in the region with stunning views, and the trip notes are very accurate. The hotel was extremely good, with very friendly staff, nice spa facilities and really impressive food (including the chocolate room!).

Headwater response:
Thank you for such an excellent review. Your positive comments are really appreciated and thank you for taking the time to make them.

Kind regards
Customer Service

Excellent walking holiday but would probably go to Menorca earlier in the year as the end of June is almost too hot for walking!

Mr Macdonald
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
18/06/2019

Fabulous "Landscapes of the Luberon" walking holiday with Headwater in the south of France. Excellent clean, comfortable and welcoming hotels, great walks with very good, accurate self guided notes amidst beautiful scenery and villages that were a joy to visit and stroll through in the sunshine. Rep was very efficient, friendly and helpful and went out of his way to accommodate us. We added a couple of very enjoyable short city breaks in Avignon and Nice at either end of the holiday. In short a very varied, memorable and wonderful holiday which we really enjoyed.

Mr Clark
Marvels of Madeira Walk
17/06/2019

The entire holiday was even better than we could ever have hoped for. The walking the Levadas was a very interesting way to see the parts of Madeira some people never see. The transfers each day were excellent but best of all was the quality of the hotels which were excellent and are in locations to let you experience the different areas of Madeira. The staff were all very helpful and the food at the 3 hotels was super. This was a holiday that exceeded all our expectations and if you are reasonably fit and enjoy walking then we would highly recommend this. Madeira is a very beautiful and interesting island and I am sure we will go back again to experience more of what is on offer.

Mr Valentijn
Walking in Kandersteg - short break
16/06/2019

Tremendous week in the Swiss Alps, walking and eating. The wildflower meadows were wonderful at this time of year.

Ms Ullmann
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
16/06/2019

The holiday was extremely well organised and the walking exactly what we expected. All of the hotels were of a very high standard, and food, where provided, was also of a high standard, except for Relais della Rovere, where the menu was very limited. The grading of the walks was right, and even the 22km on the final day didn't prove as daunting as I had expected! This is definitely a holiday I would recommend to others looking for a week of beautifully scenic walking in his area.

Mr Day
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
15/06/2019

A fantastic week in Kandersteg with a good range of walks from easy to challenging. Could have stayed another 3 or 4 days easily. Hotel Alfa Soleil was really nice.

Mr Parker
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
15/06/2019

The trip was fantastic - we all loved every minute. The luxury (spa, sauna, pool) and meals in our hotel were far beyond our expectations.

The hikes were incredibly scenic and spectacular and much easier than we had imagined (this is not a complaint). All in all heads up to Headwater.

Mr Anderson
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
15/06/2019

Varied walking from a comfortable base

What is great about this location and this particular hotel is that you can do as much as you want to i.e. stay in your comfort zone; or push your boundaries and cross them, which you will not regret.

Mrs White
Walking the Camino de Santiago
15/06/2019

My husband and I used Headwater in order to walk the Camino de Santiago. When arranging our holiday, we asked for an extra night in Madrid as well as Santiago; this they did for us, no problem at all.

Throughout our holiday, we had, mostly, excellent accommodation and the walk routes were really good.

We will both be using Headwater again and highly recommend them.

Green
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/06/2019

The holiday was excellent and we have already recommended to friends. Only one hotel, Villa Beccaris, was not up to standard with poor service (sending us to tourist information when we asked to book a wine tasting after trying to connect to a local vineyard for less than 1 minute) and poor food - they ran out of pastries at about 9am even though breakfast was until 10.30am and they were holding a staff meeting for a future wedding in the breakfast room and one of the chefs glared at us when we entered the room. We want to stress that this didn't spoil the holiday it was just out of kilter with the excellent hotels experienced elsewhere during this holiday. The reps were outstanding, extremely helpful and friendly.

Mr Frew
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
12/06/2019

Fantastic scenery, some great hotels and meals.

Mrs Mace
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
12/06/2019

Walking notes excellent in terms of directions but could have much more detail of places of interests passing through. Hotels never boring, all have character and different. Travel - should be better informed with more options offered inc train.

Mr Wright
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
12/06/2019

Overall an excellent holiday, with a great balance between walking and stopovers on alternate days. A great way to see hidden Tuscany. While the daily distances did not seem very challenging, the heat made a massive difference - we tended to start well first thing in the morning but struggled as the day got hotter. The food, and wine, was excellent throughout, and each hotel had its own unique character. Our rep, Mark "Frankie" Franklin was outstanding. He gave an excellent welcome / introduction at the start of the holiday, and was always available to offer advice and support throughout the week - please pass on our thanks.

Mr Ross
The Amalfi Coast Walk
10/06/2019

The views were tremendous from the hikes and our hotels. The hikes were well planned with good directions and all the taxi pick ups and drop offs went smoothly and we really appreciated not having to start our hikes up hill out of the hotels. We also liked the itinerary design of 2 nights at each hotel giving us a chance to rest if we chose to. The first hotel was so lovely that it caused us to feel a bit disappointed by the subsequent ones. All the hotels were quiet at night except the Continental in Sorrento where we were given a room on a noisy square even with an expensive upgrade and a prior request for a quiet room. Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento are beautiful but very busy towns full of people and cars so this is not the walking trip if you want tranquility.

Mrs Malcolm
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
09/06/2019

Really enjoyable holiday. The hotel at first feels a bit old fashioned but we were very comfortable there and grew to love it. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was excellent especially the two themed nights. The view from the balconies was spectacular and ever-changing. The walks were well chosen....mostly up on a lift and walking down through wonderful flower meadows and rushing ice blue rivers. The walk at Ochinen See was the most challenging, especially as there was still snow and melt. Walking poles are essential. Switzerland was beautiful but very expensive....the picnics for lunch were very welcome. Overall we had a great holiday.

Mr Clapham
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
09/06/2019

First class hotel with friendly and professional staff. Beautiful region of Spain with an excellent mix of walking and potential sightseeing.

Mrs Drage
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
08/06/2019

A good variety of brilliant walks. Hotel was really comfortable and food was excellent. Flying to Venice provided a great opportunity to add on a few days there.

Mr Ford
Secrets of Sicily Walking
08/06/2019

Wonderful Island to visit very interesting locations to visit with some good walking but beware in June it is hot and there is very little shade

Ms O'Kelly
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
08/06/2019

Enjoyable holiday through beautiful scenery. Stephano and his family could not have been more helpful and friendly

Mr Alexander
Marvels of Madeira Walk
06/06/2019

Great thank you

Mr Buckland
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
06/06/2019

This was one of the best holiday we've ever had, Provence is amazing, really beautiful and stunning. The hotels were wonderful, as were the walks, really enjoyed them. We would recommend everyone to visit this fantastic region of France and travel with a fantastic holiday company Headwater, as they really have it all so well organised and take good care of you. Thank you to all at Headwater, we shall be planning next summer's walking holiday soon.

Ms Leblanc
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/06/2019

Just like the promotional material says -- discover an overlooked part of Italy. One the whole holiday we only saw one other group of English-speaking tourists, except when we went into Padua. An excellent holiday -- the walks were a bit more challenging than we had been expecting, but manageable, and we were well rewarded with excellent food and wine every night. A very interesting mix of hotels, and each was very comfortable with it's own personality. We very much enjoyed this trip.

Mr Mcnaughton
Catalan Classic Walk
04/06/2019

Great route, interesting sites and beautiful sceneryi

Ms Dempster
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
04/06/2019

Beautiful hill towns in Tuscany, but rather defeated by the heat!

Mr Catterall
Marvels of Madeira Walk
03/06/2019

Seeing the countryside you can never see in a car or coach

Mr Shah
The Amalfi Coast Walk
03/06/2019

We did the Amalfi coast walking holiday in the first week of June. Just about made it before it gets too hot. The hikes in Ravello and Path of Gods were stunning and every bit met and exceeded expectations. Hotel Miramalfi has a brilliant location where our rooms faced the sea and do not miss going to the deck chair platforms by the sea- below the pool. Highly recommend this one.

Mr Tiffin
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
02/06/2019

The mountain scenery viewed from the walks was superb, we were lucky to enjoy fine weather, and the hotel and the food were excellent.

Ms Hofmann
Secrets of Sicily Walking
02/06/2019

The three locations offered different aspects of north-west Sicily, and walking descriptions very accurate. Phillipo gave us a great introduction to the area at the briefing, including tips for our extension in Palermo. We enjoyed staying at all three hotels and accommodation was of a high standard, although a little disappointed with the quality of food (breakfast choices were very limited at Marettimo Residence after 8.10 as supplies weren’t refreshed, and the evening meal at Baglio la Luna was not well cooked on the first evening, second was better). The walks on Marettimo are beautiful; Scopello lower walk along the coastal path was extremely crowded so not much fun; we didn’t do the final walk at San Vito as it was too hot and challenging for us based on feedback from others, so spent the day on the beach. The drivers were professional and courteous, giving the opportunity to see Erice and Segesta, and boat travel good. Definitely recommend adding on time in Palermo.

Clear information

Mr Morrison
Secrets of Sicily Walking
01/06/2019

Fabulous walking in by far our favourite part of Sicily - recommend doing the higher level walk in Zingaro. And as for Marettimo, what a discovery. Spectacular scenery and unspoilt. As ever Headwater's arrangements ran like clockwork and the route directions easy to follow. The side trips to Segesta and Erice were a real bonus. The final walk up Monte Monaco was a bit of a disappointment and just a slog up and down in 34C but appreciate it was a last minute alternative because the Monte Cofano route was closed. If it doesn't reopen perhaps other options could be offered. The hotel In Scopello (La Tavernetta ) was excellent and we loved Marettimo Residence which gave us the choice of eating out or stocking up the fridge with local goodies and staying in. The B&B for the final two nights is very isolated and as we are not great fans of set menus and communal dining was not for us. However, there is no denying that Baglio La Luna is quirky and full of character and we were lucky to have a huge sun terrace (room 4!) and our time there did not detract from our enjoyment of the whole trip. Another great holiday with Headwater.

Mrs Berry
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
01/06/2019

The host Stephano was brilliant in all respects. The breakfast was limited in choice. Evening meal was traditional to the area. Accommodation was a bit basic . Walking was excellent and was able to be adapted to people’s needs. The extras were a treat, eg spa visit, cookery lesson and olive oil lecture.

Mrs Rodgers
Walking in Austria's Lake District
01/06/2019

We have had a number of cycling holidays with Headwater but It is our first walking holiday. We were pleased to have chosen a single centre holiday in Bad Ischl and appreciated all the support that the reps Gill and Colin gave us which extended beyond their remit. Even though we happily sort our own walking routes in the UK we thoroughly enjoyed the range of walks available - some of which would have been difficult for us to find ourselves and the updates giving us information about which areas to avoid because of snow cover (unusual at this time of year) were invaluable. Overall, we had an excellent time.

We had a excellent walking holiday in the magnificent Austrian Lake District. The weather was kind and we walked every day up into the hills and mountains and were rewarded with spectacular views of the lakes,forests and snow capped mountains. Must give a special mention to our guides Colin and Jill who’s briefings and tips about the walks were excellent, went out of their way to keep in contact via text and helped to make this holiday special.

Mrs Boston
Catalan Coastal Walk
31/05/2019

Really beautiful walks visiting lovely places. Wonderful organisation. Would highly recommend.

Mrs Frederick
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
29/05/2019

Excellent accommodations, beautiful hiking trails, and amazing food and wine.

Superb locations, superb hotels and even better food. We will certainly return.

Mrs Chalmers
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
26/05/2019

Excellent holiday, well worth visiting this area, locals very friendly and we especially enjoyed the wildlife and tranquility on our varied walks.

A very enjoyable trip with generally easy walking, albeit on a lot of paths and roads with no shade. Some of the directions are a little ambiguous whereas others are detailed and completely accurate. Very little was open though even in late May, so we soon learnt not to rely on a cafe or bar at any of the towns/villages. Good hotel with friendly staff and good food.

Mr Ashcroft
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/05/2019

Walking mixed, not Headwater's best. Not much variety. One of the very best hotels Headwater has provided. Very friendly and helpful staff, taxi drivers, bus drivers, and Gozo people generally.

Dr Owen-Jones
Secrets of Sicily Walking
25/05/2019

Very pretty walks and interesting culture. I would suggest visiting later in the year rather than late May as the resort areas were not open and the weather was cool and at times very wet. The hotel on Marittimo is not geared up for out of high season use and was cold and rather basic. In hot weather it might be lovely. A lot of restaurants and shops were still closed.

This holiday was as advertised in the brochure. The countryside was beautiful, the food in the hotels was very good (we were given vegetarian options in all the hotels). We appreciated having the rest days which one of our party used to do watercolour painting, whilst others visited nearby towns, including Venice.

Mr Howe
Catalan Coastal Walk
23/05/2019

Marvellous walking in remote rural and coastal areas but with high quality hotel accommodation in lovely coastal settings at the end of each day.

Mr Gareze
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
23/05/2019

Good holiday but probably dependent on the weather as heavy rain will prevent some of the walks through the vineyards etc..

Ms Hunter
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
20/05/2019

This is an amazing location with varied and fabulous walks. We went in May so there was alot of snow on the higher routes which meant we could not do all the walks planned. However the hotel advised us on alternatives and we had 6 stunning walks against a backdrop of beautiful snow-capped mountains and mostly had the trails to ourselves. A truly memorable holiday and I would love to return to do the additional routes. Thankyou to Headwater and the team at the Alfa Soleil.

Mrs Lammiman
The Amalfi Coast Walk
20/05/2019

We had a wonderful walking holiday on the Amalfi coast. The hotel's were well chosen for their stunning views, food and comfort. The 2 extra nights in Sorrento ment we had plenty of time to visit Pompeii and enjoy Sorrento. Well done Headwater

Miss Crocker
Catalan Classic Walk
19/05/2019

A truly fantastic holiday. The distances walked were slightly longer than those documented but it was well worth the effort.

The food and wine for the whole week were excellent and the castle was the highlight from an accommodation perspective.

I would thoroughly recommend this trip. Greg, the local rep was very helpful and very helpful when one of our party was ill.

Mrs Summers
Secrets of Sicily Walking
18/05/2019

Good combination of guided walks and sight seeing. The driver for the transfers was very obliging and helpful.

Mrs Roberts
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
17/05/2019

We have been on a lot of Headwater holidays but this one was the best yet. Superb hotels, wonderful food and lovely walks. Phaedra and Paul deserve a special mention for their charm, efficiency, punctuality and attention to detail.

Mrs Jones
Marvels of Madeira Walk
16/05/2019

We had a great holiday in Madeira- the walks were varied and well planned, allowing us to see different parts of the island. The accommodation provided was excellent too- very comfortable, and good food. We would definitely recommend this trip with Headwater.

Ms Willoughby
Literary Walking in the Lake District
15/05/2019

Morgan did a wonderful job looking after us! And headwater was so well organised-we really loved our holiday Thankyou; will definitely travel again with you!

Menorca is a pretty place with lots of history - the Menorcans are rightly proud of this. The walking is not too strenuous, but there are some coastal areas which are not suitable for people with vertigo. The views are magnificent. The hotel rooms are separate from the restaurant - if you go in shoulder season, you will need something warm in the evening. The hotel staff are delightful and nothing is too much trouble. You will get to know the main road down the spine of the island pretty well!

The Camino from Sarria to Santiago do Compostela is a pilgrimage rather than a conventional long-distance hike. If you would like to share an unusual, fascinating and historical experience with fellow travelers from all over the world (and of all faiths and none), you will probably love it. I have heard people complain that it is rather crowded. If you see that as a disadvantage rather than a positive part of the experience, then perhaps this is not the right walk for you. The walking itself, for anyone of moderate fitness, is not at all challenging, and the way-marking makes it impossible to get lost. As I say, this is a great, historic pilgrimage, but not an escape to the wild.

Dr Ball
The Amalfi Coast Walk
13/05/2019

Excellent walking on spectacular coastline

Mr Thompson-Ashby
Walking the Algarve's South West
12/05/2019

Quality of walking not quite as good as previous years, but we still had an enjoyable holiday. Grading of the walking was closer to a 2 rather than a 1.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback; it is always a great help to understand how we can improve and whilst it is not always possible to be precise about how easy or difficult an activity will be, our activity ratings have been carefully designed to give you a practical guide as to what you can expect. When assigning an activity level to a holiday we consider factors such as gradient, length of walk or ride, and also the terrain or road conditions.

Mrs Pittam
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
11/05/2019

This was yet another excellently put together, self guided walking holiday - our 6th with Headwater. Staff & brochure provide excellent & accurate descriptions of venues & accommodation to allow an informed choice. The walk notes are very detailed &; accurate &; totally relate to what is on the ground. Over the years the standard of Headwater accommodation &; food has really improved yet it remains extremely good value for money. Walking on Gozo was a delight in May spring sunshine ( albeit some rain!) &; the coastal paths along dramatic cliffs were surrounded by flowers.

Hotel Ta Cenc has an amazing setting with views across to Comino &; Malta. I can recommend upgrading to a Trulli room for just more space given you are there for a week - No 133 looked directly out over the cliffs. Every evening there was a 4 course meal with 4 different choices of each course - all freshly cooked & well presented.

I would also recommend a stopover in Valletta - one night there gave us a full afternoon, evening & following morning to explore.

( a slight hiccup on arriving at our Valletta hotel with no booking found was very quickly sorted by Headwater who were at the end of the phone & kept us informed at each stage)

Flights & transport all went to time.

Look forward to our next holiday with you.

Mr Tompkins
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
11/05/2019

Arriving late into the evening we were made very welcome with room service which we were not expecting. The rest of the holiday was excellent only 2 afternoons of rain which was unusual for Gozo in May. We did all the walks detailed on the notes and only missed out on 1 part of 1 walk due to the gradient of the climb. Would definitely recommend visiting Gozo if only to stay at the hotel as it is located looking over the cliffs and Malta in the distance. The hotel was definitely worth its 5 star rating.

Mrs Newman
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
11/05/2019

Excellent holiday which more than met our expectations. Stefano went over and above to make us feel welcome and give accurate and useful information about our walks. The cooking and spa were fun alternatives to walking each day.

Mr Stott
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
11/05/2019

Excellent organisation, accommodation, enjoyable walks and fantastic local rep. Would not hesitate to use Headwater again.

Mr Bowett
Walking the Camino de Santiago
11/05/2019

The first night in Leon is an enjoyable experience, in the evening the streets are very busy with everybody out enjoying themselves, get a seat, get a beer, and sit and watch the world go by.

The first two days are the most difficult, uphill on unmade paths, once you pass from Leon in Galicia the paths are much better, made up with gravel and it is possible to progress at your normal walking pace. The first two days are also a delight, being high up with beautiful scenery, and looking down on eagles soaring below is a real treat. The spring flowers were stunning.

All along the route the local people are welcoming and happy to see you,. Your fellow pilgrims are a huge multicultural gathering of people from all over the world, and it is a pleasure to be a traveller on El Camino

The hotels are good, very comfortable, with good staff, and are very very clean and highly polished, a pleasure.



The connections, the taxis, the baggage moving all worked perfectly and reliably



All round a very happy and enjoyable experience



Thank you.

Good to have our own relaxing and private space with sea view. Magical coastal walks. Abundance of flowers. Regular and efficient buses to all parts of the island.

Ms Krombacher
Secrets of Sicily Walking
04/05/2019

Well chosen hotels, in stunning locations. When things went wrong, due to bad weather and hydrofoil cancellation, Headwater Holidays seemlessly organised excellent alternative accommodation and travel plans.

A great welcome from the holel that continued through out. Excellent variety of walks on the charming island of Menorca.

A fantastic area in which to walk. Tony and Ludmilla have gone to great lengths to make this a good trip and are both extremely welcoming and helpful. I would say that they are some of the best reps we have come across in many years of travelling. For us the distances were just right. All the arrangements worked like clockwork.

The breakfast in the hotel Mira Sagres was not the greatest with no hot choice and the croissants were rather stale. However, the staff were welcoming and the hotel provided the best shower of the hoiday. The food in Pedralva and in Lagos was really good and the breakfast in Lagos was superb. The staff in Pedralva were great fun. At the Pousada hotel, the staff gave me a gorgeous piece of cake to celebrate my birthday, which was excellent and really helped to make the day special. We didn't find the staff at the Memmo Baleeira very friendly and the service at the evening meal on the first evening was poor.

An interesting programme with generally good accommodation. Service at hotels mostly good except for overcharging at Grasmere.

Mr Jones
Walking in the Venetian Hills
01/05/2019

The weather wasnt brilliant because we went in early May. However, we did enjoy the walking, which was a challenge but not too difficult.

The whole trip was amazing, reps Jill and Colin were very attentive and knowledgable. Hotels were well picked and varied so we experienced castles to little boutique hotels. Really enjoyed the trip.

Mrs Brown
Secrets of Sicily Walking
23/04/2019

We like Headwater

Mrs Mitchell
Walking the Algarve's South West
20/04/2019

This is a lovely part of the world and we really enjoyed our holiday. The rating of 1+ for some parts of the walks was for us under rated - on one walk the local signs showed the walking route to be 3 boots! However, we appreciate that the rating of the holiday overall has to be based on the full week. Anyone thinking about this holiday should be sure that they can cope with regular and sometimes quite steep ascents and some fairly narrow paths. The accommodation was varied and we really liked the changing hotels in Sagres which broke up the holiday. We would advice people on the holiday to not ask for a picnic lunch from the hotel Lagos - this was very expensive (€12 per person) and was basically a sandwich on stale bread - very disappointing. If Headwater could possibly make a deal with hotels where guests could pay for a picnic but actually just make it themselves from the breakfast buffet then that would be better - particularly at that hotel as the breakfast was excellent. This was not our first Headwater holiday and we would be very happy to book with them again as the local support and service allows you to feel fairly independent but with the assurance that support is on hand if needed.

Mr Goscomb
Walking the Algarve's South West
17/04/2019

Another fantastic holiday with Headwater



We completed the ‘Walking the Argarve’s South West’ holiday in late April/early May. The weather was mostly perfect for walking and we had a wonderful holiday, well supported by Tony and Ludmilla the local Headwater reps. Tony’s walking notes were clear and easy to follow with helpful suggested options and the hotels were well located and well chosen. Such a beautiful landscape with so many picturesque sights and views. We also saw a fantastic selection of wild flowers, including orchids, and the area proved excellent for bird spotting too.



Our two hotels in Sagres were really lovely, but the outstanding place to stay for us was the Aldeia de Pedralva where we had a super one bedroom little character house to ourselves for two days in this beautiful tiny village. Breakfast and dinners at the hotels were mostly excellent, the sole exception being the most meagre of breakfasts in the hotel at Vila Do Bispo. The breakfasts at the Costa d’Oiro were truly exceptional with an amazing selection. We also had some yummy fish and seafood dishes as various restaurants during our stay in this wonderful south west corner of Portugal. Overall another fantastic holiday with Headwater.



Martin and Sandy, Sidmouth, Devon

Ms Barnwell
Islands of Bermuda Walk
14/04/2019

The Headwater walking holiday in Bermuda is an excellent way to see the beautiful coastline, explore the various historical sites and travel on the local buses and ferries. The Coco Reef Hotel is a good base for the holiday, staff are friendly and keen to please.

Mrs Holden
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
13/04/2019

Very enjoyable holiday. The hotel was excellent and traveling around the island was so easy thanks to the great bus service.

Mrs Hunt
The Amalfi Coast Walk
08/04/2019

Very interesting walking holiday. Hotel accommodation extremely good.

Mrs Edmondson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
06/04/2019

We had a lovely 5 day walking holiday, no problems and would like to say a special thank you to Ludmilla and Tony and the staff at Pedralva.

Lovely hotel and location on a fascinating island, On the upper range of a one-boot as quite a large amount of walking on stony or concrete paths. A good Spring break as there were beautiful flowers out. A good holiday for cat lovers as the hotel has a number of friendly cats roaming around. We would recommend the upgrade to a Trullo room as this was light and more spacious.

Mrs White
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
06/04/2019

Good location to enjoy this beautiful natural park.

Mrs Butchers
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
05/04/2019

Wonderful hotel, staff and food/wine! We had inclement weather including snow, so early April may not suit everyone. Driving was easy on good if winding roads. Our last night had clear skies, and we were lucky that the hotel could provide an English speaking guide to show us the stars etc via the observatory - not to be missed! Only real issue was the Europcar booking process which was confusing and over complicated. Petit Precios hotel in Madrid was fine, but rooms facing the street were a little noisy.

Make sure you download the walking notes. Don't leave home without them.

Mrs Reid
Marvels of Madeira Walk
04/04/2019

Our trip to Madeira allowed us to experience the beauty of the island through the diverse walking trips and sightseeing days. Our accommodation was superb at all three hotels and staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The local firm used to transport us to and from our daily walks are to be complimented as the drivers were wonderful. Headwater helped us have an unforgettable holiday to mark our silver wedding.

Mr Grierson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
05/03/2019

A relaxing walking holiday in attractive and unspoiled coastal scenery. The detailed route maps and waymarking were superb. The Atlantic cliff views and wild flowers provided numerous photo opportunities.

We had a very good holiday being well looked after from the moment we arrived. Ludmilla and Tony are a credit to Headwater and looked after us really well. Walk notes were well written and easy to follow. Time distance of each walk were accurate. We passed on a couple of updates to Tony who dealt with them immediately. All pick ups and tranfers were on time.

We would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone wanting to viist the Algarve.

Mrs Marchant
Islands of Bermuda Walk
27/01/2019

Very enjoyable holiday Jan/Feb 2019. Great weather apart from 1 day of thunderstorms, not at all humid and lovely temperature for walking. Hotel was just as described, with excellent food. Worth bearing in mind that the hotel is very quiet in winter (we had the breakfast room to ourselves most days, and just a couple of other tables at dinner). As previous reviewers have said, this is more of a sightseeing holiday on foot, but very enjoyable. The walks vary in length (and are very flat) and some are quite long (we managed 30,000 steps one day) but there's lots of flexibility with the local buses (which work very well). A good trip for us to get away from the UK winter, followed by a few days in Miami on the way back.

Miss Mellor
Islands of Bermuda Walk
06/01/2019

Bermuda is beautiful and interesting if you like history. There wouldn't be time to see everything and hike every day. I chose the things I wanted to see and organised my walking around that.

Mr Whittaker
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
22/12/2018

Perfect place for resting and relaxing, whilst giving opportunity to recharge your energy. Gozo is great for walking and the climate was just right, Ta Cenc was a wonderful place to be over the christmas period.

Mr Collins
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
22/12/2018

We had a good walking holiday. However I think Gozo footpaths etc need to be developed with better planning and signposting. A lot of the walking was on road, it would be beneficial if more off-road walking could be planned. Overall, Gozo is a good place to visit.

An very enjoyable week of walking based at an excellent hotel. Although Gozo is a small island there is enough variety for a one week holiday.

Very well organised. Local guides very helpful.

Mr Gittins
Islands of Bermuda Walk
11/11/2018

The holiday was very good the free bus & ferry pass excellent,we found the notes accurate the map also good but large,because we are getting older we reduced some of the walks which worked well,allowing more swimming time. The people were very friendly and would stop if we looked lost. Overall a very good holiday well done Headwater. When we booked I was looking for maybe a different way to Bermuda I got no help from the sales girls, so we stayed with your holiday guide.

Dr Howden
Islands of Bermuda Walk
04/11/2018

Just as advertised, and just what we needed

Mr Hamilton
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
28/10/2018

The general topography of this holiday was less interesting and exciting than experienced on previous headwater walks, but we did thoroughly enjoy the holiday.

Good location, comfortable hotel, nice spa.

Mr Smith
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
27/10/2018

Stefano and his staff at La Pietriccia did everything to make our holiday successful. We got what we expected, and more! A return trip is called for, but when it's not raining!

Mrs Davenport
Marvels of Madeira Walk
25/10/2018

If you are actively fit and prepared for physical challenges then Headwater has well documented self-guided walks with well organised hotel accomodation and transfers to support your hiking holiday.

Mrs Garrett
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/10/2018

We were very impressed with the service provided by Headwater from start to finish. Ludmilla, the local rep, was very helpful and gave us lots of advice about each days walking. We got the bus into Lagos on our rest day, which was also very enjoyable.

We have never been on an organised holiday like this before, but wouldn't hesitate to book with Headwater again.

Just returned from walking the Algarve's south west coast, beautiful walks on the west and south coast, and we stayed in lovely hotels. Views stunning. Good food. Tony and Ludmilla were great reps, lots of support if needed, and met up with us at the beginning and the end of our holiday. Most walks do not have much shade, we had good weather for walking, warm but overcast. We felt it was a well planned holiday, even returning to Sagres during the week, gives you a different perspective of the coast. Thank you, Headwater, once again, a lovely holiday!

Mrs Chua
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
16/10/2018

This was a most enjoyable walking holiday. The walking was stretching without being gruelling. The three hotels used were really good. And the Portugues were very accommodating and the food delicious. We made some new friends and felt well looked after from start to finish.

Mrs Simpson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
16/10/2018

In a beautiful area of Portugal, with walking each day enough to be testing but not exhausting. The hotels were all good and we enjoyed the company of other walkers. A very enjoyable holiday.

Mr Morrison
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
16/10/2018

Really enjoyed the holiday but felt some of the walks didn't quite match the holiday description of "Algarve's Wild West".

Mrs Gregory
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
13/10/2018

The clearest and most comprehensive walking notes we have come across, taking us to lovely places with stunning scenery and lots of history. The hotel was of a very high standard but the choice of vegetarian food was limited. The customer service offered by Headwater was brilliant with very quick and efficient responses. All the arrangements worked like clockwork.

Cruickshank
Secrets of Sicily Walking
13/10/2018

Very enjoyable. We were lucky with the weather as although we had one wet and windy night and also a whole day and our ferry back to the mainland was cancelled, the agent managed to adjust itinerary to enable those of us with a later flight on last day still to be able to do everything. Although we missed the spring flowers and possibility of seeing orchids - we had Autumn Heather and Rosemary in flower in abundance on some walks. I did feel that the local agent should have checked on the ferry website that our ferries to and from Marettimo Island were running and been pro-active in telling us what we should do when the ferry was cancelled. Some of us found out by checking the website ourselves but unless you met someone who knew we were left in the dark as the hotel reception didnt let us know and we were all in different parts of the hotel.



Two of us went to Lorenzo island for the day which worked out very well although the coastal walk notes back from the cave to the ferry were poor and misleading. It added to the variety and we were glad we had gone.



Overall a good mix of walking, archaeology and culture and weather not too hot for walking - although we were lucky that the wet and windy spells didnt disrupt our trip more.



A good group of people and it was nice to meet them at some meal times and bump into them sometimes on the walks.

Mr Fletcher
Secrets of Sicily Walking
13/10/2018

Interesting and varied trip.

Mr Christy
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
13/10/2018

Another excellent trip with Headwater, this time to a splendid Agriturismo in Tuscany, with excellent facilities, a great location for walking and superb cooking. Additional features included a cooking lesson one afternoon, a spa visit and a very enjoyable wine/cheese/salumi tasting in town. Thanks to Stefano and his family and friends for a very warm welcome and a most entertaining time!

Mr Pearson
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
13/10/2018

The Hotel Zuhayra is brilliantly situated to explore both the white town of Zuheros and the mountains that provide the backdrop. The walk via Luque was excellent and we also enjoyed the easy choice of the Via Verde, walking on a disused railway line (a great option for cyclists too with well over 100km of level routes available). We were amazed that it was a Rural 2-star Hotel and wondered how much better it could have been had it been 3 or 4-star. As such it was excellent value for money [the food was at times, a bit disappointing and the choice was occasionally limited or there was no choice].

Mrs Chicken
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
13/10/2018

A great holiday - excellent planning and support and a wonderful location which combined beautiful countryside, a rustic rural Spanish locale and very enjoyable walking.

Mr Thorsteinson
Walking the Camino de Santiago
13/10/2018

Walking the Camino was a lovely experience. Having the luggage moved everyday and prearranging accomodation and meals took away the stress of travelling.

Mrs Coulson
Walking the Algarve's South West
12/10/2018

The stunning south-west coast of Portugal is an excellent choice for a walking holiday, with the best accompanying notes we have come across in all the Headwater holidays we have taken! Brilliant that different length holidays are available, making the area attractive to more people.

My wife and I have just returned from a 10 day self-guided walking holiday in the Algarve. From start to finish, the organisation and support from our two local reps Tony and Ludmilla was first class and we stayed in five different hotels during our stay all of which were good value. The walking was generally quite easy and usually covered about 10 to 14 miles per day with optional rest days at each location if desired. Several days were spent walking along the coastline which was never less than spectacular.

Miss Jelley
Walking the Algarve's South West
10/10/2018

Lovely walks, any uphill sections were well rewarded by fabulous views. The reps were wonderful and hotel staff all very helpful and friendly.

Mr Alexander
The Amalfi Coast Walk
08/10/2018

We enjoyed the holiday immensely thank you.

Mr Brown
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
08/10/2018

An excellent holiday all round with superb accommodation and really good food. The countryside is stunning and the walks were very enjoyable.

Mr Woodhams
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
06/10/2018

This is the third time that we have travelled with Headwater. Their choice of hotels is excellent, the walking notes are accurate ( but don't try to second guess them) in wonderful locations.

Dr Wilson
Secrets of Sicily Walking
06/10/2018

Well organised, good value, good range of accommodation

Mrs Gilmore
Secrets of Sicily Walking
06/10/2018

A great way to explore a little known corner of this interesting island

Ms Waldman
The Amalfi Coast Walk
05/10/2018

Amazing trek, walk of the Gods the highlight, few inaccuracies in the walking notes so make sure you read the map as well

A generally enjoyable first visit to this attractive island with varied and undemanding walking on offer. Also, the historic centre of Ciutadella is charming. We were delighted and disappointed in equal measure with our hotel. The welcome, quality of service and the comfort of the lounge and bar areas were excellent. Our bedroom was comfortable enough but let down by a lack of storage space and a serious level of noise transference from adjoining rooms. Breakfasts were excellent but we felt the evening meals were somewhat mediocre considering the quality of the hotel, and the dining room though ideal for summer visitors became cold and draughty when it was windy.

Mrs Aston
Walking in the Venetian Hills
02/10/2018

For us this was the perfect combination of quite challenging walks and the opportunity to visit villas, gardens, monasteries en route. The Euganean Hills were a delightful landscape of vineyards ,woods and olive groves. We also particularly enjoyed visiting Vicenza on the way back.

Mr West
Catalan Classic Walk
30/09/2018

Having undertaken guided walking holidays we wanted to try a self-guided trip which would enable us to set off, stop and finish when we wanted (later start, more and longer stops) and this was perfect. We did three days walking with a day of rest between each walk (altho' ample instructions for further walks were provided). Our luggage was transported seamlessly from one hotel to the next and the hotels were first class both in situation and service (the food was excellent). In addition we tacked several days onto our trip to make a short city break and all arrangements for travel and accommodation were dealt with seemingly effortlessly providing us with a superb holiday experience.

Mr Cameron
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
30/09/2018

One of our best Headwater experiences. The welcome at the hotel in Montforte was good but when we arrived at the Palazzo there was no one to ask about the lack of tea making facilities so we had to go down to reception in Giardino. It would also be good if the bar at Palazzo opened for drinks rather than being firmly closed

A quiet but attractive area of Northern Italy well worth discovering.

Mr Hill
Chianti Classic Walk
30/09/2018

An excellent experience in terrific countryside. The walking was good and in some cases quite exhausting but we had all day to complete the journey with a refreshing drink at the end. The hotel accommodation was very good with three of the hotels being excellent and the fourth being good. Great walking, good weather and good reps. We had an extra two nights in Coll di Vald'Elsa which enabled us to travel by bus to Sienna and Florence.

Great experience to walk the 100km+ on the camino

Excellent holiday we connected with your other clients and walked as a group of six and made our own

Camino Famílily. Very helpful before set off. Great accommodation and food. Some confusion with notes for arrival at hotels! - we could provide you with better notes!

Mrs Togher
Castles to Coast Walk
25/09/2018

Istria was a wonderfully unspoiled area, excellent for walking or cycling. Headwater’s walking instructions were clear and easy to follow. Would definitely holiday with Headwater again.

Dr Smith
Castles to Coast Walk
23/09/2018

Glorious holiday

Mr Campbell
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/09/2018

Everything we had hoped for. The selection of location, hotel, routes were all spot on.

We stayed at Ta' Cenc on Gozo and did the six walks recommended based in the one hotel in late September 2018. The hotel rooms are all on ground level surrounding the 3 pools and we ate outside under the massive ancient Carob tree. The walks were accurately described and we enjoyed the treasure hunt aspect of finding the next turning. We only went wrong once on the very first morning through hubris, swiftly learning to read the instructions carefully after assuming there was only one supermarket in the town and forgetting to read the name properly. The weather was hot and humid on the first two days and water and sun cream and headgear are essential. As is mosquito repellent. My wife was & bitten to death &, probably while eating our evening meals. Owing to the locals' penchant for shooting there were disappointingly few birds to be seen though we did spot plenty of Sardinian Warblers, a Honey Buzzard, a few Blue Rock Thrushes and a Tawney Pipit. It helped to have an appreciation of the various forms of limestone. Two of the walks are quite short and could be combined if necessary. Highlights for us were the locality around the hotel, Ta' Cenc is a nature reserve with fabulous sunsets and ancient cart ruts and dolmens scattered around. The local bay at Mgarr in Xini is great to swim, snorkel and dive off the rocks. The hotel minibus will take you there and back free of charge. The island bus service is superb, punctual and cheap. The Inland Sea near Fungus rock is also worth swimming in and take the boat trip through the cliff to the sea: the light filtering through azure water is stunning in the caves. The local cafe there had welcome and cheap beer and sandwiches. Marsalforn (not on a walk) is worth a visit as are the salt pans along the coast from there past Xweini Bay where we bought sea salt from Leli, who recently featured looking bemused on The Apprentice. Other must sees are The Citadel in Victoria and the ancient temple at Ta' Kola which can be combined with a tour of the restored windmill on the same ticket. All in all we loved it.

Ausden
Secrets of Sicily Walking
22/09/2018

All in all a good walking holiday, the walks were all generally very peaceful and unspoilt although they were probably a bit tougher than we anticipated but not excessively so. The welcome briefing at Scopello was very good but unfortunately due to flight arrival times had to be held on the morning of the second day which meant we didn’t start the Zingaro walk until 11am which is a bit late as it gets very hot and there is no shade worth talking of for the first 2-3 hours, that said it’s a great walk.

The accommodation is comfortable enough without being luxurious but is well located and the breakfasts perfectly good.

The side trips to Erice and Segesta were very good, take the cable car up to Erice from Trapani , unforgettable views.

We added 3 days in Palermo to take in the city which is wonderfully atmospheric, recommended way to finish off a lovely trip.

Mr Macleod
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
22/09/2018

Excellent holiday, food fantastic and Stefano was so enthusiastic about his cooking and the environment

Miss Saunders
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
22/09/2018

Lovely hotel with super friendly and helpful staff, especially Antonio the manager. Good food and the picnics are very good - a very large sandwich, 2 pieces of fruit, juice and water. You wont go hungry! The walks are great and we did them in the order that was recommended in the walking notes. If you want a day off from walking a day trip to Cordoba is well worth it. All the logistics went according to plan and we had an excellent holiday.

Mr Blair
Castles to Coast Walk
18/09/2018

The first walk was the longest and most arduous in the heat and would have been better on Day 2. Those in our group who had previous experience of your holidays would have rated the walks as 2 and a half boot standard rather than 2 boot. Overall it proved to be a very enjoyable holiday and we should like to receive your brochure for future possible holidays..

Mr Unwin
Castles to Coast Walk
18/09/2018

Holiday was excellent. Hotels well chosen and sited. Some walking was quite challenging for a group with 5 out of 6 members over 70 ! but, nevertheless, accurately described except for a stretch on the Day 5, Buzet Loop walk ( paragraph 3, page 14 ). Luka and Romina were excellent reps, charming and helpful. We teamed up with another delightful couple, Mr and Mrs Blair.

Mrs Choi
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
18/09/2018

If you just want to hike / trek without driving, this is definitely a good choice. However, it would be nice for Headwater to pick a hotel close to the village such that guests can easily stroll around on the rest day rather than book a taxi in order to go some places.

Ms Harrison
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
15/09/2018

An enjoyable week in an area of outstanding beauty. The hotel and food were excellent, and the fact that the cable car and bus pass travel were also included made this very good value for money.

Mrs Cooper
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
15/09/2018

We really enjoyed our self-guided walking holiday in the Dolomites because the possibilities each day were endless. With the hotel as our base and the excellent walking notes we were able to plan a varied programme. Having a bus/train pass and the timetables made planning easy. The local roads up to and above the tree line enabled days of walking amongst the peaks a real pleasure, with rugged, stunning mountain landscapes all around. The footpaths were almost empty and the peace of sitting in a high altitude meadow hearing only the birds and distant cow bells was truly relaxing. In the evenings we enjoyed the company of other self-guided holiday makers. The food at the hotel was excellent and the accommodation excellent. We would wholeheartedly recommend this holiday.

Ms Findlay
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
15/09/2018

This holiday was a great way to enjoy the Tuscan landscape, food, wine and local people. Really enjoyed the local countryside, villages and towns and came away feeling relaxed, well fed and keen to visit the area again.

Mrs Taylor
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/09/2018

Enjoyable and worry free as everything happened exactly inline with the planned agenda

Mr Magirr
Walking in the Venetian Hills
14/09/2018

Overall we had a really good week in the Euganean hills; the weather in late September was a bit warmer than we had expected and this made the walking slightly more strenuous and the insects were numerous - take plenty of repellent! The accommodation does vary quite a lot; the Villa Lussana is excellent, everything works and the food and service are all you could hope for. Il Feudo is fairly basic, though the staff are friendly. Villa del Poeta was very good, excellent food and service however they do often host weddings at the weekend which can be noisy. Our least favourite was the Belvedere.

The walking is very good and the directions generally ok though we found having a GPS device useful at times. James our rep was extremely helpful with transfers, advice and updates on routes. There were plenty of suggestions for rest days - our favourite was visiting the Villa di Vescovi from Teolo.....where we were able to use our National Trust cards; the villa is magnificent - but check opening hours as its not open every day.

Mr Mathieson
Marvels of Madeira Walk
13/09/2018

Some walks on this holiday were slightly more challenging than anticipated, but perhaps that reflects our age and fitness. The fact that most walks require a taxi pick up at the end does add a little pressure and reduces the time available to stand and appreciate the surroundings. We learned that we prefer open-ended walks that end at hotels so that we can walk at our own pace. When walking in an area for the first time you don't really know how long a walk is likely to take so having to pre-arrange taxi pick ups was an added anxiety for us.

Mr Gaskell
Marvels of Madeira Walk
13/09/2018

A compact week of relatively straightforward walking of moderate difficulty. The itinerary was accurate, as were all pickup/transfer timings.

Mrs Greenbank
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
12/09/2018

Wonderful area, ideal for walking with hotels of character and many places to visit.

Mrs Griffiths
Secrets of Sicily Walking
11/09/2018

Enjoyable walking holiday with suitable options provided.

Mr Lambert
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
11/09/2018

Beautiful situation, friendly staff and great food, with access to some lovely walks - similar to walking in the Lake District so bear in mind the effect of the heat!

Mr Brosinovich
The Amalfi Coast Walk
10/09/2018

This was our third walking holiday you have organised on our behalf and we have enjoyed all of them. Accommodation has always been good and standards generally very high.

All the drivers/taxis employed were all well turned out, helpful and on time.

Mr Joyce
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
10/09/2018

Our first Headwater holiday: beautiful, fascinating countryside, and comfortable, friendly hotels with superb pools to relax in at the end of a day's walking.

Mr Armstrong
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
10/09/2018

Wonderful accommodation, very helpful and friendly reps in Phaedra and Paul.

Mr Thornton
Walking in the Venetian Hills
10/09/2018

A lovely combination of stretching but not impossible walking, lovely unknown countryside, and fine food.

Mrs Skinner
Chianti Classic Walk
10/09/2018

It was an excellent introduction to walking holidays abroad, we will be returning to Italy with Headwater next year. There was a good variety in the countryside experience during the walks. On the whole the hotels and food were good. The only negative issue was at Relais della Rovere where the restaurant was taken over by a large bus tour party of Koreans.

Mrs Pearson
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
09/09/2018

A quiet, remote area of Spain yet full of interest. We visited three outstanding cities, all within driving distance - Avila, Sevogia and Salamanca. We interspersed these visits with walking days in the remote and beautiful countryside around the hotel. The hotel provided picnics which were delicious and the hotel food and local wine was outstanding.

Mr Dey
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
08/09/2018

This was not just a fantastic location for a walking holiday - buses/trains cable cars within easy reach, but an amazing hotel as well - both in therms of location and view.. Although only allocated 3* the food and service were simply exemplary - 4 course, exquisite meals each night using local produce and very imaginative menus. The ability to make your own lunch pack up each day was great and not something we have seen before. This is a hotel that goes the extra mile (well kilometre) and so deserves to be successful. A real gem!

Mr Riddell
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
08/09/2018

Excellent holiday. Stunning scenery and great walks. Every day seemed to offer something different. Challenging at times but nothing over and above the ratings provided. Excellent, detailed and easy to follow route instructions.

Mr Kennedy
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
08/09/2018

Spectacular part of the world. Excellent walking with very accurate route notes. Hotel was perfect - great service and brilliant food every night, with a great choice of wines ( including local wines). We will definitely return as there are many more walks.

Mrs Mcdonagh
Secrets of Sicily Walking
08/09/2018

This was an excellent holiday and the 3 days in Marettimo were just THE BEST!

Mr Reeves
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
08/09/2018

This was a wonderful experience of rural Tuscany in a delightful Agriturismo with fantastic food and staff who made you feel very welcome. Stefano was very helpful in organising our walks and tailoring them to suit all abilities. This was one of our best holidays and we would really recommend this lovely corner of Tuscany.

Mr Lovell
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
08/09/2018

Flexibility of walks during the week was a real positive. Hot days were catered for by Stefano and option to not walk at all was great. Additional Wine tasting, cooking and Spa gave good variety as well

Mr Munden
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
08/09/2018

A glorious experience of real rural Tuscany in every way. The staff made you feel part of the family and Stefano in particular made sure every aspect of the holiday was tailor made for each person. Couldn't have been better.

Ms Hoggan
Walking in the Venetian Hills
08/09/2018

First time with Headwater, didn't know what to expect , had a fantastic time, thought the moderate title was a little under exaggerated , there were some steep climbs but overall we had a laugh getting lost a few times but always found our way to the next hotel, didn't feel guilty eating all the lovely food and drinking the best procecco as we had earned it. Will be booking again in the future but

With less hills.

Mr Slater
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
07/09/2018

A beautiful location for lovers of alpine walking.

Mrs Pizzoni
Castles to Coast Walk
04/09/2018

Istrian Peninsula in Croatia is like stepping back in time. Friendly people, unspoilt countryside and abundance of flora and fauna. Beautiful contrasts of hills and coastal walks and well worth visiting.

Mr Hewson
Dordogne River Walk
04/09/2018

Wonderful walking in picturesque varied countryside with many historical features. Ample shade. Hotels luxurious and/or extremely comfortable with delicious food.

Mr Duncan
Walking in the Venetian Hills
04/09/2018

Another excellent holiday with Headwater. Our Manager James was one of the best we have experienced with Headwater. Nothing was too much trouble and he provided very useful information at our introductory meeting. Hopefully we will be fit enough to embark on another walking holiday with Headwater in future .

Mr Pederson
The Amalfi Coast Walk
03/09/2018

Hotel choice's were all good except for one ( Punta Campanella Resort). The text provided for the hike directions were excellent and we would definitely have got lost without it. All transfer pickup's and baggage delivery between hotels were on time which made the whole trip a absolute pleasure. Overall a well organised holiday which I would highly recommend to anyone wishing to hike the region.

Mr Brown
The Amalfi Coast Walk
03/09/2018

An enjoyable holiday. The weather was marvellous. The accommodation was very comfortable. However, our experience was marred by my wife’s injury. Positano was very busy.

Mr Clayton
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
01/09/2018

A brilliant service. Absolutely stunning.

The fine detail of choosing the hotels is excellent. Your website is easy to navigate and find fine details of holidays on offer.

I would throughly my reccoment Headwater to anyone wanting a specialist holiday.

Mrs Tallis
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
01/09/2018

Zuheros is a lovely, very quiet village in the Andalucian hills. The villagers offer a friendly "Buena Día" when you pass them in the street. The hotel Zuhayra offers friendly and helpful service.

Mr Ekers
Dordogne River Walk
25/08/2018

Wonderful trip! Everything was so well set up for- transfers, trip notes etc. The walks themselves were stunning, and it was amazing to jump into the pool at the end of the day. A great way to see the Dordogne and experience a different part of France.

Mrs Beighton
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/08/2018

We enjoyed good weather, varied interesting levada walks, friendly staff and very good hotels

Mrs Mcnamara
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/08/2018

This was our first hiking holiday with Headwater and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Despite the changing weather, we were able to choose a suitable hike for each day because of the range of hiking notes supplied by Headwater. The Park Hotel Bellevue was excellent - friendly and helpful staff, comfortable rooms, convenient location (especially for trains and buses) and amazing food. We paired this holiday with a cycling trip (Dolomites to Lake Garda), which started in the adjacent town. This gave us an extra day of hiking as our transfer between hotels took about 10 minutes by taxi. We would highly recommend this holiday.

Mrs Crump
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
13/08/2018

An amazing holiday exploring a hidden gem surrounded by beautiful vineyards and hazelnut groves. The walking routes were easy to follow a bit like being on a daily treasure hunt and we felt extremely rewarded to be greeted by a range of luxury hotels nestled on sun soaked Italian hills. Most days we managed to cool off in a pool usually with hardly a soul in sight. The gastronomic dinners were simply out of this world full of fresh ingredients and plenty of surprises. The wine, although not cheap, was truly exceptional ... the best we have ever had. This was quite simply the holiday of a lifetime for those who enjoy the finer things in life.

Mr Murdoch
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
11/08/2018

A superb introduction to walking in the Swiss Alps. Great use of cable cars/gondolas to allow access to higher level walking experience. Fabulous food and friendly service at Alfa Soleil

Mrs Chapman
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
11/08/2018

Headwater were very accommodating to us, helping us to arrange our walking holiday to slot in between our plans to visit other areas in the same country during an extended stay. It was all very easy and everything worked very well. The hotel was lovely and in a great location. Our holiday was well organised and we had a very enjoyable time.

Mrs Hinson
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
05/08/2018

Impeccable organisation - everything arranged to perfection!

Mr Mcshane
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
03/08/2018

Excellent holiday in the Swiss Alps. Scenery stunning and enough accessible walking for those of average fitness for at least 5 days - easily more. Notes were helpful and clear. Accommodation excellent - get a balcony room at the front of the Alfa Soleil Hotel for stunning views every morning - worth the extra. Food is very good/excellent and far beyond what you would expect from a 3 star hotel. The picnic system works well as you will be spending 4 - 7 hours a day walking. Easy to add more distance to the walks and well signposted hiking trails mean you are not restricted to the walks provided. Kandersteg is slightly less touristy than Murren and similar resorts, but the mountains in this valley are, perhaps, slightly less dramatic.

Given that Switzerland is notoriously expensive - this holiday represents very good value for money.

Great holiday , very relaxing , walks well written and organised , made our first trip to the Lake district memorable and we will be back.

Mr Elmes
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/08/2018

Super location - was concerned that being in a single location might be limiting but there is a wide range of different walks on offer.

Mrs Croucher
Marvels of Madeira Walk
01/08/2018

We travelled as a group of 6 friends . Unable to get first hotel as booked. Very well organised transport. Very surprised Porto Bay Serra Golf had no air con. Helpful staff but over stretched.

Mr Weight
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
28/07/2018

Stunning weather helped make this a memorable walking holiday in the beautiful Swiss Alps. The food and staff at the Hotel Alfa Soleil were excellent.

Mrs Lester
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
28/07/2018

Very well organised with comprehensive walking guides and maps, more walking options than days which was good, walking guides may benefit from a diagrammatic form of ascent and descent.

Mrs Love-Fordham
Walking the Kerry Way and Killarney N.P.
27/07/2018

This was our eighth hike or bike with Headwater. We have enjoyed them all, but it was my first time to Ireland and I am absolutely in love! The hikes were incredible with outrageously beautiful views. The walks aren't particularly hard, but they are long and without stayput days to rest, it is tiring. If I were to do it again, I would opt for in a few extra stayput days here and there just so I could sleep in and spend more time exploring the villages. The local people were friendly and helpful - go sit at the bar in any pub and you will make instant friends. The little villages were fun to explore. The food was great and I really did not expect that! One thing to note... make sure your rain gear is working - get in the shower with it before you pack and make sure it is still waterproof! It rains a lot in Ireland and you are bound to get a shower now and then - even a cloud burst that lasts just a few minutes. We had two and they were actually a lot of fun! But the weather is wonderfully cool even when sunny and even the rain is just part of the experience. I would go again today if work didn't get in the way! It was wonderful. I think it is my favorite trip so far!

Mr Spruce
Catalan Classic Walk
24/07/2018

Great walking in a lovely area. Accommodation excellent; allowing us to relax in comfort after a long day's walking. The Headwater team are excellent; everything (all booking arrangements, support from local guide) ran perfectly smoothly.

An all-around enjoyable experience. Rep, Karen, was really welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable which was a great start. The Wordsworth Hotel was comfortable and spacious,with great facilities, food and service - a great start to our holiday. The Queens Head Inn was a great choice of accommodation and the room was perfect - a fabulous place to end our holiday as the upgrade was great. However The Lakeland was a disappointment as the room was supposed to be an upgrade but fell very short. No space or facilities. It was incredibly impersonal with poor service. The staff were more interested in their shop customers. We are still waiting on the toast!

The walks were well graded, with excellently detailed guidance notes. There was room for subjectivity at times but back up maps sorted that.

Transfers and parking was straightforward too.

Booking staff were very helpful, pleasant and patient. I would recommend Headwater Holidays as everything went so smoothly, the walks were most enjoyable with beautiful, not too remote routes that were also not too inhabited.

Miss Cody
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
22/07/2018

The arrangements, hotels and restaurants were all excellent, with some meals even better than expected, and everything went without a hitch so we had a terrific time.

Greening
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
21/07/2018

Epic walking holiday in Switzerland, a week of gentle hiking at our own pace with the most superb mountain and lakeside views

coupled with excellent accommodation, service and a la carte food at the Alfa Soleil Hotel in Kandersteg. It was was wonderful.

Mrs Delderfield
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
21/07/2018

Wonderful holiday - one of our best. Great walks - varied and accurate. Organisation by Headwater was good. Would certainly consider going with them again.

Miss Cowan
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
21/07/2018

The Dolomites are a spectacular walking destination and there are a range of different walks on offer. The notes for each are extremely detailed and all information os provided, even down to exactly which bus to take and where to get off. The descriptions en-route are very detailed and the local signage is great. The scenery is superb and the range of walks is excellent - I would definitely recommend this self-guided trip with Headwater to anyone wishing to walk in the Dolomites. Gondolas are an additional cost. Returning to the Parkhotel Bellevue every day is a treat. This family run hotel provides extremely attentive service, the food is quite simply delicious! And relaxing in the spa helps ease those tired muscles or sore feet. If you are thinking of the Dolomites then I would definitely recommend this trip and this hotel. Headwater were extremely helpful in planning our itinerary given we were travelling from different locations and adding on our own independent stay in Italy. It was no hassle to consider the different flight options available to us. All information communicated was detailed, relevant and reliable. Headwater are extremely competent and professional and put together great itineraries.

Mr Cheater
Castles to Coast Walk
21/07/2018

Avoid July August -too hot for walking

We spent a really good week in the Lake District walking from village to village. Having our luggage transported from place to place was a real luxury. We were a bit unsure about how our children would cope with the walking. But this proved to be no problem at all, and they were ahead of us most of the time. The one day that we hadn't done our studying of maps and walking instructions properly, we managed to get lost. So, do your homework before leaving the house! We all really loved the last stop on our trip: The Queen's Head Inn, Hawkshead. Great team running the place and the food was amazing! Would travel with Headwater again if we have the chance to do so.

Mrs Coulson
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
14/07/2018

This is an excellent holiday in that you are located in a quiet valley with mountains all around and easy access to them via public transport and cable cars. There is a good range of walks of different grade ( not all of which are advertised by Headwater). the tourist information locally is excellent, the people are friendly and the Alfa Soleil hotel is a good base (with excellent food!). However, Switzerland is expensive! But the all-inclusive nature of the Headwater package overcomes this - it's good value!

Mrs Hunt
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
14/07/2018

Very enjoyable walking holiday. The only issue we had was the walk to Blausée which was not a good walk and a very long uphill Walk on the way back. We caught the bus but did no have the right bus pass with us. It would be worth putting in the notes that the

Card used for the lift pass is also valid for the buses.





Mrs Mousley
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
12/07/2018

Having a challenge, along with rest days at lovely comfortable hotels was just the ticket. A super holiday which we hope to do again in a new location.

I thought the hotel was excellent and Dobbiaco was a good base for exploring the north eastern Dolomites. The walks were interesting and well-described. The best walks required public transport which I found to be convenient and reliable though sometimes crowded.

Mrs North
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/07/2018

Excellent holiday in beautiful countryside. Even though we walk regularly the walks were on the tough side for two people over 75,! The plus sign after the 1 was obviously very significant! There was however scope for visiting nearby cities or exploring the countryside by bus instead of doing all the walks. We appreciated a short alternative walk for the last day. This holiday was recommended to us by a couple we met on a previous holiday. It took us 3 years before we booked it but were very glad that we eventually did.

Headwater have always provided very, very detailed walking guides and we can always rely on those notes - never a tree, a gate, or a stone out of place!

Mrs Birchenough
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
01/07/2018

On our arrival we were upgraded to a lovely room, (the Manhattan), it had great views, with a balcony overlooking the mountains. The room was very spacious and had a nice sitting area. The hotel was quite spacious with plenty of inside and outside sitting areas and a bar. The staff were always helpful and friendly and I felt they wanted to make our stay enjoyable. Daniel is particularly helpful with any problem.

There was a good choice of food from the menu in the evening,both meat, fish and vegetarian options and many chocolate deserts. Our picnic lunches were exceptional, with fruit, nuts, salads and enormous baguettes of many varied fillings. I would highly recommend these if you are walking all day. The walks are very good. We wrote in their book where the instructions could be improved/updated.

Mr Young
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
30/06/2018

We would very much recommend Classic Swiss Alps Walks to anyone who enjoys walking in superb mountain scenery. The hotel accommodation and food were excellent to complete a terrific holiday.

Mr Miller
Marvels of Madeira Walk
29/06/2018

Was a first-timer both to Headwater and Madeira. Thought walking would be the best way to get to know the island. There wasn`t a small group holiday so decided to go for self-guided holiday. Apart from the issue of the single-supplement there were no problems. Everything went smoothly throughout the holiday and I was in a position to contact Eduardo the local rep at any time if I needed too. Hotels were excellent in terms of location and food, and service. Especially enjoyed Madeiran specialities such as scabbard fish with bananas! Route notes and maps made the walks simple to negotiate. Good variety in the walks, though three levada walks was enough and glad I took the St Lawrence Peninsula walk as my optional walk as this covered very different terrain. Although I travelled on my own met up with other Headwater walkers on both the walks and in the hotels and enjoyed their company. Of course, the excellent weather helped immensely and walking in the clouds on one of the levada trails was a welcome break from the sun. Last 24 hours in Funchal was great way to end the holiday with sightseeing in the old town, and cable cars to the Tropical Gardens and Botanical Garden. Can recommend the holiday both to single travellers and others. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back for more with Headwater.

Mr Allen
Castles to Coast Walk
26/06/2018

We had perfect walking weather at the end of June; a mixture of cloudy and sunny days and not too hot temperatures. The three hotels were of a very high standard and each was in a good location for the walks, albeit the first two are at the top of steep hills which could be a challenge at the end of a day’s walk. The Hotel Kastel in Motovun had superb views and facilities. The packed lunch from here could have fed a family! Its star rating does not really do it justice. Buzet as a town has little to offer apart from the lovely Vela Vrata Hotel and the Melody bar and terrace next door. In addition to the indoor pool you can privately reserve a time in a separate jacuzzi which was bliss after a walk! The Sveti Jakob Hotel in Opatija was in the heart of the town, next to a pretty garden. Breakfast on its terrace was lovely. It has little outdoor space to relax in though apart from the terrace. You can however use all the facilities- pool, sun beds and parasols etc at its sister hotel, the Milenji 100 yards down the road and we were made welcome there. Notes for the holiday were excellent; the best we’ve had in our nine Headwater holidays. Romina the local agent was superb; we could not fault her at all. The taxi company used for transfers to and from the airport was of a very high standard; both drivers were friendly and welcoming. They became part of our holiday and we enjoyed our conversations with them....

Mrs Attwood
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
26/06/2018

Our first trip to Provence. Lovely walking, hotels and food. It was hot!

My friend and I booked our Literary Walking in the Lake District Holiday as a celebration of our 50th birthdays. From the moment I began inquiring via email to the moment we left on the train out of Windermere, we felt valued and respected. Our booking experience was great - Joanne answered all my questions clearly and patiently. Transfers from the train station went smoothly and our taxi drivers were great. Every accommodation was clean, comfortable and unique and all the food was wonderful. Our printed directions were amazingly detailed and accurate - we had no issues finding our way around and the maps were very helpful too. Karen Wigglesworth was very friendly and genuine. She gave us plenty of information and suggestions to make our holiday the best it could be. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would do it again in a heartbeat! If only we could book every year! We were also extraordinarily lucky with the weather - a heat wave the Lake District hadn't experienced in years! Beautiful scenery, uncrowded trails, varied terrain - it was all wonderful! Thank you for helping make our birthday celebration unforgettable!

Mr Dey
The Amalfi Coast Walk
25/06/2018

We have traveled widely in Europe and further afield with the experiences of this holiday rating as good if not better than any others. Well done Headwater.

Mr Saunders
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/06/2018

Our visit visit to the Dolomites, it won't be our last. Lovely area and first class support all round.

Mr Macdonald
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
24/06/2018

A hugely enjoyable waking holiday in Tuscany staying at excellent hotels in beautiful hilltop town locations. Reps were excellent and the walks enjoyable.

Mr Firth
Chianti Classic Walk
24/06/2018

Our holiday was a good balance of walking days and free sightseeing days, giving us the opportunity to visit Sienna and Florence as well as completing over 70km of self-guided walking. We were pleased to have the very agreeable company of 5 others who were on similar holidays. The weather was as hot as expected but the first walk ended in a thunderstorm which none of us were properly prepared for as we arrived at our hotel completely soaked. The remaining days were dry and sunny except for the last which was mainly cloudy - which we were grateful for as it was the longest and most tiring. The routes passed through very varied countryside and villages, and the stopovers were all in small towns which were very enjoyable to explore. The self-guiding notes were very detailed and easy to follow, except for a very few places where they were ambiguous or misleading but none of us got seriously lost or delayed more than a few minutes. Accommodation, hospitality and food were all of high standard.

Mr Ellerington
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
22/06/2018

An excellent opportunity to see areas in depth on walks with very good arrangements and comfortable accommodation.

June is probably too late for the recommended walks. Due to heavy use of the beaches it was not possible to take the car to the starting points of the coastal walks which meant we had to change the route. The latter was fairly straightforward as the cami way signs are excellent. Driving in Menorca is easy however the side roads are very narrow with high stone walls up to the verge. We had a polo which was very good but I thought a Fiat 500 would have been easier. The Hotel is very good and the staff very friendly and helpful. We were disappointed in the dinners which were a set menu. Two meals consisted steak and pork both of which were extremely tough and not enjoyable. The breakfasts were excellent and the wines very good and well priced. We would be pleased to return to Menorca.

Mr Keeley
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
16/06/2018

An excellent holiday with all the arrangements working like clockwork. The notes for walks were very well prepared. We had a most enjoyable time.

Mr Smith
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
16/06/2018

A picturesque part of France, with vineyards and Lavender fields, Ochre coloured soil, and Rose wines to complement flavourful food. Heaven.

The countryside and views were like out of a fairytale. Sheep grazing on the hills, beautiful cottages along the way and fragrant woods to walk through. This holiday is for anyone who needs to slow down and forget modern life. The quality of the food and beer offered at various pubs along the way made it even better!

Mr Wright
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/06/2018

Outstanding holiday in a part of Italy we've only driven through in the past on the way further south. The walking was not too strenuous, though the temperature and inevitable hill at the end of every day's walking added to the challenge. The hotels and restaurants were all excellent, and local wines helped remove the pains of the days walking. Very friendly staff in all the hotels and restaurants visited.

The reps - Luke and Eleanor - were excellent; very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, adjusting their schedule to fit in with our changing requirements. I came home totally refreshed, half a stone heavier and already looking forward to returning.

Mrs Barrowcliffe
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/06/2018

This holiday is described as 'gastronomic' and it certainly delivers. The fine food and top quality wine mean that every meal is a delight, although visitors will need to recognise that Barolo and Barbaresco wines have a hefty price tag.

Mr Housden
Chianti Classic Walk
10/06/2018

One of the easiest holiday operators ever used. Great responses from all staff contacted both at home and on holiday.

Mr Eamer
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
09/06/2018

Expert arrangements that leave enough flexibility for individual nuance.

Beautiful countryside, dramatic coast line, wonderful walking often with historical interest. Brilliant located hotel and tremendous service. First visit to Menorca, fallen in love with this friendly beautiful island.

Mrs Walker
Catalan Coastal Walk
08/06/2018

We really enjoyed our holiday. We could not fault the service received at any of the hotels and the driver Fransisco was very helpful. Due to the heat we found some of the walks a bit challenging but the scenery is stunning. We were able to get into the sea at the end of a couple of the walks which was very welcoming. We used the pool at Vilamont Spa. Salvador Dali's house was very interesting and worth the visit. On the last day we had time to go to the tortoise sanctuary which if one has the time is worth the visit.

Mrs Freeman
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
08/06/2018

Very well organised holiday in a beautiful part of Italy. Paul and Pheodra were very helpful and nothing was too much trouble.

Mr Macnaughton
Secrets of Sicily Walking
03/06/2018

The most relaxing active holidays you can have.

Mr Thompson Ashby
Catalan Classic Walk
02/06/2018

Another enjoyable holiday and we are keen to do more.

Mr Winskill
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
02/06/2018

We have done two walking holidays with Headwater and both have been excellent. The walking instructions and directions are clear and they often add useful additional information about the walk you are on.

Mr Peters
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
02/06/2018

A well organised break with great walks and excellent accommodation. 5* food at a lovely 3* hotel.

Mrs Price
Secrets of Sicily Walking
02/06/2018

We really enjoyed our walking in Sicily. The notes were clear and good with adequate warnings about some trickier paths to negotiate.

We especially liked our stay on Marettimo as well as the walking there. Filippo was a friendly informative rep from the agency in Palermo and we had excellent help, support and advice from Nicola the local driver who arrived punctually and drove us carefully for all our journeys. One of the best Headwater holidays we have had.

Mrs Hansen
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
02/06/2018

The holiday exceeded all our expectations! Headwater had organised everything perfectly and there were no problems at all. The hotels were all extremely comfortable, most had large grounds for you to spend time in. The swimming pools were a welcome treat after a day of walking. Breakfasts were all delicious, with a large variety of food to choose from. The instructions for the walks were well explained and my daughter and I had no problems following them. We walked through magnificent scenery, and visited beautiful old towns. I would highly recommend this walk and Headwater. I will definitely be travelling with Headwater again in the future.

Mrs Williamson
Walking the Camino de Santiago
02/06/2018

Wonderfully organised and relaxing holiday, apart from the challenge of walking every day, which is what we paid for!! Thank you!

Mr Weaver
Walking in the Venetian Hills
27/05/2018

We enjoyed our holiday in the Euganean hills. Even at the end of May/first few days of June, the temperatures were pushing 30 degrees most days, which made the walks a little more demanding than we had expected, but as occasional walkers there was nothing that pushed us too much, however we used walking poles and would not have wanted to be without them. The scenery was magnificent and the views were always worth the effort of any climb.

Accommodation and food was of a good standard, particularly Hotel Villa del Poeta, where Carla and the restaurant staff provided outstanding service to match the excellent food. The only downside to Villa del Poeta is that the restaurant is closed on a Monday and if James hadn’t been kind enough to ferry us to and from the (very good) local restaurant that provided dinner that night, I don’t believe we would have enjoyed the walk back in the dark, as the hotel is a little way outside of town.

A mention should also go to Villa Lussana for excellent comfort, food and hospitality. As others have mentioned it is a pity about the motorbike noise from the cafe opposite, although we were there on a public holiday weekend, so perhaps our experience was not typical.

Route notes were generally very good but it was a pity that the route shown on the map provided was not totally accurate, causing a little doubt and confusion during one of our walks.

Mr Sainsbury
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
26/05/2018

This was a great introduction to walking in Switzerland.

Mrs Paton
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
26/05/2018

Stephano was a wonderful host, couldn't be more welcoming or helpful and we had a wonderful Tuscany experience. Had time to soak up the wild flowers , butterflies and wonderful aroma of the countryside.

Mr Herklots
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
26/05/2018

The two weekest points were 1) - The arrangements with B.A. Both the Outgoing and Return journeys failed to allocate adjacent seats and the initial lack of a Boarding or Check-In document for the Return journey did cause us some concern. and 2) Details for the suggested walks for 5 days were quite difficult to follow.

Mr Hopps
Marvels of Madeira Walk
25/05/2018

Didn't really like Madeira - we knew it was an elderly destination but not quite so starkly. This should be advised. Funchal has little to commend it. Conclusions partly influenced by poor weather and a fall on a levada which laid me up for most of the week but have tried to take that into consideration.

A great holiday; a wonderful way to see unspoilt parts of this popular island holiday destination. Would love to return and explore more on foot.

Mrs Dick
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
23/05/2018

This was a most enjoyable holiday. Piedmont is a beautiful area and was especially lovely in May when we visited - all very green and fresh.

Mr Kerr
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
23/05/2018

We had a fabulous week's walking through vineyards, orchards and hazelnut groves. The scenery is beautiful, the people friendly and welcoming and the food and wine superb. The walking itself was very enjoyable and not too difficult, and there were plenty of places along the way to stop and rest if we wanted to. The walking notes were excellent and our reps, Luke & Eleanor, were brilliant and helpful.

A really enjoyable holiday on a beautiful island and staying at a lovely hotel

Mr Coe
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/05/2018

Madeira is a fantasy island, with outstanding scenery and interesting walking. Some of the walking is challenging: almost the only flat routes are the levadas, and the hills are steep. The levadas themselves have spectacular views, and whilst level are sometimes testing as they can be narrow and uneven, but ultimately extremely rewarding. In May the weather is mild but some rain can be expected, so a waterproof jacket is essential. The Headwater hotels are all excellent, and people in general are friendly and helpful. Thoroughly recommended.

Mrs Marsh
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
21/05/2018

From the start to the end this was a very relaxing holiday, every day somewhere new to visit, great hotels and swimming pools, and lovely food.

Mrs Broadhead
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
21/05/2018

Excellent - well organised - good hotels

Mrs Allen
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
21/05/2018

Our walking holiday was at the end of May, and there had been an unusual amount of wet weather before we arrived. We walked through the rain on our first day, which wasn't too bad as it wasn't cold. From then on, the weather improved considerably.

Due to the heavy rain, some parts of our route, which involved crossing rivers on stepping stones, were not safe. Paul and Phaedra did an excellent job of keeping an eye on our route and letting us know whether each section was safe or not, due to the extraordinary weather conditions. They really were looking out for us and our safety and were able to provide us with an alternative route.

The scenery was stunning and the routes very enjoyable. We were amazed at how few people we passed along the way; we felt like we had the place to ourselves! There was an abundance of poppies and other interesting wild flowers. Every day we could hear nightingales singing, and we also heard golden oriels, hoopoes and cuckoos. We were delighted to sit on a shady bank and watch a flock of bee-eaters (stunningly colourful birds) displaying for us.

On the whole, the hotels were very good with comfortable beds and welcoming staff. The Tuscan food was delicious, and most of the locals were very welcoming and friendly. We also enjoyed a day in Siena, which is quite do-able in a day, and only a short bus journey from Colle Val d'Elsa.

We appreciated the fact that, on this holiday, the distances walked were built up over the week, so that the longest and probably the toughest day was the last day, with the longest climb. We felt comfortably challenged; there is plenty of time to cover the distances, and we enjoyed taking our time and stopping to admire the views or have a closer look at the wild flowers...or pick and eat some wild cherries!

We were very well looked after by Paul and Phaedra, our reps, and we are very grateful to them for their care and attention, which definitely added to our overall enjoyment of the holiday.

Mrs Citron
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
19/05/2018

Excellent walking in unusual destination . Brilliant accommodation

Mrs Dakeyne
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
19/05/2018

Wonderful tranquil location and excellent helpful staff at the hotel. Walking notes provided are very out of date however and we would recommend using the hotel walking notes instead which are very detailed.

Ms Pilgrim
Walking in the Venetian Hills
19/05/2018

Beautiful hilly countryside and plenty of variety of terrain on the walks. The best Prosecco ever! We recommend an extended stay in Venice.

Mr Newmarch
Walking the Algarve's South West
19/05/2018

Walking routes were about right distance. Temperatures were ideal for walking. On a few routes the paths were very rocky so a bit hard for a while.but generally quite comfortable. On balance 10 days with 3 stays in Sagres was probably a bit long in one place. I would recommend 8 days as length for this holiday.

Mrs Hartley
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
17/05/2018

Enjoyable walking with impeccable backup. The icing on the cake for us was exploring fascinating villages on the non-walking days.

We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to Menorca. The walks weren't at all challenging but can be sometimes rocky underfoot. The wild flowers in May were exceptional, the coastal views were stunning and the weather was ideal for walking. We completed all the walks except the Mahon city walk and enjoyed all but the Punta Prima walk had long stretches between two high walls. We extended our stay to 10 nights which allowed us to do an extra walk of our own in the natural park of Es Grau. This we would definitely recommend as it is so unspoilt. Park at Es Grau and call for a taxi to Favaritx and walk south back along the coast to Es Grau. This was one of our two favourites, the other being the north coastal walk. The hotel was charming, the staff helpful, the food was excellent quality but the choice was limited to two per course as there was no a la carte in May. The last few miles of driving to the hotel is reminiscent of those narrow Cornish lanes with high rugged stone walls and blind bends.

Ms Herkess
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
15/05/2018

We had a lovely time, there were 8 of us that booked together and we loved the walk! The scenery was gorgeous with the most beautiful wild flowers everywhere.



Mr Everett
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
15/05/2018

We had a good holiday somewhat marred by poor direction notes, that were unclear and didn’t contain enough distance references. Also the choice of accommodation and scheduled rest days wasn’t given much thought and could have been much better.

Mr Purseglove
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
15/05/2018

My wife and I really enjoyed our first Headwater walking holiday. Italy always delivers wherever we go and being steered towards some seriously good dining experiences was excellent. We had a couple of inclement weather days but not really a problem other than the odd bit of mud. The only slight negative was our meal at Villa d’Amelia on the first night was excellent but eight days later we were a little disappointed the menu was repeated and perhaps not quite as well executed. It was still very good though.

Our reps, Luke and Eleanor, went out of their way to ensure we were enjoying ourselves and seemed to enjoy sharing everyone’s feedback. We met several personalities on the way and as such, have made some very good memories. Thank you Headwater and particularly Luke and Nell :)

Mrs Henneker
The Amalfi Coast Walk
14/05/2018

Headwater were extremely professional. Everything ran smoothly with pick ups, accommodation and trip notes. The trip notes on the Day 3 (Amalfi Coast Walk) which was substituted for the Walk of the Gods (officially closed) were a little confusing and unclear but that is the only complaint we have. The drivers were fantastic always on time and very helpful and friendly with nice clean vehicles.

Mrs Mckinnon
The Amalfi Coast Walk
14/05/2018

Headwater is a very professional company to deal with and our holiday more than met our expectations,we enjoyed every minute of our trip to the Amalfi Coast and we look forward to our next Headeater adventure !!

Mrs Loaring
Dordogne River Walk
13/05/2018

Very well planned and organised by knowledgable and helpful staff. Route notes generally accurate and helpful, although the wording can at times be confusing and imprecise as can some of the distances between way marks. The degree of difficulty on some days is under estimated and had we not been as fit as we are,we may have struggled with some of the climbs.. The local reps were superb, always charming, helpful, patient and totally reliable. Nothing was ever too much trouble for them. All of the hotels were excellent and two in particular were superb, both in terms of the cuisine and the rooms that we were accommodated in. However, in two hotels the menu did not change from day to day, and therefore, as non meat eaters we were limited to having the same meals on consecutive evenings; particularly as there were no vegetarian options and only one type of fish (which my wife does not like) available. The walk routes were glorious, beautiful scenery, varied terrain, and wonderful spring flowers (particularly many and varied orchids).

Great walking in a beautiful part of Portugal. Stunning beaches and a landscape carpeted in an array of colourful wild flowers. The most enjoyable walking holiday we've been on! The route notes were excellent. Tony and Ludmilla were perfect reps, happy to accomodate any changes we wanted, were very attentive and a great source of local information, couldn't have been more helpful.

Ms Earl
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
12/05/2018

An experience to treasure. Learned about the people and the area; enjoyed seeing how the farm was organised and how the 'slow food'/organic methods benefit the community.

Fantastic local produce including the wines. Walking routes were challenging but offered a real sense of achievement. Such a beautiful, sensuous region. Did not want to leave!

The walk from Leon to Santiago started as a series of walks but developed into a pilgrimage of sorts as we and the walkers around us (who we'd bump into regularly) were immersed in the journey that so many hundreds of thousands of people have made for centuries. It was a wonderful feeling when we arrived in Santiago di Compostela

Mr Valentine
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
11/05/2018

A good walking experience in a scenic environment.

Mr Griffiths
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
11/05/2018

This holiday far exceeded my expectations. The hotels and restaurants were all first class, the scenery spectacular and the walks enjoyable but not too demanding. The Villa Beccaris is possibly the best hotel we've ever stayed in.

Mrs Lawson
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
11/05/2018

A fabulous region to walk and appreciate the countryside, weather, people and location of fairytale castles, sumptuous hotels and Michelin food. Service and attention to detail couldn't be faulted in each hotel and restaurant and knowing the lovely Headwater couple who,looked after us were always on hand if we needed any help.

Miss Deadman
Walking in the Venetian Hills
11/05/2018

We had a very enjoyable walking holiday in Northern Italy which was absolutely stunning. The walks were varied and interesting and notes clear.

The holiday was excellent, thoroughly enjoyed it. Well organised, fantastic accomodation. Will definately book again through Headwater

Mrs Strong
Catalan Classic Walk
07/05/2018

For the money, the holiday could have been longer. 3 hotels of which only 2 provided evening meals. In previous years we have had 4 hotels and an additional days walking. Route notes very good and local information.

Mrs Mills
The Amalfi Coast Walk
07/05/2018

A very enjoyable holiday walking through beautiful unspoiled countryside with abundant wild flowers and endless lemon groves and olives. The walk descriptions were very detailed, the hotels of a good standard and the transfers punctual with good quality transport. The customer service provided by Headwater was excellent.





Mr Mitchell
Walking the Algarve's South West
07/05/2018

Excellent package, walking one day, then day free. Good walks with excellent instructions. Delightful part of Europe to walk in.

Hotel Costa D'Oiri, Lagos was disappinting. Your information said "spacious rooms", ours was the least spacious of any of the hotels. Also "outdoor and covered pools allow swimming throughout the year. The covered pool had its cover pushed back, so it was too cold to use. Choice of food very limited.

Information provided by Headwater both on the phone and in written documents was thorough and informative. The choice of hotel was excellent - quiet rural situation with friendly staff whose customer service was of a very high standard. Walking notes were reliable and detailed. Road directions were accurate. This was our first Headwater holiday and we were impressed with how little we had to rely on our own research to accomplish the visits we made. Plus, we were bowled over by Menorca in early May - beautiful meadows of wild flowers, birdsong, relaxing and quiet beaches/walks. A heady mix.

Mr Samuel
Secrets of Sicily Walking
05/05/2018

We enjoyed the walks and beautiful scenery of this holiday, especially our stay on Marrettimo was a very happy one.

Ms Dacie
A Taste of Tuscany Walking
05/05/2018

Stephano was an enthusiastic host and made us feel very welcome. He was very keen to please as were the other members of his family who are involved in the farm enterprise. He shared his passion for the region and for local living, telling us all about olive oil, bee keeping and wine making amongst other things and we learned a lot! The walking was excellent and the food was very plentiful and delicious....in fact we had to ask for small portions as we couldn’t keep up with the four courses!

A great holiday!

Miss Browne
Marvels of Madeira Walk
03/05/2018

We had a lovely holiday in Madeira. The walking was very enjoyable, if a little hilly at times, but worth it for the fantastic scenery and views. All the hotels were excellent with good food. We really enjoyed our rest day in Funchal at the end of the holiday, especially the toboggan ride down from Monte!

Ms Leach
Marvels of Madeira Walk
03/05/2018

As other reviewers have stated, the levadas are interesting walks but often you cannot see the views due to high vegetation or needing to keep a close eye on your footing due to being on the edge of a steep drop - so after a while some parts felt somewhat tedious. There were quite a lot of long steep ascents & descents.



We only stayed in two hotels. Hotel Porto Bay Serra Golf was really lovely - the room, the food & service were excellent. The final hotel, Quinta da Bela Vista, is set in a good location overlooking Funchal. It has a lovely pool & bar area that is nice to sit in the evening. This hotel is on a half board status - the evening meal is a 5 course set menu with no choice offered at all. We found the food very average. Whilst we were there, people who used the hotel restaurant in the evening were of a very much older age group (we are not young - in our late 50s) & the ambiance was really very quiet & subdued. We decided that on our second & final evening we would not eat in the restaurant & preferred to go somewhere with a bit more atmosphere. Breakfast was not subdued, more of a mixed age group with people chatting etc.

Unfortunately we did experienced some frustrations with the local agent Headwater use. Briefly, these were some of the issues: being dropped off in the wrong location for the start of a walk & not knowing were we were & needing to walk an extra 2k to reach the start; a driver trying to take us to a levada that was closed even though we were advised by the local rep at the start of the holiday that it was closed - we advised the driver it was closed but he told us it was not, however, it was closed; agreeing a time of pick up with the local rep but the driver not being advised of this so arrived 30 minutes late.



Our holiday processing along the French Way of the Camino de Santiago at the beginning of May was a joy. We were not quite knowing what to expect, as some people had said that the Camino and Santiago itself were pretty busy and commercialized. How wrong they were! We loved the enchanting unspoilt villages and tracks we passed along and the places which we stayed at were a delight. Full marks to Headwater for winkling out those excellent choices. As indicated on the questionnaire, all were good but some were outstanding. Our hosts were generally highly helpful and, even if they didn't speak English, made every effort to please us through our pathetic Spanish. (Charming Fernando at Rectoral de Lestedo even presented us with a voice-recognition translating app on his mobile - conversations became quite fulsome!). The Pazo Santa Maria was the jewel in the crown - I could have stayed for days! A brill holiday - which I've been exalting since our return, thank you. Catherine Parkinson

A great well organised walking holiday, challenging but not too tiring.

Prof Hartley
Secrets of Sicily Walking
28/04/2018

When a walk had to be changed because of a landslide, both the local agent and people back at Headwater took trouble to get in touch and suggest a new route: very thoughtful.

Ms Roscoe
Secrets of Sicily Walking
28/04/2018

This is exactly the kind of holiday that we enjoy, with a high degree of freedom to do your own thing and a variety of levels of walking. All of the stress of travel is taken away by extremely good and courteous drivers and advice. The accommodations are always interesting and the evening meals when provided as part of the holiday were delicious.

Beautiful countryside, outstanding walking, very kind and hospitable people. Staying in such a variety of places enhanced our enjoyment. Tony & Ludmilla were excellent reps, always there when we needed them but never intrusive. Tony’s walking notes were superb and the additional optional walks for the free days really added to the enjoyment of our holiday. We totally fell in love with Portugal and would do this same trip again as we enjoyed this holiday so much.

Mr Ingram
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
24/04/2018

A complete break, involving some challenges but much relaxation. A new part of Europe to us, we were welcomed.

Mr Quigley
Secrets of Sicily Walking
21/04/2018

This holiday provided a wonderful experience of Sicily off the main tourist trail. We found April was a fantastic time as it was early in the tourist season, not too hot and the spring flowers were out. If you want to swim along the way you might want to go in May.

Mr Harrison
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
21/04/2018

Quiet location, offering a variety of challenging walks. Abundance of wild flowers and birds (in April). Excellent hotel, very welcoming and brilliant choice of good local food. Friendly and helpful staff, especially the taxi service.

Mrs Geddes
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
14/04/2018

Fantastic walking in a peaceful part of Portugal, but then we were there in April not the peak summer season. Tony and Ludmilla provided the perfect start to the holiday and the reassurance that they could be contacted if we needed support. The suites in Hotel Memmo Baleeria were worth the extra because the standard room we had on the first night was rather small.

Mr Christy
The Algarve from West to East
14/04/2018

Well-designed and highly enjoyable introduction to the delights of an Algarve Spring, with plenty of opportunities to sample the excellent food of the region

Gozo on first visit - walking was the best way to see the Island, its archaeology and meet people

Mr Cameron
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
14/04/2018

Far from the madding crowds in clean air

Mrs Gathercole
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
14/04/2018

The Sierras Subbeticas was a lovely verdant limestone area to explore in depth using the excellent Hotel Zuhayra as a base. By the end of the week we had criss crossed it in various ways but without unduly repeating any area.

Mrs Edwards
Marvels of Madeira Walk
09/04/2018

We were very well looked after and everything happened as we expected it too.

Mr Richardson
The Amalfi Coast Walk
09/04/2018

Lovely springtime break with fantastic coastal scenery and wildflowers; plus lemon sorbets.

Mrs Stilwell
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
07/04/2018

Excellent flexibility for a walking holiday which can be adapted to include very good public transport if walks considered too long.

Arrangements were expertly taken care of and we simply relaxed and enjoyed our holiday.

Great location for a walking holiday. A lovely island, very friendly staff. The hotel was particularly helpful and the service was excellent. Very useful courtesy bus service. This is a lovely island for walking in springtime with beautiful wild flowers and pleasant early summer temperatures. There are lots of choices for walks and it is easy to work out alternatives to those suggested. Great picnic available from the little cafe near to the main bus station. Buses run on time and are cheap, we would suggest buying a bulk travel card as this makes travel to anywhere on the island an easy prospect

Mr Blackwell
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/03/2018

We had 5 days of varied and interesting walking. The route notes were easy to follow. The walks at the overnight stops were well worth doing especially the fabulous walk from Pedralva back to the beach. It was easy walking, nothing too taxing. It was worth having my woolly hat though, for protection against the wind, which was quite strong at times. We think that the combination of a linear walk with a 2 night stop in one place is a great model.

Mrs Petrie
Walking the Algarve's South West
23/03/2018

This was a great holiday - diverse for walking and accommodation with beautiful countryside, woodland and coastal walking.

Walking not too strenuous but plenty of scope to do more if you wanted to. It was a little windy & cool at times, worth bearing in mind for clothing.

All of the accommodation offered something different and they were a pleasure to stay in.

All of the arrangements worked really well (which was in part due to the hard work of Ludmilla and Tony who were both helpful and friendly and very knowledgable) and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. Up there as one of our best Headwater holidays (and we have done quite a few!).

Mrs Smith
The Algarve from West to East
17/03/2018

We really enjoyed our holiday, contrasting hotels and walks in the 2 centres made it feel like longer than a week. It was a shame that the swimming pool and spa weren't open at the first hotel as we were looking forward to using those facilities.

Mrs Ariffin
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
17/03/2018

Excellent place to visit for walking, history and culture. Bit disappointed there were not many birds.

Mr Robinson
Marvels of Madeira Walk
15/03/2018

A very well-thought-out mix of locations and walks, showing us a lot of what beautiful Madeira has to offer. All three hotels were excellent; our favourite was Quinta do Furao, the first one, with its fantastic view along the NE coast.

The hotel was excellent with friendly staff. Springtime is probably the best time to go due to the abundance of flowers and before the summer heat builds up which makes walking much harder.

Mrs Harding
Marvels of Madeira Walk
09/03/2018

The holiday met all our expectations. It was well-organised and allowed us to enjoy the island in all its beauty. We look forward to our next adventure.

Mr Williams
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
01/03/2018

Pleasant walking with some good sunshine while UK still dismal. Great for wild flowers in spring, might be less attractive later in year.

Mr Butler
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/02/2018

Easy walking. The coast was spectacular, the inland areas pleasant though much of the walking was along broad tracks that were not particularly interesting. We enjoyed staying at Pedralva - a very imaginative concept, and picturesque village. Ludmilla, the Headwater rep, was very helpful and knowledgeable. Thanks also for making the .gpx files available prior to leaving; navigation was easy enough, but they provided a useful check on occasions.

Mr Elias
Islands of Bermuda Walk
18/02/2018

For UK travelers, make sure they take a lot of money. At least 3 times as expensive as this country. In our hotel, when not 'happy hour' £ 14 a glass...beer £12 for a small bottle. Therefore forced to go to a small supermarket. Cheapest bottle of wine £11. even then.

Mrs Barraclough
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
13/02/2018

A dramatic and varied coastal walk with superb bird watching opportunities. An excellent way to savour the culture, food and history of the region.

Mrs Kane
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/02/2018

This was our first experience of an organised holiday. It was great to be collected/met at the airport and to have the overseas team always on hand, as far as making life easy getting around. There was certainly an older demographic than we expected, which although we were comfortable with, didn't make for such a great time at the bar, or dinner.

Mr Devey
The Algarve from West to East
11/11/2017

A very enjoyable holiday

Mrs Mclaren
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
26/10/2017

Hotel the highlight of the holiday as it is in a stunning location. Quite remote but a good bus service and local taxis if you haven't hired a car. Walking notes disappointing, not detailed enough if you haven't got GPS. Walk descriptions do not provide accurate description of the terrain.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs McLaren,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback. It was great to see you had an enjoyable holiday overall. We were however sorry to read you felt the route notes required more detail. This is the first time we have received this kind of feedback, however please be assured we realise we cannot afford to let our high standards slip, so with this in mind, we will review the notes on our next resort visit and ensure additional details are added as required.
We would like to thank you for choosing to travel with Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service Team

Mrs Greenway
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
22/10/2017

This was our first holiday with Headwater, and would have no hesitation in using again all staff were extremely helpful and efficient. It was lovely to be met at the airport and have all our hotel and luggage transfers organised. Selected hotels were excellent.

Mr Baird
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
14/10/2017

A great experience of authentic Portugal with great views and easy walking

Mr Broster
Catalan Classic Walk
12/10/2017

Walking along the coast is lovely, interesting old towns inland. The standard of hotels was mixed.

Mr Kilburn
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
10/10/2017

Three days' varied walking and three totally contrasting hotels, each with its own particular attraction. Couldn't ask for a better introduction to the Algarve.

Couldn't fault the arrangements, all worked very smoothly. Our rep Ludmilla was superb, walking notes were very good and easy to follow, accommodation was excellent. Even the weather stayed good. Couldn't have been better.

Most enjoyable variety of walking on a lovely island. Weather in October was wonderful...... ideal for walking.Driving around the island was a delight despite the manual left hand drive car! Accommodation was ideal in peaceful, relaxing setting.

Mrs Grisley
Catalan Classic Walk
08/10/2017

Our holiday was good fun, route notes were excellent (we didn't need the area maps at all) and the food and wine in Catalan was fantastic and affordable. Our rep Greg was helpful, practical and caring. One of our group couldn't do the walking due to a hip injury and Greg went out of his way to ensure she was able to get from A to B on our hotel to hotel walking holiday. The hotel staff were super helpful and couldn't do enough. This is our fourth trip with Headwater and we'll be looking again for next year.

Mr Haberman
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/10/2017

Beautiful countryside and views and challenging walks. Also a great opportunity to visit the historical sites at Segesta, Erice and Levanzo

Mrs Kelsey
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/10/2017

Fantastic views. Marittemo an island paradise! Organisation excellent

Mrs Walker
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/10/2017

A great way to experience Sicily and its individuality. The scenery on the walks was breathtaking and we enjoyed the opportunity to visit the caves on Levanzo and see Segesta and Erice.

Dr Banyard
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
07/10/2017

We were made very welcome and comfortable by the hotel staff, taxi drivers and locals. The walking was very pleasant, despite the unseasonally high temperatures, with wonderful mountain views and plenty of wildlife interest. I would not advise some of the more remote walks to people who are not experienced hill walkers with good navigational skills. Owing to the lack of large scale, high quality mapping for Spain there were a couple of places where we were unable to find waymarks and strayed off the intended route (and hence needed to resort to GPS for assistance). A number of earlier guests made comments about this in the hotel log. Despite that we had a wonderful holiday and we hope to return in a later Spring season to enjoy the mountain flowers.

Headwater response:
Dear Dr Banyard,
Thank you for taking the time to write in with your post-holiday feedback.
Firstly, we were pleased to read you had an enjoyable holiday overall and found the Hotel staff and transportation providers welcoming. We have passed on your comments.
We were however sorry to read you encountered difficulties with some of the way marking. Please let me reassure you, we do review all of our route notes seasonally, however, we do realise areas can change during the season due to weather conditions, construction and route updates. With this in mind, we will review all of the feedback received in this area and updates made as required.. Thank you for bringing this feedback to our attention, as it allows us the opportunity to continue to improve our holidays for future customers.
In closing, we would like to thank you for your continued loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team

Mrs Muir
Marvels of Madeira Walk
05/10/2017

Really enjoyed our walking experience in Madeira. Good variety of walks in good weather and magnificent scenery. Enjoyed staying in three locations in three very different hotels. Good choice of hotels and they all had good facilities.

Mrs Simpson
Catalan Classic Walk - Short Break
02/10/2017

Beautiful places and great hotels. The walking is quite challenging but with clear directions.

Ms Honeyball
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
02/10/2017

A good mix of walking, sight seeing and relaxing. We went first 10 days of October and had lovely warm sunshine everyday too.

Mrs Gordon
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
30/09/2017

We loved the mix of level 1+ easy walking (our level) with interesting historic sites, and nature conservation sites in an unspoilt beautiful landscape, and a good public transport system. Also the quality, comfortable hotel with excellent food and good friendly service in beautiful surroundings. The hotel staff could not have done any more to make our better. We would go on more similar holidays.

Mrs Cerny
Secrets of Sicily Walking
30/09/2017

We have only explored a small corner of Sicily, but were completely bowled over by the scenery. The walks were varied, although be aware that many are stony and require care when descending, but definitely worth it for the views! It was good to have the experience of staying on the mainland and on Marretimo. I would highly recommend the optional trip to Levanzo. .We visited the grotto, which was fascinating and walked back along the coastal path which had some fabulous views. The food was delicious - if you like seafood! Our driver Nikola was incredibly helpful and informative. he even arranged for us to have a day in Castellamare, as our flight was not leaving till late that evening.

Mrs Preece
Marvels of Madeira Walk
28/09/2017

This holiday lived up to our expectations - although it was not cheap.

Mrs Holmes
Walking in the Venetian Hills
28/09/2017

Lovely walking - challenging enough without being exhausting - in a delightfully different landscape surrounded by vineyards, orchards, olive groves, farmland and woodland. On one of our free days we enjoyed a splendid day in Padua (travelling by bus from the bus stop two minutes walk from the hotel!) as well as a gentle Saturday morning strolling around the market in Este, punctuated by coffee and lunch stops in the cafes around the Square - so relaxing. We started the holiday with an amazing two day stay in Venice, which made the quiet lanes and wooded paths of the Euganean Hills a wonderful contrast to busy tourist packed streets! Thank you Headwater and well done.

Mr Porter
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
24/09/2017

Well-structured walking trails. Civilised, one-day rest days between walks. Good food and wine.

Mr Buckland
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
23/09/2017

Great experiences that add to your life whilst there and cultural influences to enhance your life when you return home. We have always left wanting more, but not necessarily the same.

Mr Creechan
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
23/09/2017

It was extremely hard to find fault with anything.

'Excellent ' all round.

Hotel, walks, routes just fantastic.

Fabulous holiday in a perfect location.

Miss Wesley
Walking in the Venetian Hills
22/09/2017

A well described holiday in terms of the scenery, walks etc. Particular high points are the chances to visit the gardens of Villa Barbarigo, Villa dei Vescovi and the cities of Padua and Vicenza

Sarah is an outstanding rep. making sure that everything worked smoothly.

Mrs Binney
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
17/09/2017

Good - we had a great time, the weather was good in the latter part of the week.

We had a great holiday returning to Menorca after ten years. We thought the hotel was great, in a beautiful setting, extremely friendly and welcoming, and really well looked after; a peaceful oasis to return to after a day out walking.

Mr Clark
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
17/09/2017

Impressed how Headwater central office handled our very, very last minute request to insert us in their North Italy Piedmont Walking tour.

Mrs Carruthers
Secrets of Sicily Walking
16/09/2017

Well planned and important detail given. friendly and helpful advice both here and in Sicily. Need shoes to wear in most coves for swimming. Reserve closed when Sirocco wind is blowing in case of further forest fires.

Voucher for evening meal much appreciated. Great mediterranean food and local wine.

Mrs Roderick
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
16/09/2017

This was our third visit to Zuheros. The hotel is an excellent base for a walking holiday and the walks are challenging enough to feel that something has been achieved.

Mrs Feely
Walking in the Venetian Hills
14/09/2017

Well thought out walking routes with meticulous notes to ease the way. Individual hotels with character and good service and food. The Representative's briefing was thorough and very helpful.

Mrs Garner
Castles to Coast Walk
12/09/2017

Fantastic walking holiday in beautiful locations, on top of hillsides and by the sea. The food was excellent and didn't disappoint, but I do like truffles! The hotels were excellent from the rooms, services and cleanliness. The packed lunches were very generous with plenty of variety from the Hostel Kastel. We took extra water on the walks and drank the tap water with no issues. Just leave some energy at the end of the walks to walk back up the hills to 2 of the hotels.

Mr Fearn
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
12/09/2017

True Italy! Amazing foods, sumptuous wines, breathtaking scenery and warm welcoming locals. Our excellent guides, Laura and Greg helped us get the most out of our time walking through the Langhe region which we can't recommend highly enough.

'What perfect memories are made of'

Mr Todman
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
12/09/2017

Very enjoyable holiday with a good range of locations in good hotels with easy access to the local town. Excellent and really helpful reps added to our enjoyment of a lovely holiday.

Mrs Allen
Walking in the Venetian Hills
12/09/2017

Sarah was an excellent rep and we felt like friends from our first meeting. We liked this area very much. The walking was not too challenging, but varied. We can highly recommend Padua by local bus.

Mrs Webb
The Amalfi Coast Walk
11/09/2017

The Amalfi coast is an excellent place for fantastic walks, good food and great scenery. Headwater planned a great itinerary with detailed walking instructions. Thank you.

We enjoyed the whole experience. The weather in September is delightful and the hotel is clean and comfortable. The walking is lovely in the valleys and very rewarding with beautiful views from the tops of the mountains. The driving is very easy around Hoyos.

Mrs Kenward
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
09/09/2017

Excellent weather & hotel. Walking just right with few little challenges. Gozo bus service made it so easy to cross the island for walks. Our first 'independent walking' but instructions made it easy.

Mrs Hancock
Secrets of Sicily Walking
09/09/2017

We enjoyed Maretimmo ,although unfortunately were unable to get there as planned because of high winds .There is not much to do in Scopello if you cannot access the Zingaro walks . I would not offer extra nights there .

Mr Ford
Catalan Coastal Walk
08/09/2017

Definitely a 2 boot holiday and not to be done in high summer heat as a lot of the walking is in open high countryside

Mrs Pizzoni
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
08/09/2017

We had been recommended Headwater by close friends and were not disappointed

Mr Martin
Walking in the Venetian Hills
08/09/2017

We enjoyed the walking and the general ambience of our holiday experience in the Venetin Hills. Sarah, our guide/rep was particularly helpful and patient. She was prompt and attentive. The only thing we would suggest changing is the order of the walking, to do the holiday day in reverse rather than starting with the longest day's walking.

Mr Perry
Marvels of Madeira Walk
07/09/2017

Good locations, excellent hotels and very relaxing.

Mrs Mcdonagh
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
06/09/2017

first class reps in Paul and Phaedra who made our holiday with their care and attention which we felt was beyond the call of duty,they were amazing.Great experience,with wonderful walks ,superb views and brilliant locations.Would recommend the holiday to anyone.

Mr Reeves
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
04/09/2017

An excellent varied holiday and a wonderful way to explore the unspoilt Tuscan countryside.

Mrs Tait
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/09/2017

We enjoyed Verona and the walking around Dobbiaco. Dobbiaco is a very good centre to walk out from, with good bus links to different starting points. The Bellevue Hotel is super. This is the second time we have stayed there and we were not disappointed. The one down side is the return via Venice Marco Polo. Once the check in is open ( there was no baggage drop) it is just a procession from one queue to the next.

Mr Easingwood
Castles to Coast Walk
02/09/2017

Excellent holiday, helped greatly by the local guide customising the walks to suit the needs of the slower walkers.

Mr Hargreaves
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
02/09/2017

With Inntravel walking holidays you do not normally have contact with an agent / or rep .

This holiday was different and to be honest we enjoyed the contact which we had we your 2 reps . We realised we had met them in a previous life.. They were absolutely professional in every way made us most welcome and we both felt they added something to the holiday for us.

I would say if you can retain them please do and if they take up another location we would even consider choosing that holiday.

Some adverse comment criticising route over the stepping stones was mentioned by the other couple walking same days as us however we where comfortable with our experience on that day and in fact all other walking was great . I am sure the following days after our holiday will have presented plenty of problems with the weather. .

Please give them the official feed back as excellent and thankyou

From Ros and Allan

Mrs Hickling
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
26/08/2017

Some lovely walking in spectacular mountain scenery, staying in a very comfortable hotel full of character. Some walks (and buses) were very busy even at the end of the summer season. Walking notes were excellent (the one exception was on the NemesAlp walk return to Moos where a new (?) ski lift was not mentioned - this caused some confusion to us and others.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Hickling,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire. It was great to see you enjoyed the walks and the spectacular mountain scenery.
We would also like to thank you for highlighting the route note discrepancy; we have updated the notes to include the new ski lift, thank you for pointing this out. We are sorry for the confusion this caused you.
In closing, we would like to thank you for travelling with Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Lisa

Mr Humphries
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
19/08/2017

This holiday on the surface appeared quite expensive when we booked it but proved to be exceptional value for money. Taking into account everything that was included in the price: flights, trains, accommodation, meals, local bus/cable car passes, and knowing the cost of things in Switzerland, the price for the week is excellent value for money. Food at the hotel is on another level, every night was at least 4 courses of some of the best tasting food I've ever had. Very friendly and helpful staff. The town is very picturesque and surprisingly quiet at nights. This was our first time hiking outside of the UK, and I think I'm going to struggle to find anywhere nicer for our next adventure outside of the UK, but would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone looking to venture into Europe for a hiking trip.

Ideal location for walking. Beautiful scenery and excellent accommodation

Mr Moore
Walking the Camino de Santiago
12/08/2017

An enjoyable way to experience part of the Camino with a mix of accommodation to stay in along the way and the opportunity to walk along several interesting parts of the route.

Mr Willis
Walking in the Venetian Hills
11/08/2017

very well organised

Mr Spooner
Castles to Coast Walk
07/08/2017

Fantastic hiking trip, Croatia is beautiful. It can be extremely hot in summer, we were lucky though.

Mrs Georghiou
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
05/08/2017

Tuscany was absolutely stunning although very hot in Aug

Mr Spackman
Catalan Classic Walk
30/07/2017

We really enjoyed our trip to northern Spain. All travel arrangements worked well and we were very impressed by Greg, our rep, who met us at the station and couldn't have been more helpful or welcoming. All our hotels were clean and comfortable but the Castell d'Emporda stood out. Beautifully situated on a hill overlooking a patchwork of fields, it's a modern hotel (our room had one glass picture wall with wonderful views) situated in an old castle. The restaurant is relaxed and breezy and the breakfast buffet was truly awe-inspiring. All the walks worked well, although we would have appreciated a bit more shade on the hottest days! We're looking forward to our next Headwater adventure!

Mr Gareze
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
29/07/2017

Good walking holiday in the Dolomites

Mrs Carrington-Bro
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/07/2017

This was an excellent holiday - just like our previous 3 Headwater holidays. The staff at the Bellevue were friendly and helpful and the meals were of a very high standard. As well as having a mountain view our room also overlooked the railway but this was not an issue, the trains were very quiet and we were not disturbed by them. The walks were varied and the scenery was outstanding- some stunning 360 degree panaromas and some delightful meadows and pastures complete with some very gentle cattle and their melodic bells. We could easily have spent a few more days here, there was at least one walk we did not have time to do. We took this holiday in late July and we were grateful that we had packed several layers, we needed them as we climbed up to the views and on a couple occassions I regretted not having brought my gloves! Our previous Headwater holidays have been rated as 2 boot and we can see why this holiday was rated as a 2+ boot, however the extra effort was well worth it as the views were exceptional.

Ann and Nigel Carrington Brook

Mr Fraser
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
22/07/2017

An excellent experience in a lovely part of France.

Mrs Hill
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
15/07/2017

Excellent week in the Alps walking was outstanding and a great range of walks provided as we were quite ambitious and was able to adapt the walks to suit our needs to be more challenging equally loved our couple of days low level descriptions were accurate but the paths were marked so well that we never used our compass skills!

Mrs Laing
Castles to Coast Walk
15/07/2017

A well organised trip staying picture postcard pretty hilltop villages.

Mrs Love-Fordham
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/07/2017

The Barolo is an amazing place with beautiful scenery and excellent food. The locals are very friendly and helpful. The hikes are easy and short compared to other 2 boot holidays we have been on. I think this is necessary because the days start out cool and get very hot by late afternoon. Go in the early spring or late fall if you can, but July wasn't too bad either. Three of us traveling together were from the deep South (USA) and had no problem with the weather or hills. Two of us were from the Midwest (USA) and weren't quite ready for the heat and hills, but had a truly fabulous time being together any way.



There is a huge music festival called 'Collisioni' every July. Sadly we booked during this time without knowing it. It affected which hotels we could stay at and our enjoyment of the village of Barolo. 12,000 people descend on the area during this time. Don't book during the festival! One can expect a hiccup in plans from time to time, but by booking through Headwater, you can rest knowing they will do whatever is possible to take care of you! And they did! Thank you Headwater!! Headwater is the best! For this reason, I look forward to booking our 8th Headwater vacation soon.



Our reps, Greg and Laura, were outstanding giving us lifts as requested from our substitutionary hotels (which were quite nice) into the villages where we would have stayed. Not quite the same experience, but they made it a lovely one. In driving us to and fro, they took us to extra sights and offered to stop and let us take pictures as desired. They were awesome!

Mr Catterall
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
12/07/2017

See the inside of the country without the hassle bussel of roads and busy towns plenty of fresh air and excellent hotels and refreshlng swim when you arrive

Mr Holland
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
10/07/2017

Great holiday with a good mix of activity and comfort. The walks take you through some beautiful countryside and the notes are accurate and useful. The length and difficulty of walks build up over the week so that the long final day feels reasonable. Our holiday was in July, consequently we started walking early to avoid the worst of the afternoon heat. This meant that we were arriving at our hotels in the early afternoon. We found places to eat a late lunch close to the end of the walks, which meant we didn't need packed lunches and made the glass of beer in the café feel well deserved and taste fantastic. All of the hotels were good and all had different areas of merit. We found the food in Le Fonti very good despite the surly head waiter; the rooms in Terre di Casole were great with a patio just a few steps across the lawn from the pool; the Relais della Rovere is a beautiful building with great poolside service, and the Relais Santa Chiara is very well located to explore beautiful San Gimignano.



Overall an enjoyable holiday if you like walking in the countryside, relaxing in decent hotels with good food, and meandering around Tuscan hill towns and villages.

Mr Shortman
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
08/07/2017

We had a very enjoyable holiday, the hotel was good with an excellent restaurant, the quality of the food was first class. The walking was varied, the scenery was beautiful and we really appreciated that the holiday included a local bus and gondola pass.

Mr Shread
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
08/07/2017

An excellent area for a walking holiday. Superb scenery with a well situated hotel. Food is first class.

Mr Weston
Marvels of Madeira Walk
07/07/2017

Invigorating trip, great organisation, will use Headwater again.

Mrs Pritchett
Marvels of Madeira Walk
06/07/2017

Beautiful island, very welcoming people, excellent standard of hotels.

Mrs Dunnill
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
02/07/2017

It was a magnificent experience again. We have used Headwater before, and were extremely satisfied with their product.

Our Reps in Italy were stunning. They couldn't do enough for us, and were so helpful. The hotel accommodation was outstanding, and the food excellent. We will certainly use Headwater again as the whole trip was brilliantly lubricated. We were more than satisfied. Thank you for everything!

Ms Moore
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/07/2017

Excellent holiday. This is our second year as there are so many exceptional walking options from the hotel using the extensive free lift and bus pass.

Mrs Ing
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
28/06/2017

We had a fabulous time in Piedmont. The hotels were outstanding and the restaurants superb. Being more used to walking in the mountains we hadn't expected to enjoy the route as much but the wave like vine clad hills, pretty villages and lovely views across the Langhe and to the Alps were very satisfying. We can see why the region has been given a UNESCO rating.

Mr Fairweather
Castles to Coast Walk
27/06/2017

Istria is a beautiful area and the local people are both friendly and helpful. The routes provided were well described and the instructions were easy to follow, but the walking was not as exciting or demanding as I expected. For example, the walk along the disused railway became rather monotonous and the ascent of Mount Ucka was made too easy by giving us a ride to such a high point on the mountain. We were disappointed to find that several of the walks were over too quickly because we followed advice to begin early and avoid the heat of mid-day. While this was sensible advice, there weren't places like bars, cafes, churches or castles available to spend the hottest hours in and so we just completed the walks early. One thing that did surprise me was that the food and wine of the area was of a higher standard than I expected.

Mr Smith
Castles to Coast Walk
27/06/2017

Croatia well worth a visit -people; are very friendly , good value for money, good food and lovely places. This holiday we didn't think the walks were as good, having to wait for other walkers to be picked up and taken to the next place. Hotel Vrata is lovely but there is no where to relax when you have finished the walk, we ended up sitting in the bar down the road for 4 hours.. it is nice to have an outside pool and loungers to enjoy the sun and read a book. Standard of finish is very big but no shower you can stand up under! At Opatje there is a walk up to Vepranic which is a great hike to the church which is not mentioned in the notes but is very good. Packed lunches could have been better. Romina is a lovely lady and very helpful. The walks were mainly in woods so not many views unlike the Tuscany walk perhaps there could be more variety

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Smith,
Thank you for your feedback, we were pleased to read you had an enjoyable holiday overall. We were however sorry to read of your disappointment with the waiting times at the end of the walks, this is the first time that we have received constructive feedback in this area. Please be assured, we will monitor this area for future tours and implement improvements as required. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
It was great to read you felt Romina provided a good service. We have passed on your comments to her. She was pleased to receive your positive comments.
We would like to thank you for your continued loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Lisa

Mr Chase
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/06/2017

Toblach was a pleasant little town and a great location base for walking in those spectacular Dolomites. Hotel Belvue fitted the bill well, with charming , helpful management and staff - though they occasionally seemed a little overstretched at mealtimes; but this is a minor quibble. our 3rd floor room (a suite with balcony and a view up the valley) was excellent. i would go again.

Mrs Donnelly
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/06/2017

Wonderful walking week (despite the weather on some days!) in a fabulous part of the world.

Mr Bourne
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/06/2017

Friendly helpful and professional.

Dr Bainbridge
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
17/06/2017

well placed in a busy valley with three cables card within a mile from hotel. So life and peace.

Mrs Clive
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
17/06/2017

Fantastic walking in magnificent scenery. Excellent hotel.

Mrs Smith
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
17/06/2017

Our holiday in the Italian Dolomites was amazing. The hotel accommodation and food were absolutely excellent and the staff helpful and friendly. The walking notes were very accurate and comprehensive and it was very helpful to receive them ahead of time. We found some of the walks challenging but it was very very hot when we were there. Good excuse for a long cold beer when we got back to the hotel though ........... :-) The hotel has a lovely spa but unfortunately we didn't have the time to partake of the facilities.

Mrs Macleod
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
14/06/2017

Easy walking in an attractive area. First class hotels, all with pools.Standard of food in the local restaurants was high. Good to be able to visit Avignon and Marseille as add ons to the holiday. Very hot, even in June this year.

Mrs Thornton
Walking in the Venetian Hills
14/06/2017

A magical week exploring this tranquil and refreshingly untouristy area of Italy, with the added bonus of being able to spend city days in Padua and Vicenza. Torn between wanting to tell everybody and wanting to keep it a secret so it remains unspoilt!

Mr Clark
Castles to Coast Walk
13/06/2017

Our week exceeded all our expectations - the hotels and their services were superb, the walking itself and the notes and maps were wonderful and the transport arrangements could not have been better. Special mention too for the local representative, Romina, who could not have done more to make things perfect. So a great week!

I do have to say it is a pity, given our actual experience, that the administration leading up to it was so unsatisfactory.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Clark,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback, it was great to read your holiday exceeded your expectations. We were also pleased you felt Romina provided a great service, which helped enhance your holiday. As you can imagine, she was delighted with your comments. We were however sorry to read of your dissatisfaction with the administration of your holiday. Please be assured, your feedback has been discussed with the relevant departments to ensure we continue to provide the excellent Customer Service our customer have come to expect, when booking a Headwater holiday.
In closing, we would like to thank you for choosing to travel with Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Lisa

Mr Mckenzie
Chianti Classic Walk
12/06/2017

A great holiday. A great combination of walking and relaxing at comfortable hotels. Lovely walks with clear instructions. Our reps were really friendly and helpful: when we got into difficulty with blistered feet (our responsibility entirely, we ignored advice given on suitable footwear!) they bailed us out and arranged for us to do a shortened version of the walk, picking us up at an agreed point.

Mr Lulham
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
10/06/2017

Beautiful region, lovely hotel with great food and superb walking - aided by exceptional weather. Switzerland is quite expensive but we felt this holiday was great value for money.

An extremely enjoyable holiday. Walking was at times tough due to the temperature, in the mid 30s, so perhaps May or September are better months for this holiday than June? The hotel was wonderfully situated. It was so relaxing and the staff polite, efficient and helpful. Would recommend taking out insurance for damage to car as some roads, especially the one to and from the hotel, were narrow and bordered by dry stone walls. However, we did manage to deliver the car back to Mao scratch and dent free!

Mr Hughes
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/06/2017

Good...as usual. Walking was significantly, though intermittently, above grade one.

Mrs Hayfield
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/06/2017

Lots of fun and good exercise with a reward of a lovely meal at the end of the day!!

Dr Rayner
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
05/06/2017

A delight for birdwatchers and botanists in spring and early summer. Lots of opportunities for photography. Walks were flexible in length and difficulty. Car hire essential.

Mrs Morrison
Catalan Classic Walk
04/06/2017

Perfect for a relaxed walking holiday. Routes took us through lovely and contrasting scenery in a part of Spain that we would probably never have thought to visit. So glad to have discovered it.

Mrs Mcsweeney
Catalan Classic Walk
04/06/2017

Very good, well signposted walking routes in a beautiful area of Spain.

Mr Garrood
Walking in the Venetian Hills
04/06/2017

Summary: beautiful area for walking with vineyards, olive groves and wooded hills to explore, totally unspoilt, no tourists and very friendly locals. Interesting villages and nearby historic towns to visit. We would love to return to this little known region.







Turquoise waters, ancient tracks and historic gems , all from a superbly restful hotel in a fabulous rustic setting --what not to enjoy?

Relatively easy, but varied, walking, glorious coastal scenery and beautiful sea swimming. The scenery, archaeological remains, and plentiful and varied bird-life made the walks very interesting. Good accommodation with exceptionally helpful staff. Slightly hair-raising driving on narrow roads around the hotel (a little car is good!). Generally relaxed and helpful atmosphere. Wonderful seafood.

Mr Catton
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
02/06/2017

Headwater's service takes the hassle out of a walking holiday so you can relax and enjoy at your own pace. Accommodation, while not 5 star luxury, is a reliably good standard, better than most walking holidays, and the meals are usually excellent. Local reps are knowledgable and helpful, walking notes thorough, and transfers smooth. We loved the walks in Tuscany, which are well thought out to get to the picturesque town and hotel with time to relax.

Walking enabled us to see parts of the Lake District we would never have seen in a car and the literary connections gave much added interest.

Mrs Cox
Marvels of Madeira Walk
01/06/2017

A holiday should be restful with the minimum stress and this holiday ticked all of the boxes.

The only sour note came when we ate at the restaurant attached to the Hotel Bela Vista and the head waiter seemed surprised that we required a dairy free meal although we had mentioned this to reception when checking in. His response was that there was only one dish on the a la carte menu that was dairy free, which was disappointing and did not reflect the positive and more flexible approach of the other places that we ate, notably the hotel's other restaurant!

Mr Flockhart
Catalan Classic Walk - Short Break
29/05/2017

We really enjoyed walking in the Catalonian countryside in the spring time. The towns and villages were delightful. The food and wine was great. The people in the hotels were super. It was all good.

Mr Dawson
The Amalfi Coast Walk
29/05/2017

We are members of a Nordic Walking Group in North London and when we mention that we were considering a walking holiday a couple of the members enthused about Headwater. We are so glad that they did. Really good advice and guidance.



The walking guidance notes were amazing providing every little detail of the walk, much better than any of the maps.



Apart from the very disappointing hotel in Punta Campanelle the accommodation was very good. I would strongly suggest a change of route away from that Hotel, or accommodation in the village immediately before arriving at the coast.



We will definitely look to have a holiday through Headwater again, but we will definitely research the hotels first.



Many thanks

Robin

Mr Duggleby
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
27/05/2017

This was our fifth holiday with Headwater - four of them walking holidays. All have been absolutely excellent but this Provence holiday was probably the best of all. The area was spectacularly beautiful and the walks testing enough but not too testing in view of the hot weather we experienced. As ever, the arrangements were superb and the choice of hotels excellent. All of a very high standard with lovely staff, good breakfasts and great swimming pools. Evening restaurants were a mix of Headwater selected and our own choices. We ate and drank well throughout the week. The reps James and Beckie were delightful and helped us whenever necessary. My wife and I were sad to be coming home and will be with Headwater again next year. No better compliment.

Walking in Menorca seems to be nearly entirely on coast paths, with very few inland walks. That means linear walks, so unless you have two cars it's a matter of 'there and back', or a longish taxi ride. That said, it's a beautiful island, mostly unspoilt. Passing other cars in narrow lanes with dry-stone walls and thorn bushes can be nerve-wracking. We did four of the five Headwater-recommended walks, and would recommend Son Mercer de Baix for it's inland variety, the North Coast trail for its scenery, and Macaretta-Turqueta for beautiful coves. Also worth doing Cuitadella and Mao (on last day) town walks. Morvedra Nou is a delightful hotel in a very quiet location, with friendly and efficient staff. Standard room was clean and comfortable, but small, although with an outdoor terrace that was lovely in the evening sun. The dinner options included in the HW package were slightly unexciting and perhaps we should have spent a bit more on Menorcan specialities a la carte. House wines are OK and very reasonably priced. We had no difficulty finding restaurant/cafe lunch stops on our walks. Overall, a very enjoyable week.

Mr Owen-Jones
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
25/05/2017

The walking was great but might be challenging when the summer temperatures occur. Good combination of walking and sight seeing.

Mr Hendry
Walking in the Venetian Hills
21/05/2017

We didn't receive the trail instructions in advance. Sarah had a spare copy which she updated for us and rearranged our return rail journey to a more friendly time. Since we couldn't get a flight on a standard join day, and the Venice hotel was unavailable we stayed In Venice Mestre for a night. Not a sparkling town. I am not a fan of Venice, but my wife hadn't visited before. The Italians are rebuilding Marco Polo airport and there was heightened security--a modern travel story. The peace, and relaxed way of life in the Euganean Hills plus a very good rep made the holiday.

Mr Watkins
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
20/05/2017

Our first attempt at a walking holiday and this week in Gozo was spot on - an introductory but interesting & varied level of walks ('one boot'); a very pleasant hotel with an excellent level of service and very efficient and friendly admin by Headwater

Mr Burgess
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
20/05/2017

I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and the guide notes for the walks were excellent.

Mr Van Beuningen
Catalan Classic Walk
19/05/2017

Very nice and interesting to discover this part of Spain - nature, history, quiet beaches.

Mr Higginson
Walking in the Venetian Hills
19/05/2017

Excellent Experience. Charming area. Very unspoilt - had a real italian feel.

Mr Kershaw
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
17/05/2017

Excellent holiday overall. Well organised with great staff. Many thanks.

Mr Lovibond
Castles to Coast Walk
16/05/2017

Great little towns and villages perched on hills, connected by excellent walks. We enjoyed the whole experience.

Mr Richardson
Walking in the Venetian Hills
15/05/2017

Quiet, sunshine, heat, beautiful countryside and small towns - wildflowers and birds, hills, views - good food, good local wines, friendly people all in a hidden corner of Italy. What's not to like? It was a real treat.

Mr Collins
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
14/05/2017

Extensive coastal walks, quiet roads and peaceful traditional villages.

For me personally it met my expectations. Walking, time to relax and unwind each day with a relaxed evening . The. Cuisine was excellent and offerred an ideal choice of local food/dishes.

We have now done 8 walking holidays with Headwater and we have never been disappointed. This was no exception. There were some niggles more to do with the French footpath designations and markers than walking notes, but the region is awesome, the village of Fontaine de Vaucluse stunning. We would return to this region but would come by car as there is so much to see. Having a car means on stay put or rainy days exploration is possible.

There needs to be some more communication with hotels as to willingness to make picnics. It is fine for the notes to say ask them to provide a picnic but if they they don,t and you have not been able to buy food because village has no shop ie Les Imberts then you have a 8 to 9 mile walk with no food!!

Though it is occasionally nice to visit other restaurants we felt having to pay for 4 evening meals with what we have paid for the holiday seems a bit steep certainly compared to some of our previous experiences

Overall we still love the Headwater experience

Great all round but the last hotel in Santiago de Compostela (Hotel Virxe de Cerca) was wonderful. Fantastic location and everything about the hotel was just lovely. We had a couple of extra nights here and it was a great end to the walk

Mr Hurrell
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
12/05/2017

The walk suited us and the various views were amazing

Menorca's surprisingly flat, especially round the coast where most of the walks are located, so ideal for gentle walking - not for hard-bitten hill-walkers! Easy to traverse the length or breadth of the island by car in a hour or less, but watch out for minor roads on the Kompass map which prove to be private or little more than an overgrown bridle path. Much of the island seems untouched by tourism, which is delightful, but don't expect to find a cafe wherever you stop. Many things are still free to visit. People and climate very friendly!

Mr Mepham
Dordogne River Walk
11/05/2017

The holiday is an excellent combination of interesting, good length walks, fine hotels and great food. The lack of restaurant facilities at the Renoir was more than made up for by the quality of the food at the nearby Bistro L'Octroi. The finest food was undoubtedly at the Hotel Les Glycines but all were very satisfactory. There was plenty to do on all the rest days and we would particularly recommend visiting to Marqueyssac Gardens in Beynac, the museums dedicated to the amazing pre-historic finds around Les Eyzies, and lounging by the pool at the Laborderie.

Mr Evans
Catalan Classic Walk
09/05/2017

A magnificent holiday, well organised and all Headwater staff were extremely helpful. The hotels were very comfortable and the food (my God the food!) was astonishingly good. A holiday where we ate as much as we liked and still lost weight! Even though our holiday was rated as easy the walks are challenging and we very very glad of our equipment and a walking pole each although my wife was not keen on the way I whirled around near her head at times. The trees, flowers and bird life were at their very best in May. Nightingales, Cuckoos, Cirl Buntings, Bee Eaters, Hoopoes, Serins, Crested Larks... bring your binoculars. If I were to be picky then on the day 2 walk to La Bisbal we took the longer route (our default decision) which added an extra mile or two through similar countrisde and could have been omitted giving longer at the very pretty last 2-3 miles through villages and farmland. The circular walk (a) on day 3 was lovely, Monells a good place for a coffee and very cheap (coffee, tea and ham baguette for under €5). Day four's walk was great to Pals, villages en route very attractive. We then trekked up the rock path to the observation point at Quermany Gros which turned out to be rather lower in elevation than the castle at Begur and possibly my wife would have said ' I hate you' a bit less often if we'd taken the low road. The kilometre climb up soft sand dunes after this meant we crawled into Begur slightly delerious. Fortunately the Hotel Rosa, though not as luxurious as the others has the most superb restaurant, the owner is the chef. We ate enough to compared with that Vicar of Dibley episode in which Geraldine has to eat 3 Christmas Dinners. Day five's walk was lovely. Day six we actually got lost twice (our fault) due to failure to follow instructions which were uniformly excellent. From Sa Tuna we rebelled and followed the coast path GR92 but I'm not convinced it was 'better'.

Our only slight grumble was that we would have missed the train connection from Barcelona Sants to Flaca even if our Ryan Air flight hadn't been delayed by 20 minutes. We sprinted through immigration and got the train from T2 but they only run every 30 minutes and we missed our connection by 15 minutes. The station ticket office man couldn't have been more helpful but intransigently refused to honour our pre-booked ticket meaning we had to fork out an extra €19 for 2 singles. Can we claim this back?

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Evans,
Thank you for taking the time to provide your wonderful review of this holiday. It sounds like you had such an enjoyable holiday that you will treasure for years to come.
We were however sorry to read that you missed your train due to tight connection times. I will be in touch to refund this amount. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused at the start of your holiday, however are delighted it did not affect your holiday overall.
We would like to thank you for travelling with headwater this summer and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team

Mr Jones
Secrets of Sicily Walking
09/05/2017

A very well thought out itinerary, with great walking in National Parks and on a peaceful Island. The hotels were lovely and the staff helpful. Transport between the hotels and to the start of our walks as well as for sightseeing all worked like clockwork.

Mrs Mclaughlin
The Amalfi Coast Walk
08/05/2017

Walking is a great way to see a country. Headwater, make the experience easy by removing the hassle of booking hotels and moving bags around. The local information is good and maps walks are generally pretty god.

Mr Asteriades
Literary Walking in the Lake District
07/05/2017

Gentle walking in stunning countryside. We went in May which risked wet weather (we were very lucky to have great weather). The Lake District does get very busy in the summer, so we're very happy to have had a nice quiet holiday.

Mr Cameron
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
07/05/2017

Snow capped mountains, woods, fields and flowers and wildlife made every day interesting

Mrs Pursey
Secrets of Sicily Walking
06/05/2017

Stayed in some delightful places, especially Baglio La Luna where the location was magnificent, views, relaxing areas and we were so well looked after. Changes in arrangement occasioned by bad weather were efficiently and effectively carried out. All arrangements for meeting and dropping us off worked well, pleasantly and without fuss.

Mr Goscomb
Secrets of Sicily Walking
06/05/2017

We thoroughly enjoyed the Secrets of Sicily Walking holiday in early May 2017 which certainly reached all our expectations. The hotels we stayed at were all very well chosen and we particularly enjoyed the Marettimo Residence and the Baglio Luna at San Vito lo Capo which was fantastic. All the arrangements went well and the walks we did were lovely and easy to follow using the excellent detailed notes provided. We saw so many lovely wild flowers and birds and the views were wonderful. Overall we would have no hesitation recommending Headwater walking holidays and we are looking forward to choosing another of their walking holidays next year.

Mr Russell
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
05/05/2017

Algarve Wild West walking exceeded expectation. Floral environment on all walks was dazzling. All walks easy to follow as marked and described in written guide. Two boots was just about correct.

Headwater offers self guided holidays, but with the benefit of sorting all the travel arrangements.

Some great walks along Portugal's beautiful, unspoiled and dramatic coastline with an excellent choice of hotels for good food and comfort.

Mrs Littler
Walking the Algarve's South West
03/05/2017

A lovely holiday, we enjoyed every moment. The coastal scenery was spectacular, the countryside lovely - full of wild flowers. The accommodation was excellent and the stay in Pedralva was a great experience. We enjoyed the food and the local people we met were all very friendly. Our Rep ,Ludmila, was very friendly and efficient.

We had a wonderful holiday. The hotel was very comfortable (we did have a free upgrade as the hotel wasn't very busy). The staff could not have been more helpful. The walking was very varied and we were blessed with beautiful weather.

Mr Taylor
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
30/04/2017

It was one of the best walking holidays we have had. The hotel was superb with wonderful staff and food. The walking was excellent with varied terrain and scenery. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Mrs Chua
Secrets of Sicily Walking
29/04/2017

This was a beautifully organised and well balanced holiday. Plenty of variety and choice, especially the walks. The weather in that first week in May was perfect for walking, warm and sunny with a cooling sea breeze. The highlight for us was the walk in the Zingaro National Park where we saw eight different wild orchids. And the little square in Scopello was so nice to sit in with a beer and watch the world go by.

Marettimo was delightful. We loved our accommodation which had a terrace overlooking the olive trees and gardens and got the evening sun. The little town was interesting, the restaurants were varied and the fish delicious.

By the time we got to the Baglio la Lune, our last stop, we were totally relaxed and happy to gaze at the setting sun in the evening after our supper on the terrace.

.Although each place we stayed was very different, they were quite close geographically, which helped us to orientate ourselves and kept travelling to a minimum. Our driver was utterly charming, always reassuringly early and very helpful. Thank you Headwater.

Mrs Locker
Marvels of Madeira Walk
24/04/2017

At times the walks through the levadas were rather tedious because the vegetations blocked all the views. All the transfers worked really well.

Mr Williams
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/04/2017

Easy walking, good hotels, mixed weather.

Mrs Hiam
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
15/04/2017

We enjoyed a wonderful week's walking which exceeded our expectations. The landscapes, birds and flowers were exceptional and we particularly enjoyed hearing the nightingales singing in the gorge. We were very lucky to be able to see some of the Easter celebrations too. The hotel was very welcoming and offered excellent service and delicious food.

Mr Chandler
Catalan Classic Walk
11/04/2017

The walking tour was a great way to really explore the countryside. It was comforting to know there was someone there if we got terribly lost or hurt.

Mr Hewitt
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
01/04/2017

Beautiful walking in unspoilt limestone scenery. Fantastic bird walching opportunities. Comfortable hotel with hearty picnics and interesting evening meals. Antonio ensures that all aspects of a Headwater holiday are arranged with great efficiency.

Mr Kimber
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
31/03/2017

Superb views when walking as well as lots of spring flowers and wildlife to enjoy. Excellent hotels and informative reps to help with local knowledge.

Mr Swingler
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
29/03/2017

A thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing holiday. We booked for the beginning of April hoping for good walking weather and lots of spring flowers - it turned out to be an excellent choice.

Mr Bumfrey
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
29/03/2017

An ideal time to visit this area and enjoy the spring flowers and butterflies which are abundant on all the walks. The weather was perfect for this type of holiday and the hotels very good. The GPX tracks supplied were very useful.

This was the first week of the season and it was cold for three days. The hotel bedroom had heating but the bathroom did not. The communal areas of the hotel were cold. Obviously accommodation in this area is designed to keep heat out. If the weather is not good there are limited opportunities here. especially as the local museum was shut for refurbishment for the whole season. The hotel staff were very helpful and friendly. We found the walks quite challenging, the directions were mostly good but on one occasion (the end of the Ermita walk) the alternative route back to the hotel was impossible to find. The path was completely invisible and we had to walk back along the road. The scenery, birdlife and wild flowers were wonderful. We hired bikes from the hotel one day and cycled along the Via Verde (disused railway track) which was easy cycling with interesting views. Another day we took the bus to Cordoba which was cheap, reliable and well worth while. We enjoyed this holiday but felt that overall both the hotel and the village were not places to be If the sun isn't shining.

Lovely walks covering a substantial part of Gozo. A great mixture of coast, countryside and villages with excellent scenic views and local interest.

Mrs Griffiths
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
13/03/2017

We could relax because everything ran like clockwork. We were very lucky with our walking companions, we enjoyed thier company and navigated and ate together every day.

Stating at Garb--Salt pans--Marlsaform then bus to Victoria. The walking instructions for the Azure window are not that clear and could be improved, easy to end up on the cliff path which can be a bit scary if it's a little windy. The hotel could sell bus passes, rather than having to go to Victoria. The three bays walk from Quala and ending at Ramla is an excellent alternative. Get the bus from Ramla to Xewxija and walk back to hotel. The small cafe by the main bus station in Victoria offers a brilliant takeaway salad, sandwich and is very cheap

Mrs Lancaster
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
27/02/2017

Lovely walks with lots of variety. We particularly enjoyed the coastline. Our rep, Ludmilla, was very welcoming, personable and helpful.

Mrs Hopwood
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
27/02/2017

Gozo is a small, friendly Island with dramatic coastal walks, a lush, flower-filled interior and beautiful churches. Headwater's excellent walking guides combined with Gozo's efficient bus service enabled us to easily visit nearly all of the Island. The Hotel Ta Cenc was a very comfortable base. The only down-side to Gozo is the 'traditional' shooting and netting of small migratory birds. Avoid the shooting season and you will enjoy a lovely holiday with relaxed walking.

Mrs Westall
Islands of Bermuda Walk
26/02/2017

A very good holiday but in all honesty Bermuda is not really a walking destination. Once you accept that this is really a sight seeing holiday on foot and that most of the walking will be on roads it's fine. Fabulous coast and beaches and excellent accommodation.

Ms Whitaker
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
26/02/2017

Very enjoyable holiday. Booking process easy and efficient. Transfers via ferry very well organised. Hotel was comfortable and staff extremely pleasant and helpful. Walks as per grading with options on some and they took us to all the island's attractions.

Mr Norris
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/02/2017

Good but if we followed the walks exactly , they were not long enough for us given that the terrain was not at all demanding. However we did manage to add on extras each day which made the walking better.

Mr Richards
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/02/2017

Portugal in February - quiet but not deserted, good walking and perfect temperature and conditions.

For an off season break, the Ta Cenc Hotel has outstanding staff, attentive and helpful, good food and away from it all peaceful location. A few too many walks on roads, but the coastal ones were marvelous.



Sir Brooke
Islands of Bermuda Walk
13/11/2016

Bermuda is a delightful place and absolutely ideal in November: lovely climate, beautiful beaches, historic interest, luxuriant vegetation, helpful people, more British and Britain. There is even a Marks & Spencer. and an excellent hotel.

Excellent service from start to finish. Quality accommodation. Gozo was a lovely island & we managed to explore every inch with the information provided.

Mr Brown
Islands of Bermuda Walk
08/11/2016

Bermuda is slightly off the beaten track, the air temperature is good for walking but also swimming etc. Bermudans are exremely friendly and not once did we feel threatened or have to stop people trying to sell us goods.

Mr Stevens
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
05/11/2016

Hotel Ta' Cenc is comfortable and friendly. Gozo is a good winter walking destination varied walks and very friendly locals. Excellent local bus service. The Citadel in Victoria was well worth a visit (allow several hours). Disappointed to see so much bird trapping activity on the coastal walks (perpetrators not quite so friendly).



On Malta we explored Valetta (busy and pricey) and Mdina / Rabat (not as busy as expected) worth seeking out the catacombs in Rabat.



Hotel Grand Excelsior large and somewhat impersonal, food and drink in the hotel is expensive. A lot of roadworks nearby at present and a stiff walk up into Valetta centre (where the outside catering opportunities are).

5 star hotel rating is over generous, though location is superb. Lounge, multiple pool facilities, and ambience are good. Plumbing is of sixties origin and need upgrading. Food of good quality and well presented. Al fresco eating would be unpleasant if you had a cat phobia, though indoor dining was always available. Hotel courtesy bus proved very useful and was complemented the excellent public service buses. Walking was enjoyable and not too strenuous. As birds were migrating, finch hunting was evident on most clifftop walks prompting frequent shot gun blasts and diversions round bird netting traps. Overall a good location for walking with a variety of routes and places to visit. .

Mr Chesters
Secrets of Sicily Walking
22/10/2016

Fantastic holiday. Walking and talking with friends in spectacular scenery is a truly great experience. The whole trip was seamlessly organised and and executed by Nicola and his local team.

Mr Tobbell
Secrets of Sicily Walking
22/10/2016

Very good indeed and very well organised but as we're we're the last week of the season many restaurants and bars were shut particularly on marritimo- I think we should have been told about this. Other than that an excellent holiday.

Mrs Timbrell
Secrets of Sicily Walking
22/10/2016

Accommodation varied.... food in restaurant in Scopello great. Food at La Luna great.

As was very end of the season nothing was open on Marretimo. There were 2 restaurants which only sold fish so not much choice.

Walks were fantastic. Apartment basic but functional...good breakfasts.

The 2 taxi drivers were first rate, very good English, helpful and informative.

Mrs Mulder
Marvels of Madeira Walk
20/10/2016

Fantastic experience walking Madeira. Even on a cloudy day it is an amazing place. Headwater arranged everything effortless. Amazing how the drivers were always there on the dot! Very reliable at all times. The levada walks were easy walks - except if you haven't got a head for heights...Good variety in walks and great that Headwater could provide more walks if you wanted to walk more. For example on your free days.

Will book with Headwater again - a no brainer!

We did the Classic Catalan walk as a short break at the end of the season, in October. The mixture of 15/17 kilometer walks, historic towns, seaside and forests, with comfortable hotels at nights, and luggage transported from place to place, was just right. Just what we needed.

Mr Toms
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
16/10/2016

Easy walking over gentle countryside with spectacular coast

Mr Till
Catalan Classic Walk
16/10/2016

The notes were very detailed,accurate and all the paths well-marked locally; that made for a very relaxing walking experience. The hotels, whether grand or more humble, exceded our expectations; The Castell d'Emporda was a stunning place to spend our rest day, the food and friendliness at Hotel Rosa was great.

Mrs Ruthen
Secrets of Sicily Walking
15/10/2016

Nothing to worry about, great accommodation in wonderful locations,excellent walks

Mr EtchellsButler
Following St James' Way
14/10/2016

After long tiring days of walking, it was lovely to relax in rustic accommodation with comfortable beds, a good en suite and decent food. We thoroughly enjoyed 'Walking the Way of St. James.' The landscape was thoroughly unexpected in Galicia, - very lush, green and much like the U.K. and Ireland. It was particularly special to make friends (although very briefly) with people from all over the world.

Ms Van Bentum
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
08/10/2016

Lovely views, lovely walks (accurate maps and grading), lovely hotels and a lovely rep (Ludmilla). It was a great holiday with the two nights in Pedralva and the walk to the lighthouse on the last day as the absolute highlights.

Mis Buttrick
Marvels of Madeira Walk
06/10/2016

A wonderful walking holiday in Madeira. A great insight of the island. Headwater took all the work out of the travel and holiday arrangements and left us to enjoy ourselves!

Mrs Garnett
Secrets of Sicily Walking
06/10/2016

A good week in the north-west corner of Sicily. The holiday cleverly combined walking (and swimming) in the Zingaro nature reserve and on the island of Marettimo with visits to the archaeological site at Segesta and the hill-top town of Erice. Transfers for our group of six were provided by our helpful and informative taxi driver, who made sure that we enjoyed our visit to the area.

Mrs Cerny
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
04/10/2016

We had our first holiday with Headwater this October in Portugal. We had never been on an organised walking holiday before, but any concerns we might have had , e.g. getting lost,were soon abated. The route maps were excellent and easy to follow. The timing of each walk was accurate, so we were able to pace ourselves accordingly. We often walked the whole day without meeting a soul except at the beach, where we could watch surfers in crashing waves. The range of accommodation was excellent. We enjoyed our stay in Pedralva and were lucky to have a a cottage with a large patio.The hotels were in great locations and all very comfortable. Ludmilla and Tony were very helpful and knowledgeable about the area. We had not been to Portugal on holiday before. We will be back!

Mr Peat
Secrets of Sicily Walking
04/10/2016

Good value for money. Lovely walking. Beautiful island.

Mrs Lancaster
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/10/2016

This was our first holiday to Madeira and fortunately enjoyed perfect walking weather.

We enjoyed the Levada experience very much but the Sao Lourenco Peninsula walk was definitely a highlight. Our last walk into Funchal was disappointing but appreciate it had been changed because of the summer fires.

The hotels were delightfully varied. At the Quinta do Furao we enjoyed live music and an outdoor hotel buffet/barbecue on our last night. At the Serra Golf we found ourselves upgraded to a lovely suite! Staying at The Bela Vista is like stepping back in time to 'Colonial days'. Silver service is a fun experience. The waiters were a little surprised when my husband asked for beer rather than wine! But they soon got used to him. We cannot fault the food and service at this hotel. Although the hotel is out of Funchal we did find the local bus service and hotel minibus service worked well.

Overall a wonderful holiday.

A lovely holiday apart from the Rep. She did not understand what headwater holidays involved at all and was only interested in promoting what she could book.

Dr Garwood
Secrets of Sicily Walking
01/10/2016

Very enjoyable holiday in a lovely part of Sicily. Perhaps we should have gone in April/May rather than October to see the wild flowers particularly the orchids on Marettimo. Several days were rather hot for the walking! Not such a variety of bird life as expected but there were a very large numberof robins on Mareettimo - not sure why! Good hotels and, in particular, Daniela was very welcoming and looked after us well, with good food, at the Baglio La Luna. Flights via Rome meant leaving at 3am on the way out and 4am on the way back. Good service from the local reps and Niccolo was a very careful and attentive driver who gave us good advice and made sure we had the right instructions and departure gate for the hydrofoil to Marettimo.

Mr Higginson
Secrets of Sicily Walking
01/10/2016

Great to see a less explored side of Sicily.

One meal was appalling, and throughout the cooking was at best uninspired.

In the rooms, the shower over-flowed very quickly onto the floor. this resulted in a very slippery and potentially dangerous surface.

There were so many flies outside and in! No fly-swatters made available.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Tucker,
Thank you for taking the time to write in with your constructive feedback. We were sorry to read you encountered maintenance issues with your room, the hotelier has assured us this has been resolved; unfortunately, they were unaware of this issue and are sorry this was not resolved during your stay. We will continue to work closely with the hotelier to ensure they deliver the high standard of accommodation our customers expect.
Despite these issues, we hope you had an enjoyable holiday overall.
We would like to thank you for choosing headwater this summer; we look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team

Mr Bellis
Walking the Camino de Santiago
30/09/2016

We had a very enjoyable trip, with great walking in beautiful locations, meeting interesting people, eating some delicious meals and we appreciated having our luggage transported!

Mrs Sillett
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
28/09/2016

A holiday that we enjoyed so much in 2013 that we went again this year!

Walks are not too challenging and provide beautiful views of Tuscany. Be aware that generally the hardest walking is the final ascent to your destination so reserve some energy and water.

A trip to Florence or Siena is really easy from Colle Val D'Elsa by bus and the location of the hotel in San Gimignano is perfect for dipping in and out of the crowds during the day

Mr Ward
Catalan Classic Walk
26/09/2016

Excellent holiday with varied scenery. The 1+ rating is about right. The walks are too long for a 1, but the terrain is not difficult.The timing of the arrival of the plane into Barcelona gave insufficient time to make the scheduled train so we had to wait an hour for the next one.

Mr Kennedy
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/09/2016

The scenery at the destination was absolutely spectacular and will remain in our minds for a very long time - starting with the view from our hotel room!

An absolute must holiday for anyone who likes to have just the right amount of exhaustion, excitement and adrenalin in one day, with the facilities to relax and recoup overnight at the hotel, ready to do it all again the next day!

Being provided with maps and suggested walks before our holiday started meant we made the very best use of our time. Definitely had a WOW factor holiday

Ms Rodgers
Walking in the Venetian Hills
24/09/2016

This was a great way to explore the Euganean Hills , we travelled in late September and the weather was perfect for walking. The holiday is a great combination of walking and rest days and our rep ,Sarah, had plenty of good advice on what to see and do.

Mrs Cook
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
23/09/2016

We really enjoyed the holiday, the scenery was amazing. Our hotel the Bellevue was comfortablle and clean, the staff friendly and helpful but not a lot to do on an evening, we sought out a couple of places in the town towards the end of the week but as we were on holiday right at the end of the season it was very quiet. The menu choice didn't have a great deal of variety/choice and did forgo the evening meal on some nights or went out beforehand as we has walked all day and we're quite hungry! (We are slightly buillt but did feel on some nights that we were stilll hungry).



The spa in the hotel was lovely and we did use the pool and steam rooms but only on one evening when we returned early enough to use the facilities before dinner.



The walking guides and maps were very helpful an on the whole accurate, some of the gradings for the difficulty of the walkes were not accurate some walkes described as Two boots had long or steep inclines and descents on rough ground and I did feel a little mis guided on one or two occasions but the views from the top soon made you forget asbout the effort it had taken.



The arrangements made at our request worked really well and the flights and transfers were efficient and convenient.



A lovely holiday just a little too quiet on an evening.

Absolutely brilliant, all the walk instructions easy to follow and the hotel acomodation and scenery magnificent.

Mr Kelly
Marvels of Madeira Walk
22/09/2016

Once again, we had a thoroughly enjoyable holiday! Great walking, wonderful locations for our accommodation, excellent food and drink, and as a bonus the company of other like-minded walkers at various points during the week. Excellent route notes and planning - it is definitely what we have come to expect from our Headwater holidays (this was our 10th).

Mrs Feely
Catalan Coastal Walk
22/09/2016

As with all Headwater Holidays experienced so far the Catalan Coastal Walk was a great experience,. The walking was challenging but the notes provided were meticulous and at the end of each day it was a joy to experience the comfortable, characterful hotels in interesting locations. I can't fault Headwater's meticulous arrangements.

Mr Merry
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
22/09/2016

Great hotels and views. Walking infused with smell if hot pine and wild lavender.

Mrs Wakefield
Castles to Coast Walk
20/09/2016

An enjoyable holiday.

Mr Wootton
Castles to Coast Walk
20/09/2016

Our journeys on the Castle to Coast Walk took us through some of the most beautiful hill countryside in this relatively unknown region of Croatia. The walks were well-designed, well-described and very enjoyable, and the hotels welcoming and comfortable. Opatija is a gem of a resort and provided an excellent and relaxing conclusion to our trip.

Mr Erdal
Castles to Coast Walk
20/09/2016

The design of the week was very well balanced; the directions astonishingly detailed and accurate; the accommodation superb; Romina the rep absolutely outstandingly excellent. They even got good weather for us. After 22 years of never having an organised holiday we are converts. Could not recommend this more highly.

Mr Shelton
Marvels of Madeira Walk
19/09/2016

Quinta do Furao was lovely, very welcoming staff, a stunning location. The walk along the coast from the hotel was amazing. The local representative, Eduardo from MB Travel, met us to discuss the week's walks and was very helpful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Serra Golf was a beautiful building, but the staff took two days to sort out our lack of hot water (we had a room in the old house) and had forgotten to provide a packed lunch on our morning of departure.

The levada walks were splendid - breathtaking views around every corner. The guide notes were good, but we could have done with a few more arrows or signs on the path. On the last walking day we had an alternative walk due to the forest fires of previous weeks. This was not nearly as good as the previous walks - I am sure there are other walks available.

Quinta da Bela Vista was a a lovely hotel set in beautiful grounds - a long way from the centre of Funchal and the hotel shuttle bus does not run on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. There are local buses into town. Five course dinners served every evening, but after a day's walking you just want a big bowl of something on the table.

Many thanks to Headwater staff for their efforts to arrange our holiday around our preferred dates.

Mr Mathieson
The Amalfi Coast Walk
19/09/2016

Very enjoyable holiday overall, staying in good quality hotels. We did find some of the walking a bit more challenging than we had anticipated. It rained on the day we did the Path of the Gods which made it slippery and therefore extra care needed to be taken. We were warned about the 1,000 plus steps down to Positano but maybe more warning about the descent to Marina del Cantone would be helpful for future walkers.

The guidance notes were very accurate on the whole with one or two minor errors. We didn't get lost.

The taxi drivers were all very pleasant and punctual and we had no problems. Our only criticism is that we were not contacted by a local rep. at all. This may have been because we were slightly delayed on arrival ( only half an hour). We also had to confirm our final taxi pick-up ourselves (via the hotel) as this hadn't been communicated to us in advance- a slight worry on the day before we were leaving.

Mrs McKenzie
Chianti Classic Walk
18/09/2016

thoroughly enjoyed the walking-especially when following the river. Accomodation comfortable and staff in the hotels welcoming and friendly. We had really personable and informative couriers able to supply us with local information on the areas-they went the extra mile!

Mrs Bali
The Amalfi Coast Walk
17/09/2016

This was our second time with Headwater. We really enjoyed our holiday. The walks were well chosen and so were the towns where we stayed. The Amalfi coast is stunningly beautuful. Some of the popular walks can get a bit busy - there seemed to be a lot of Americans everywhere. We stayed in 4 different hotels and they were all different in character. The highlight was La Conca del Sogno, a family run hotel in a cove with a beach. Would certainly recommend this holiday.

Ms Small
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
16/09/2016

Our holiday experience was fantastic! We loved walking in the mountains and hearing the sound of cow bells everywhere we went. It was easy to get around on the buses and trains, and the mountain trails were varied and interesting. The lakes were a beautiful colour, and the scenery was stunning wherever we went. The food in the hotel was outstanding, with a 5 course dinner offered on each night of our stay. The hotel's spa facilities were also excellent. I had anticipated a busy hotel with lots of Headwater customers, but apart from me and my friend there were only a few other hotel guests. This meant that the dining room was very quiet and lacked a bit of atmosphere, but the staff were very attentive and looked after us really well. I would definitely recommend the Dolomites to anyone who loves to walk amongst stunning scenery. The most popular trails are obviously busy with other visitors, but it is easy to find quiet routes and paths as there are so many walks to choose from.

Absolutely fantastic, superb hotel a jewel in the island, delicious food well prepared, excellent staff. Beautiful hotel! So many varied and interesting walks away from the tourist areas. One of the best holidays we have had!

We will be returning one day to complete the other walks around the island. Just wish we had been able to stay longer.

Mr Lumsden
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
16/09/2016

Provence is a wonderfully scenic area and walking independently and at your own pace is a great way to experience the history and the variety of views. The Headwater formulae works excellently!



You have improved the standard of hotels used and Laura and Tim looked after us very well.

Mr Kent
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
14/09/2016

The coastline in South West Portugal is stunning and the national park unspoiled .Most days we only saw other walkers and surfers The walks were well planned and came with easy to follow instructions.The way-mark signs were also good. Ludmilla and Tony, the Headwater representatives were excellent.and we felt as though they were there just for us ,even though we knew that they had other guests to look after. .The food and accommodation was ,on the whole ,of a high standard. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend this holiday to other walkers. They wont be disappointed. It far exceeded our expectations!

Mr Graham
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/09/2016

Great hotels, exquisite dinners, well-described walks

Mr Stevenson
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
14/09/2016

Varied walking with except for the first morning no need for a lift to the start of the walk although limited opportunities to find drinks or nibbles en route.The final day was longer than we anticipated and we did flag down a passing taxi to take us up the huge hill to Volterra.The hotels varied but with good accommodation, views and the food was generally good. The best meal by far was in the agrotourismo down the road from Hotel Pescille (3 * with no restaurant) which was a real gem as the hotel was a fair walk from San Gimignano and avoided taxis at night.

Ms Nicolson
Catalan Coastal Walk
12/09/2016

Catalan Coastal Walk has it all: wonderful walks, stunning scenery and fabulous hotels - one of the best!

Mr Ford
Chianti Classic Walk
12/09/2016

We enjoyed this holiday but with the following proviso in comparison with the Footsteps of St Francis Umbria which we did last year there was much more hard surface and road walking particularly on the last day.

Our first and last Hotel San Limo was without doubt the poorest hotel that we have experienced on a Headwater holiday. there was no atmosphere in the restaurant the staff both at dinner and breakfast did not give a friendly or welcoming approach. We actually decided to eat out in Volterra on the final night rather than eat at the hotel. The room we were given 403 was supposed to be a superior room it was the smallest of all the rooms we had and the only thing that could have made superior was that it had a small balcony.

Hotel Relias della Rovere whilst the food was excellent and the room good, the pool and the pool area was very poor, grass uncut and pool a little dated

Mrs McMillan
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
11/09/2016

A very comfortable stay in a lovely hotel with good walking on varied terrain in mountains close to Madrid yet unknown to us before we arrived.

Mrs Reeves
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
11/09/2016

Excellent holiday in little known area of Spain.

Mrs Norman
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
11/09/2016

Very varied walking in a lovely area. The walks were of the right length with good descriptions. We had good advice from Teresa. This was not an area we would have gone to without you as we had never heard of it. In September it was quiet with very few other tourists Spanish or British. We had one cold day but otherwise it was good walking weather.

Mr Butterfield
Castles to Coast Walk
10/09/2016

Vegan vrata hotel had no hot water in our room on first day and only warmish on second day. Ate there and staff seemed stressed and this did not make for a relaxing evening. Not impressed with this hotel.

Dr Haberman
Castles to Coast Walk
10/09/2016

Beautiful and varied walks. Good level of stamina required. Istria is very quiet but local people are very friendly eg a farmer gave us some apples when we resting (and obviously) tired.



In the first walk, there was no shade. Walk 2 is longer but a little easier. It would make more sense to swap over walks 1 and 2 to allow travellers to acclimatise.



We had a problem with the packed lunches. We mentioned on the application form that we do not eat meat. I rang Headwater the week before the holiday to make sure that this was known and had been passed on to the 2 hotels providing packed lunches. I was told that this would be done. On arrival, we found out that neither hotel knew of our requirements. Clearly, there is communication breakdown.

Mrs Duguid
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
10/09/2016

A fantastic location with plenty of variety in the walks. If you want a break from walking there are opportunities to visit to local towns/villages, or to relax at the hotel. Be prepared to deal with high temperatures, even in September!

Mrs Barnes
Walking the Algarve's South West
10/09/2016

This is a most enjoyable walking holiday. You see some spectacular scenery and stay in some lovely places. In September the weather was hotter than we had expected which made the walks quite demanding, but the excellent notes provided by the guides meant that we never got lost. Most of the hotels were excellent, but while the breakfasts at Costa d'Oiro were good, the dinners were not. There was little choice and the main courses were of poor quality.

Dr Johnson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
09/09/2016

The local guides were extremely helpful and well informed. Their walking routes and descriptions were excellent and full of interest. The whole area was very scenic and with a good variety of wildlife.

Mrs Rose
Marvels of Madeira Walk
08/09/2016

Had a great week's walking in Madeira, the walks were very clear and the transport well organised. The first walk of the week was the hardest, a lot of up and steeply down but fantastic scenery and glad we did it. The lavada walks were lovely and really enjoyed the tunnels. The hotel in Funchal not a five star, the allocated rooms have no balcony which you need to access Wifi or like us you have to stand by window, not ideal after a long walk. The first two hotels were great, very friendly with great service. Overall an enjoyable holiday.

Mr Defries
Castles to Coast Walk
06/09/2016

Very well organized, would recommend to all.

Mrs Beaney
Castles to Coast Walk
06/09/2016

Excellent hotels, really good walking notes (best we've had!), good food available locally. very knowlegable rep.

Mrs Johnson
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
04/09/2016

Overall - excellent.

Mr Long
Secrets of Sicily Walking
03/09/2016

Overall an excellent holiday with good accommodation and choice of walking routes

Mrs Watson
Walking the Camino de Santiago
03/09/2016

We thoroughly enjoyed the entire set-up of this holiday. Our companions in the group were friendly and good company. The walk was spectacular with some of the more boring bits done by vehicular transfer. We were also extremely luck with the weather, it only rained once for 5 minutes! We felt a real sense of achievement when we arrived in Santiago de Compostella.

Mis Horkan
Walking in the Venetian Hills
02/09/2016

Beautiful verdant area to walk in. Fantastic views. Lots of options for rest days.

Mrs Liebster
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
31/08/2016

While this walk was quite challenging in places, partly because of the high temperatures in early September, it was thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying. It was very well planned and the gastronomic aspects were excellent and exceeded our expectations. This is a much under-rated part of Italy and very well worth exploring. The views, the wine and the food are outstanding.

Mr Tait
Catalan Classic Walk
30/08/2016

A beautiful area of Spain particularly the coastline with some wonderful accessible walks . Longer walks can be challenging on the warmer days !

Mrs McDonagh
Castles to Coast Walk
30/08/2016

brilliant holiday,well packaged,very thorough instructions,great locations

Mrs Conroy
Castles to Coast Walk
30/08/2016

Croatia is a beautiful country and we enjoyed the contrast between hilltop hotels and two nights on the coast. We did however find the walking tough going at times due to the heat at the beginning of September - 30+ degrees. Maybe that is why there were only 4 of us on the trip, others chose a cooler time of year! The organisation was excellent as we transferred hotels, our Rep and drivers were friendly and very helpful. The food was slightly disappointing as there was little fish on offer until we got to Opatije. The meal at Hotel Vela Vrata was very good, we wished we'd eaten there both nights.

We shall await the new season's brochure and plan next year's holiday after checking the expected temperatures.

Mrs Slater
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
27/08/2016

You will not find a better hotel than the Bellevue at Dobbiaco and the excellent local bus and train services give you access to some of the most spectacular areas and walks in the Dolomites

Mrs Wright
Walking the Camino de Santiago
26/08/2016

Anyone of reasonable fitness can walk the Camino, but maybe you should consider grading your Camino walking holiday. One grade for people who are not really used to walking distances and another grade for people who have come to walk at least 25 - 30 km per day. Most of the walkers had booked hotels and albergues in towns and villages. Walkers like to meet up with each other in the evening and share experiences. At one place the hotel pick up was 1 hour 15 minutes late from the agreed time, with no apology or

Mr Ezra
Catalan Coastal Walk
25/08/2016

The Catalan Coastal Walk holiday was really good, with interesting walks, stunning scenery, pleasant accommodation and great food. We would certainly return to a couple of the destinations we visited on the way. The walking was not too onerous and we were normally quicker than the expected time to be taken, even without rushing. The hotels were all welcoming and comfortable, with a discernible rising in quality of accommodation from one location to the next. The taxi arrangements were superb, with our driver, Fransisco, always early, cheerful and helpful. However, there are always some bug-bears, but these are merely small tweaks that could have made our personal experience better. Mainly, the notes were not to our taste and often needed re-reading, others may find differently. Also the location of the first and last night's accommodation, although nice enough, seems to be at odds with the holiday's overall description of 'coastal'.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Ezra,
Thank you for taking the time to write in with your post-holiday feedback. It was great to read you had an enjoyable holiday overall. We were however sorry to read, that you found issues with some of the route notes. Please be assured we check all of the routes and notes seasonally. We will keep your feedback in mind when we do our next update. In closing, we would like to thank you for choosing Headwater for your summer holiday; we look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team

Mr Cumber
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
21/08/2016

We had an amazing trip walking around Tuscany. San Gimignano was probably the highlight but everything was excellent. Walking in mid-August was very hot, but we found the if we left early the walking temperature until about 11am was just right. On our off days we visited Sienna, took a vineyard tour near San Gimignano (the excellent Cappellasantandrea is a 30 min walk away) and explored around Casole. The meals outside at the Relais della Rovere were also fantastic. Overall a great trip we would highly recommend.

Mrs Handley
Chianti Classic Walk
21/08/2016

Challenging, enjoyable walking in a scenic setting.Easy access to visit Sienna, Florence and the small historical towns along the way a real bonus.

Mr Harris
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
20/08/2016

Outstandingly beautiful area with plenty of fantastic walks. The location could not be better and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. The hotel was great with very friendly and helpful staff. The food was excellent - varied, tasty and creatively presented. We had glorious weather for the entire week so we were lucky and could get out and about every day. The information provided by Peter and the other staff was very useful and helped us to get the most from our time. We liked the packed lunch buffet which really helped given the prices of things generally. Similarly the transport pass which gave us free travel on cable cars and buses. Getting there and back was easy and travel very smooth.



The only slight downside was that our room was rather small, particularly the bathroom which was very cramped, and generally not as luxurious as other Headwater hotels we've stayed in. I realise that Switzerland is a very expensive country and this holiday is very good value so it's probably a compromise to keep the holiday affordable. It certainly didn't spoil our stay. We had a wonderful time - thank you Headwater and Alfa Soleil.

Mr Kelleher
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
20/08/2016

We had a fantastic time on the Classic Swiss Alps walking holiday. Everything was organised for us - from the flight to the journey to the hotel and details on the walks. The hotel staff were all very friendly and extremely helpful. The food was the surprise of the trip, it was delicious!



The walks and the scenery was spectacular, and the suggested routes were all brilliant. There was also enough flexibility in the suggested guide to vary the hiking to your level of ability.



Overall, we had a brilliant time!

Mrs Mercer
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
09/08/2016

Amazing food, a warm welcome and wonderful hill top towns and rolling scenery worthy of an Unesco designation.

Mr Clegg
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
04/08/2016

Good summer walking in a lovely valley. Not as spectacular as the Jungfrau region, but impressive. Great to have passes for most (but not all ) of the walks. Good cooking at Alfa Soleil, though watch out - heavy handed in cooking with cream.

Even in bad weather there are walks one can do.

Mrs Clark
Dordogne River Walk
03/08/2016

The booking process was simple and supportive. The holiday exceeded expectation; not something I have said before. The accommodation was superb, food wonderful, welcome huge and help available when required.

Mrs Roberts
Castles to Coast Walk
02/08/2016

Lovely country. Romina was an excellent guide. The Buzet loop walk was boring and the notes were not adequate

we loved it. you make the right choices. you care for detail. you are committed and reliable. you do all the hard work. we just turned up and paid. great!

Mr Paterson
Walking the Camino de Santiago
30/07/2016

Quite demanding. 9 days is a long walking holiday.

Ms Schoenfeld
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
29/07/2016

Our trip we booked through Headwaters for a stay in Kandersteg, Switzerland at the Alfa Soleil was the highlight of a few weeks spent in Europe. The hotel was wonderful, and the hiking suggestions from Headwaters were great and provided us with all the information we needed to do some great hiking on our own. They scheduled our train trips and everything worked just as planned. It was great to have a home-base from which to do a lot of different hikes in the area. We were very pleased with our whole experience!

Mr Spackman
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
26/07/2016

Our Headwater walking holiday contained the perfect mixture of beautiful and challenging walks with comfortable hotels and delicious French meals. We felt we were able to escape from the well-trodden tourist trails and really explore the countryside, knowing our luggage was being taken care of and there would be a crystal-clear swimming pool awaiting us at the end of another hot day.

Ms Cutts
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
23/07/2016

Kandersteg is the most perfect setting - the beauty of the mountains, lakes and meadows is breathtaking! The walking options are fabulous - but remember to take your poles for those steep downhill sections! The staff at the hotel were welcoming and so helpful - a real plus. A wonderful holiday!

Mr Robson
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
23/07/2016

Superb holiday that we thoroughly enjoyed! It rained quite a bit - but don't let that put you off. The scenery is marvellous; out of this world in some places - especially the Dolomites with their marvellously jagged mountains and stunning turquoise lakes. The Drei Zimmen/Tre Cime trail is magnificent and certainly worth saving to last! The hotel accommodation was truly superb with a leisurely 5-course meal routinely included. Too good for us, I have to say! Not many British families in this area. Keep it quiet... do they know what they are missing?

Mrs Anderson
Walking in the Venetian Hills
22/07/2016

We had a very good relaxed holiday, with Sarah giving alternative choices and lifts on days that were too hot to walk the whole distance

Sarah is an exceptionally good rep

Thankyou

Ms Marshall
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
20/07/2016

Please provide guests with bus stop information in Alba - we walked down to Gallo from Grinzane and easily took a bus there, but weren't sure where to stand, which bus stop, on the way back.... So missed the bus when it did come. Also the air-con on the top floor in Villa Pavesi needs attention! A beautiful room under the eaves, but boiling hot!

Mrs Saunders
Castles to Coast Walk
19/07/2016

The 2 hill top hotels were excellent. Perhaps more warning should be given that these are steep uphills at the end of the days walk to arrive at hotel.

Buzet really had nothing available in the old town, I had thought there might just be a little more, perhaps. Glad we were there only 2 nights.

Mis Lloyd
Castles to Coast Walk
19/07/2016

Beautiful area of undiscovered gems of hilltop villages, lovely hotels, excellent representative and great 'real' food. Late July rather hot but still enjoyable as the walks could be started early in the morning thanks to hotels doing early breakfasts

Dobbiaco was a super location as a base for walking. The walks were well detailed and accurate and the views during the walks were quite stunning.

Mr Andrews
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
14/07/2016

This was our second holiday with Headwater. The first was a group walk about 7 years ago in Tuscany which was outstanding. The hotels, the reps and the food were just as good this time, but the walking was disappointing. The walks were very isolated and much of the time either through boring woodland which all looks the same or vineyards, which also all look the same. I am a teacher and therefore have to holiday during School holidays. Unfortunately we could not find group walks to suit during this period.



One complaint is that in all the hotels we stayed at we were allocated the worst rooms in the hotel by any standards. In Villa Beccaris, for example, we were the nearest room to the tradesmen's entrance. At Hotel Le Torri there was no air conditioning so needed windows open all night. We were given a room facing the street and were woken up very early by traffic noise. No balcony either.

Mr Mellish
Castles to Coast Walk
13/07/2016

We loved Croatia and in particular the Adriatic riviera which was stunningly beautiful and relatively unspoiled. All the hotels were good and in excellent locations and Romina the rep was fantastic - extremely helpful, friendly and accommodating. The walking was more challenging than we have experienced on other Headwater holidays and not quite as interesting or inspiring. It was very hot walking in July and there were lots of mosquitos - it would probably be a better choice in May or September. We will definitely return to Croatia to explore this beautiful country further.

Mrs Shilton
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
12/07/2016

It is worth it! Take up all the advice provided by your reps and live a little!

Mr Burgess
Castles to Coast Walk
05/07/2016

As above maybe reduce prices.

Mr Willson
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/07/2016

The quality and variety of walking was stimulating and typified the beauty of the area. I travelled in early July and the flower meadows were among the most abundant I have seen in Europe. The hotel offered well cooked and interesting menus (excellent pasta) and a good accompanying wine list, with friendly, helpful staff.

Mr Fairweather
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/07/2016

Wonderful high level walking with dramatic views and an amazing variety of wild flowers during the day, and a very comfortable hotel with superb food in the evening.

Mrs Walker
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
02/07/2016

Headwater take all the uncertainty out of your holiday: you know the hotels are going to be excellent in every respect, you know you are going to get picked up at the right time, you know the walks are going to be through beautiful countryside. Everything runs smoothly and efficiently. We find the balance between a walking day and a rest day just perfect. This was our eighth holiday with Headwater and we are already talking about next year's.

Ms Moore
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
25/06/2016

Wonderful holiday - excellent hotel in an amazing varied area for walking with stunning views round every corner. The buses and lifts - free with the complementary pass - make the high level walks (and/ or restaurants) so accessible. One of our best holidays ever and we will be back!

Mr Foster
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
25/06/2016

The walk notes were very good, although some local information with them would have improved the experience. There was 1 mistake we found for the Strudelkopf walk where after leaving the Hotel Hohe Gaisl you reach a stream '...after just 350m' should read '...after just 35m'. This caused confusion as the official path has been diverted - correct per the notes (but the old one/route being shown on the map) and the old one/junction is 350m from this point!!

Mr Moyes
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
24/06/2016

If you want a very fine single-centre walking holiday in stunning mountain scenery then Headwater's Dolomites experience in the Southern Tyrol is perfect: varied, stimulating, hard work and very satisfying. As well as the glory of the mountains, the flower-strewn alpine pastures are a botanist's heaven.

Mr Mackrill
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
22/06/2016

Beautiful countryside and villages with fantastic unspoilt views, fabulous hotels and food. Plus being very well looked after by excellent Headwater staff.

Mr Smith
Chianti Classic Walk
22/06/2016

Stunning countryside and food. Best reps we've ever had.

Mrs Coulson
Castles to Coast Walk
21/06/2016

This is one of the best walking holidays we have had with Headwater. Excellent walking notes guided us through a lovely and varied landscape. And the accommodation in all three hotels was of the highest standard; perfect locations too.

Mrs Hewitt
Marvels of Madeira Walk
20/06/2016

This holiday was good and the temperature for walking was very comfortable, but it would have been lovely to see the sun more, and the spectacular views, which were sometimes covered by mist and low cloud. I was not very fit at the beginning and felt exhausted and sore after two days, so chose to miss the walk on day 3 and go with the bags to the next hotel and have a day resting, and reading by the pool. (The Porto Bay Serra Golf has a spa with treatments, and it is possible to book a leg and foot massage!). The walks were dominated by levada routes, so less varied than our previous walking holidays with Headwater, so it was really worth going on the San Lourentco peninsula walk which was wonderful.

Mr Nicholson
Castles to Coast Walk
19/06/2016

The package of walks in Croatia was very good, albeit challenging at times. The local rep was excellent and helpful at all times. The accommodation was well chosen and all transfers were timely and efficient. Overall it was an excellent package and we would recommend it to others. This was our second Headwater walking holiday and lived up to the standards set by the first one. We will certainly look to do similar walking holidays with Headwater in future.

Mr Pearce
The Amalfi Coast Walk
19/06/2016

A marvellous combination of: exercise and relaxation in wonderful locations, staying in top hotels with everything superbly organised.

Mrs Chapman
Catalan Classic Walk
18/06/2016

A very well considered walking route with accurate and detailed route notes which helped to make the holiday very enjoyable. We opted to stay an extra night in one of the suggested hotels which worked out very well. We liked the independence and choice of pace the holiday presented even though we had the full back up of Headwater representatives there if we had needed them. The rating of 1 boot + for the Catalan Classic tour was appropriate as was the 'at a glance' write up in the brochure. Overall this walk/holiday fulfilled our expectations and introduced us to a lovely part of Spain.

Mr Wilks
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
18/06/2016

We had a wonderful time - excellent hotel, interesting food and superb walking. If you like wild flowers, it was a stunning to see the variety and colour on display. It is a reminder of what we have lost with our 'improved' grassland and factory farming. What was nice was that we could tailor each day's walk with the help of the hotel staff according to how strenuous a walk we felt like and what the weather was like in various parts of the area.

Mrs Hayward
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
18/06/2016

The Classic Swiss Alps walking holiday was a wonderful blend of a comfortable and welcoming hotel and varied walking. As a single centre holiday it was good to be able to access amazing scenery very easily and close to the hotel. The walks could all be tailored to suit ability, weather and level of energy by extending or shortening the suggested itineraries. The map was a great help in addition to the written descriptions. We were there at the end of June just before the hay cut in the village fields so saw the myriad meadow flowers before they were harvested, a process that was also very interesting to watch. The higher alpine meadows were the best we have ever seen anywhere and the waterfalls were impressive, fed by the melting snow. Kandersteg, where the holiday is based, is well served by trains and this was our method of transport all the way from England.

Mr Mitchison
Castles to Coast Walk
14/06/2016

Excellent and varied walks in attractive countryside, comfortable friendly hotels and interesting local cuisine with plenty of truffles. Our very helpful local guide, Romina, advised us about possible issues and added to our enjoyment of the holiday.

Mis Rodgers
Marvels of Madeira Walk
13/06/2016

Madeira was a beautiful location. Weather in June was pleasant. Hotels and food good.

Walks varied and interesting. Overall a good experience.

Mrs Bibby
Catalan Coastal Walk
12/06/2016

Brilliant!

The Catalan coastal walk is challenging in parts, particularly when the weather is hot, but it is spectacular and the route notes were great (with one or two exceptions, see below) The hotels were all quite different, each lovely in its own way and the restaurants that were pre-booked offered varied and interesting menus.I would thoroughly recommend the holiday.

Last year we walked in the Venito and we think the walks and accommodation in Catalonya are even better than those last year.

Thank you Headwater.

Mrs Triger
Dordogne River Walk
12/06/2016

We had two varied weeks in France, interspersed with the 8 day walking holiday. I think we have come to the conclusion that staying based in one hotel (i.e. Kandersteg) is probably better for us than walking from hotel to hotel. We missed having a car on our 'rest' days in order to explore the surroundings. We also found 23kms rather too much for us! We got lost a couple of times following the instructions - better signposting in Switzerland! However, the food, wine and the beautiful countryside was much appreciated. Not often one walks only hearing birdsong and nothing else!



Thanks Headwater for all your arrangements.

Mr Dudley
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
11/06/2016

Generally, very enjoyable - superb part of the world to explore; ideal time of year (our trip was not peak season); great to burn some calories during the day, then enjoy some fine food and drink in the evening; good mix of like-minded people.

Mr Normand
Dordogne River Walk
11/06/2016

Good varied walking, with clear directions. But we were pleased the weather was not hot because, aged about 70, we found the walking days quite full. Timing was as predicted though torrential rain had turned some of the tracks into an obstacle course.

Hotels were excellent, all very special in different ways. Chateau de Monrecours is magnificent, feels very expensive, with a talented chef and friendly helpful Maitre d'.

Monrecours and Les Glycines provided special menus for Headwater, Meysett and Laborderie scored by saying 'here are all our menus, have what you like'!

Nearly all staff spoke very good English.

Despite one of us not being able to walk very far we still had a lovely time. The hotel was in a lovely place and was a most relaxing place to stay.

Mr Cheek
Catalan Coastal Walk
06/06/2016

We enjoyed our holiday however I must point out certain issues. The notes on page 3 of your Catalunya brochure are unclear - you have tried include notes for several holidays in one go using commas which results in it making little sense. In the first two lines you do not make it clear that you are talking about two different stations (Airport Terminus and Passeig de Garcia). I think you should investigate alternatives to having to wait at Passeig de Garcia station - it is busy, hot, no facilities, you are not allowed out of the station and we waited one and a half hours for the train. I think you should also give more information as to where to get off, it was luck we spotted the Viajuiga sign and managed to scramble off the train. Trail notes badly written and in parts not clear, there were two instances of them being totally wrong. Page 23 2nd para arriving at junction we could not understand which path to take so opted for the road route which says follow to Cala Joncois NO just the opposite is correct. Page 25 second column 3rd para on reaching T junction turn right NO turn left and at next T junction turn right. There are no road signs to help you.

Mrs McDonough
The Amalfi Coast Walk
04/06/2016

Well organised and great routes. Accommodation usually gives more of a local flavour than big anonymous chains.

Mrs Cox
Chianti Classic Walk
04/06/2016

Wonderful hilltop towns and beautiful, diverse scenery. Good hotels and excellent food. Luke and Eleanor were lovely reps. Nothing was too much trouble. We found we needed to shorten the walks and they helped us work out a way to do this, yet ensuring we did the best parts of each one. They ensured we had a stress free holiday and overall we had a very relaxing and memorable time. Ten days was ideal. A holiday we would recommend.

We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday in Menorca. The weather was extremely hot all week so we often shortened the walks which is easy to do as many of them are linear walks. Although most of the walks are coastal there is plenty of variety. The hotel is absolutely lovely, in such a peaceful location with beautiful gardens. We had a very warm welcome on arrival and the service throughout the week was consistently good. All the staff were helpful and polite and nothing was too much trouble. Our accommodation, the gardens and all public areas were kept spotlessly clean and the food was good and plentiful.

Mr Kingsford
Landscapes of the Luberon Walk
02/06/2016

Varied walking in superb countryside through pine forests, cherry orchards, lavender fields and vineyards, all of which which gave us a wonderful experience of Provence in all its glory

Mr Loaring
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
02/06/2016

A wonderful holiday with excellent walks in beautiful countryside; staying in comfortable, well appointed hotels, which for us were marred by the fact that very few concessions were made to guests who did not eat meat, and therefore we did not eat very well throughout the week except on the evenings when we had to eat out at restaurants of our own choice (when we were very well catered for). However, one of the most attractive aspects of a Headwater holiday is to be accommodated in a comfortable hotel offering good cuisine at the end of a day's walking, and not having to go out again searching around for somewhere attractive to eat.

Mr Clarke
Chianti Classic Walk
02/06/2016

Luke & Eleanor the reps couldn't have been more helpful and made the holiday a special experience. Taking the extra days to allow for visits to Sienna and Florence added an extra dimension to the holiday and would thoroughly recommend doing this as an addition to visiting the hilltop towns.

Dr Scally
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
31/05/2016

The walking was varied and interesting. The stretch along the river d'Elsa on the way to Colle di Val d'Elsa was the most interesting. Some of the hotels are quite busy with tour groups. The hotels also vary markedly. Hotel Terre di Casole was easily the best, particularly for service. One minot point however was that the room we were allocated the room (204), despite plenty of empty rooms alongside it that were a bit bigger. The reception staff and the main waitress in the restaurant were fantastic and we particularly appreciated that there were plenty of special options offered to us in the restaurant that were not on the menu but were suitable for vegetarians. The poorest hotel was Relais della Rovere. Reception staff were uninterested and the restaurant (not run by the hotel) was poor for vegetarians. The pool at Relais Santa Chiara was hopeless for swimming. San Gimignano was very touristic and not very pleasant. On the other hand, Volterra was very interesting and worth more time that it was allocated as a start/finish point.

Mr Morrison
The Amalfi Coast Walk
30/05/2016

A perfect way to enjoy the splendours of the Amalfi Coast from a perspective impossible for holidaymakers tied to the roads. The routes were planned so that each day's walking was different - from rugged cliff paths and breathtaking coastal scenery to peaceful lemon and olive groves and friendly villages. While this holiday does not have the same amount of walking we have had previously, we welcomed the days off as an opportunity to catch the ferry over to Capri and visit Pompeii and Herculaneum. All our 'standard' rooms at Amalfi, Positano and Marina del Cantone had wonderful sea views. We upgraded to be sure of a sea view in Sorrento and were booked in to the fabulous Belair Hotel - would really recommend this - and indeed the whole holiday.

Mr Duggleby
Walking in the Venetian Hills
29/05/2016

Another excellent self-guided walking holiday from Headwater. Everything was up to the very high standards we expect from them. The entire 8-day holiday was a delight including the visits we chose (Padova, Monselice) on our days off. We chose to walk the suggested options for our last day off. The weather was poor but we had a fabulous 'extra' day of walking.

This area of the Vento is so beautiful and the walking around the Euganean Hills was terrific. Sarah our lovely rep was superb. Thank you Headwater.

Mr Craig
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
28/05/2016

A very good experience with lovely location, accommodation and scenery.

Mr Godsall
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
28/05/2016

We were very pleased with the walking routes and overall package, plus interesting days out in Cordoba and Malaga. The hotel in Zuheros was slightly 'simpler' than we'd normally choose but they worked so hard to provide excellent service; taxi was great too. A well planned holiday in an area we would not have discovered apart from through your brochure - we rate Headwater highly.

Ms Feist
Walking the Camino de Santiago
28/05/2016

A very good trip. Where scores have been less than excellent this is because I think the hosts could welcome guests with an offer of drink after a day of exertion - including making tea/coffee available. At times the hosts were not visible and when they appeared it felt awkward asking for a service of this kind with the exception of Pazo Santemaria and Casa los Semoza (the latter had a bar). Some of the accommodation may not be conveniently located so meant waiting around to be picked up. An arrangement whereby the guest could have a taxi as he/she arrived at collection point would be better. Also in some places it was cool/damp weather and bed linen felt a little damp. Heating not always switched on (noticeable feature when one is tired) and I had to ask at one place for it to be put on as I was quite uncomfortable. However, luggage was always transported exactly which was reassuring. Blanca the guide in Leon was excellent and Headwater have made a very interesting programme of accommodation - full of interest/quirky and beautifully located. Thank you.

Mr Jones
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
27/05/2016

This was our third trip with you and all have been most enjoyable - the right length of walks and the grading worked out fine.

1/ Never give up the Morvedra Nou; one of the most relaxing and enjoyable hotels we have stayed at. We had a junoir suite with a patio overlooking the pool - the best in the house.

2/ I know this was only a grade 1, but any experienced walker could have done a lot more. We spent some spare time on the beach. Would not be so good at high season, would be too hot and crowded.

3/ 'Would you take another holiday with Headwater?' - I think we have done them all. at least at grades we can manage now. I am well in the 80-90 bracket - not in your age scale! - but I think we started with Heaswater in 1998. I have all the notes and paperwork in boxes in the attic.

4/ I was worried about French Air Traffic Control industrial action, but we were notaffected.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Emerson,

Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire. Please be assured we value all of the feedback we receive and use this to help us continue to improve and develop our holidays for future customers.

It is lovely to see you continue to enjoy your walking holidays with us; we value your loyalty dearly and look forward to welcoming you on your next holiday.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team

Mr Cross
Catalan Coastal Walk
27/05/2016

Definitely a two--boot walk, especially the day to Almadabra Park hotel, which was the longest and had some quite hazardous sections on the coast path.We were in late May and had some disappointing weather, and there was no question of swimming in pools or on beaches. Hotels were good, although the dinners at the Monterey/Porto Christo were poor - dinners and breakfasts at other hotels and restaurants were good. Francisco our taxi driver did the job OK but he speaks only Catalan and a little French.

Mrs Robertson
Catalan Coastal Walk
25/05/2016

Excellent holiday. Be sure to carefully check the travel details if you have requested any changes or non-standard arrangements.

Mr Cranmer
Castles to Coast Walk
24/05/2016

Tougher walking than expected. Most days finished with steep climb. Hotels variable, rep. super. Countryside lovely. We decided to have a rest from walking on Day 3 and hired bikes which was a pleasant change.

Mrs Loch
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/05/2016

Madeira is an excellent year-round easy walking destination. The custard tarts are to die for.

Beautiful Island and walks. Morvedra Nou is a lovely small hotel. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The breakfasts were very good, continental style with plenty of choice. The evening meals were a bit hit and miss unfortunately. You are given the menu in the morning and there is a choice of two of each of the courses. Choose wisely!

Mrs Butterworth
Walking in the Venetian Hills
23/05/2016

The walks are strenuus enough that we felt a glow of achievement on finishing each one, but not so difficult that we sruggled as occasional hikers. The mix of agriculture and woodland walking surrounded by birdsong is wonderful.

Adding an extra 3 nights in Venice staying at the Hotel Kette made the whole holiday one to remember for many years.

Ms Kay
Islands of Bermuda Walk
22/05/2016

Bermuda is a first class holiday destination. Walking round much of the island is a great way to experience the culture of the island first hand. Headwater enabled us to do that.

Mr Weymouth
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
22/05/2016

I am really happy with Headwater in all aspects except, perhaps, the standard of accommodation (at times). Although, in this instance, you do advertise that the hotel's accommodation will be a standard room, there are no definitive descriptions of standard compared to other rooms/prices. The room we were offered would have 'sufficed', but when staying for a length of time I think it is evident that a more comfortable room with more amenities would make the holiday that much more of an enjoyable experience. That is difficult to deduce from your literature. (We upgraded at El Milano Real as soon as we arrived).

When using your company in the past (on Inn-to-Inn walks) there have been other instances where we have felt a little let down by the quality of hotel.

Mr Shortman
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
21/05/2016

We had a wonderful weeks walking, the hotel was in a lovely hill top village. The walking was good in wonderful scenery with beautiful wild flowers and birdsong.Antonio and his staff looked after us really well and we also enjoyed our day trip to Córdoba. This was our twelfth trip with yourselves and one of the best.

Mr Abrahams
Catalan Coastal Walk
21/05/2016

Excellent concept well executed

Mrs Hansen
Marvels of Madeira Walk
20/05/2016

Fantastic walking, great variety. Very enjoyable holiday. One of our best Headwater holidays.

Peaceful location, excellent coastal and inland walking away from the crowds

Mrs Macleod
Marvels of Madeira Walk
19/05/2016

Very well organised trip. Varied walking; enjoyed walking along the levadas but views often restricted by trees. Misty on some days so some high level walks would have been good.

Mrs Price
Castles to Coast Walk
17/05/2016

Some of the walks were challenging. The second day's walk was long at 12,5 miles. Buzet was not a good centre for tourism. The old town was beautiful but nothing there really as was the new town. Unless you wanted to walk back up many steps from the restaurant in the new town, you had onlt the one restaurant in the old town. Food was not brilliant. We ate there on the second night and and they started packing up at 9pm. They did not even ask us if we wanted a dessert or coffee. Just wanted us out. And this was a Saturday night!!!! The walk on the escarpment was beautiful but it was impossible to find the path down again. The notes said it was a hard to find path but it was IMPOSSIBLE. There were four of us and we failed. If the paragliding naturists want their privacy then they should put clear markers where we should go!!!! This was meant to be a 7.5 mile easy walk We used our OS maps to find an alternative roiute but it meant the walk was 11.5 in total.. In the blue book, others had written the same problem. and we did mention to the rep.

Mrs Caves
Castles to Coast Walk
17/05/2016

Some long ascents made for tough walking in parts but with the reward of good views. The spring flowers were wonderful. The stay at Motovun was enjoyable and the last 2 nights in Opatija a delight - pity there wasn't an opportunity to stay longer here since there was a lot to do and some great restaurants. We found Buzet disappointing. Romina (the local rep) was very efficient.

Mr Boyce
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
17/05/2016

Great holiday with truly excellent food and accommodation! You really should take the detour to Novello Junction on day 6.

The Morvedra Nou was the kind of friendly, family run, quality hotel that we always hope we'll find but all too rarely do. The rooms may be compact for some people but we were very comfortable, especially given the spacious private terrace. The food was good, fresh and well presented. We were very happy with the choice of two dishes each day, though would have liked the chance to try the cheese for which the island is famous - either as an alternative to dessert or as an extra small course. But we would thoroughly recommend the hotel and the programme of walks, which were all surprisingly different, considering this is a small island. It was our first trip to Menorca and we found the holiday perfect for those who like an active morning and lazy afternoon!

Mrs Maddison
Secrets of Sicily Walking
16/05/2016

we were disappointed, Some of the walking was below expectations, there seemed to be a lack of continuity and some of the food left much to be desired. The catalogue entry was a bit ambiguous.

Mr Hewson
The Amalfi Coast Walk
16/05/2016

What a great way to see the Amalfi/Sorrento peninsula. The walks take you through stunning scenery away from the roads - areas that you would definitely not see from a car or a bus. The Walk along the Path of the Gods is breath taking. You also get the opportunity to see a wonderful array of colourful wild flowers. Don't miss Ravello and the two villas with their stunning gardens. The walk back to Amalfi from Ravello is very interesting for its industrial archaeology.



The Capodimonte and Luna Convento Hotels were particularly luxurious and we had great sea views. The food in both was very good with plenty of choices.



We had booked 2 extra nights in the Capodimonte and were told before leaving the UK that we had half board on one of the nights so we were delighted to find that in fact the price we had paid included dinner on all four nights.



Pompei and Heraculeum are very interesting and a must. If you are going to see them by train from Sorrento, it is a good idea to go early afternoon rather than morning as the trains and the sites are less busy then.



Headwater take note:that we did see a snake crossing the path before Massa Lubrense. My husband said it was only about 2 feet long but I think it was more like 6 feet!! It was jet black. The internet says that this type is completely harmless and in fact is a good garden aid as they eat pests.



If visiting Massa Lubrense on your way to Sorrento, it is worth walking right down from the main square to the terrace overlooking the sea and going down the steps to the restaurant 'Il Cantuccio'. It serves great food in a shaded terrace adorned with colourful flowers and with wonderful views of the sea and Capri.



All in all - what a great holiday!



Janet Hewson 31 May 2016

Ms Escott
Castles to Coast Walk
15/05/2016

I am undecided as to booking with Headwater again, as there were some issues throughout the holiday which marred the experience. These were not things that Romina could have resolved as they were booking issues. I plan on submitting an email to Headwater shortly detailing these.

Mrs Greenbank
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
15/05/2016

We had tried to book this particular holiday in previous years but the dates didn't work out. It was well worth the wait as it has to be one of our best Headwater holidays - and we've had quite a few. Piedmont is a wonderful place to visit, the walking was as expected - it's a hilly place! The hotels were all good and all had their own special elements. We enjoyed eating in different places each night- and what an excellent standard of food was on offer.

Mr Christy
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
15/05/2016

Splendid trip - delightful area, some very well-selected places to stay and eat and excellent logistics from our two guides, who were great fun to be with. This holiday really delivered what was promised on the website and is a great way to explore the area.

Ms Poole
Walking in the Venetian Hills
15/05/2016

It was great to have such a complete break and while we didn't it the support available from the rep it was reassuring to know that assistance was only a call away. We particularly enjoyed moving on from town to town and having the rest day in between walkis created a great deal of variety as we got to see other towns. We particularly liked Villa Lussana and the food was really good there - it was also the first walk we didn't get lost on so there was a great sense of achievement in arriving there!

The holiday notes for Coastal trails of Minorca were pretty accurate. Overall we found the island delightful and at this time of year absolutely stunning with all the wild flowers in full bloom. Very easy to get around and not too crowded. We also were blessed with the weather which was in the low 20 C range

Mr Dodds
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
14/05/2016

We thought Zuheros and the HotelZuhayra were both charming and beguiling - extraordinarily peaceful and calming - we were very sorry to leave and it took us some time to grow accustomed to the comparative mayhem of Granada . The taxi arrangements in Zuheros were quite remarkably efficient hts off to Maria and her brother - we would return to Zuheros tomorrow if we could = perhaps a progressive walk around these white villages might the na idea

Mrs Feerick
Walking the Camino de Santiago
14/05/2016

The Camino is a wonderful experience. The walking can be challenging so you need to practice before your holiday. The accommodation was mixed, breakfast tended to be a disappointment. The star of the show for us was Rectoral de Goian. A wonderful place with great food and a sincere welcome. Overall the accommodation is lovely and given the standard that some of the pilgrims use it is pure luxury. The bag transfers and pick ups ran like clockwork.

Mrs Lewis
Walking the Camino de Santiago
13/05/2016

We are 2 female friends and booked single occupancy of rooms. We felt hotels were well chosen and variable, but all interesting and overall comfortable . We got a bit sick of the Pilgrim 10 euro menu, but also had some superb meals. The walking was excellent, and easier than we had expected. We enjoyed the independence of being self guided. There were a few minor faults in the daily walking guide and we have offered to come in and point them out. We live in Chester and decided to Travel from Liverpool to Madrid and spend a night there rather than at Heathrow. We did find that the schedule on Day 1 was a bit over-heavy. Everyone was exhausted that night. But, overall this was a Brilliant holiday! And May was a very good choice this year.

Gozo & Malta, a great combination for peace & tranquility & great walking opportunities in Gozo at Ta Cenc plus all contrasting attractions of Malta!

Mr Dent
Chianti Classic Walk
11/05/2016

Really attractive area,great hotels.We interspersed some extra days for additional relaxation and chance to visit additional restaurants for dinner.Fonti was weakest for dinner but other 3 were all excellent. Terrific wine tasting and dining at San Gimiagno

Mr Galleymore
Castles to Coast Walk
10/05/2016

Romina was a fantastic representative, both very professional and friendly.

When my suitcase failed to arrive from Gatwick, and I had to wait 2 days for it to catch me up, she lent me a waterproof walking jacket and walking sticks.

Mr Henderson
Castles to Coast Walk
10/05/2016

Headwater take care of planning process of a walking holiday. They provide efficient and reliable travel arrangements, excellent and interesting accommodation and a superb variety of walks with comprehensive notes. Our guide had walked the routes shortly before to double check their accuracy, attention to detail that reinforced our confidence. Evening meals are arranged for the first night at each location, giving us opportunity to explore, if we wished, on other evenings. In fact, our greatest concern was which wine to drink.

Mr Kaye
Catalan Classic Walk
08/05/2016

Outstanding food in lovely hotels. Top class local support, advice and guidance. Stunning walks through fascinating medieval villages, shady forests and patchwork quilts of colourful fields.

Mr Hamilton-Viall
Dordogne River Walk
08/05/2016

We enjoyed it and had a lot of fun, but it could have been even better with a few tweaks. Some of the walking notes certainly need reviewing as we wanted to enjoy the walking, not stand scratching our heads wondering if we had the right path. An explanation of the GR markers would have been really useful as we had to find out what they meant by trial and error. Also there were markets or events on some days that it would have been nice to know and arrange our days off to coincide with.

As regards hotels the Monrecour was superb, the labourderie very good and the Meysset OK. Les Glycinees we found varied. The location was great, the room ok. The food at the hotel varied from some of the best ever eaten to some of the worst. Our picnic sandwich was inedible. Generally it did not have the same feel as the other hotels. Also tea or coffee making in all hotels would be appreciated.

Mrs Randall
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/05/2016

Overall very good - excellent walks with very often a choice to extend or reduce length/difficulty. We found most of the walks easier than we expected but maybe that is our own walking experience here in the UK (Dartmoor)

Accommodation good although the beds were cold and seemed damp at our last stop - maybe a problem with being at the beginning of the season while temperatures were still low.

Out taxi driver was excellent, courteous, helpful and always on time.

Mr Cottam
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
05/05/2016

A great way to see different areas of a country and meet new people.

Dr Sinclair
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
05/05/2016

This is a beautiful part of the world, and the hotel and service were magnificent. Sadly we had terrible weather, with heavy rain each day, further snow on the peaks and biting cold wind. The paths up the mountains were often streams of water and fields little more than bogs. We had gone prepared for variable weather as it was mountainous, but not freezing cold and near constant rain. Teresa and her staff were very accommodating and the food was great. We did see a wild boar, mountain goats and fantastic birds and had a good rest

Mr Grant
Marvels of Madeira Walk
05/05/2016

The holiday was excellent and the walks sufficiently challenging without being too onerous, although some of the climbs are pretty severe and you need a head for heights on some short stretches of the levada walls. If you want superb views this holiday is great but if you suffer any degree of vertigo this is not the holiday for you.

Mr Clayton
Castles to Coast Walk
03/05/2016

This was our first holiday with Headwater and we really enjoyed the whole thing. The walks were just what we wanted (helped by excellent weather) with varied terrain and views, we had no problem following the route notes (so hardly bothered with the maps provided) and found the lunches provided by the hotels were more than enough for us.



Our rep (Romina) was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The hotels were all great and the local restaurants, especially in Motovun and Opatija were excellent and great value. There're plenty of local wines too, which were not expensive and really good!



The region is beautiful, the people we met were friendly and we can't wait to go back.

Ms Burrluck
Catalan Classic Walk
01/05/2016

A pretty perfect holiday. Headwater were very well organised and my reps, Brian and Olivia, were totally fantastic - helpful, very efficient and totally reliable. I was walking on my own and they texted me to ensure I had reached my destinations safely. The walks were wonderful and the instructions very clear. Everywhere I turned there was a picture postcard view. This is a wonderful area of Spain to visit - I did the Catalan Classic Walking holiday and walked every day, even though I didn't have to but there was so much I wanted to see. Wonderful that there was always hot water for a good soak in the bath when I got back to my hotel. I didn't want to come home although, to be honest I couldn't have kept up the walking for many more days.

Mr Hamilton
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
01/05/2016

This was a hub Hotel walking holiday enabling us to select the walk to suit the daily weather with the expert and sound advice of the Rep Teresa (hotel owner). Having car hire we were able to spend the rainy day in Salamanca - where the sun shone! The first week in May found us trudging through snow on one walk and waltzing through spring flowers on another. All great fun. Ibex herds added to the entertainment on one of the walks. The Blue Book was up to date with additional helpful comments. Hotel staff were superb as was the cuisine and the views from the hotel.

Ms Lewis
Secrets of Sicily Walking
30/04/2016

A really interesting week in beautiful locations. On the walks we enjoyed the wonderful wildflowers, birds and butterflies and beautiful coastal views. We much appreciated the visits that had been arranged to Segesta and Erice - full of interest. Nicola, our taxi driver, was really excellent - friendly, offering information and always on time and very well organised. The walking was great, well off the beaten track but on reasonable footpaths - all in all, a very good week.

Mr Floyd
The Amalfi Coast Walk
30/04/2016

VERY well organised. HIGHLY efficient. Excellent hotels. Hard to beat

Mrs Steen
Catalan Classic Walk
29/04/2016

An excellent walking holiday with a well chosen itinerary and beautiful scenery. Standards of food and accommodation were very high. We all had a great time.

Walking with confidence and accommodation with comfort.



Mr Allan
The Amalfi Coast Walk
24/04/2016

Hotels selected were superb (a higher standard than we would normally select for ourselves - that is one of the real pleasures of travelling with Headwater). Pick ups and tranfers were seamless and enjoyable - it was a delight to hear the drivers laugh! Food through out was excellent. Check out board arrangements - Grand Hotel Capodimonte actually provided half board for the duration of the stay (and not just the first night!) and this included a free salad buffet every evenning. Towards the end of the first day walk from Ravello to Amalfi (after the ruined foundry) there is a restored warehouse called Agricola Fore Porte converted to a restaurant/cafe where you can drink fresh lemon juice - a delightful family run business witha multi lingual daughter. Well done Headwater another excellent holiday!

Mr Stevens
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/04/2016

Very enjoyable, well-organised and good general standard of accommodation.

Mr Story
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
19/04/2016

The standard of the holiday was as good as expected - what really made this holiday so enjoyable was Tony and Ludmilla - their warm welcome, personal touch, and their knowledge of the area was second to none.

Mis Brooks
The Amalfi Coast Walk
18/04/2016

It was really great because we made it so. Headwater played very little part. The last walk was inadequately replaced with no warning or alternative. The second hotel was silly. You did not get a proper breakfast you had to pay extra. It was not to the standard of the other hotels was a strange choice. At the 3rd hotel there was nothing to do. We could not walk due to the weather. So this too was a strange choice. There were no reps what so ever. It did seem very expensive for what was provided. The taxi company used was excellent we were lucky to have the same driver 3 times. He really was wonderful with lots of recommendations for us. His name was neillo please pass on our regards.

Mrs Dean
Secrets of Sicily Walking
16/04/2016

An excellent holiday if you are interested in spring flowers and migrant birds. The island of Marettimo was the highlight as was the stay in the tranquil and delightful Baglio La Luna. Our Taxi driver was particularly helpful,flexible, informative and friendly, and always came on time. The flight times could have been better - we had a 4 hour wait in Rome. However I think this could not be avoided. Our highlight was 3 new orchids we had not come across before. All the walks took us much longer than the notes indicated as we spent so much time looking at the amazing flora or this lovely island.

Ms Elliott
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
15/04/2016

The walks were excellent and very accurately described and graded. Excellent options presented for the rest days. Ludmilla, our rep, was really helpful and had very good personal knowledge of the area and all the walks. Views were spectacular, especially on the coastal sections of the walks, and the wildflowers and bird-life were both wonderful. The slow-food restaurant at Vila do Bispo (A Eira do Mel) provided the outstanding meal of our trip. Hotel meals were generally pretty good, though the breakfast at Vila do Bispo was rather limited both in variety and quality. The weather was pleasantly cool for walking but, if you want to swim in the sea, you should probably go late April or May!

Mrs Smith
Secrets of Sicily Walking
10/04/2016

If you go to Sicily with Headwater

You will find they have done all they oughter

You can swim, you can walk

You can eat or just talk

Your holiday will be just what you boughter.





Mr Saunders
The Amalfi Coast Walk
10/04/2016

We very much enjoyed our holiday. The walking part was not as good as many we've experienced with other companies. This was partly because of its discontinuous nature - walking the Vermillion Coast with Sherpa gave us a full, continuous walk from the start in Colliure to the end at Cadaques. And apart from the 'Path of the Gods' and the walk from Ravello through the valley with the old iron works and paper mills, it was, in parts fairly mundane, particularly the last section to Sorrento. Our extension enabled us to see Herculaneum and Pompeii, and climb to the top of Vesuvius. We also took trips to Capri and to Napoli. So, all-in-all, the holiday was a great success. However, we would have been prepared to pay more for something that was slightly more interesting - better walks and better hotels. Having said that, the Luna Conventa was magnificent! Although the Capodimonte was very good in most areas, many English people we spoke to thought the quality of the dinner very disappointing.

Mrs Ritchie
Catalan Classic Walk
09/04/2016

We enjoyed this holiday enormously although we spent quite a bit more than 5 hours on the walks between hotels so we didn't take the recommended walks on the days in between. The first walk is the hardest.

Ms Bartlett
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
09/04/2016

I could not fault the hotel staff, who were all very friendly and extremely helpful. The walks were beautiful and April proved a lovely time of year with all the spring flowers.

Mr Hilary
Walking the Camino de Santiago
09/04/2016

A few suggestions

a) Update your travel notes to refer to the actual kilometre-markers which are now in place

b) Arrange the final leg so that your clients have the option to be in Santiago for the midday pilgrim service in the cathedral

c) The staffing of the Casa de los Samozo was a source of great amusement, somewhat lacking experience, but all was still delivered

d) Hotel Petit Palace was noisy but the location was perfect

But overall the holiday surpassed our expectation and we will certainly consider Headwater again

Ms King-Smith
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
07/04/2016

A delightful few days' walking in lovely, remote, unspoilt countryside. I enjoyed the birdlife and spring flowers particularly. The Portuguese we encountered were personable and friendly and spoke excellent English. My friend and I loved the food and wine - our reward after a day of walking! We got a lot out of what was, objectively, quite a short holiday.

Mrs Champion
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
06/04/2016

A very beautiful and undiscovered part of Spain. Well worth a visit. Great hotel locations, good food, very good service. We would love to visit this area again.

Mrs Moysey
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
04/04/2016

A most enjoyable holiday - the organisation and transfers worked well and the hotel was a 'gem', friendly and relaxing and with helpful staff. The walking notes were easy to follow although care was needed on some paths where stony. Overall splendid walks in beautiful scenery with many spring flowers.

Mr Johnston
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
02/04/2016

Outstanding walking area. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Mrs Jennings
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
01/04/2016

Walking notes were excellent, the hotel was very comfortable if maybe a little formal for us. We had no problems getting around the island but it was very windy while we were there and some of the cliff edge walks were a little scary

Mr Taylor
Marvels of Madeira Walk
01/04/2016

Madeira is a beautiful, friendly and welcoming island, ideal for gentle exercise and relaxation.

Mr Curwen
Marvels of Madeira Walk
31/03/2016

A superb holiday. The walks are out of this world - such a beautiful place, quite magical. The hotels had excellent facilities which is just what you need after a day's walking. Well done Headwater!

Pro Mitchell-Borts
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
25/03/2016

Teresa was extremely helpful. The hotel was lovely and the food was plentiful and delicious.

Pro Beevers
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
24/03/2016

Great.......good walking , excellent notes and maps , good weather and good support. Requests for extra historical information promptly supplied by Ludmilla. Wonderful flowers, butterflies and birds, ! Food was excellent both in hotels and in the towns and Ludmilla advised us about local perceves speciality...and how to eat them. A good variety of places to eat.

Only suggestion is handrail or handrope in Pedralva cottage ( long flight of thirteen stone steps down to loo.....)

Wonder if L and T might keep a reference book of Flowers and Birds of Portugal in the van they could lend out... or we could consult?

Mr Faulkner
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
18/03/2016

Hiring a car gave more flexibility and allowed us both to walk following some of the route, especially the Fisherman's Trail and so to see the coastline, as well as having more time to explore other parts of the region. Ludmilla was outstanding in giving helpful, discrete and unintrusive advice

Ms Hood
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
18/03/2016

Friendly, well-organised and exactly as described.

Mr Beal
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
17/03/2016

Our third holiday with Headwater came up to usual high standards. Our representative Ludmilla was excellent and efficient. Although we had no problems we were confident that, had there been, she would have dealt with them promptly. We particularly enjoyed the delightful village at Pedralva - something out of the ordinary.

Mr Kershaw
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
17/03/2016

Excellent first holiday with Headwater. Nothing was too much trouble. They even arranged for me to see England win the Grand Slam on TV in Pedralva!

Walks were beautiful and the guides were easy to follow.

Mr Ball
Marvels of Madeira Walk
17/03/2016

Enjoyable notwithstanding some poor weather.

Mrs Wallace
Islands of Bermuda Walk
13/03/2016

Really enjoyed holiday in Bermuda. Beautiful island. Excellent walks. It is an EXPENSIVE destination, and therefore (for us) Special, But we don't regard Coco Reef as meeting 'special'. Fabulous location, but it's a bit tired, could do with freshening up, and no apparent sign of management involvement- maybe that's the Bermudian way? Furthermore its close to a Bermuda College, and during our stay a group of students were also resident, who although decent kids, kept different hours to us, and on 2 occasions kept us awake into the early hours. I don't think hotel management is doing itself any favours by mixing them with holidaying guests.

Restaurant food excellent, but menu needs regular update, a bit 'samey'after a week.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Wallace,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback and for your constructive comments. It was great to see you enjoyed your holiday overall. We were however sorry to read there were areas within the hotel that did not meet with your expectations. Firstly, we can advise there is a new Hotel Manager in place; she has already made noticeable improvements to the feel of the hotel and is keen to work with us to ensure our customers have a great holiday. The latest customer feedback is positive and a good reflection of the improvements she is making.
In closing, we would like to thank you for choosing Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team

The hotel was excellent - beautiful surroundings and facilities. The food was varied and plentiful and you were spoilt for choice with local dishes included. The staff were very friendly and Gozo is a lovely unspoilt place where you felt safe to walk in the countryside and enjoy the wonderful scenery. It was a place to relax and unwind. The walking routes took you through a lot of different scenarios and gave options to visit sites of interest.

Gozo is a small island but packed with interest. We loved the Hotel Ta Cenc, its architecture, location, friendly service and very good food. The walks were excellent and took us from quiet villages to fantastic coastlines through terraced valleys. It was sunny and mild and just what we needed after a very wet and very windy winter..

Gozo is rather small to provide long enough cycle rides. We did not expect wind and would have found it helpful to be told about how windy it can be. It was a lovely holiday with enough variety to keep us interested. The Cornucopia food was very disappointing and the breakfasts unappealing.

A very enjoyable holiday, that matched our expectations derived from the description of it in the brochure.

Nice hotel with friendly staff. Coastal walking was good. Some of the walks involved long stretches on road, and although there is not much traffic, this is quite tiring.

Dr Harris
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
19/02/2016

A holiday in which you get away from the crowds and experience the country intimately, complemented by good food & accomodation

Mr Wildsmith
Marvels of Madeira Walk
17/02/2016

Excellent varied walking on the coast and on the Levada system. Good variety of hotel.

Mr Worsley
Marvels of Madeira Walk
08/02/2016

Met our expectations exactly - no hitches throughout.

Mr Huddlestone
Marvels of Madeira Walk
05/02/2016

An enjoyable winter break in milder weather with an interesting variety of walking, without being too challenging! The hotels provided excellent facilities for rest and recuperation with good dining and comfortable surroundings and some stunning views in places.

Mr Pomfrett
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
30/01/2016

Probably the best walking holiday we have had in Europe. A decent walk each day but you could do other things if you wanted. 3 of the five walks were really beautiful and the other two were good. Accommodation was fine and the reps were helpful. The notes were clear and easy to follow.

Ms Swiecicka
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
25/01/2016

Can't really comment on standard of accommodation normally offered by Headwater as we upgraded wherever possible. At Costa D'Oiro (where we paid for superior room) we were put in room 3016 (I think) which, we later realised, has to have been the worst of all the superior rooms in that building (ground floor, in the back left-hand corner of the building) - the bathroom facilities were modern but the room itself was very dark and cramped (had a 3rd bed in it so nowhere inside to sit or even to put our cases). The patio was dark & dingy and only got the sun for about an hour or so around breakfast time (which wasn't much use to us as the room was not 'ready' for us to go into until after 1pm). The superior rooms on the other side of the building (i.e. facing the small road) were much brighter and bigger but we were not given the option of changing. We wouldn't have minded a room at the back of the building had it been on the 1st floor level as this would have been much lighter but we very much got the impression that we were put in that room to make it easier for cleaning - i.e. all the rooms to be cleaned were together on the ground floor. The restaurant was closed in the evening so comment re food relates to breakfast only, which was good. I would not stay in this hotel again.



Headwater response:
Dear Ms Swiecicka, Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback, we were pleased to see you had an enjoyable holiday overall, however were sorry to read of your dissatisfaction with your room at Hotel Costa d Oiro. We have discussed your comments with the Hotelier; he was also disappointed to receive your feedback and is sorry this issue was not resolved during your stay. This hotel is not one we normally use for our walking holiday, however we do use it on our cycling holiday and the overall feedback received is good. However, we do appreciate we cannot afford to let our standards slip, so will continue to monitor all feedback received and will work closely with our hotelier to ensure they are delivering the standard of accommodation our customers have come to expect. In closing, we would like to thank you for your constructive feedback and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future. Yours sincerely, Headwater customer service team

Mrs Chaplin
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
09/11/2015

Thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, Tony and Ludmilla were very helpful, the route notes accurate and the walks were lovely especially the walk from Vila do Bispo to Sagres-the coastal views were fantastic! All the hotels were very welcoming, but we especially liked Pedralva it is a real gem and the food was great too! There was plenty of choice of restaurants on the days when we had bed and breakfast at the hotels and we found all to be very good value for money.

Mr Marsh
Islands of Bermuda Walk
08/11/2015

Bermuda is friendly, beautiful and relaxing. We followed all walks but one and wished we had had longer to do more (the walks didn't leave enough time for visiting museums etc). Coco Reef was a lovely place to stay.

Mis Heath
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
07/11/2015

Memmo Baleeira was lovely to stay at and it would have been good to have stayed there longer. Mira Sagres was alright and Pedralva was very basic (food in evening was adequate but you had to be careful what you chose). Walking along coast and in wooded valleys was lovely but could be tedious inland (flat and featureless scrubland at times). Ludmilla was great and very helpful - we like her a lot!

Mr Green
Marvels of Madeira Walk
28/10/2015

Good combination of interesting but not too taxing walks, four or five hours a day, and pleasant pampering by staying at good hotels with pools and saunas, (very important to soothe any aching muscles!) Local people that we encountered seemed uniformly friendly and helpful and the landscape, whether we were being driven or walking through it, was never less than fascinating and often simply amazing, a combination of peruvian highlands and alpine villages!

Hotel absolutely first rate - fantastic tranquil location; we were very well looked after; food was simple but good. Menorca delightfully quiet when we visited (October) but weather perfect for walking. Walks were straightforward if perhaps a trifle short. We skipped the town walks and added two other walks of our own that I would recommend

1. Santa Galdana to Saint Thomas via GR 223, returning along coastal path - just be aware that to leave Cala Trebaluger you need to use a cave passage.

2. Cala Tuqueta to Plagues de Son Saura (out & return via coastal path - we did not find the green route marked on the map but we did not spend much time looking).

Ms Lang
Marvels of Madeira Walk
17/10/2015

It was a good holiday. Just too much rain.

Mrs Jones
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/10/2015

Can't speak too highly of Sarah - Headwater is fortunate to have someone with such high standards, thoughtfulness and warm personality.. She was very attentive and concerned about a couple on the cycling holiday,one of whom had sustained an eye injury while cycling.

Villa Lusanna was particularly good in terms of welcome, food and friendliness.

Some years ago we did the walking in the Loire valley holiday. The standard of food, accomodation and route notes were much better in the Venetian Hills holiday. .

Mrs Fairclough
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
04/10/2015

Very enjoyable. Felt like we had seen and experienced the real Spain, not touristy and commercial. We speak no Spanish and very few people spoke English but we got by and all the meals were wonderful, trying different things. The walks were very good some more challenging than others. We did go wrong but never too badly. Not sure if the mistakes were due to vague directions or just misinterpretation of instructions (we easily go wrong in England!!)

Mr Tonner
The Amalfi Coast Walk
04/10/2015

Transfers were seamless - friendly drivers and always on time. Good variety of locations and hotels. We feel that we saw most of the Amalfi and Sorrentine peninsular because of the walks organised for us. And probably saw a lot of places normally not seen. We were a little disappointed that we were the only Headwater clients that week but it was apparently at the end of the holiday season. The weather although warm was unpredictable at times and we had one very wet day on which we had to abandon our walk halfway and catch a bus to our next hotel. The food arranged was varied and delicious. Sorrento was an ideal base from which to visit Capri and explore the historical sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum amongst others. We had an and extra couple of days at the Grand Capidimonte hotel which was in a good location to walk down to Sorrento and was the perfect place to end our holiday, it was excellent in every respect.

Although Ta Cenc is a lovely hotel with a great location it cannot be really classified as a typical 5 star/top of the range hotel; the bedrooms/bathrooms are rather dated, there are not staff always available to help/advise. We had to search for things rather than them being provided. Hotel staff were friendly, the food particularly the breakfast buffet and in the restaurant (il Cantra) at the beach were excellent. Having stayed in a number of 5 star hotels this isn't one. However, we really enjoyed ourselves at the hotel and had no complaints.

Gozo was a lovely surprise (the lovely weather helped!) with pretty villages, friendly people and a very efficient bus service. However, overall there is too much walking on roads; we recommend that people use the buses to avoid some of this (a 15 euro pass for 12 trips was great value and we could use it on Malta) There are also additional walks we were told about including one of the best walks we did from Gharb up to the coast and then along to Marsalforn which is part of the coastal walk; there is a brochure called the Gozo coastal walk - perhaps George could have told us a bit more about where to get bus passes, other walks and local information and a bit more about the hotel. Whilst pleasant we had the impression he has done it so many times before he has become a bit stale!

On Malta the Phoenicia is a great location; it has a 5 star appearance but the breakfast buffet wasn't as tasty as Ta Cenc; the serving staff, while many of them, were not too attentive to our needs. It did not have the same friendly feel as the Ta Cenc - there was no personal feel, they were going through the motions rather than making any real effort.

If you want any clarification of the above please let me know; hopefully this 'summary' adds a bit of colour to the ratings above. Overall we all had a really great time and would recommend it to anyone but people need to know what to and what not to expect.

Gozo is a lovely location. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the island and will likely visit again to see more. We'd be unlikely to stay at Hotel Ta Cenc again though ...



Hotel service was a mixed bag - front desk were ok, bar/restaurant were good, housekeeping were good.



Room was poor. Mould on the walls and a very strong smell of damp which was reported to reception but they were unable to do anything and there was no offer of an alternative room. Our clothes smelled of the damp by the end of the week as well. The kettle leaked, and was replaced. A leg fell off the bed, and was promptly repaired by staff. The room and hotel in general was tired-looking and really needs some TLC.



Food in the main hotel restaurant was ok, but we needed a change after about 3 or 4 days. Breakfasts were very good, though. Make sure you try the honey rings!! An evening meal at the Kantra restaurant was excellent, despite the stormy weather.



Charging for wifi in the rooms feels like nickel and diming the customers in the 21st century.

Mrs Griffiths-Pear
Secrets of Sicily Walking
03/10/2015

A good holiday with great scenery and enjoyable walks. A notable absence of birds in the Zingaro Nature Reserve (October) but the vegetation was still very green, despite the heat .

Holiday was well organised by helpful staff. Flexibility on departure airport is a big plus.

Beautiful location of hotel - truly rural. Lovely swimming pool area. The lounge and bar area were comfy and inviting. Our room (junior suite) was very good.The walks were varied and all enjoyable. Wildlife was abundant. October was a great time to go as the crowds had gone and we had excellent weather.

Mrs Moseley
Walking in the Venetian Hills
02/10/2015

Lovely area, very peaceful with enjoyable walking. Great to visit Padua on our rest day. Added on a day and night in Venice at the end of the holiday which would highly recommend.

Ms Melliship
Walking in the Venetian Hills
30/09/2015

Our holiday was the perfect combination of supported and independent: you do have to be prepared to sort out a lot of things for yourself, which we really like. Yet, Sarah was always available if we needed help. The itinerary was thoughtful and had great variety every day. We got a lot of satisfaction from completing all the suggested walks. Our rest days were extremely busy days as there is lots to do in the region - we enjoyed the chance to have these days to explore and do something different.

Pro Davies
Catalan Classic Walk
28/09/2015

The holiday was disappointing. Onward travel from Barcelona airport was so awful the thought of having to make the return journey hung over the rest of the period, such that I changed my flight and went home a day early, using bus rather than train. If you use Passeig de Graca station you need to supply the timetable - there is no way of identifying if you are catching the right train (and there's a train every 2 minutes) and it is an awful place to wait.

Mr Munden
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
27/09/2015

A fabulous quiet and beautiful area of Spain but within easy reach of some great cities. El Milano Real is a perfect base for the many and varied walks on offer through this unspoilt National Park with its great food and wine and accommodation. The highlight for us was a 'birding' walk with a local biologist who was just superb. The only down side was that we didn't get maximum benefit from Teresa (and Paco whom we didn't see at all) but on the other hand all their staff were excellent. Had to book our own hotel in Madrid as Headwater's was strangely booked although available through booking.com!

Mrs Ashcroft
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
26/09/2015

Excellent in every respect

Mrs Donnison
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
26/09/2015

The team at the hotel couldn't do enough to help. A decent range of walks nothing too strenuous but just right in the unseasonably high temperatures.

Cordoba was a stunning place to visit so would strongly recommend this on the free day. We enjoyed having the extra days in Granada as a counterfoil to the tranquility of Zuheros.

Lovely hotel on the beautiful island of Gozo. Natives very friendly!

Mrs Griffiths
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
24/09/2015

A delightful area, away from the usual tourist spots. An attractive, friendly hotel and village. Varied walks with lovely long-distance views. Care needed on the stony tracks and paths after a prolonged period of dry weather.

Mrs Satterthwaite
Catalan Classic Walk
23/09/2015

Great fun. Our reps were extremely helpful. We will definitely do another walking holiday.

Mr Hurst
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/09/2015

The walking exactly as described in the itinerary. For the intrepid, on the Caldeirão Verde Levada walk it is worth exploring beyond Caldeirão Verde towards Caldeirão do Inferno. The first 1.3k is easy, then there is an ambiguous option of continuing along levada or climbing steeply on well-maintained steps signposted 'Caldeirão do Inferno 0.8km'. We chose the latter. The steps take you up to a much higher level levada and a maze of tunnels and bits of old railway track. There is a yellow and red way marker here that seems to indicate this is the official route. Unfortunately we didn't have time to explore further.

On day 5 we would highly recommend the São Lourenço walk - but do go early before it gets busy.

On days where transfers are provided, it is worth verifying that the driver knows where he should be taking you. On the Caldeirão Verde Levada day we were half way to Funchal before we realised the driver had mistaken our destination.

Quinta da Bela Vista is not a 5 star hotel. It has an air of faded luxury, but they need to focus on the basics like cleanliness and service to earn their 5 stars. The bedroom wing needs a freshen-up - e.g. the faded/stained carpets replaced. The 5-course meal and service in the half-board restaurant was ok, but didn't really live up to expectations. The 'production line' catering was obvious and service perfunctory. Having said that, there are some interesting public areas - the pool/bar, old house and gardens. Having after-dinner drinks and coffee by the pool with views over Funchal was memorable.

The Quinta do Furao and Serra Golf were fine hotels in their different ways.

Mr Wehl
Castles to Coast Walk
22/09/2015

Our Croatian walking holiday was a wonderful experience. The villages were picturesque and stunning in their location and ambience. The walks were through diverse terrain of natural beauty and the food was delicious. Highly enjoyable and thoroughly recommended by us both.

Mr Stather
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/09/2015

1. We felt that the Quinta do Furao hotel was ahead of the others because the staff were genuinely helpful/friendly, the restaurant served excellent locally grown food and typically Madeiran cuisine.



2. One flaw in the route notes was on Day 6 - the 2nd line on the 2nd Paragraph on page 22 - starts with 'At the T-junction of paths, turn right.....' We think it should say 'turn left!' Another (more minor) point is on Page 16 (last but one paragraph) mentioning the Tofa Mini Mercato - which we didn't find but suspect that the name has changed (they were in the process of re-vamping the shop with another name and coloured purple.



3. I would especially like to express my thanks to Donna Webber for her close attention to detail and patience when exploring the flight/accommodation options that made our holiday enjoyable during the period we had available. And also for Emma Glasgow for making exceptional steps in a very tight timescale to ensure that we received the route notes/maps etc through the post that were essential to our holiday. Thank you both.

Mr Walker
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
19/09/2015

Superb - staff & food at Hotel unsurpassable. Italian Maps not up to OS Standard (no surprise there!). You should have noted the new (2014) skilift available to take walkers down from Klammbachhutte (or a 20 min walk from Klammbachhutte) saving 4km of descent out of 5.6km.



Mountain Hut food was way higher in standard than we expected



Brilliant Holiday!

Dr Emerson
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
19/09/2015

Headwater Holidays always provide excellent care and services, and value for money vacaions is well chosen resorts and hotels. The only thing left to chance is the weather.

Mr Taylor
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
19/09/2015

From the first contact with Headwater until we left our Hotel the service was excellent. The Hotel was small, comfortable and the staff very friendly. The walking notes were fantastic, and the walks took in some most wonderful scenery. Cannot fault the holiday at all. Thank you.

Ms Olson-Williams
The Amalfi Coast Walk
19/09/2015

Disappointing

Very good well balanced trip

Mrs Heard
Marvels of Madeira Walk
17/09/2015

Wonderful, all walks easy instructions to follow with small useful details personally put in by Lucy the Rep who was full of good and helpful advice. Locations all good. All hotel staff spoke good English which really helped as we do not speak a word of Portuguese. Food good. All transfers spot on, nice friendly drivers who gave local history as we traveled. Although a walking holiday, found it very relaxing as we walked at our own pace and all the walks different so plenty of scenery to stop and take in. This was our 1st walking holiday and regard it as a total success, extremely happy with Headwater and would book with them again.

Mr Sanderson
Secrets of Sicily Walking
16/09/2015

Most enjoyable holiday which was well organised. Hotels were just right for our requirements. Our minibus driver Nicola was superb - always on time and nothing was too much trouble.

Temperatures up to 39 degrees were a bit of a shock in mid September which meant some of the walks were very testing when there was a lack of shade.

Mrs Hickling
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
16/09/2015

Lovely village and some good walking. The vultures were impressive. Maybe more attractive in spring when the flowers are out. All the trvel arrangements worked flawlessly. The food at the hotel was very variable and a little disappointing at times. The walking was all in quite a small area and there was some repetition of sections. But overall it was a very enjoyable trip. Staying in a single location is definitely more relaxing than moving on every day. The bat cave in Zuheros was an amazing place, and a visit to Granada was definitely worthwhile. We were lucky too that our visit coincided with the cheese festival in the village

Mrs Houghton
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
16/09/2015

Very well organised from start to finish

A fascinating area of Spain with varied landscapes from rugged mountains, to terraced hillsides with vineyards and fruit trees, gently flowing streams, Pine woods and open flat plains with Evergreen Oaks. Also abundant wildlife with dozens of bird species, wild mountain goats, Black cattle, and horses. Ancient walled cities and quaint villages. All within two hours of Madrid.

Mrs Johnson
Catalan Classic Walk
14/09/2015

Really enjoyable week with everything thought of and attention to detail. Excellent route notes.

Mrs Riddaway
Castles to Coast Walk
13/09/2015

A good holiday made especially interesting by Romina the local Rep. She is a lovely person, very helpful and very knowledgable and very willing to share her knowledge of the area. All the hotels were good and their locations very specacular . We wish we could have stayed longer in Hotel Sveti Jacob but had to return home. One night is not enough to enjoy the many attractions of this beautiful place.

Mr Clark
Secrets of Sicily Walking
13/09/2015

We greatly enjoyed our holiday and got to experience a wonderful part of Sicily, including the beautiful Marettimo Island. The only problem we encountered was that for the first 4 days there was a strong Sirocco wind which meant that the Zingaro reserve was closed, so that we couldn't do the suggested walk on our first day. It would have been nice to have had an alternative offered to us either by your local agent or the hotel. We were also worried what would happen if the ferry back from Marettimo was cancelled (we weren't given any info on this, yet it seems to be a common occurrence) - but in the event this wasn't needed.

Mr Black
The Amalfi Coast Walk
13/09/2015

well organised travel. route descriptions were accurate and easy to follow. beautiful scenery and well away from the crowds

Mrs Dimond
Walking in the Venetian Hills
13/09/2015

A wonderful opportunity to have a 'safe adventure!'. Euganian Hills are a beautiful, unspoilt area to explore, the vineyards and olive groves were a delight, and the views amazing.

Mrs Tremayne-Smith
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
12/09/2015

It was the first time for us with Headwater so we were slightly apprehensive but everything was excellent but mostly the choice of hotel. We are now looking forward to our next Headwater holiday to Gozo which is already booked.

Mrs Campling
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
12/09/2015

Headwater take the pressure of organising your holiday off you and have never disappointed us in their attention to detail.

Mr Jamieson
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
12/09/2015

Well-chosen walks in a scenic area with classic limestone features. Can be rocky and stony underfoot in places, but all walks within Grade 2 definition. Arrangements at Hotel Zuhayra are excellent; Antonio was always helpful and the staff went out of their way to provide good, friendly service.

Mrs Macleod
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
12/09/2015

Excellent holiday; very interesting area of Spain to visit. The walks were varied with spectacular scenery. The hotel was well located and there was often something going on in the town square in the evening. Hotel staff friendly and helpful and the food was very good. I know the Spanish eat late but the 8.30pm evening meal was the only downside particularly when we wanted to have an early breakfast so we could start walking before it got too hot. Since Headwater clients have their own menu maybe an earlier sitting could be considered.

Mr Christy
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
12/09/2015

A really excellent week - well organised and planned, allowing us to concentrate on the splendid walks. I hadn't been on an organised walking holiday before, but I will certainly try some more of these trips in future, since they allow you to get to places that you might not try on your own.

Mr Creswell
Chianti Classic Walk
12/09/2015

Wonderful scenery, good friendly hotels, tough walks but worth it! Mosquitoes, especially the new 'tiger mosquitoes' are a real problem it would seem even in September so take lots of insect repellent and a spray to do your room before bedtime. I covered my legs and sprayed my arms for walking when I realised this and that did the trick!

Mrs Bathe
Following St James' Way
11/09/2015

This holiday provides a stress-free camino experience for those who either do not wish to or cannot carry a full back pack. Accommodation and meals are of a significantly higher standard than is available in the hostels and dormitories along the route. As well as completing the 100km required for the compostela, it combines some interesting earlier sections of the camino as a bonus. The guided tour of Leon provides an excellent introduction to the camino combined with the visit to the impressive Cathedral and other historic buildings. It is well worth extending the holiday to spend two nights in both Leon and Santiago de Compostela.

Mr Sadler
Catalan Classic Walk
10/09/2015

The representatives Katie and Jim made the holiday truly wonderful. They were extremely helpful with nothing too much trouble.

Mr Banham
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/09/2015

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, albeit the weather was a little disappointing. The accommodation was excellent, and the food outstanding. We did not feel that the walking route instructions were as clear or as accurate as those on our 2 previous holidays with Headwater, but no harm done! Would definitely recommend to like minded friends.

Menorca is a lovely island, incredibly pretty and very easy to get around. The Morvedra Nou hotel is in a perfect setting if you want peace and quiet. The gardens and pool area are so relaxing, the bird song is the only thing you'll hear! Unfortunately, we were unable to upgrade at the time of booking, to one of the larger rooms, and although our room was spotlessly clean and had a sunny patio, we did find it on the small side. Not a big deal as we were out walking most days. The walks were excellent, sometimes really off the beaten track, great wildlife and fabulous scenery, quite a few 'wow' moments as we came round a headland or walked through the gorge to the caves. Our only gripe, was the food. Breakfast was fine, plenty of choice but dinner was very hit and miss. There was no comparison to the food photos on the hotel website, and the portion sizes and combinations were very strange. Sometimes the starters were far too big, and the main course would be just a large piece of meat/fish with one small potato if you were lucky (no veg). There was only one evening out of ten, that we both enjoyed the whole meal, which was so disappointing. Honestly, neither of us are fussy eaters, but we have never left so much food on our plates, and not once did anyone ask us about it.

Mrs McMillan
Castles to Coast Walk
08/09/2015

This was our first holiday with Headwater and we were very impressed. It was a good balance between walking and relaxation. The programme was put together very well: no walking on the first day, a gentle first walk the following day and then the longest walk mid-holiday. By the time we tackled the mountain walk, we were feeling fitter and more able to take on the challenges. It was good to relax by the sea for the last two nights and we enjoyed the coastal walk. It was a great way to discover a new area and we really enjoyed the beautiful countryside in Istria.

The hotels were very good and the food was excellent.

We would like to single out Romina for particular attention, she was absolutely delightful, intelligent, responsive and very caring, she did a marvellous job.

Thank you Headwater, we are very keen to use you again in the future.

Mr Unsworth
The Amalfi Coast Walk
08/09/2015

A good holiday we both enjoyed. The hotels were in great locations, most with fantastic balcony views. Transfer between hotels was prompt in clean modern vehicles. The walks came with good route plans, occasional misleading directions, but no great dramas. Went through some fantastic small villages and great views, especially the walk of the gods.

Mis Smith
Catalan Classic Walk
06/09/2015

This was our first Headwater walking holiday, and it has definitely lived up to our expectations. We thoroughly enjoyed the mixture of walks, as well as the cuisine and rest day activities. Jim and Katie are excellent reps, and definitely contributed to our memorable experience. Many thanks!

Mrs Beard
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
06/09/2015

Excellent experience - very well organised and delivered. All the walking notes were accurate and easy to follow. The hotel is ideally located to access a wide range of excellent and beautiful walks

Mr McGregor
Chianti Classic Walk
06/09/2015

Beautiful area but let down by inattention to detail.

Disappointing largely for small but cumulative reasons.

Mr Patten
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
05/09/2015

Good value and well thought out

Mr Bowie
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
05/09/2015

Excellent with wide range of walks accurately described and graded. Very good hotel with delicious food and very helpful staff.

Mrs Harris
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
05/09/2015

We usually travel independently but found that Headwater offered a hotel package more cheaply than we could buy ourselves and there was the additional benefit of the route notes which were excellent. My husband is the navigator of our team, but having tried Headwater, if I ever needed to travel on my own, I would be confident about using their notes and routes which were exceptional. We went to the Dolomites and had superb weather which made for a stunning holiday with plenty of walks to choose from. I would certainly use Headwater again.

Dr Gompertz
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
05/09/2015

A great holiday.. enjoyable as other HW holidays we have had!.

A little too hot...perhaps we should have waited for 2 weeks later in September.

Rev Pearson
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
05/09/2015

A lovely way to get to know a charming island, in a luxurious hotel. Gozo is easy to navigate around and the paths have been upgraded recently. A very enjoyable and relaxing holiday.

Mr Fisher
Secrets of Sicily Walking
05/09/2015

You enabled us to visit a part of Sicily we could not have done on our own. The area was beautiful, the walks good and we enjoyed the company of fellow travellers. Thank you

Mrs McInnes
Walking the Camino de Santiago
05/09/2015

This is my 10 th Headwater holiday,this time I convinced three friends to walk the Camino de Santiago with Headwater.

Our group of four were very pleased with Headwater and are looking at more holidays with them.

Mr Gagnon
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
04/09/2015

This holiday was superb. The scenery was unspoilt mountainous terrain and pastoral along the river valleys. Well away from tourist areas. A good variety of walks ranging from easy to quite challenging, with very accurate walking notes. We did Rio Tormes, Laguna Grande, Villages of the South to name a few. Saw 45+ species of birds. Weather in September was cool at night but got into low twenties in the afternoons. Typically 7 degrees warmer on the south side of the Sierras. We took the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander and drove down - very pleasant. The hotel was great and Teresa was a wonderful hostess.

Mr Lawrence
Chianti Classic Walk
04/09/2015

Relaxing yet active walking holiday - lovely locations and good back up if needed

Ms Griffin
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
03/09/2015

September is a poor choice for a walking holiday on Gozo. The interior is typically very hot and humid and the landscape very dry and baron. There are few trees on the island and the sun beats down on you all day. The coast is lovely and there was, at times, a small breeze, but most of the suggested walking routes are not coastal. We were told by locals that the landscape is lovely and green, with lots of wildflowers, around May,and the temperatures more suitable for walking. Ta Cenc is a comfortable hotel but more like a -4 star hotel, rather than a 5 star.

Mr Blunt
Dordogne River Walk
02/09/2015

Lovely locations. There is so much choice of what to do on your spare days.

Although the walks are not too strenuous you do need to have enough food and water with you as there are few places on route where you can stock-up.

Do take your time following route instructions as markers are not always immediately obvious and can become difficult to see or disappear entirely.



Mrs Price
Chianti Classic Walk
02/09/2015

This was one of our very best Headwater holidays. We liked the mix of walks and sight-seeing. We felt very well looked after.

Ms Winch
Castles to Coast Walk
01/09/2015

Lovely holiday with very welcoming local people

Mrs McDonagh
The Amalfi Coast Walk
30/08/2015

difficult to fault,made by extreme helpfulness from local agent,Liberata

Mrs Tait
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
29/08/2015

Excellent except for Marco Polo, slightly long transfer. The area was beautiful walking very good for all abilities.

Mrs Carrington-Bro
Dordogne River Walk
29/08/2015

This was our second holiday with Headwater and again we had an excellent holiday. It was very well organised and the walking notes were easy to follow. The holiday certainly lived up to its name of being a gastronomic walking tour - the food was delicious throughout and all four hotels were very friendly.

The walking was pleasant but suffered a little in comparison to our first hoiday with Headwater (Umbria) as the Dordogne is a busier area than Umbria.

Our top tip would be to visit Le font de Gaume when staying in Les Eyzies - there are a limited number of tickets issued each day and 52 of these go on sale each morning at 9.30am. The receptionist at the hotel suggested we shoud be there by 7.30am, as September isn't peak season and as she predicted we weren't the first, we joined the very orderly queque as nos 11 and 12; it was a magical experience seeing original paintings that are 14,000 years old.

We came home feeling very relaxed and ready to book another Headwater holiday.

Mr Varley
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
28/08/2015

The Park Bellevue hotel was an excellent walking and cycling base in terms of its location, the options available and the standard and service of the hotel and its team. The local bus and rail transport and connections were frequent and very reliable and the provided Mobil card was fully utilised. The walks suggested in the holiday pack provided ample options for all abilities and the enclosed maps coupled with the standard of signing in the Dolomites showed there was much more to try if needed. A great holiday, helped by wall to wall sunshine for the first 4 days!

Mr Howell
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
27/08/2015

Perfect holiday. Beautiful countryside, great walks and the pools at the end of every walk were a real treat. Also there was the perfect mix of culture and countryside.

All the hotels were very good, the walks varied. Headwater holidays take the stress out of the holiday, once you have booked, all you need to do is turn up,

relax and enjoy.

We wanted to attend our son's wedding at the beginning of our holiday, in the area, and Headwater made it possible to combine the wedding, the walking and some extra nights in Pisa!

The staff at the office give you an excellent service!

Mr Collins
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/08/2015

Dolomites and Venice were spectacular

Ms Savage
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
21/08/2015

Excellent hotel, food and location.

Lad Blackwell
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
17/08/2015

This holiday was a perfect mix of walking and relaxation. It was reassuring to have reps on the ground, although everything went perfectly and so we didn't need to call on them. The route notes were first rate and the accommodation excellent and in just the right locations for our rest days.

Mr Russell
Catalan Classic Walk
03/08/2015

I joined this vacation basically to walk through some lovely countryside and to see a lot of historic buildings in Spain. That was pretty much what I got. But in addition very enjoyable stays at the hotels where the staff all spoke great English and were really helpful. The guides made some very useful suggestions that saw me undertake day 2 hikes on day 1 and 2 . Good advice for the middle of summer and it enabled me to get back in time about 3.30 to enjoy the wonderful situation of Castell de Emporda. The Coastal phase was beautiful and after the completion of the hike and I stayed a few more days at Begur.

Mr Frew
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
03/08/2015

Great Holiday. Some amazing Italian meals.

Mrs Weaver
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/08/2015

Our first walking holiday and first with Headwater. We had a great experience and will come back. A few errors in notes we will send details to you.

Mr Fraser
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
01/08/2015

Excellent holiday; fantastic hotel - which would it seems would be hard to book into directly (unless doing so a couple of years ahead). Used Headwater 3 times now which I would not have done if I did not regard them as a good company.

Mr Bryant
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
31/07/2015

Hotel is in great location, all walks are very close and varied. Hotel was comfortable, our room was old in terms of decor, but others have been recently refurbished. The evening meals were pretty good (mainly meat, very little fish), breakfast was rather bland (limited selection mainly bread). Packed lunch was welcome, but was a sandwich only, which was quite lacking compared to other Headwater packed lunches.

Mr Howarth
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
25/07/2015

Having taken 6 walking holidays through yourselves and Inntravel in the French Alps, Swiss Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites, this holiday is the favourite of them all for both my wife and I.

This was a new region for us which offered a good variety of terrain and landscapes. The unexpectedness and beauty revealed as each walk progressed made this a gem of a holiday. Would definitely recommend whole heartedly.

A very enjoyable mix of interesting walks and good hotels. Probably best-suited for adults whose idea of a good holiday is not sitting around on a beach.

Mr Clare
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
22/07/2015

This was such a memorable holiday that we will always remember. The countryside is stunning and the walks allow you to take in some superb views of the hilltop villages and vines. Each hotel was excellent, with either amazing views at breakfast, or a welcoming pool or superb menus. The evening meals were an experience in themselves. We are not food buffs in any shape or form but I don't think we have ever eaten so well before in our lives. The walks can be challenging at times although in late July we were setting off with the temperature in the mid 20s which reached the mid to high 30s in the afternoon (take plenty of water bottles!). If you like walking, fine wine and superb food this is the holiday for you.

Mr Rogers
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
18/07/2015

you get to some amazing places using well marked parks and good public transport one of the best walking experiences in Europe

Mrs Truelove
Castles to Coast Walk
14/07/2015

We had a really good week's walking, albeit in 40 degrees! Croatia was fabulous and we would return in the future.



Your representative Romina Brumnic was absolutely excellent and nothing was too much trouble for her to arrange - a real asset.

Mrs Turner
Castles to Coast Walk
11/07/2015

Having enjoyed a previous Headwater walking holiday in Tuscany that was also rated '2 boot' our assessment is that this holiday to Croatia was much harder and a reasonable level of fitness is essential. The hotels are all OK although we were a little disappointed that the swimming pools were indoor. At the Hotel Vela Vrata you had better like truffles! Day 5 walking instructions could be better. As part of the packed lunches (variable quality!) you receive a single small bottle of water - this was wildly insufficient especially in the intense heat of July. Overall though a great holiday, Croatia is beautiful.

Mrs Bush
Walking the Camino de Santiago
11/07/2015

We loved this walk. Accommodation on the whole was as good as it could be given the isolated nature of some places. We were particularly impressed with the helpfulness of staff at Headwater when BA cancelled our outward flight the evening before our journey so we didn't miss any of our holiday. The arrangements went very smoothly. The weather in mid July was very hot-unusually so according to locals- so if you suffer from the heat, earlier or later might be better!

Mr Shread
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
04/07/2015

Excellent holiday based in a perfect location for walking. Local transport facilities (bus/train) were first class

Ms Andrychowska
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
04/07/2015

Hotel staff excellent. Train noise bad in rooms.

Mr Hutton
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
27/06/2015

This is an excellent hikers holiday with well described routes and terrific scenery. On return the hotel and its chef is first class in providing the ideal evening.

Mr Lewis
The Amalfi Coast Walk
23/06/2015

A beautiful but very popular and busy part of Italy. Seeing it by means of a walking holiday is an excellent way of minimising the experience of crowds and seeing parts that most tourists do not see. Many of the views are spectacular and some of the foot paths are not to be missed. The end of June is a hot time and walkers need to be able to cope with that. All of the hotels provided typically friendly Italian service.

Mr Powell
Dordogne River Walk
23/06/2015

Well organised and did what it said on the can!

Mrs Coonan
Catalan Coastal Walk
21/06/2015

Jim and Katie Illingworth, the Headwater reps, were absolutely fantastic - the best we have ever had; from the postcard we received a few days before our trip to their solicitous and detailed advice about the routes, the travel arrangements and thoughtful attention to detail e.g. Katie suggested that we buy a multi pack of bottled water which could be transported with our luggage every day. In addition as we experienced a heatwave during our trip, they suggested ways of shortening the walks to make them more manageable. They also recommended excellent restaurants when an evening meal was not included giving us lots of choices. Francisco, the taxi driver who transported the bags (and us on some days as it was so hot and we didn't want to walk) was delightful despite his lack of English and our lack of Spanish!

Dr Cobner
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/06/2015

The walking and travelling around the Dolomites was excellent. Unfortunately neither hotel was situated in a quiet location and mosy

y nights we were disturbed. In Toblach there were open air rock music festivals opposite the hotel on the first two nights and on the third night the railway company decided to carry out maintenance till 5am outside our room. We also had two days of gunfire from the nearby military firing range. The hotel room and service/food were,however, excellent.

Our room in Venice was situated overlooking the alleyway leading to the hotel. This was full of people all night and we did not get much sleep. The room itself was very comfortable and the staff very helpful.

Mrs Young
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/06/2015

An excellent holiday that exceeded our expectations in a fabulous mountainous environment. Accommodation was superb.

Mr Kendrick
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/06/2015

Very good indeed. Great location; walks sufficiently (but not too) challenging. Great food. Sometimes bus service arrangements to walk start end points a bit fiddly (we were put off from one of them by this). Easyjet baggage drop and general service at Venice airport (as distinct from the flights themselves which were fine) very poor.

Mrs Hayward
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/06/2015

Easy to use and inviting

Mrs Clark
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
20/06/2015

This holiday was one of the best we have had.Tuscany was beautiful and the chance to see it on foot made all the difference. The hotels were terrific and the food amazing.We will be back next year.

Mr Boyce
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
19/06/2015

Exceeded expectations, scenery gorgeous, hotel friendly and helpful staff

Mrs Jenkins
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
19/06/2015

Contrasting walks in a beautiful area of Switzerland. The two walks to the Oeschinensee and the Doldenhornhutte are particularly challenging with many steep or tricky paths often very narrow and across waterfalls or shale slopes. Essential to have a head for heights and walking poles. These however were the best walks with terrific views. Do the extension to the Daubensee walk as the views at the final destination are well with it. The Alfa Soleil Hotel is a good 3 star hotel and our junior suite was excellent and worth the upgrade. Our one complaint of the room would be the shower and the sudden change of temperature when running going from very cold to scorching and dangerously hot; we had to be be swift to move out of the range of the spray when this happened. Breakfast is not as varied as other Swiss hotels we have stayed at and there was a huge additional charge if you fancied eggs and bacon. The food overall was inconsistent and not up to expectation following all the reviews and varied from poor ( tough poached chicken and lamb curry one night) to very good on the barbecue evening. However, great value holiday overall for Switzerland which is very expensive. PS the house wine is very good and at 22 Swiss francs per 50cl, a bit of a bargain.

Mrs Wakefield
Catalan Coastal Walk
18/06/2015

Wonderful variety of walks and scenery with comfortable hotels and good food.

Mr Collins
Catalan Classic Walk
16/06/2015

A good mix of scenic, coastal, country and historic town locations for both walking and overnight stays. Introduced us to a lesser known area of Spain. While most of the walking had excellent scenery and moderate challenges, some sections were slightly tedious on tracks/roads rather than paths. However these were marked walking routes on the published maps, and it is difficult to see what alternatives were viable to get you to the next place of interest. No gain without pain! Walking instructions were excellent throughout.

Mr Buckenham
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
16/06/2015

I seem to have ticked 'excellent' just about every question; the reason being that we have rated this holiday amongst the best FIVE we have done in the last 18 or so years. The description 'Gastronomic Walk' just does not do the holiday justice....'MICHELIN' should be added!

Mr Wood
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
16/06/2015

We like the freedom of walking independently with excellent meals at the end of the day and the convenience of the luggage being transported between hotels.

Mrs Aitken
Walking in the Venetian Hills
16/06/2015

We walked through a beautiful quiet unknown part of Italy meeting friendly people in small hotels and rural towns and felt welcomed everywhere.

Mr Barraclough
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
13/06/2015

Marvellous scenery, excellent hotel, notes and route signing very good.

Mr Berzak
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
13/06/2015

Excellent location and region for walking. Maps and route notes provided were really useful and accurate. Hotel was comfortable and clean with excellent food and a good wellness area which was not used at all by other guests at the time we were there. This was a bonus for us. As we were early in the season, suggested walks were not crowded but we are sure at peak times things could be different. Overall we had a great holiday and will use Headwater again for another similar trip.



Mr Price
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
13/06/2015

Excellent walking area with a wide variety of routes. We made great use of the local travel card included in our holiday which allowed us unlimited travel on both buses and trains anywhere throughout the Bolzano province.

Dr Simpson
Castles to Coast Walk
13/06/2015

One of the best Headwater holidays we have done. Croatia certainly more than lived up to our expectations. Everything about the holiday was excellent and the people there were universally warm and welcoming. A wonderful contrast between the hilltop towns of Motovun and Buzet and the classical seaside villas of Opatija. It will be difficult to better this holiday!

Mr Murray
Walking in the Venetian Hills
12/06/2015

A really relaxing and enjoyable holiday giving us the opportunity to visit some lovely areas of Italy.



The Headwater representative was well informed and really helpful allowing us to enjoy our holiday to the full.



Mr Whitehurst
Marvels of Madeira Walk
08/06/2015

The key to my holiday was the flexibility in booking the travel arrangements via Birmingham. This allowed me access to an excellent holiday using a local airport.

Ms Hopkins
Walking in the Venetian Hills
08/06/2015

It was a brilliant holiday - everything was well organised and went according to plan. The scenery was superb, the walks were more challenging than expected because of the extremely hot weather (38F one day!) but loads of shade and wonderful views helped us through. Our local rep was brilliant and there was more than enough information from Headwater for us to find interesting things to do on our rest days. All the accommodation was good but Villa Lussana was a holiday highlight. Thoroughly memorable. Thank you!

Mr Shaw
Secrets of Sicily Walking
07/06/2015

This was our first visit to Sicily and we thought the Secrets of Sicily programme gave a fantastic introduction to the relatively unknown northwest of the island. We very much appreciated the inclusion of visits to Segesta and Erice en route to our second and third destinations.The great highlight was the walk, on the final full day, around Monte Cofano.

Dr Luton
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
06/06/2015

Great walking on good paths. Excellent scenery and wonderful alpine flowers.

Consider Berne as a day off destination.

Mr Doublet
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
06/06/2015

Great location and excellent Hotel with some fantastic walks for all abilities.

Ms Gane
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
06/06/2015

It was a beautiful location and we had some lovely walks and saw amazing flowers. The hotel owner who was supposed to give us some guidance was not as helpful as he could have been. He raced through some information on the first evening and gave us various passes not all of which he explained.After that, he told us about one bus route being unavailable and arranged for us to travel on it when it became available. However when we asked questions subsequently, in particular if a route was Ok, he said it was up to us if we went on it. In fact it was challenging with some landslides on steep mountainside and frozen snow partially covering a fast-flowing stream through which we had to paddle.

The breakfast and packed lunches were great. Dinner was positively gourmet. (Whisper it low, but we would have preferred something simpler with fewer courses so that there was time for a walk afterwards). Mark-ups on the wine in the restaurant were enormous. We were also rather startled to be charged for tap water every night.

Mr Collingham
Walking the Camino de Santiago
06/06/2015

Well organised; great choice of places to stay with walking well directed and right amount of effort per day. The Camino is not the most beautiful route we have walked but communion with fellow travellers made it feel special.

Only comment would be O Coto. Finished short walk to Casa de la Somoza by lunch and really not much to do that afternoon. While the hotel was adequate it was not the sort of place you could amuse yourself in for an afternoon. The common parts were a bit gloomy. We went for a walk! that afternoon.

A pity about baggage handlers' strike in Madrid, main problem was that we had our walking poles taken from us in Stansted in spite of the fact that my husband had checked with Ryanair that we could get them through security. This is categorically not true. We had to store our poles in Stansted at cost to ourselves and buy poles in Leon.

Another good Headwater holiday. We loved the island, the walking and swimming in the sea, but should have gone in May, June was a bit too hot for us and we were surprised how busy the beaches were. It was different getting a car at the airport and driving ourselves to the hotel and, once we had learned how to negotiate the narrow roads to and from the hotel, we loved having the opportunity to explore more of the island and plan our own sightseeing each day in addition to the walks. The hotel is a gem and being able to return to this tranquil country retreat each day and relax on your own terrace or swim in the pool before going for dinner made the holiday for us. The accommodation, food and service were all excellent. There was so much choice for breakfast including local cakes and pastries and in the evenings we enjoyed a good selection of Menorcan dishes served by friendly, attentive and helpful staff.

Mr Bryant
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
04/06/2015

Great holiday very much as described, good hotel, great food, nice walks.

Mr Mcleod
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
04/06/2015

Accommodation etc extremely good. Hilltop villages attractive although deserted.

The walking through vineyards does become a little repetitive, but last day walking through woods was more interesting.

Mr Dunbar
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
04/06/2015

Good holiday which did exactly as stated. Good food, good wines and walks mainly through vines. Lovely area and villages.

Mrs McGaw
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
04/06/2015

Wonderful holiday in beautiful surroundings. Good hotels each of which had their own character. Excellent walking notes. Our local reps Audrey and Chris were a very pleasant and helpful couple and they did a sterling job in a quiet but very efficient manner, we couldn't have asked for better!

Mrs McRill
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
02/06/2015

I have been travelling regularly with Headwater for many years. This holiday certainly came up to expectations and I can recommend it wholeheartedly, it was one of the best. Rachel and Peter (our reps) were extremely helpful, always positive and cheerful, a great bonus; the temperature was higher than we had expected for the first week in June, hovering around 30'C and we were able to shorten our walks thanks to their efforts. The hotels were very spacious and comfortable and the food and wine were excellent, truly a gastronomic feast, apart from one restaurant which didn't match the high standard set by the rest of this holiday. Overall this was a great holiday.

Mrs Triger
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
01/06/2015

This was our second visit to the Alfa Soleil in Kandersteg. We were incredibly fortunate to receive a double upgrade to their new Loft apartment!! We had booked a new junior suite and we believe we were given this because there were a large party of elderly people staying and possibly some of them had booked the Loft, only to find there was no lift. This really made our week's stay as it was spacious and beautifully furnished giving us room to spread out and to also enjoy the enormous terrace with views all round of the mountains.The weather held up every single day and what with this, and the excellent food provided by Nico, we could not have had a more enjoyable stay.

Mrs Napier
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
31/05/2015

Choice of venue for walking very good. Notes extremely helpful, reps very good with local information. They were also very helpful when needed to help with a blistered foot on a bank holiday.

Mrs Lawrence
Walking the Camino de Santiago
30/05/2015

A superb holiday experience that we will always remember. Headwater's advice & organisation was faultless.

Interesting and active. Enjoyment of meals could be improved by more choices on the menu(at least three including salads). If necessary in a smallish establishment these could be pre-booked in the morning.

HW selection of hotels is VERY GOOD and we always enjoy their slightly off beat locations and warm atmosphere. We know that other HW guests will be like -minded people we can engage in friendly conversation and exchange anecdotes about each walk with in the evenings.

Mr Bradburn
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
27/05/2015

Fabulous combination of hard exercise, exploration, good food and wine.

Mr Curwen
Castles to Coast Walk
26/05/2015

A superb holiday in stunningly beautiful countryside. Great walking conditions and routes through varied terrain, sometimes challenging and always rewarding. The hotels were first class and staff everywhere were friendly and helpful. The final days in Opatija were relaxing and the effect end to a great holiday. Thank you Headwater!



NB. We feel that the route notes for days 4 & 5 could do with adjustment as things appear to have changed on the ground. I would be happy to offer suggestions. Please advise how you would like these to be supplied.

Ms Birch
Castles to Coast Walk
26/05/2015

Beautiful countryside, it was lovely to see so many wild flowers and butterflies (we went at the end of May). There was a good range of walks, all challenging in their own way but with fantastic views as a reward. You do need a relatively good level of fitness as it is hilly and we,d recommend boots as suggested by Headwater as the tracks are very rocky in places. Our favourite location was Motovun, with it's cobbled streets and bars and restaurants overlooking the landscape below. There was little to do or see in Buzet, so make the most of the circular walk whilst you are there. We found all of the hotels to be of a very high standard and the service was good, the room we had in Hotel Sveti Jakov in Opatija was stunning and the hotel was in a lovely quiet part of the town.

Mrs Senior
The Amalfi Coast Walk
26/05/2015

All the arrangements worked well, the route guides were, with one or two minor wrinkles, very clear and accurate, the maps and information were good, the drivers always turned up on time. The hotel in Sorrento was very centrally placed and convenient for the train station and the ferry terminal, which was important to us.

Mr Hurrell
Marvels of Madeira Walk
25/05/2015

Overall we really enjoyed it. However we were not quite prepared for the steepness of some of the walks. This is not down to Headwater but rather our own lack of research. The views were spectacular. We also felt that the times given for the length of each walk was rather optimistic even for us who enjoy walking in all terrains.

Mrs Crowther
Catalan Coastal Walk
23/05/2015

Met our needs brilliantly. Superb scenery. High level of service and comfort.

Mr Strong
Dordogne River Walk
23/05/2015

Beautiful region of France. Didn't see a soul whilst walking and the hotels were quiet which suited us! Representative was very friendly and helpful.

Mrs Owen-Jones
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
21/05/2015

Beautiful area for walking and excellent food and wine.

Mrs Main
Walking in the Venetian Hills
20/05/2015

This holiday took us to a lovely area that we'd never have known about if we'd not come across it through the Headwater website.We wondered how we'd cope with our first mobile holiday, but it all went so smoothly that we had no problems; rather, we found it interesting to stay in 6 very different hotels in 9 nights! Having read other comments and seen the weather forecast, we went prepared for all conditions. Yes, it rained a bit, but it was warm rain without wind - nothing like the Scottish variety and we were lent a giant Italian umbrella in Este for our visit to the market and the rest of this lovely wee town. Because of the Giro d'Italia our first [non walking] day was a bit disrupted but Sarah was able to drop us off in Téolo to see the race [and it's vast entourage] go by. As my husband is a very keen cyclist who normally watches this on TV at home, this was a real treat and much appreciated. We also appreciated that one of her first acts on collecting us from Vicenza station was to offer us each a bottle of chilled water.

Mr Raffay
Walking in the Venetian Hills
19/05/2015

The holiday exceeded our expectations. Our rep, Sarah, was extremely helpful and friendly. We enjoyed discovering this beautiful part of Italy.

Mr MellowsFacer
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
17/05/2015

We all thoroughly enjoyed this well constructed, luxurious walking holiday. Piedmont is a stunning region with few tourists and the best food and wine we have ever tasted throughout Italy. The hotels, restaurants and walks selected exemplified the high quality of the area and overall was excellent value for money.

Thank you so much to Pete and Rachel - they couldn't do enough to make sure our holiday went smoothly and were so enthusiastic and friendly.

Mrs Sheardown
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
17/05/2015

It was a lovely holiday and we saw lots of things that visitors to the region wouldn't normally see. However, we feel that you need to be fit to undertake it. We are used to walking in the Peak District but still found some of the days quite challenging. We travelled in May when the weather was reasonably warm for most of the week. We feel that later in the summer when the weather was hot the walking would have been very hard in places where there wasn't shade.

Mr Fennell
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
16/05/2015

A very enjoyable experience overall; the hotel is very comfortable and the food is first class, but some of the directions for walking in the quarry areas in the west of the island are wrong or inadequately explained, so some trial and error was involved.

Mrs Moxham
Walking the Camino de Santiago
16/05/2015

This is a classic walk which also includes extra interest such as a tour of Leon and the ability, due to transfers, to stay in some lovely establishments. This part of Spain is very beautiful and we walked through lovely little villages and farms. The flowers, particularly on the first day, along the way were stunning. Lots of places to get snacks and drinks. The Camino is so well signposted that there is very little need to consult notes and maps so it is easy to enjoy the walking.

Mr Howard
Walking the Camino de Santiago
16/05/2015

Excellent experience. A privilege to walk through such a beautiful and little known part of Spain!

Although we had to look after ourselves the notes and guidance we were given were excellent. Sensible notes about our airport arrival, car hire, hotel, and walks told us everything we needed to know.

Ms Clark
Catalan Coastal Walk
15/05/2015

Fantastic walking area if you like wild, remote stony terrain. Incredibly windy at times and also challenging steep downhill sections if these are not your forte! Superb coastal and inland scenery. Great to have suggested walks for free days especially as the weather wasn't really good enough for swimming and relaxing. The local taxi driver was great, carrying on the luggage and when we finished the last day's walking early we phoned him and he picked us up. He also helped us sort out an earlier train to Barcelona. We had the same reps in Tuscany last year and once again they were brilliant, providing extra route notes and e mailing changes. The initial briefing by phone worked well and we were delighted when they joined us for our last evening meal. They really go the extra mile to make things go smoothly. The hotels were all excellent and we liked the variety in the evening meal arrangement. Adding on 2 nights in Barcelona was the icing on the cake. The hotel there was of a lower standard, a very small room,but we did expect an ensuite room and not one with a bathroom down the corridor. We would have liked to have known this in advance and been given the chance to upgrade. Overall, a memorable holiday!

Mr Sutherland
Walking the Coastal Trails of Menorca
13/05/2015

Excellent accommodation and staff. Food variable from excellent (breakfast mainly) to indescribably bad for some meals/courses in the evening. English translations of menus were unhelpful. ('Meat Soup' turned out to be a bowl of pasta shells in a chicken stock. Marinated fish was a mystery). Wines excellent. Walks were great.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr & Mrs Sutherland,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback. We were pleased to see that you had an enjoyable holiday overall. Although, we are sorry to see that you did not enjoy the meals at dinner. Ordinarily, this hotel receives good feedback in this area, however, we realise that we cannot allow our standards to slip, and therefore we will monitor the feedback we receive for the meals to ensure we are delivering the high standards our customers have come to expect.
Thank you for highlighting this feedback to us.
We would like to thank you for traveling with Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater customer service

Mr Hobbs
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
13/05/2015

The advertised holiday - gastronomic Barolo walk - sounded rather grand, but appealed as a special birthday present - a walk between nice restaurants in a pleasant part of the world with decent hotels in which to stay over. We were a little unsure about dress code and level of difficulty in the walks before we set off.

Upon being met by our tour guides, Peter and Rachel, we were soon reassured that the holiday would be informal and enjoyable. Our first hotel - Villa d'Amelia - was absolutely fantastic in every way starting with the welcome by the reception staff, the standard of the room and the facilities (including an outdoor heated pool, sauna and steam rooms). The restaurant was on another level - a Michelin 1 star - that delivered great food with special service with an emphasis on the customer as star of the show. This standard set the bar high for the rest of the holiday and our next port of call, after our first walking day, was in Grinzane Cavour staying for 2 nights at an excellent bed and breakfast with outstanding views and eating within the castle at another Michelin standard restaurant (although not yet awarded the coveted star); service here was brilliant - the chef and his wife ran the show with the help of 2 more serving staff and a kitchen brigade. At the end of an exquisite tasting menu with paired wines, the chef introduced himself to each table. His wife was charm itself and chatted and responded to our questions and comments throughout the 2 meals in a very engaging manner.

The rest of the holiday comprised 2 nights in Castiglione Falletto and 2 nights in Monforte d'Alba - both at excellent hotels in brilliant locations - and a final night returned to the Casa d'Ameila. Food could not generally compare with the first three nights, although the restaurant l'Argaj in Castiglione Falletto produced wonderful food in a setting looking out towards Barolo that would be hard to better.

Overall this was a brilliant holiday. The walking was just enough to make one ready for another (!) fine dining experience but not enough to be physically draining. Staying 2 nights in 3 of the locations proved to be a great idea - preventing the need to pack everything up every day and allowing time to appreciate the locality as well as giving an option for a circular walk or resting on the second day.

If you are reasonably fit and active and you like good wine and fine food then this would be a great holiday and my wife and I would thoroughly recommend it. Some of the walking instructions were ambiguous - resulting in a few additional miles being walked - and the terrain would be challenging underfoot in places if wet. We walked at the end of May and the heat on some days was strong; in July or August I can imagine walking being hard work and thirst inducing..

Mrs Mace
Castles to Coast Walk
12/05/2015

Good walking with excellent notes. Excellent accommodation. Helpful local rep. Perhaps overpriced.

Mr Huddart
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
10/05/2015

The warmth of the welcome at El Milano Real was exceptional. Teresa was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the area and the walks. She advised us about matching walks to the weather. The food was outstanding in quality and presentation. The route notes were exceptionally accurate. This was one of our best walking holidays ever.

Mis Monteith
Secrets of Sicily Walking
10/05/2015

Very enjoyable introduction to North West Sicily and the Egadi islands. Each location was full of character and accommodation was attractive and comfortable. Particularly enjoyed accommodation near San Vito where owner Daniela is a charming and very welcoming host and gave us a great introduction to Sicilian food. Beautiful views on the walks, especially in Zingaro nature reserve and on Marettimo. High temperature and very strong wind made walk around Monte Cofano a bit of an endurance walk at the end. However, lemon granitas in café at the pick up point and paddle in sea helped recovery.

Mr Jackson
Catalan Classic Walk
09/05/2015

First time and we loved it.

It was a very relaxing holiday and the Ta Cenc hotel was fabulous.

Mr Burton
Secrets of Sicily Walking
09/05/2015

Be aware of possible High wind disruption on Island

Mrs Jenner
The Amalfi Coast Walk
09/05/2015

We enjoyed the walking, loved the hotel in Amalfi which was exclusive and liked the hotel in Positano.

However we were the only English amongst a large tour party of Germans in Marina del Cantone and the Hotel Capodimonte was ghastly, appalling, dreadful and full of low cost package holiday tourists and the dinner in the evening at the hotel made me feel closer to my grave.

Mr Small
Walking the Camino de Santiago
09/05/2015

Casa Rural santa maria-would have been helpful to know that he would pick up from the town as the extra km was not good on a v hot day.La Posada de Muriel-the hosts had changed! The breakfast of one piece of toast was not enough for a long walk and certainly could not be described as a buffet! Pazo Santa Maria-should have informed us of the most direct way to get to it as it is also a bit out and at least a 20min walk from the track as described.Rectoral de Lestedo-it would have been very helpful to have known that there was no option of drinks(tea, coffee or anything else for the three hours before the meal,which was poor.It would be useful to suggest that walkers go into the cafe about a km before the accommodation as going back doesn't seem sensible and we were ok with water (from the tap)

Mr Woodgate
Walking the Camino de Santiago
09/05/2015

My 2nd camino walk holiday, a different personal experience but excellent, Galicia & Spain at its very best, Headwater organisation & bag moving en route is superb hassle & worry free,

A most enjoyable week spent on a delightful, unspoilt island with comfortable accommodation and varied and interesting walking opportunities.

Driving on the smaller roads in Menorca can be challenging at times, particularly the fairly long stretch between Ciutadella and the hotel which is narrow,

winding and lined with unforgiving limestone walls - make sure you insure your hire car excess!

Ciutadella is a delightful town to explore and the Menorcan people are charming and very helpful to visitors.

Mr Robinson
Marvels of Madeira Walk
07/05/2015

We both found this trip very enjoyable. The walking is relatively easy but very rewarding, and remarkably varied. The accommodation was top rate with good quality meals and excellent service. The location of Quinta do Furao is really great. Taxi collections and drop offs were faultless. In fact the whole trip from leaving home to returning was just perfect. One of our favourite trips.

Mr Carter
The Amalfi Coast Walk
06/05/2015

This was our first holiday of this type and was not sure what to expect, the route notes given were easy to follow we were collected on time at airports/ train stations /hotels. The agents were excellent with a full briefing one in person and one over the phone and both came back to me with requests that I made for additional information.

The accommodation throughout the holiday was of a very high standard, all very clean and with excellent quality of food.

Well done Headwater we will have no problems in booking through you again.

Nick & Sue Carter

Excellent. We enjoyed the combination of great walks during our peaceful relaxing stay at Ta Cenc on Gozo and our extra nights at the Phoenicia enabling us to explore the fascinating city of Valletta.

Mrs Richardson
The Amalfi Coast Walk
05/05/2015

It was unfortunate that, having made the booking for this holiday, when the maps and walking guides were forwarded to us, they had been incorrectly copied so that every even page was missing. It took a couple of phone calls to sort this out. Also took a bit of time to clarify travel arrangements to and from the airport. This made us feel a little vulnerable though, actually, the arrangements were absolutely spot on - all the taxis arrived on time and were of a very high standard. The representatives in Italy were exceptionally charming and helpful.

The description of the walks was a little misleading as some sections involved quite a lot of climbing and, in one case, scrambling down a rather precipitous, overgrown gully with loose rocks and stones presenting quite a challenge. The evening meal at the Capodimonte was dire, especially in comparison with the Punta Campanella, which was absolutely lovely. Breakfasts at the Casa Albertina were poor and I have marked the location as 'poor' because I thought it was harsh to expect your customers to climb all those steps to he hotel after the most challenging walk of the holiday involving, potentially, the descent of 1,000 steps through Positana at its conclusion.

You will note, however, that I would book with your company again, and am considering the cycle ride along the Danube for our next adventure! Your staff in the UK are, without exception, very charming. It was unfortunate that our walking guides were not complete at the outset but it was a wonderful holiday so thanks to everyone involved.

Mr Beck
Islands of Bermuda Walk
03/05/2015

Thank you, Headwater: we would never have thought of visiting Bermuda if your brochure had not suggested it as a base for a walking holiday, and we would have missed a treat. A delightful destination, with friendly and helpful people, a comfortable hotel in an attractive beach-side setting, some lovely walks along the old railway trail and the stunning coastline, and a range of places to visit and learn about Bermuda's fascinating history, customs and society.



The accessibility of all parts of the island and its excellent (and entertaining) bus and ferry service make it easy to 'pick and mix' elements of the recommended walking routes. We made full use of this flexibility so we could spend time in some of the museums and historic houses that help bring Bermuda's rich history and culture to life, as well as exploring the various nature reserves that feature in some of the walks.



Highly recommended (and we found May a perfect time to go - warmth and stunning flora).

Mrs Bishop
Islands of Bermuda Walk
03/05/2015

Beautiful location, average breakfasts, excellent evening meals although limited menu.

Mr Williams
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
02/05/2015

Very good holiday, we were made to feel very welcome at the hotel El Milano Real. Good mixture of walking options, some fairly challenging. Worth visiting the south side of the Sierra de Gredos for quite different climate and flora.

Mr Newmarch
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
02/05/2015

A great week from start to finish. Excellent hotel. In particular Teresa the hotel owner, whose local knowledge, weather reports and enthusiasm were invaluable. A beautiful location to explore with varied and interesting walks.

Ms Elliott
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
02/05/2015

This was the first holiday of this type that we have taken. I have had some health issues so was concerned that this might be a problem, but there was complete flexibility regarding which walks we could do, and the grading of the walks was so accurate, that this simply wasn't an issue. The hotel was really lovely, the briefing from our holiday rep was extremely useful, and all the travel arrangements worked perfectly. We are very impressed and are hoping to be able to take another holiday with Headwater in the Autumn.

Mr Goodall
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
02/05/2015

lovely hotel, beautiful location and scenery, reasonably demanding walks.

Mr Adler
The Amalfi Coast Walk
01/05/2015

Wonderful walks and spectacular views.

Mrs Clifton
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
26/04/2015

A holiday for not-too-serious walkers but definitely one for foodies.

Mr Edwards
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/04/2015

The holiday was well planned and organised but, because we were in one hotel, we had the flexibility to change the order of the walks to suit ourselves. This meant no pressure to be at a certain place by a certain time - very relaxing.

Mr Mitchell
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/04/2015

Delightful walking week in very pleasant hotel.

Very friendly and helpful staff at the Hotel who took an interest on what we did each day. Delightful scenery, good weather and interesting walks at thee right level of difficulty.

Mr Cameron
Catalan Coastal Walk
21/04/2015

Excellent holiday and a lovely area of Spain with great food and wine

Mrs Darwin
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
19/04/2015

Wonderful location with excellent and varied walks; lots of interesting birds and flowers; the hotel observatory was a bonus. Teresa's local knowledge and advice were excellent

Mr Johnston
The Amalfi Coast Walk
19/04/2015

Excellent holiday. All arrangements worked well except initial briefing - see below. Local transfers were excellent.

Ms Glass
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
18/04/2015

Our walking holiday in Portugal was a delight. Everything worked so well and the area is outstandingly beautiful particularly in April with so many spring flowers in bloom. I would highly recommend this region/ holiday.

Mrs Greenhill
Islands of Bermuda Walk
17/04/2015

Walking in Bermuda was described well in the brochure and ideal for those of us who don't want a sun/beach /pool holiday. The bus/ferry service was excellent for getting around either before walking or after, we sometimes split the walk over 2 days as we stayed an extra 3 days and decided that to go to the end point (often a sightseeing place) and walk back, rather than start by walking. Everyone was very friendly and willing to show us the way if we were unsure. The maps and the guide notes were good. We added in going on the glass bottom boat and swimmimg with the dolphins as extras but readily available.

A really good holiday. Excellent Hotel and walking in a very quiet area. Will email some more detailed commets direct.

A really excellent holiday in a relatively unknown but attractive location, with a superb hotel and a very helpful and knowledgeable hostess, and a good choice of walks. But for goodness sake improve the return directions to the airport - saying 'reverse the outward route' is hopelessly inadequate for negotiating the motorways of Madrid!

Excellent holiday, Gozo in the spring is a great place to have a walking holiday. The hotel is first class, very welcoming and good service and food

Mr Beal
Catalan Classic Walk
08/04/2015

On our holiday we found the attention to detail and the help from the reps was outstanding. The detailed route notes in particular were very helpful and made the walking a pleasure. We will definitely travel with Headwater again.

Ms Thornton
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
07/04/2015

My fourth Headwater walking holiday but the first based in one place. Loved the small, friendly hotel, and the flexibility to chose our walks according to mood, weather and stamina. Also the chance to take day trips to Cordoba and Granada.

Mrs Lay
Secrets of Sicily Walking
04/04/2015

The weather was unusually cold and very windy, and there was no heating in the Marettimo Residence, but a heater was supplied at Baglio la Luna. Even so, we sat in bed in the evenings in our fleeces to keep warm, playing scrabble.

After the final walk,which took less time than expected, no facilities were open in the village of Cornino (not even the public conveniences). When he arrived, our lovely taxi driver Nicola drove us straight to San Vito Lo Capo so we could find a coffee and a desperately-needed loo. Full marks to Nicola for help and service throughout the trip; he even carried our bags up to the 2nd floor B&B in Trapani. (The amazing emergency B&B was like being on a set in an episode of Inspector Montalbano - a surprise addition to the holiday.)

The walks were enjoyable, but some of the paths on Marettimo and at Monte Cofano had been eroded by water over the winter and consisted mainly of loose fallen rocks of random sizes. Sticks are very much needed, especially for descents.

There are many dogs wandering around in this area of Sicily; we were not attacked at all, and one followed us all day on our walk to the Semaforo. We could only reward him with a drink of water, poured into a plastic carrier bag, in a hole in the ground at the picnic site. However, the dogs leave poo everywhere, so you need to watch your step!

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Lay,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire and for your constructive feedback. Please be assured that all of the feedback we receive, whether complimentary or critical, is valuable in helping us to continue to improve and develop our holidays for the future and is always well received.
Firstly, I was sorry to see the weather was unseasonable cooler than you had expected, although, despite the colder temperatures, we were happy to see this did not deter you from making the most of your holiday overall.
We were also pleased to see you found the walks enjoyable, and would like to thank you for your feedback regarding the winter erosion on a couple of the paths, this feedback has been passed on to our local agent, they are in the process of checking all of the routes, so will make this area a priority. We have also passed on your complimentary feedback regarding Nicola, our agent will ensure this is passed on, I am sure Nicola will be delighted to hear you appreciated his efforts.
Thank you also for your feedback regarding the local dogs. Whilst we appreciate, they did not cause you any bother, it would be useful to ascertain which area this occurred in, so we can report it to the local comune. (I will telephone you directly for this information).
In closing, we would like to thank you for choosing Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team

Mr Stephens
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
02/04/2015

Ideal for walking in more natural and unspoilt areas with good standard of accommodation. Warm and mainly dry weather made the walking very enjoyable although be prepared for windy spells. The importance of tourism to the area came across in the warm welcome we received from most of the Portuguese. Our introduction to the area by the Headwater rep. Tony Lewis was invaluable and his walking notes made navigation easy. Both Tony and Ludmilla made the holiday appear seamless in its organisation and they were very friendly and supportive.

Mrs Peniket
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/04/2015

We felt the walks were well-planned and the hotels well-chosen. We thought Eduardo Dias should have been more informative. On day 6 directions were inaccurate. Second para on Day 6 Camacha to Funchal at a 'T-junction of paths' we should have turned left, not right as indicated in the notes. Also other inaccuracies. At Serra Golf we booked a double room and were given a twin.

Mr Davis
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/04/2015

A walking holiday visiting several locations in one area. All the planning, hotels, transport etc is done for you so you can concentrate on the walks and enjoying yourself. Hotels and food very good.

The one problem we had was some glass on the floor in the bathroom at the Quinta de Bela Vista. Eventually this was cleared up thoroughly.

Minibus driver (lady) at Quinta de Furao was particularly helpful and friendly.

Mrs Corrie
Marvels of Madeira Walk
02/04/2015

It was a great holiday as we were a group of 7, made up from friends for a 70th birthday celebration.The walking was the hardest I have ever done (I am 72 and fit) but it was great fun and a real sense of achievement at the end of each day.

Mr Menzies
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
29/03/2015

This is the third holiday we have had with Headwater and was the best yet. Tony could not have been more helpful and is clearly a man who loves his work. The walks were all superb with a huge variety of scenery. The notes were very clear and made it is easy to find our way. The accommodation was all to a high standard. Pedralva is a real gem and we were sorry to leave such an away from it all location. Choice of food for dinner at Memmo Baleeira was a bit limited unless you like pizza but they made up for this with the most superb breakfast choice. We also had the restaurant virtually to ourselves on the first night but on our return on Good Friday it was packed out with families. Quite a contrast.



Mrs Little
Islands of Bermuda Walk
29/03/2015

Generally very good.

Mrs Conaghan
Islands of Bermuda Walk
22/03/2015

We really enjoyed our holiday with you. We didn't meet our rep which was unfortunate ( he was unwell) . I had hoped that he may contact us later in the week. We followed all the walks which we enjoyed. We both thought that the Island was rather more suburban than rural. Really enjoyed the bus trips and Bermuda.

Much prefer guided walking holidays - I could have put together this package myself.We got lost a few times as the island is very well signposted and it would help if there was a few suggestions where you could go to the toilet and eat/drink.On one of the walks it should be emphasised you need to take a packed lunch.The hotel though excellent in many ways had dinner too late[7pm onwards] which meant you couldnt go anywhere else say for a folk evening or pub quiz because they started about 7.30.As the hotel didn't have anything on in the evenings unless you missed dinner[which we did] you were a bit trapped at the hotel.The rep didn't make any suggestions as to what was on in other locations - the pub quiz on Friday in Xlendi was really good and there are some excellent restaurants there to eat.

Mrs Barber
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
21/03/2015

Excellent holiday with good and varied walks and lots of interesting limestone scenery. Hotel was a welcoming base with friendly helpful staff and lovely food.

Mis Pearson
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
13/03/2015

We felt that the reps Tony and Ludmilla were excellent and helpful at all times. They are great ambassadors for Headwater.

We were disappointed with the evening meal offered at the Hotel Memmo Baleeira. The service was slow, the food cold and over seasoned for our tastes. We found an excellent alternative restaurant in the town and went there on our last night. We would have preferred to have had an 'eat out' option in Sagres rather than having the evening meal included.

Mr Sledge
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
22/02/2015

Good news !

Mr Steinbock
Islands of Bermuda Walk
22/02/2015

Lovely island with great walks. Eating and drinking out can be expensive

Dr Foley
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
21/02/2015

Walking the Algarve's Wild West is a lovely break in the dull winter months of Northern Europe. Wild flowers, blue skies, dramatic coastal walks, great food and wine make this an ideal, well-planned short holiday.

It was as described and very well organised and thought through

Mr Walker
Islands of Bermuda Walk
04/02/2015

Bermuda was excellent

Costa Rica was a rushed experience rather than a holiday; there was too much road walking!

We were disappointed with the Flora content

Mrs Hills
Islands of Bermuda Walk
03/02/2015

The walking aspect of the holiday was great but the Coco Reef was a disappointment. The hotel needs to be refurbished and better maintained and the main hotel receptionist who was on duty during our stay was disinterested to the point of rudeness. Bermuda in the winter is an ideal walking holiday destination, but visitors need to be ready for a virtually empty hotel with a skeleton staff.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Hills,
Thank you for taking the time to provide your post-holiday feedback, it was great to see that you enjoyed the walking aspect of your holiday. Although, we were surprised to read of your disappointment with the Coco Reef. Ordinarily this hotel receives positive feedback. However, we realise that we cannot afford to let our high standards of accommodation and service slip, and have discussed your feedback with the hotel manager. He would like to offer an apology for the poor service you felt you received from the reception staff, and assures us this will be addressed immediately. There are also plans in the pipeline to replace the soft furnishings in the rooms and public areas. Whilst we realise this does not impact on your holiday, we hope that it goes some way to show we take the feedback we receive seriously.
We would like to thank you for travelling with Headwater this summer and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater customer service team

Mr Jones
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
16/01/2015

Although weather in Portugal is unpredictable in January, it is warmer than UK and has more daylight hours. However the wild atlantic was wonderful to see in strong winds. The trails were wonderfully peaceful, and the coastal scenery stunning, fishermans trail was probably the most spectacular coastal walk we have ever seen. The 6 day walk was very well put together, with a variety of countryside terraines, ridge walks, cliffs and beaches. Pedralva was a fascinating place to stay, and as there were so few people there we were entertained and educated in local cuisine by their very amusing 'French' waiter. As an add on we had a 2/3 day stay in Lisbon, lovely city, and it is a must to sample the patische do nata, available in most cafes.

Mr Neininger
Islands of Bermuda Walk
21/12/2014

I can put in one word GO It`s worth it

A very good week's walking with opportunities to see the culture and history of Gozo, whilst accommodated in a comfortable hotel of good standard. The local people are most welcoming and helpful. The only dark cloud is the continuance of the Maltese habit of shooting small songbirds, which is no longer necessary 'for the pot'. Any open area is blighted by the presence of pathetic looking men in camouflage clothing, sheltering in stone hides, waiting to shoot small birds trapped on the ground by their wires and nets, using large bore shotguns. The sporting etiquette of only shooting a bird that is flying, and thus requiring some skill, most certainly does not apply! Walkers must be continually aware of wires that stray across footpaths and the potential field of fire from these hides.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Smith,
Thank you for taking the time to write in with your feedback. It was lovely to see that you enjoyed your week in Gozo, taking in the sights and sounds this unique region has to offer .We were also sorry to read of the upset the bird shooting caused you and Mrs Smith. Please be assured that we have passed on your comments to our local agent and have asked them to highlight your feedback to the necessary governing body in Gozo.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa

Mr Deacon
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/10/2014

Overall we enjoyed the holiday, and especially liked the first hotel. But we did not think that Quinta da Bela Vista was five star. Some features are excellent but the room we were shown first was poor: no balcony, faded fittings and an unpleasant musty smell. In the event we had to pay an additional 30 Euros a night to get the sort of room we expected. This was negotiated for us by the MB Travel office, who were very helpful.

Looking on Trip Advisor, the hotel seems to offer two standards depending on the building one is in, one excellent and the other adequate at best.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Deacon, Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire. We were delighted to see that you had an enjoyable holiday overall. Although, were sorry to hear of your disappointment with the Quinta da Bela Vista. Ordinarily, this hotel receives positive feedback from our customers. However, please be assured that we realise we cannot afford to let our standards of accommodation slip, Therefore, with this in mind, we have passed on your feedback to the hotelier and we will closely monitor the new feedback we receive for this hotel over the coming season.
Thank you for your constructive comments; we look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa

Mrs Maingay
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
18/10/2014

Very pleasant. And we enjoyed our visits to Granada and Cordoba,the latter easily done by public transport

Mr Cumming
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
17/10/2014

All aspects of booking and organisation went without hitch.

Taxi arrangements and driver were again excellent!

Mr Pittam
Islands of Bermuda Walk
12/10/2014

Bermuda was an excellent choice for a walking holiday & Coco Reef a great hotel. The food was better than our expectation. Walking was very easy just unfortunate that the storms had blocked the Railway Trail & paths. Just very unfortunate to have 2 storms hit within one week but cannot fault the care , help & advice given to us by Headwater - esp Lisa - & Tim who arranged taxi to airport etc

Disappointed because Headwater had informed us that an area (the Kantra bay and café) would be unavailable because of filming - only to arrive and get message that whole swathes of land were inaccessible and our Day 1 walk wasn't possible. (We were able to walk the start of the route, but then had to turn around.) Film unit security was spread across a wide area from close to the hotel, and we were challenged regularly by security personnel if we got anywhere near to the unit. We hadn't been given to understand that the restrictions would be so all-enveloping. We believe filming will continue until November.

Mr Ruffler
Walking the Camino de Santiago
11/10/2014

I have a friend who is doing this trip next year and I have recommended your company

Mr Brock
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/10/2014

Great holiday, brilliant walks, great food and superb way to increase your knowledge and taste of italian wines. Unfortunately the journey home (and originally before it was changed the outward journey) was a total pain. This left us both with a bad taste in our mouth and spoiled the overall holiday experience. When we were dragging our suitcases around Milan train station wandering where the airport was we were cursing Headwater. At this stage we had already been on the road for over 4 hours, 2 hours from hotel to Turin and 2 hours by train to Milan. When we eventually came across a coach that was going to Milan Malpaso Airport we had to fork out 20 Euros for another 1 hour 10 minute coach journey to the airport. Coach stops first at the terminal we dont want and everyone gets off. We dont speak Italian and have no idea whats going on, Luckily a helpful stranger told us to stay on coach. The irony of course is Headwater give you all these walking directions/cycling directions but leave you to guess your way home.

Mrs White
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
09/10/2014

This was our first walking holiday since we were teenagers and our first holiday without children. It was an excellent introduction. Good quality accommodation, a beautiful area and well guided walks. Sometimes the notes were a little unclear and we deliberately avoided a couple of walks that other travellers had said were difficult to follow but we only lost our way on one of the walks and think this was because there had been substantial recent tree felling and logging that obliterated the tracks. Our host Theresa was excellent and took her responsibilities very seriously in ensuring we were safe and happy. We also had the pleasure of meeting other headwater guests and spent some meals and walks together which was an added bonus. In summary, a well organised and enjoyable holiday.

I did find the notes back to the airport from the Gredos mountains very difficult, as it said 'reverse your original notes from Madrid Airport'. I thought this very lazy as we were taking many motorways and A roads and they were not clear to start with. There was plenty of space on the page and it felt as though we were being ignored at this stage.

Mrs Gorman
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
04/10/2014

Holiday was very enjoyable. Good but not intrusive support from local representatives who gave some very useful hints and were always contactable. Hotels were very excellent with one notable exception.:

- one notable exception - Hotel Terre di Casol, see below for more details,

- the welcoming receptionist at Casolare LeTerre Ros who had no interest in helping us locate our forwarded luggage (which had arrived).

The combination of a fine hotel location, dramatic countryside and superb food made this a unique holiday which brought us new and welcome experiences. We chose walks that ranged from beautiful countryside rambles to testing mountain ascents. In view of the excellent local advice, it is easy to tailor the nature and difficulty of the walks to your own abilities and inclinations. In addition, the gastronomy was first class.

Mrs Cattaneo
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
02/10/2014

A beautiful place to visit and explore. The accommodation of a very good standard and in lovely locations.

We did find the walks very interesting, challenging at times but about the right length, however we did use an app on a smart phone, which indicated we walked a few K further than the instructions stated. We also felt some of the walks did need to be re-done, especially the walk on day 4 from Diano D'Alba which we found very confusing to get out of and were told by the rep to take a different path at one point, which totally threw us off route, although we did find our way with the help of some locals.Although we understood why there was a walk on Day 7 back to Benevello, it was rather tedious.

Our restaurant selection for the evening meals was on the whole very good, but we did find it difficult to find something we could eat at the Villa D'Amelia, mainly because of our own diet of not eating red meat. The Locanda del Centro in Castiglone Falletto was really not very good.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable holiday.

Mrs Grant
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
30/09/2014

The walking was relatively easy although there was more need to carry your own picnic lunch than on other holidays as there were few opportunities to pass cafes/restaurants. Walking was scheduled for every other day so we needed to arrange things to do on days off. In addition, there was probably less 'sights' to see than on previous holidays unless by independent travel on the non-walking days. However, as usual, the arrangements were superb and everything went smoothly including the lovely warm weather in October.

Mr Curwen
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
28/09/2014

The Gredos is a wonderful location for walking holidays and Milano Real provides and excellent base. This holiday offers lots of walking options from dramatic high level mountain views to idyllic river valleys resounding with tinkling cow bells and trickling streams. We had a fascinating day in Salamanca when we fancied a change from walking and the journey through the mountains added to our enjoyment of the day. Last but by no means least, Teresa and Paco were superb hosts and nothing seemed to be too much trouble to make sure we enjoyed our stay. We will definitely be back.

Mrs Higgins
The Amalfi Coast Walk
28/09/2014

Could not fault Headwater for their excellent customer service and organisation. I'm not even going to look at other companies now for any future walking holidays.

Mr Dyer
Following St James' Way
26/09/2014

We would like to say how fantastic the man was who gave us the mini-moke ride from our hotel back into Portomarin and how hard our hostess (Maria) worked to keep everybody happy in the Casa de los Samoza.



The food in Rectoral de Goian was amazing! For the world's best bread and butter pudding go to O Muino de Pena>

Mrs Potts
Catalan Coastal Walk
24/09/2014

Varied walking, great countryside and wonderful, welcoming accommodation with excellent food. An ideal holiday with real feel good factor

Mrs Wakefield
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
22/09/2014

A superb holiday. The scenery was spectacular and moving from hotel to hotel makes the holiday interesting and varied.

Mis Rodgers
Catalan Coastal Walk
21/09/2014

Enjoyed the whole holiday. Walking and hotels were great and the scenery was fantastic. Enjoyed barcelona and the trip to the Dali House. Overall a good variety of experiences in the time.

Ms Morgan
Catalan Classic Walk
20/09/2014

We had a wonderful holiday. The walking was a dream and took us to so many beautiful places we had never heard of. Two of the hotels were a bit basic for accommodation and we would have liked to have the option at Hotel Rosa to upgrade to a suite if we had known. Garbi first day the room was basic but on the last night we had a great room, much larger and with a view. Will be back....

Mrs Deane
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
20/09/2014

Excellent location for seeing the Dolomites.

Friendly, family run hotel.

Instructions for the walking routs and the use of bus/train were very good

Dr Mason
Secrets of Sicily Walking
20/09/2014

The holiday was very enjoyable, the location was great, but the walks were challenging in the heat, even in September. The local food was delicious.

Mr MacKenzie
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
19/09/2014

Well organised, lovely hotel and location. Good well described walks. Very good holiday. Thoroughly recommended.

Mrs Clark
Secrets of Sicily Walking
19/09/2014

Headwater holidays are ones where you can count on the arrangements made and simply enjoy the holiday you have chosen to take.

Mrs Hughes
Following St James' Way
19/09/2014

Overall it was a great holiday. We throughly enjoyed ourselves.

Mrs Davies
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
18/09/2014

This Headwater holiday is definitely a cut above other European holidays that we have enjoyed with you. Villa d'Amelia and Villa Beccaris were exceptional in every way, and throughout we enjoyed excellent local cuisine and wines. We would happily do it all over again!

Mrs Holmes
Catalan Classic Walk
16/09/2014

An interestingly varied holiday with wooded hills, inland country and scenic coastal walking, giving a good taste of the area. We particularly enjoyed walking via some of the beautiful mediaeval villages included in the route of the second walk. Also, we really appreciated having route notes for some suggested 'rest-day' walks, especially as this holiday is relatively short. The three hotels were also quite different and all had a charm of their own - we thoroughly enjoyed each one. This holiday would suit those looking for variety and a balance between activity and rest. The walks were well constructed, with some challenging sections, but not too exhausting, so there is a sense of achievement at the end of the day and tired legs are soon revived by a gentle swim and a good dinner! Thank you, Headwater, for a great holiday and we hope to be back for another one.

Mr Whitehurst
Castles to Coast Walk
16/09/2014

Very good walking holiday with excellent accomodation. Croatia is a lovely country to visit, the people are friendly, there is plenty to see and the prices are reasonable.

Mrs Roderick
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
15/09/2014

This was our second visit to Zuheros. The Hotel Zuhayra is the perfect base for a walking holiday. All the staff are friendly and helpful and the evening meals provide a wide range of well-cooked local food. The walks are challenging enough to feel that something has been achieved at the end of the day.

Mrs Salisbury
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
14/09/2014

Wonderful walks, great advice from Peter at hotel. We walked every day, and enjoyed exploring the area. Food and the friendly staff at the hotel made this one of our best holidays.

Mr Abrahams
The Amalfi Coast Walk
14/09/2014

Well thought through and excellent administration meant we could concentrate on our walking

Dr Banyard
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
13/09/2014

Everything worked just as it should. We were very happy indeed with our holiday. My wife's dietary restrictions were coped with very efficiently and without fuss by the hotel. Thank you very much!

Mrs George
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
13/09/2014

The Dolomites are stunning and the walking was varied and challenging. The route notes were excellent and the self guiding was easy. The hotel was exceptional, with delicious food. The village of Dobbiacco was very well placed with good bus connections which made walking in different areas easy and enjoyable.

Mr Kitchen
Secrets of Sicily Walking
13/09/2014

Thoroughly enjoyable - just as we expected - save only for the above average temperatures (35C +). I'm sure it would be a lot more comfortable in the Spring!

Wonderful hotel in a beautiful, tranquil setting, with friendly, helpful staff. Close to some of the best beaches on the island.

Mr Grant
Catalan Coastal Walk
12/09/2014

We enjoyed the rest days and some parts of the walks were very enjoyable with spectacular landscapes. However, overall we felt that the holiday was not exactly as described. It is called a 'Coastal Walk' but it is, in fact, rather a tough mountain hike as the walks focus inland in dry arid and often rather inhospitable terrain. The holiday description states 'once you begin walking clockwise around the peninsula, the sea is your constant companion'. The sea is not your constant companion, as for the most part, it is far off and out of sight. There are no villages at all (bar one small one just before El Porta de la Salva) on the walks, pretty,'cute as a button' or otherwise. A lot of people would enjoy this but it could be clearer in the holiday description. A lot of the climbs and descents are steep and rocky and in one place you do have to do a small bit of rock climbing. The trails are often on loose rocks and stones and narrow.There is quite a lot of scrabbling required. I think this should have been flagged in the holiday description with better photos. I would have rated the holiday difficulty at least as a '2 boot +.' Cadaques is certainly the highlight but all the hotels were excellent and welcoming. Recommend the restaurant 'Can Rafa' in Cadaques.

Pro Beevers
Walking in the Venetian Hills
10/09/2014

Good walking, good accommodation , food and wine. Interesting cities and towns to visit.

Mr Morrison
Castles to Coast Walk
09/09/2014

Challenging walking with a comfortable hotel at the end of the day.

Mr Banham
Catalan Classic Walk
08/09/2014

Interesting and varied walking through delightful countryside with visits to and refreshment stops in beautifully preserved historic villages. Each day culminated in a stay in excellent accommodation, the highlight of which was the 3 nights we spent at Castell d`Emporda.

Mr Petch
Catalan Coastal Walk
08/09/2014

Couldn't fault it. Even the weather was excellent. Looking forward to next year's brochure.

Mrs Potthurst
Walking in the Venetian Hills
08/09/2014

The welcome & help we encountered from local people was phenomenal.

Mr Larcombe
Chianti Classic Walk
08/09/2014

We really enjoyed the holiday. Katie and Jim were very good representatives. There has been a problem with an outbreak of horse flies and so they went out of their way to suggest an alternative walk that avoided walking through woods. This was really appreciated. My only issue was the last walk between Casolare Le Terre Rosse and Park Hotel Le Fonti. I found this walk to be too long especially as the last couple of miles was up hill. Luckily it was a relatively cool day, if the sun had been out I don't think I would have been able to complete the walk.

Mr Kell
Chianti Classic Walk
08/09/2014

Well organised and supported walking holiday assisted by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Fine food and accommodation.

Mr Jones
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
06/09/2014

This is an excellent place for a single centre holiday, offering many good trails with stunning views if you have good weather, but bear in mind that the conditions in high mountain areas such as this can be unpredictable, even in summer.

Mr Bingham
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
06/09/2014

First rate. Hotel, hotel staff, the range of walks, and headwater staff were excellent

Mrs Davies
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
06/09/2014

Excellent area for a holiday

Mr Marroney
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
05/09/2014

Walking in Gozo is almost too good to share. By turns breathtaking (cliffs) and relaxing. Returning to Ta Cenc every day was bliss.

Mrs Buckham
Secrets of Sicily Walking
05/09/2014

Beautiful area of Sicily, which took us by surprise. It is very hot though as there's little shade on the walks so a slightly later departure in the year may have been better for us. A good variety of walks available though so when it was at its hottest we just did slightly less strenuous ones.. Also the walking ability of our group of 6 was mixed so we could split up at times but all enjoy a walk then meet for dinner together which worked well.. The sightseeing trips were well chosen and really interesting.

Mrs Makin
The Amalfi Coast Walk
05/09/2014

Travel arrangements were good, hotels were easy to find and all but one was well maintained. Walks were very well described, distances were not accurate and the number of steps was a joke but the walks were clearly described an the views were wonderful. We saw many rural areas of the Amalfi Peninsular that most people will never see, they don't know what they are missing! are missing

The rest days are a very good idea and gave us chance to do several things we wanted to do, ie go to Pompeii and Capri, without the break I think that the last few days would have felt like hard work.

Although not far from the bustling city of Padova, the Euganean hills seem to be an undiscovered gem and we saw far more butterflies than walkers! We enjoyed all of the walks and there were plenty easily accessible attractive places to visit on our rest days. Our holiday was enhanced by a night in Venice at the start and at the finish.

Lovely location, great hotel, wonderful support from hotel staff in our 'hour-of-need, varied walks and opportunity to visit an historical Spanish city.

Mr Lewis
Catalan Coastal Walk
04/09/2014

For us aged 79 and 74 the walks were challenging but we very much enjoyed our holiday in a beautiful area of Spain.

Mr Stewart
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
30/08/2014

A good short break in spectacular surroundings, with enough guidance to enable us to enjoy the area to the best as and when we wished without forcing us into any particular programme.

Ms Foulds
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
30/08/2014

Kandersteg is a good base for the series of walks suggested by HW but also for constructing your own routes if you are a confident walker. The hotel is comfortable and friendly and the food was mostly excellent. A small buffet was provided every day from which to make sandwiches for a picnic lunch, although more choice of fruit would have been welcome. Kandersteg village is very quiet (at least in summer) and we were a little disappointed at the lack of anywhere to go in the evening apart from having a drink in another hotel. Prices for cable cars, soft drinks, coffees and cakes were higher than envisaged but quality was very good. The scenery in the valley is stunning but the typical mountain weather meant that the peaks were not always visible. On cloudy days, it was good to have the choice of taking a quick train ride into the Rhone Valley area where the weather was usually better. Several of the walks in the HW itinerary can be shortened or lengthened to suit individual abilities and taken as a whole they give a very good overview of the area.

Mr Heald
Walking the Camino de Santiago
30/08/2014

It was an excellent holiday and very well planned so that we had a good morning sightseeing in Leon*, walked the best stretches of the Camino and had an attractive balance of accommodation.



* We were a bit concerned about starting the 1st days walk so late in such heat (30c+), but we managed it!

Mr Stanley
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
29/08/2014

good varied hotels, good walks with interesting details on the way. Excellent service when booking the holiday, yes we would certainly go with Headwater again.

Mrs Wall
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
29/08/2014

This was an absolutely stunning holiday in every way. The hotels were all of a high standard and each was lovely in its own individual way. The restaurants were a nice treat after the day's walking and working up an appetite! There was stiff competition for our favourite restaurant and Il Castello and Villa D'Amelia had to share the prize for sheer wow factor! That said La Locanda del Centro was our favourite 'non-Michelin' restaurant. The waiter couldn't do enough to make us feel welcome, it had a lovely relaxed atmosphere and the food was really tasty.

The route notes for each of the walks was spot on and went wrong once (our fault, not Headwater's!). We'd recommend the circular walk to La Morra. It's a pretty strenuous walk through the vineyards but the sense of achievement and the stunning views are definitely worth any aching calf muscles!

Lastly, Marsha and Esme (the Headwater Reps) made our holiday what it was. They were always cheerful and full of tips for the places we were due to walk to. They were also on the end of a phone with any queries we had.

Thanks for a brilliant holiday, Sarah & Mark Wall

Dr Worthy
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
23/08/2014

El Milano Real walking holiday was the perfect combination of fantastic walks, outstandingly delicious food and a warm welcome.

The service and level of advice was great.

A beautiful place with some stunning walking in the mountains.

Mr Broughall
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
02/08/2014

Excellent accomodation, food, walks and scenery.

Mrs Walker
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
31/07/2014

Headwater thinks of everything - right down to offering us a lovely cold bottle of water when we emerged from a long, hot journey to our pick up point. You select fabulous hotels in brilliant locations, which takes all the hard work out of planning a holiday. Taxis turn up when they're supposed to, hotels and restaurants are expecting us. You are wonderfully efficient. This was our sixth booking with you and we'll be back for more next year. Bravo, Headwater.

Mrs O'Carroll
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
30/07/2014

I enjoyed looking through the website which was very informative. The whole holiday was very well organised; being met at the airport and being given chilled water bottles when we got in the mini bus was great. Our reps couldn't have been more helpful; they stopped at a shop on the way to our hotel so we could buy food and water for the following day's walking, they offered us equipment and leant us waterproofs. We felt very well looked after and listened too. For us this was the ultimate, stress free holiday! The walks were quite long and it was hot, but the terrain was pretty easy and we never found ourselves struggling - there was always the knowledge that there was a lovely hotel with pool and meal waiting for us at the other end. As a family we are fairly active, but not very fit - my husband plays racquetball once a week and I go for a daily 50 minute dog walk which proved to be enough to allow me to enjoy the walks. Our children all do sport at school and our eleven year old found the walking easy!

Mrs Buckle
Chianti Classic Walk
26/07/2014

Thank you for a wonderful holiday! We enjoyed the walking, the days off by the pool, the scenery, the swimming pools, the food and the wine immensely. All five of us, including the kids, had a fantastic time.

An excellent walking trip with the added extra of a few days in the superb city of Venice. Excellent support from headwater Rep and good to be 'off the beaten track' in a lesser known and unspoilt area of Italy.

Mr Billing
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
20/07/2014

This was a wonderful holiday, full of small surprises and little luxuries. Each hotel was charmingly different. The food was spectacular, the people lovely, and the scenery green, beautiful and quiet. Thank you very much

Mrs Grosschmidt
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
19/07/2014

Not to be missed well done Headwater

Mr Smith
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
19/07/2014

Should have been advised that the hotel is located next to the railway station and level crossing with trains passing through from from 5.30 am. Our upgraded room overlooked the railway station and crossing. No air conditioning in rooms meant we had to leave open the windows during the night and heard announcements, warning bells and the trains themselves every half hour.

Mrs Price
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
19/07/2014

Dobbiaco is an excellent centre for a walking holiday with superb scenery and good choice of walks. Transfers were efficient, hotel very good and we enjoyed our first experience of a Headwater holiday very much.

Mr Humphreys
Walking in the Venetian Hills
16/07/2014

We topped and tailed the walking with two nights in Verona and two nights in Venice which gave a nice contrast. The walking was enjoyable with a variety of terrain and the route descriptors good. We were lucky with the weather but it can be unpredictable so you need waterproofs and/or a brolly just in case. Good insect repellent is worth the investment. The area is unspoilt and there seem to be very few tourists. Accommodation was good though air-con is either poor or doesn't exist so it is hot at night. On our rest days were able to visit Montagnana and Padua which were both very enjoyable. However, if you can try to organise the holiday so that you are walking on a Sunday you will avoid being marooned on a rest day - no buses run on Sundays! We found the locals to be friendly though most had as much English as we had Italian - very little! The rep - Sarah - was charming and very helpful! Italian beer is good but expensive - local wine is good and good value! Overall a great experience. We enjoyed the holiday and would recommend it.

Mrs Osborne
Chianti Classic Walk
14/07/2014

The holiday was very enjoyable, very well organised, and the reps went out of their way to be helpful.



As Headwater guests, we felt that we were being given particularly good treatment at each hotel.

Mr Bird
Catalan Classic Walk
12/07/2014

See comments on rail travel, and specifically Headwater's absence of advice. Naturally people from the UK expect a similar experience to using the rail at home, and while this assumption would be valid for rail travel in France, Germany, NL etc, Spain was very different.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Bird,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire. We were pleased to see that you scored your holiday overall as good to excellent. However, it was disappointing to see that you encountered issues navigating the Spanish rail system. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
In order to improve the experience for future customers, we have been working closely with our local agents. With this in mind, we are pleased to advise you that for the 2015 season we will be pre purchasing all Spanish rail tickets. This should alleviate the time spent queuing and ensure a smoother trip through the Spanish region. Whilst we realise this does not help you personally. We do hope that it goes some way to show we take your feedback seriously.

Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service Team

Mis Nicholls
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
08/07/2014

The holiday surpassed expectations in terms of location, food and hotels. All in all, excellent value for money!

Mrs Todd
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/07/2014

Sarah is an excellent asset to Headwater, knowledgeable and friendly.She was thorough in going through the briefing notes and was on hand if we needed. The walking notes were accurate, at times it felt like a higher grade walk than billed, but that just added to the achievement after each one. Views spectacular, hotels and food excellent. Rest day in Padua to see Giotto Frescoes and then the Anatomy Theatre at the University was fantastic. Sarah gave us opening times and suggestions, so that was really time saving and useful. This was our first HW holiday, and we are already looking where our next one could be.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Todd, Thank you for your lovely comments regarding our rep Sarah, we have passed your feedback on to her and she was delighted. We were also pleased to see that you had an enjoyable 1st holiday with Headwater it sounds like you took in all of the sights and sounds that this region has to offer. We look forward to welcoming you on your next holiday with us in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team

Dr Paterson
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
05/07/2014

The Alfa Soleil is a wonderful hotel with a really excellent restaurant.



We're vegetarians and the chef provided an amazing series of creations over the week for us.



The hotel proprietor is a lovely host who really takes care of all his guests and the hotel team are superb.



The walks are amazing and very varied with plenty of other options - one day we took a day trip to Bern which is a fascinating city, and also spent a day on the lake taking a steamer from Spiez.



We travelled by Eurostar and TGV - dinner in Paris on the way out and lunch in Basel on the way back - really comfortable - do book ahead and get cheap first class tickets for the TGV though.

Mrs Spalding
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
04/07/2014

Well organised walk through beautiful countryside. Perfect opportunity to see the rural Tuscany and taste local food. Wonderful mix of walking sightseeing and relaxing.

Mrs Wakefield
Catalan Classic Walk
02/07/2014

We really enjoyed this holiday. Moving from hotel to hotel provides much variety. There was a real problem getting drinks especially at the castle hotel. A welcome drink immediately on arrival at the hotel should be offered especially as people are very tired and thirsty after a long walk in the heat.

Also the communication at the Castle Hotel needs to be improved, e.g. no one told us where to go for dinner when it was not outside as on the first evening.

However, we really enjoyed the holiday in spite of these little things.

Mrs May
Dordogne River Walk
30/06/2014

On this itinerary the length and gradient of the walks are not so suitable for the over 65s - we experienced them as three-boots rather than 2 on account of our age.

Your notes are very well written, congratulations. We never went wrong and rarely used the maps.

The menus on this gastronomic holiday were surprisingly limited - should have guessed they would be though. There was one evening when we could not face the foie gras and duck again so crept out for a cheap Italian despite having paid for the gastronomic bore. We cannot blame Headwater for this, please note.

Throughout the service was very good. The landscape and local attractions were outstanding. The routes were creatively chosen. Thanks!

Mr Williams
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
28/06/2014

Overall an enjoyable holiday, the walks are definitely in the 2 boot category but using the cable cars means much of the walking is flat or downhill. The scenery is majestic providing you can see it for the clouds! Go prepared for mixed weather, we were in Kandersteg in early July and had everything from glorious sunshine to sleet (above Oeschinensee) by way of rain and thunderstorms. We were lucky enough to see an ibex, marmots and an eagle (at the top of Gemmi Pass). The paths were all well maintained and the signage is very good making the navigation easy.



The hotel is welcoming and the rooms comfortable if somewhat dated in decor and furniture. The food is good but be aware that it's a 4 course set menu with just a choice of 2 main courses (or an unspecified vegetarian option). The 'lunch buffet' where you can make up your own packed lunch at breakfast time is a good idea.



The travel arrangements all worked well and the Swiss trains were on time as expected. Being a Saturday the train from Zurich Airport to Bern (and return) can be busy and does not cater particularly well for luggage, we had to leave our bags in the area by the doors along with a number of others. The reserved seats that Headwater provided were necessary but these were upstairs away from our bags. Also note that the train from Bern to Kandersteg splits at Speiz with only the front portion going to Kandersteg and Brig, we didn't find this entirely obvious when boarding the train. It's not a big problem as the ticket inspector checks that you're in the right part of the train but it's easier if you don't have to move yourself and your bags at one of the stops.

Mrs Hodgskinson
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
28/06/2014

Great location to be based for walking in the Dolomites, Bellevue Park hotel food is very good, their baths big and very welcome after a long day in tthe and the mountains themselves are magnificent. Walking notes are comprehensive, would just suggest you add a couple of routes which start out in one location and finish up elsewhere on the bus network - Tres Chime early bus is ideal - this offers some fantastic route options and minimises the amount of up. Only regret we didn't get a bit of Via Ferrata training whilst out there, would have vastly increased what we could do. Loved every minute. Tagged on three days in Verona and four days in Venice. Probably one of the best and most varied holidays we've ever done

Mr Gallagher
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
24/06/2014

Katie and Jim put every possible effort into making our stay problem free. On the first afternoon they sat with us for an hour giving us very helpful information about the route and terrain that we would be walking, places en-route where we could get food and drink, landscape features and sights to look out for. Although we no cause to call upon their assistance during our holiday it was clear that nothing would have been too much trouble for them.



With regards to the holiday itself, the route had been carefully planned and all the hotels were in wonderful locations (Medieval Tuscan hilltop towns).

We would recommend the region and this holiday to anyone.

Mr Beresford
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
21/06/2014

A great holiday based in an excellent friendly hotel with good local food. The walks,starting from the hotel or via a short train, bus or cable car ride,were interesting and varied. The walks are deserving of the 2 boot status, taking most of the day to complete with the suggested extensions, allowing time for photographs, eating the excellent hotel picnics and admiring the views and the magnificent alpine flowers in June.

Mr Phillips
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
21/06/2014

Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, directions for walks / routes easy to understand and very accurate, excellent mix of walking companions in our group, superb location and scenery, the week went too fast!

Mrs Royle
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
21/06/2014

We thoroughly enjoyed walking in the Dolomites staying in Dobiacco/Toblach at Park Bellevue Hotel. The food was superb and beautifully presented and served. The hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful.The hotel and swimming facilities etc were fantastic. We found the walks brilliant, did not expect to be walking in snow in June! but the notes on the whole were easy to follow, just got lost once and sometimes it took us longer due to snow and several fallen trees over the path on one walk. The bus ticket which was included could be used on the train and provided excellent value for exploring the region and the nearby towns. Best of all we met really interesting people in the hotel who had come with Headwater or Exodus and we all got on very well.Have already recommended Headwater to friends.

Mrs Simpson
Following St James' Way
20/06/2014

It was hard work covering the average 12 miles/day. We enjoyed the 8 mile day with some 'free time' in the afternoon and felt very at home at Casa de la Somoza that afternoon. Enjoyed the company of the other 4 Headwater walkers we ate and walked with. Exciting to arrive at such an interesting and varied accomodation with such a variety of ambience and fare.

We were told on the 'phone when booking that we needed to get the 6.30 flight from Stanstead in order to have time to catch the train from Madrid to Leon. In fact it only took a short time by taxi to the station where we waited 4 hrs for the train. 2 hrs extra in bed and 8.30 flight would have got us off to a better start!

Thank you arranging all the accomodation and transfer of luggage which worked so well. Loved Leon and found it such a generous place - we kept being given little extras, whether from market traders or patisserie.

Route instructions generally good, but not clear that we needed to walk almost to the railway station to find the Hotel Roma at Sarria. That was a long last k.

Also the last k to Pazo Santa Maria directions could have been clearer with more detail.

Mr Hamilton
Castles to Coast Walk
17/06/2014

This was one of most enjoyable and exciting Headwater walks we have experienced. Istria was unknown to us and we loved the hill-top towns where the 'truffle is king'! cuisine was superb and the hotel staff and local residents so friendly. The local rep was the most conscientious, helpful and friendly we have ever met. Please extend our thanks to her. The 'good' comment on Comfort at the last hotel related simply to the failure of the air conditioning system which was freezing. This was resolved by the staff. Fabulous holiday and the weather gave us ideal conditions.

Mr Freeman
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
14/06/2014

Fantastic combination of great scenery, good walks, superb hotel made a wonderful holiday.

Mrs Bailey
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
14/06/2014

We had a super week with like-minded people. Although we were all initially wary of socialising as a group, during the week we became closer and enjoyed each other's company. The hotel was fun - comfortable and friendly with multi-course meals of excellent quality that were welcome after a day's hiking. It was the antithesis of an impersonal chain hotel. The only thing it lacked was wifi outside of the reception area. And some reference books - for example for wild flowers - would have been useful.



The walks were spectacular, probably made more so by the fact that we were early in the season - mid June. Tre Cime and Mount Elmo were decidedly scary first thing in the morning before someone else had kicked foothills in the snow. We learned to catch the buses around 10am not 9am. The notes were not entirely accurate and read as if the walks had not been checked for some time. In fact it didn't matter as the local trails are well signposted. Every member of the group who did the Mount Elmo walk got lost and changed from the notes to the maps or signposts. The 'Churches and Chapels' walk was unexpectedly interesting and quite energetic despite being on quiet lanes (very quiet - we were passed by one car and two tractors in 4 hours). It was a good contrast to the other walks and well worth doing.



We appreciated the notes on eating places - or the lack of them. It was useful to know when a packed lunch was necessary.



The travel card was convenient. Buses ran regularly to the walk starting-points and were not crowded at this time of year. On one day we caught the train (next to the hotel) and explored Brunico. Every stop had something to look at (see the poster on the platform).



A number of people went on to Venice afterwards, an easy trip given the minibus to the airport and then a bus to the station or a water bus to St Mark's Square.



Mr Williams
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
14/06/2014

Good range of walks in outstanding scenery.Surprising lack of facilities in Dobbiaco considering time of year e.g. Most shops closed- almost no bars or alternate restaurants!

Mr Smith
Walking the Camino de Santiago
14/06/2014

We were blessed with decent weather, and so enjoyed this 160km. very much. We found the O Munio De Pena a bit of a gloomy place, with Javier nowhere in sight until 8.30 that evening! The only other mild carp we have is at Sarria, where that last km. through the town was hard work. Could a pick-up closer to our entry into the town be considered?

Also, going into Arzua, the Pazo told us that if Headwater had told us we could have phoned the Pazo for a taxi from our entry into the town to the hotel for 4 euros! This could have been very valuable info. as we were being chased by a thunderstorm at that time! We also recommend the taxi back to the starting point next day.

Mr Mcleod
Catalan Classic Walk
12/06/2014

Enjoyable. In the inland parts the villages were lovely with less interesting walking, but the coastal walking was great.

Mrs Walker
Castles to Coast Walk
10/06/2014

We chose a walking holiday because we enjoy walking and believe you get more of the atmosphere of where you are if you are on foot. After the airport we were driven to a gem of a hotel, with wonderful views and the sound and sight of swifts in the summer air. Our guide was very efficient and worked very hard to see that we got the most out of our stay. She was local and gave us sound information on what to expect. A couple of the days here saw quite high temperatures so we needed to make sure we had water or knew where we could get water on route.. The hotel at Buzet was also at the top of a peak so this is a holiday where you must be prepared to walk some high ups and downs. The third hotel at Opatija was very well situated and we had a very large room with a baloney. This hotel had a fish restaurant, the fish being caught locally the night before. On our final evening we had one of their superb fish meal on the terrace with the sound of soft live music in the background, which was a fitting closure to a very enjoyable holiday.

Mis Walters
Castles to Coast Walk
10/06/2014

A thoroughly enjoyable experience. Croatia was a lovely country, the walks just right and the hotels great. The other couple on the walk were like minded and we got on really well.

Mrs Moss
The Amalfi Coast Walk
08/06/2014

We have just returned from another very enjoyable holiday, all the hotels were very good, in amazing locations with fantastic views. I would definitely upgrade to a sea view room at Grand Hotel Capodimonte, especially if staying on longer in Sorrento. The walks were varied and we had no real problem with the notes. Could be challenging to some as there are defiantly plenty of steps, both up and down, in many places! Walking poles very helpful. But you are rewarded with the views and the hotels.

All our pick ups where excellent by the local agent, and the rep phoned us on the first evening as promised. We know she was easy to contact if we needed her. So, overall, an good holiday exploring this part of Italy, Thank you again, Headwater.

A very good hotel on a lovely Island which provided an excellent base for a walking holiday on routes which were varied and not too 'testing'

Mrs Wass
Walking in the Venetian Hills
06/06/2014

Excellent representative. Belvedere hotel a gem. Our overall perception is coloured by the fact that we hit a heatwave of mid-thirties degrees in the shade which, given the steepness of the hills, was exhausting. Excellent suggestions for the days off from walking.

A lovely hotel (small and family-run) in a beautiful landscape. All food locally sourced as much as possible. We chose to pay extra for a better room, more spacious and with private terrace and a beautiful view, that was well worthwhile. I don't think we would have been happy in standard accommodation.

Mr Dent
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
04/06/2014

Excellent hotels with 4 evenings enjoying a la carte Michelin one star dinners. Great food and wine throughout. Map directions adrift on a couple of occasions but overall ok.

Mr Prior
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
04/06/2014

Excellent comfortable friendly hotels with unforgettable views .

Mr Gower
Catalan Classic Walk
01/06/2014

Great walks. Plenty to see and do. Vegetarians beware.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Gower, Thank you for completing your post-holiday questionnaire and for the feedback you have provided, we have discussed your comment regarding vegetarian meals with the hoteliers. As a result of this they have advised us they will ensure a better variety of vegetarian meals are available for future customers. We are sorry for any disappointment this may have caused you during your holiday and were pleased to see that despite this you had an enjoyable holiday.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team.

We loved the island, the walks and the hotel. The staff were all very friendly and helpful, just a little disappointed with the food at dinner: usually it was fine and occasionally good. Had our best meal on the way home at Meson Galicia in Es Mercadal near the car park with excellent views of mount Torro.

Mrs Welham
The Amalfi Coast Walk
31/05/2014

We had a fantastic holiday with Headwater and loved every minute of the walks which were well planned, with clear instructions. Everything worked as expected and it was a very easy way to walk the best of the area without any worries. Thank you.

Mrs Evans
Catalan Coastal Walk
31/05/2014

Fantastic holiday - very good walks and directions. Only niggle was the train journey in Spain as instructions about tickets not clear. Ticket booth at Barcelona closed so ended up buying wrong ticket and then having to pay again on train. Again on return journey not enough detail about buying ticket and when I rang rep unfortunately he did not know so made journey slightly stressful! Overall a very enjoyable holiday

Mr Royce
Following St James' Way
30/05/2014

Our pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela was a magical experience, and spiritually uplifting. We encountered so many memorable characters and different nationalities along the way, all with different stories and experiences, which will endure as we reflect on our journey in the years to come.

Mrs Williams
Marvels of Madeira Walk
29/05/2014

MB Travel were superb everything ran like clockwork, never late unless advised in advance and always friendly. We knew they were available on the end of the phone if we needed them for anything at all. Would certainly recommend this holiday. We are hoping to book an Italian walking trip next year. Thank you Headwater we wish we'd done it years ago.

Mrs Elliott
Castles to Coast Walk
27/05/2014

The Istrian peninsula felt like an undiscovered jewel for visitors. Beautiful countryside, great local food and wine and you can walk all day without seeing anyone else! As always with Headwater a lot of thought had been put into the arrangements for the hotel and the walks and the local guide Romina was brilliant.

Mr Joyce
Walking in the Venetian Hills
27/05/2014

Update the walk notes, they are very out of date and unusually for Headwater quite irritating

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Joyce, Thank you for your feedback. I have passed on your comments to the programme manger for the region,she is currently in the process of updating the route notes, unfortunately, there have been a number of amendments needed due to the unusually poor weather experienced in this area over the winter. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. We hope that despite this issue, you had an enjoyable holiday overall.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team

Ms Hall
The Amalfi Coast Walk
26/05/2014

We had a marvellous holiday and really enjoyed the variety of walks and hotels, and the suggestions for days off. The area was so beautiful and arriving on foot in each town was magical.

Minor gripes were: not hearing from the rep (we phoned her on day 2). She told us of a landslide and said she would send us an alternative route, but this didn't happen. We found the alternative route without difficulty. The maps for the Amalfi coast were not helpful (and one was missing). The route notes were sometimes difficult to follow (we had to learn to concentrate!). We became proud of our navigation skills.

Thank you! Where next?





Mrs Duncan
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
24/05/2014

Can trust the organisation and information

Ms Clarkson
Castles to Coast Walk
24/05/2014

Superb location excellent guide really had an excellent break. Beautiful location would love to go again and again

Mr Cross
Secrets of Sicily Walking
24/05/2014

Good first experience with friends who have been with you before.

this was wonderful holiday based in an amazing hotel with superb facilities

Mrs Elliott
Walking in the Venetian Hills
23/05/2014

The Venetian Hills holiday was a truly enjoyble experience. This is a little-known, unspoiled part of the country and ideal for walking. The welcome and service at all the hotels was second to none.

Mrs Wylde
Following St James' Way
23/05/2014

Please see above comments - it was a wonderful experience walking the Camino but I was disappointed with the seesaw quality of the places we stayed - a couple lovely, several really miserable. Food poisoning episode only helped by the fact that there was a doctor on the trip who helped me. The venue seeemed unconcerned. Really spoiled the last few days of the holiday.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Wylde,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire following your holiday this summer to Spain. Firstly, we were sorry to see you felt this holiday did not live up to your expectations with regards to the standard of some of the accommodations and the walk ratings. Please be assured that we have discussed your feedback in detail with our local agents, he will in turn discuss with our local suppliers and measures will be put into place to improve where necessary. We were also sorry to see that you were unwell at the end of your holiday; our agent was also disappointed to hear this and advised us that had you mentioned this to him he would have most certainly arranged onward transportation for you. We have not received any further complaints regarding sickness over this period or throughout the rest of the season. Our agent has advised us that food poisoning is a very rare occurrence in this region as the suppliers are used to dealing with high volumes of pilgrims and all of the food is prepared fresh daily. However, we will continue to monitor the feedback we receive, and will ensure it is cascaded back to the suppliers should another incidence be reported. We were also sorry to see that you felt the accommodations were poor in places. Due to the amount of walking done on this holiday, we try to use accommodations which are on or close to the Camino and because of this the accommodation standards can vary, as reflected in our brochure and web page ratings, however, please be assured that we do realise how important it is to maintain our high standards of accommodation and service, and we do appreciate we cannot afford to let our standards slip. With this in mind, our agent continually monitors any feedback received and provides feedback to both Headwater and the specific suppliers as appropriate. He also advised us that there are newer Albergues being built, however, these do not comply with our standards as most of them offer shared facilities and are mostly dorm type rooms with bunk beds and this is not the type of accommodation we feel is suitable for our customers. In closing we would like to thank you for your constructive feedback.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team

Ms Pilgrim
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
21/05/2014

The care and attention that the Reps provided in the area was outstanding, and having been on 2 previous Headwater holidays they both worked very hard trying to please everyone.. I felt that the holiday was accurately graded as a 2 boot holiday and all the walks were well within our capabilities but sufficiently challenging. The area was fantastic and May appears to be a great time to visit with all the spring flowers in bloom and pleasant temperatures. I am usually happy to return home but I could have stayed another week so am looking to repeat the experience in a similar region next year as is my walking companion.

Dr Harrison
Islands of Bermuda Walk
20/05/2014

Walks were slightly different to those in brochure, not a problem, but needs up dating. Very relaxing and enjoyable holiday. Bermudan people are extremely friendly and helpful, why can't we all be like that? Buses and ferries very reliable.

Hotel looked a bit dated and the food was poor on Tues and Thurs - Island and Buffet night, so we went out as had read the headwater previous visitors book comments. Other nights the food was fantastic. Beach is rather small could be busy at peak times. Ran out of towels on 2 occasions. Can be very busy when the cruise ships are in.

Overall, the walks were longer than advertised but very enjoyable. We had a great time. Lovely way to see Bermuda and some bits that others may not get too - Coopers Island.

Mr Thompson
Castles to Coast Walk
20/05/2014

Could have been lovely but spoilt by many problems. Disappointed.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Thompson, We were sorry to read of your disappointment with your holiday, I will contact you directly for more information and hope to reinstate your faith in Headwater. Yours sincerely, Headwater customer service

Mrs Brown
Catalan Coastal Walk
19/05/2014

Does what it says in the brochure - 7 days of interesting sights without using cars or trains - organisation during walk flawless.

Mrs Currie
Catalan Coastal Walk
19/05/2014

Excellent walking with fantastic scenery. All accommodation of high standard. Walking definitely 2 boot.

Mr Daines
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
18/05/2014

A great holiday in an off the beaten track location.

Mr Fairweather
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
18/05/2014

The Hotel El Milano Real was an excellent base for a walking holiday as several walks could be done directly from the hotel. The food was usually good, sometimes excellent but occasionally disappointing: the wines were generally very good and also very reasonably priced. The weather during the week was unseasonably cold, which spoiled our enjoyment of the highest climbing - we were unable even to attempt Morezon - but the superb walk to the Mirador was completed in very pleasant conditions and we were glad it wasn't too hot. The area is rich in flora and fauna, and May is a good time of year for observing it.

Mis Perry
The Amalfi Coast Walk
18/05/2014

This is a lovely area of Italy and all the places we stayed were good. The travel arrangements worked like clockwork and the walks were lovely. My favourite Headwater holiday, so far.

Mrs Young
The Amalfi Coast Walk
18/05/2014

Terrific holiday in with superb views, excellent food and wine with delightful walks.

Mrs Price
Catalan Classic Walk
17/05/2014

We really enjoyed our Headwater walking in the Catalan region. The walking was a great combination of inland and coastal routes. The mediaeval villages were lovely and at this time of the year not overcrowded.

One or two of the walks had some challenging sections, particularly the suggested more interesting route to Begur on Day 4. We are older walkers and although experienced and fit we thought that the long relentless climb should come with a little more warning of the steepness. The weather was perfect for us but on very hot days this section of the route would be very demanding.

Otherwise the descriptions of the walks and the routes themselves were helpfully detailed and informative.

Fabulous hotel with excellent facilities, food and staff. Gozo is great for walking as it is so small. Beautiful views and lovely wild flowers. The bus service is excellent and very cheap - a weekly season ticket is only 6 euros 50. Very good comprehensive walking notes which were usually very clear, but we did have a couple of incidents where they could have been better explained. Our boat trip to Comino was great - the Blue lagoon is beautiful.

Mrs Turnbull
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
17/05/2014

Gozo was a great island to explore on foot. The local bus service was excellent and buying a weekly ticket was excellent value. The walks along the cliff tops were spectacular. The hotel was lovely and the pools a perfect place to relax aftrea days walking.

Menorca is a really beautiful island and relatively unspoilt. May was ideal weather for walking and it was very quiet. The best walking by the sea that we have ever done. A week was not long enough so we will return1

Mrs Clifton
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
17/05/2014

Hidden Valleys of Cordoba: a week at the charming Hotel Zuhayra in the pretty white mountain village of Zuheros in mid-May was all that six 70 somethings could wish for. Headwater certainly have a hit on their hands here. Very attentive, helpful staff, good regional food and wine, excellent, if strenuous in parts, walking and wonderful scenery. We added on two nights in Granada at the comfortable, centrally situated Hotel Dauro II from where it was an easy coach ride back to Malaga airport. Headwater's arrangements for our travel and stay were excellent.

Mrs Rathmell
Catalan Coastal Walk
17/05/2014

All was very efficient and the walking instructions were excellent

Tuscany was a beautiful region with a great mix of walks in wonderful countryside and stunning cities/towns full of history and lovely architecture. The reps, Jim and Kate, were so helpful, thoughtful and genuinely caring - the best we've come across.

Mrs Cushion
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
17/05/2014

Probably not for 'casual' walkers as the walks seemed appropriate for experienced ones.

Ms Summers
Following St James' Way
16/05/2014

Everything extremely well-organized - comfortable and interesting accommodation. Would thoroughly recommend Headwater.

Ms Swinburne
Secrets of Sicily Walking
15/05/2014

Secrets o Sicily was probably one of the best holidays ever. The walking was great, the routes good, the accommodation (with one exception) excellent with good food. Everything you could want for comfort and enjoyment, but not at all fussy. Domenica at Baglio La Luna was great in letting us keep the room for the whole day before we flew back in the evening, and in offering us food in a location where there is nothing else. The help given in choosing appropriate accommodation for our two extra (lazy) days before we started the walking holiday was much appreciated. Thank you.

Mr Hall
Dordogne River Walk
15/05/2014

Wonderful countryside for walking and great walks - with a spectacular meal at the end of every day.

Ms Gibson
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
15/05/2014

We had a wonderful week with a perfect combination of walking, sightseeing, swimming and sunbathing plus delicious food and glorious landscapes. The local reps couldn't have been more friendly and helpful; it was very reassuring to know that they were there in case anything went awry - but it didn't.

Mr Ballantyne
Walking in the Venetian Hills
15/05/2014

il feudo is rather basic and rustic .Steep stairs no lift.Shower unit in bathroom fell off wall.,not a lot of pressure. Welcome was good though.

Villa Lussana all confection ---no lift Headwater customers on second floor. shower unit cracked and water only just warm enough.

For walkers some paths i found quite tough walking over tumbling rocks in the hills which could easily have been dangerous so you had to be vigilant. Having done a fair few walking hols i found this one quite tough . but may be age had something to do with it . i would have graded it a little higher i think.

But enjoyable all the same .Well its Italy ---whats not to like!!!!!!!

The hotel is in an excellent rural location. Menorca in May is ideal for walking. It's not cheap but is good value if you can afford it.

Mr Thompson
Catalan Classic Walk
13/05/2014

We enjoyed the holiday but did find some of the walks challenging. The accommodation was good but the quality of the food at the Hotel Rosa was outstanding.

Mrs Mitchell
Castles to Coast Walk
13/05/2014

SERVICE IN ENGLAND WAS INFORMATIVE, AS IN ISTRIA (RAMONA). THE HOTEL VELA VRATA WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING. THE ROOM WAS SMALL, THE SHOWER KEPT GOING OFF. ALSO THE AIR CONDITINIONING COULD NOT BE PUT ON. THE ROOM WAS TOO HOT, BUT COULD NOT OPEN THE WINDOW BECAUSE OF THE NOISE FROM THE CAFE DOWN THE ROAD WHICH WENT ON TILL 3AM!!

Mrs O'Connor
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
13/05/2014

We both really enjoyed our Piedmont Holiday. All of the hotels we stayed at were very good, all quite different in character from one another which we liked. The Piedmont countryside is beautiful and the local people were so friendly. The walks were quite challenging, lots of hills, the steepest usually as you try to reach your hotel at the end of the day, but a great feeling when you do arrive.

The distances quoted on the route notes were much shorter than those that registered on my pedometer, I think perhaps these should be reviewed.

The local Headwater reps. Marsha and Esme were fantastic, very helpful, friendly and punctual.

The meals in the evening were usually taken in local restaurants, our favourites Osteria dei Catari and Locanda del Centro, the more rustic of the bunch. Only negative for us was The Ristarante il Castello, beautiful building, shame about the atmosphere, formality taken to the limit, neither diners nor staff seemed to be having a good time. We were due to dine there twice, but decided to give the second visit a miss.

Apart from that a brilliant holiday. Pat O'Connor

Mr Robertson
Catalan Classic Walk
12/05/2014

First try at a walking holiday and enjoyed it thoroughly. Would certainly recommend it.

Mr Savage
Walking in the Venetian Hills
11/05/2014

Well organised and enjoyable holiday

Mr Stather
Islands of Bermuda Walk
10/05/2014

May is a good time to go for wildlife - and weather not too hot

Mrs McQuin
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
10/05/2014

Beautiful setting, no hidden extras, peaceful.

Mr Wyatt
The Amalfi Coast Walk
04/05/2014

Overall holiday was good. Never saw rep, although not really necessary. Big hotels at punta campanella and sorrento not great as they cater for the mass coach trip market and lose personal touch. We met inntravel (or possibly atg) walkers in punta campanella staying in small hotel which was idyllic. Luna convento excellent and set a high bar others did not come close to. Sorrento particularly disappointing as it was in chaos and couldn't handle the number of guests . It was the first time in 50 years travelling i have had to queue (30 minutes) for a dinner table. Food also left much to be desired. A smaller hotel in town might be a better bet and certainly more our preference

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Wyatt, Thank you for your feedback. We were pleased to see that you enjoyed your holiday overall. We were however sorry to see that you did not receive your welcome brief on arrival, this is usually carried out via telephone. We will ensure this is made clearer in our documentation for future customers. We were also sorry to see you were disappointed with some of the hotels you stayed in due to the size and lack of personal touch, wherever possible we try to use small and friendly hotels. I have passed on your feedback to our programme manager for their consideration. We would like to thank you for travelling with Headwater this summer and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.

Mr Bevan
The Amalfi Coast Walk
04/05/2014

This was our first experience with Headwater although we have previously toured and trekked with a number of other companies. We were overall impressed, and would certainly consider Headwater for other walking or cycling holidays.

Mrs Langleben
Walking the Coastal Trails of Menorca
02/05/2014

We are seasoned Headwater clients and have been more than happy with all the holidays we have taken with the company.

Mr Flanagan
Catalan Classic Walk
27/04/2014

A wonderful mixture of healthy exercise,beautiful scenery, fantastic food and friendly people.

Mr Martin
The Amalfi Coast Walk
27/04/2014

On our arrival we were welcomed by our driver Seor Russo who we found to be both entertaining and informative. Throughout our stay he was always punctual and reliable. Although we never actually met the resort agent she rang us to advise about adverse weather condition, diversions and alternative routes. Unfortunately we experienced poor weather but it did not interfere with our enjoyment of the holiday and we managed to complete the planned itinery. Overall all the htels were good and we were delighted to find our accommodation had been upgraded at the Pumta Campanelle where we had the benefit of a suite and a large sun terrace. We have only two observations to make to improve the holiday:

(1) The cost of porterage at 3 euros per bag on arrival and departure should either be included in the holiday cost or guests advised of this in the holiday information.

(2) the time of departure for the airport should be included in the holiday informattion to avoid guests having to make an educated guess based on flight times.

Ms Thomson
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
26/04/2014

Gozo is a delightful little island with beautiful scenery and flowers. Ta Cenc was a totally relaxing place to be and the staff were excellent.

Mr Ainger
Secrets of Sicily Walking
26/04/2014

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. The walking mix was good, and flowers, birds, sea and sun were a great combination. Marettimo was special.

Dr Evans
Following St James' Way
25/04/2014

The accommodation was variable between wonderful and very simple.

We were suprised by how few vegetables we were available both in the accommodations and in restaurants.

At the end of some of the walk sections the instructions/directions were less clear and this was a problem when you are tired at the end of a days walking.

We were part of the party with the Raeburns were there was a muddle about our tour of Leon which we missed out on. That shouldn't have happened.

Mrs Arlett
Secrets of Sicily Walking
24/04/2014

This was a very enjoyable holiday. The walks, locations, itinerary and choice of hotels were all well thought out. We enjoyed the variety of walks and the wild flowers were stunning. Spotting a Bonelli Eagle was one of the highlights. Our local reps looked after us well, leaving us to be independent but stepping in when required - for example, sorting out a hotel in Trapani when our boat trip to Marettimo was delayed due to high winds. We found some of the walks quite tough but rewarding. The hotels were varied and our favourite was the self catering on Marettimo.

Dr Walsh Atkins
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
17/04/2014

Was not sent any walking notes which was a problem. Hotel had none and Rep-George- in his 60 second briefing- was uninterested in this. After some nagging he sent me some notes-but they mainly concerned the cycling holiday based in another hotel which with 24 km cycles etc was not that much use. Sorted myself out eventually as I managed to get hold of a good map which had good walking routes linked to bus routes which was great. Hotel excellent and travel arrangements fine.

Mr Ausden
The Amalfi Coast Walk
13/04/2014

Could not be faulted to be perfectly honest, excellent accomodation throughout,well balanced walking itinerary, first class route notes and maps.The Amalfi coast was everything we hoped it would be and more, a great holiday.

Ms Parks
The Amalfi Coast Walk
13/04/2014

Fantastic locations with carefully selected routes and hotels. Descriptions of the walks for for self guided tour where very easy to follow and very accurate.

Mrs Grundy
Catalan Coastal Walk
13/04/2014

Headwater holidays always live up to the descriptions in the brochure. Well planned walks, mainly excellent food and accomodation.

We had a great holiday. Well done Headwater.

Mrs Evans
Walking the Camino de Santiago
12/04/2014

This was a great holiday. It's the walks are fairly straightforward, but there are some long days. The arrangement by Headwater worked like clockwork. The hotels are well-chosen and generally of a good standard. Our favourites were the 2 rectorals and Paze Santa Maria. This was a great way to explore the Camino de Santiago.



Ms Weber
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
06/04/2014

Beautiful walks and great hotels - particularly liked Pedralva.

Mrs Organ
Secrets of Sicily Walking
05/04/2014

The overall holiday was very enjoyable, well planned with a good mix of site seeing and excellent walking in a little known but beautiful part of Sicily, all local

Agents were on time and efficient, Carlos in particular was well informed and helpful, others were less so.. We opted to pay extra to have some time sight seeing in Palermo on the last day. This caused quite a lot of arranging and could have been offered to us before we went, The last hotel was not good. The food was very poor, bit like school dinners and as it was in such an isolated location it was not possible to walk to any where else as another choice to eat, it was a long distance from the planned walks in the reserve so it entailed long taxi rides to and for , which seemed pointless and made the whole thing rather regulated rather than the freedom offered at the other hotels and locations. In addition I had been persuaded to pay 60 Euro extra by the U.K. Booking agent from Headwater for a room with a sea view and little patio when in fact all it was was an ordinary room with rather a small window which did look over the sea, a rip off.

Dr Daniell
Marvels of Madeira Walk
03/04/2014

Good walks, excellent hotels but the food was disappointing and was a bit of a downer. Not sure you know about the substitute walk on day 4 but it was hazardous in places and in the UK the footpath would have been closed to the public. There were sheer drops below narrow footpaths on the levadas with no hand rails. Our overall score would be 6 out of ten for this one.

Ms Murton
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
02/04/2014

Ludmilla and Tony were both efficient and enthusiastic. April is an ideal time to go to Portugal - longer days and not too hot for walking. It's worth pre-arranging a day to cater to your special interests - we chose birdwatching and wild orchid hunting. We also pre-booked our train from Lisbon to Tunes and got a good discount for seniors.

Mrs Preshaw
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
02/04/2014

One of the best walking holidays we have had. Easy route notes to follow which took us to every corner of a small island using good local buses to get us to and from the walks which did not start or finish at the hotel. We were based at a superb luxury hotel with a fantastic relaxed atmosphere with superb views of Malta and bedrooms in a fantastic garden setting and overlooking the pool. The friendly staff and the service they gave were in a class of their own as was the breakfast buffet and the choice of dishes for dinner each evening was also excellent.

Mr Brady
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
01/04/2014

We understand that Portuguese Railways will not accept corporate bookings so you need to make it absolutely clear at the outset that travellers need to arrange their own rail travel from Lisbon to Tunes and give them clear guidance on how to do that. Their web site is not too easy to follow. You should also make it clear that it is possible to fly to Faro and take the local train from there.

If your guests are arriving in Vila do Bispo on a Saturday, they need to know that the shops noted in your guide book are closed from 1300 and all day on Sunday. However, all is not lost because there is a Lidl supermarket that is 'open all hours' providing freshly baked bread and pastries and a range of other picnic items.

Finally, the lighthouse at Cape St Vincent is not open on Mondays.

We found Gozo quite charming and we believe we visited at just the right time of year - we do not think we would go any later because the holiday was enchanting principally because of the spring flowers and scenery at this time of year . Also the hotel was probably just sufficiently busy but not overcrowded which it might well be later in the year . The principal attractions of spring flowers, easy walking , friendly people and an excellent hotel made for a memorable 7 days

Mrs Wilson
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
30/03/2014

I can't fill in the travel section because we were air/self drive. There are some comments I would like to make

1 The map situation was dire.You say in the walking notes that the map you provide is the 'Sierra de Gredos 1:25000. You gave us a map which was an area to the South West of where we were in Hoyos de Espina. We should have been given the correct map and it is 1: 50000 not the above. As you point out the other map (Parque Regional de La Sierra de Gredos) which is 1:25000 only covers the Plataforma area.

2 The spa was not open until the Friday of our stay and that should have been made clear in the notes/brochure.

Otherwise we loved it, the hotel was lovely and food delicious (also v good wine list) and will probably book again next year

Mrs Payne
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
27/03/2014

A good holiday, fun accommodation in village houses and one very good hotel at each end, though sadly the weather was really poor for walking on this occasion. The tour reps were absolutely excellent, knowledgeable,helpful and thoughtful.

We would certainly want to go again, though perhaps a one boot+ was too much for me.

Mis Bursey
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
23/03/2014

Only the weather let us down.... The hotel was delightful and the staff really helpful; the food was execllent and certainly pleantiful with the breakfasts well deserving of the description 'amazing'. Snow and rain prevented our walking as we had hoped and there is little else to do in the immediate vicinity but lots of beautiful places to see if you are prepared to drive (and the roads are surprisingly good).

Ta cenc was a lovely hotel, very comfortable, big rooms, good food, friendly and helpful staff. Walks in Gozo were beautiful around the cliffs and through the valleys but some of the road walking was less pleasant and unavoidable.

Dr McClean
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
15/03/2014

We were looking for a more relaxing walking holiday and this was perfect. We have had many holidays with headwater and the standard is always good. I have introduced friends to this company.

Mrs King
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
09/03/2014

I would thoroughly recommend the holiday but perhaps making own travel arrangements.The connection times between Lisbon airport and rain station were over generous. I can only think tis is a failsafe because the trains are not very frequent.One couple had made own arrangements of flight to Faro The train journey to Tunes was much shorter., and connections much more satisfactory

For what we required-an escape from rain and winter dismal Ta Cenc was fine,and the walks laid out in your leaflet were easy enough to cope with for an oldie (84) like me who can no longer cope with real peaks and the tougher walking of middle age. Returning daily to the warm water pool and jacuzzi was a real bonus. But and we think you should Know this, Ta Cenc is getting a bit tired. Staff were delightful and the room very comfortable, BUT the lighting was abysmal if you wished to read in bed. Plumbing too was poor-no pressure on sink taps and infuriating variations of temp in the shower:quite dangerous in fact as nearly scalding water gushed unexpectedly. Infuriating when it ran bitterly cold We complained but it wasn't fixed. There was also a a 60 euro miscalculation on the bill which to be fair was rectified with good grace. No wonder that the owner Mr Borgon turned on max charm while we were waiting to be taken to the airport.. Just a tad complacent all round we thought.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Blain,

Thank you for taking the time to complete our on line questionnaire and for the feedback you have provided.

We were pleased to read that you enjoyed your holiday and found the walks suitable for your level of ability. It was also good to see that you enjoyed the facilities that the hotel has to offer.

I am sorry however that you had some issues with the maintenance and plumbing in your room. We have passed on your feedback to the hotel, they have offered a sincere apology to you and Mrs Blain and have assured us that they have fixed the issues you had reported. Including replacing the light bulbs for brighter ones and fixing the pressure issue in the bathroom.
Please be assured that we do realise how important it is to maintain our high standards of accommodation and service, and we do appreciate we cannot afford to let our standards slip.

We will continue to monitor this hotel to ensure that the high standards that both our customers and Headwater expect are maintained.

We would like to thank you for bringing these matters to our attention, and apologise most sincerely once again that you had cause for complaint.

Yours sincerely,
Headwater

Mr Kalfayan
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
08/03/2014

Excellent destination (Gozo) for gentle walking at this time of year. Great feeling of solitude, some days we hardly saw anybody else out in the countryside. Very friendly staff; whole island seemed safe, easy to get around, welcoming, low-key. Excellent views, wild flowers, dramatic coastlines, interesting archeological sites.

Mr Valerio
Marvels of Madeira Walk
05/03/2014

Excellent holiday though somewhat marred by some wet weather. At 79 years I did find some of the very steep long gradients tough on the knees and without trekking poles would have found one 500m descent on wet clay almost impossible.

MB Travel were first class and promptly found us an alternative walk when the original route was washed out.

The staff at the Porto Bay Serra Golf Hotel were very quick to find a lost mobile phone and immediately delivered it by car to the next hotel that we had moved to - great service.

Gozo is a lovely unspoilt Island - very green with lots of wild flowers in early spring.

The Ta Cenc Hotel has a wonderful location. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

All in all a most enjoyable weeks holiday

Mr Wright
Islands of Bermuda Walk
02/03/2014

Walking pretty much as described, care needs to be taken on switching from rail track to road and vice versa Avoid multiple bus changes at weekends as they run less frequently. The hotel has large parties of sporty types out of season, try to find out if any are there while you plan to stay, if there are, don't book. They are loud, boorish and their behaviour is totally unacceptable. Dont expect the shop to be open out of season. Do take the ferries, though only one runs out of season. Do explore apart from your route notes, there are many other nature reserves to visit and also ramble around headlands, Simson's island particularly rewarding. The friendliness of the local people and the great hotel staff contribute to making this a really special destination and the stunning scenery everywhere is overwhelming.

Mr Shadwell
Marvels of Madeira Walk
01/03/2014

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and thought it was very good value for the money. For us it was only marred by our experience on our second night at the Porto Bay Serra Golf Hotel. The hotel dining room was full on this night, but there were only two staff to serve about 40 people. Consequently, the service was very slow. After our main course we requested a menu to choose a dessert, but after waiting for 20 minutes for the menu we gave up and went back to our room. Also, we should have been given a packed lunch the following day, but this did not happen. We should have reminded them the night before, but because they were so short staffed, we could not find anyone to mention it to. Otherwise this was a lovely hotel, perhaps we just caught them on an off day.

The packed lunch we received from the Quintar do Furao, was excellent.

The overall experience was very enjoyable and exceeded our expectations.

Mrs Murphy
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/02/2014

You did it again, a fabulous chill out holiday in a delightful hotel. So quiet and peaceful, helpful, friendly staff could not have done more for us. The scenery and flowers were fabulous a great time of year to visit. The first time we have been to hotel where all the gym ans health centre equipment worked! Walks fantastic well done, we did not get lost.

Buses fabulous and punctual so easy to use I was a bit put off using them for the walks ,but so easy and cheap, punctuality could teach the uk something.

We would definitely return.

Mr Tuffill
Islands of Bermuda Walk
07/02/2014

The walking is pretty good but it especially suited us because there are good places to visit including the Aquarium, the Underwater Exploration Institute, the Museum at the Dockyard and the town of St George. The food at the hotel was very good quality and value as was the combined bus/ferry ticket which takes you everywhere on the islands. You can minimise the waiting times for the transport with some careful pre-planning. And you can walk straight from the hotel onto the sandy beach and swim in the warm ocean, even in February.

Dr Griffiths
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
12/01/2014

Excellent, especially as we experienced very stormy weather on one day but Tony and Ludmilla kept in touch with us and advised us not to walk; instead they collected us in the van and took us to one of the major sites we would otherwise not have seen. They were outstanding reps, and ambassadors for Headwater.

Mr Riddaway
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
12/01/2014

Tony and Ludmilla were the best reps we have ever had in our extensive experience of Headwater holidays. They went to a great deal of trouble to make the walks more interesting and had produced laminated maps with the walks highlighted. These were far more useful than those originally supplied. Their initial briefing (and the associated written material) and walking notes were really well researched with lots of useful information on the likelihood of shops etc being open. Very useful in mid- January!

The hotels were really excellent .Very good breakfasts in all except one. The free hotel in Lisbon [Plaza Lisboa] at the end of the holiday even supplied us with a complimentary bottle of Portugese fizzy wine on Bob's birthday.

Mr Setchim
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
23/12/2013

Particularly good waymarking made this an undemanding experience.

Luggage transport was by the same team each time which was helpful

Mrs Kelly
Walk the Algarve's Wild West
17/11/2013

This was our 8th Holiday with you and as ever we really enjoyed our break. We especially enjoyed our stay in Pedralva (took our 2 free nights there). Beautiful area, great walking. All staff at hotels were friendly and helpful. Your reps - Tony and Ludmilla were welcoming and really helpful. Tony's route notes were the best we have come across. Lovely food, quality wines. Good mix of accommodation. Only downside were the number of barking dogs - thankfully mostly on leashes but a bit scary at times (farm dogs and dogs on the properties kind of out of the way) Probably not a lot more that you can do about that though!

Excellent accommodation and location for a walking holiday outside the peak summer.

Beautiful hotel in excellent position. Very good and easy bus service on the island, limited hotel courtesy bus in the winter, but the bus stop right outside the hotel makes it easy to get transport into Victoria. Staying in the one hotel makes for a more relaxing holiday, walking as much or little as you want to.

This was our first walking holiday with Headwater - we had previously had cycling holidays - and it was very enjoyable. The fact that it was a one centre holiday we particularly enjoyed because it gave us flexibility in what we chose to do - we particularly wanted to have a day in Malta for instance . The Hotel was excellent with very good facilities and superb food. For anyone wanting a flexible holiday - as much or as little exercise as you want - this is well worth considering.

Mr Hunter
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
28/10/2013

Visit the Sierra de Gredos. It is a beautiful and unspoilt part of Spain

Mr Kirby
Islands of Bermuda Walk
27/10/2013

We found the route notes were a times lacking in information, distances from one point to the next for example, and at others over complicated when there was a perfectly good way mark to guide us. The hotel was excellent, very friendly, the food was very good, I did not repeat a dinner main course selection in the 11 days we were there!

Mrs Howells
Islands of Bermuda Walk
27/10/2013

Walking is a great way to see a country, and Headwater provides a good service for doing so.

Mrs Belcher
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
27/10/2013

An excellent destination for coastal scenery, swimming and snorkelling if you don't mind the bird shooting.

Excellent hotel and very good food. We saw nothing of the local representative at any point.

Some of the walking instructions were confusing and we got lost twice - once on the Ta Pinu and Lighthouse walk and once on Fungus Rock and Azure window.

A good holiday as usual. Hotel lovely, excellent breakfast but evening meals rather unusual and could be improved. Delightful staff, very nice rooms, good local wines. Walking directions good except for one when the map was not accurate and made for a very long walk back to our car along a very busy road. I can provide details on request.

Dr Mather
Marvels of Madeira Walk
03/10/2013

We enjoyed this holiday as we went with friends but the area itself is of only moderate interest although the vegetation is of great interest. The walking was quite easy and did not fill the whole day and is of limited interest as the views are limited. Some more demanding and high level walking would have been good and the last day's walk was very dull and urban and a different day should be subsituted. Also the first day would have been boring if we had just returned the same way that we came. Instead we just went one way and took a taxi to port Moniz to swim. Overall I don't think the walks were very well planned to provide variety and interest.

On the plus side the directions were impeccable and when we had views they were wonderful and some of the walks were very peaceful.

Mis Norton
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
29/09/2013

We thoroughly enjoyed our week in the Sierra de Gredos, which is a beautiful, uncommercialised region that is excellent for walking. Teresa was a mine of information, not just on the walks but also on the weather in different parts of the region and even on what wine to have with dinner! The hotel staff were friendly and attentive. The food was wonderful and there was plenty of it! Overall, a great holiday.

Great friendly hotel with excellent food - Theresa was full of local knowledge particularly on the weather (which wasn't brilliant when we were there in early October) where she was spot on. Good walking (particularly the higher walks) and the instructions for the walks excellent. We would recommend this holiday. One small criticism a map from the airport to the hotel would have been useful as the instructions were not very clear or take your own sat nav.

Mr Waite
The Amalfi Coast Walk
29/09/2013

Headwater provides an excellently organised walking experience - choosing breathtaking routes which are brilliantly and minutely mapped out.

Quite the best walking holiday operator I have ever used.

Great holiday,due to very good accommodation and beautiful island

Mr Beresford
Chianti Classic Walk
28/09/2013

This was a well organised holiday with 4 excellent hotels with swimming pools, good food, 4 quite long days walking through interesting and varied terrain, and opportunities to explore Siena and Florence on the rest days. The reception staff at all the hotels were very helpful, providing local information including booking tickets for the Accademia/Uffizi in Florence. Excellent and knowledgeable support from Roger and Monika, the holiday reps - who were always there when needed.









Mrs Hawkins
Catalan Coastal Walk
24/09/2013

Well chosen area for walking.Very good self guiding notes and helpful and efficient rep.Excellent choice and standard of hotel. Just everythig we expected of Headwater. Thank you.

Mr Collier
Marvels of Madeira Walk
23/09/2013

The holiday was up to the good standard that we have come to expect from Headwater holidays and would recommend it. A comment for improvement would relate to the third hotel Quinta Da Bella Vista where although the food, facilities and service were up to a 5 star rating, we thought the room of the hotel in which we stayed was a bit tired and needed upgrading to warrant 5 stars.

We were charmed by the single-storied hotel set so sympathetically on the cliffs. The layout of the rooms and the terrace gave a feeling of privacy not found in a conventional hotel. The staff, particularly the cleaners and in the restaurant, were very friendly and helpful. Considering there are no signposts or markers for walkers on Gozo we thought the route notes were pretty good. You must be careful, but as long as you ensure that what you are seeing exactly matches the description in the route notes you really shouldn't go wrong. The weather was a little warm for us in September but we bought the 7-day bus pass and cut two of the walks short by getting the bus at villages slightly before the end of the walk. It also meant we were not tied to the times of the hotel courtesy bus and we would recommend purchasing it for the flexibility it provides.

Overall a good holiday, Menorca is unspoilt and spotlessly clean. The walks a very well marked, just follow the Cami De Cavalls marker posts which are everywhere. In hindsight, we probably should have gone at a different time of year (we went end Sept) as the temperature got to 30 deg on most days, and as the walking was mainly costal there was not much shade. We also felt a bit overdressed walking across nudist beaches in our walking boots, back packs and sun hats! The hotel is very nice, with friendly and helpful staff. The only drawback is that there is not a communal bar where you can meet fellow guests for a pre dinner drink so there is not much of a social atmosphere. You just sit down, eat and go! A shame as the hotel has so much to offer. Our recommendation would be to go out of season, when the temperature is lower, the beaches empty and the scenery greener.

Mr Hutton
Walking the Camino de Santiago
21/09/2013

Good mixture of walking, history and culture which in combination produced an excellent break

Menorca is a beautiful island and the Hotel Movedra Nou is a delightful rural hotel and sanctuary away from the commercialisation of many of the coastal villages and small towns. The food was excellent and true Menorcan country cooking involving many different types of fish and numerous vegetables.

This Headwater holiday was different to our previous ones as we were provided with a car at Mahon airport for our use during the week. This had the impact of helping us to see more of the island and walk in more distant places although the negative point was that walks either involved a 'there and back' walk, or we needed to catch an expensive taxi to get back to our starting point. The maps provided were poor although by day 4 we were bequeathed an excellent map by a fellow Headwater traveller which improved things considerably. [Map now passed on yet again] This map 'Menorca Tour and Trail - Super Durable by David and Ros Brawn' is available on Amazon today at 8.99. I would recommend that Headwater send their customers this map as it gives a much better mapping of the coastal path that the walks are covering. The walking was a little tricky as the 'coastal trail' was often bumpy and rocky making it difficult to get any rhythm into our walking. Some of the walks need reviewing as they are out of date to current local developments. Several of the walks ended in very commercial areas which was disappointing after walking beautiful coastal routes. The Menorcan trail was popular and busy - we often shared it with other walkers, joggers mountain bikers and horse riders. Several walks involved some beach walking which involved picking your way through sunbathers!

Summary, great hotel and food - considerable daily driving miles - walking limited on rocky paths - maps need improvement.

Mr Williams
Secrets of Sicily Walking
20/09/2013

An excellent holiday in an outstanding area. Local history combined with fantastic scenery, and walks. Some of the walks were at the upper end of the grading - made worse by unusually high temperatures. The organisation of the transfers and visits to historic sites was first rate.

Mr More
Marvels of Madeira Walk
19/09/2013

We were slightly nervous that a very successful and enjoyable independent holiday - Catalan Coastal Walk last year could be matched by this one in Madeira. We thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very different in topography, but also pretty demanding for our ages (65 and 72), which we like. We think 2-boot is good for us. There is a big contrast between the levada walks and the demanding up and downs, but the mix is good. The hotels were all good, but we prefer hotels 'in places' so you can walk with interest around where you are. Like all of the four except one on the Catalan walk. None of the Madeira hotels were in this category. Not a major complaint. Just personal choice.

Mrs Dolan
Secrets of Sicily Walking
19/09/2013

Holiday was around three centres and we didn't walk between them. Taxi transfers ere very reliable and efficient. Our taxi driver Daniella, was keen to practice his English. Our three night on Marettimo where we ate in Il Veliero where the anto pasto was marvellous. We got a really great welcome at La Luna and we were lucky to be able to stay in our room until late on the last day when we were flying home late so we could have a shower after a day on the beach at San Vito Lo Capo. We enjoyed the visits to Segesta and Enrice. It was a really good mox of walking and seeing a few of the sights.

Mr Hogarth
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
17/09/2013

Excellent for walking with a good variety of walks at various lengths and levels of challenge. Hotel location and village very good.

Food excellent and a vegetarian well catered for.

Mr Ingram
Dordogne River Walk
16/09/2013

The Dordogne is a very good area for a holiday, with plenty to see and do in all weathers. The Headwater walking holiday is a very good introduction to the many varied facets of the region - geography, towns and villages, food and places of interest. We enjoyed experiencing different styles of hotel - they all have their own individuality - and all looked after us extremely well. The walking notes were faultless and the maps some of the best I've encountered on the nine Headwater holidays I've taken. The rep was very informative and helpful and although we required only the routine service we were confident that if exceptional circumstances arose they would be dealt with professionally.

Mrs Barnish
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
15/09/2013

This was a fabulous holiday in an area that was totally unknown to us. The landscape was stunning, the walks varied and the location ideal for visits to the cities of Avila, Salamanca, Segovia , Madrid and Toledo - all on empty, excellently- maintained roads. The hotel was exceptional with amazing food and service. We would thoroughly recommend this holiday for all the experiences it offers but would suggest booking a minimum of 10 days to ensure you able to fit everything in!!

Mis Callaghan
Catalan Coastal Walk
14/09/2013

This was a lovely holiday. The walks were quite tough and in particular the walk from Cadaques to Roses was demanding. The scenery was stunning and hotels very comfortable. Alan's guide notes were excellent. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable holiday in a beautiful location

Mr Arscott
Walking the Camino de Santiago
14/09/2013

Enjoyable expierence

Mrs Arnold
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
13/09/2013

Hotel was fabulous. We had not realised it would be so hot, or the landscape so barren at the time of year we had chosen so I would advise potential travellers to do a bot more research than we did before booking!

Mr Morrison
Marvels of Madeira Walk
13/09/2013

Something different every day. From coast to mountains - enjoyable and occasionally challenging walks that gave us a glimpse of all the fabulous views Madeira has to offer. And at the end of the day - hotels with a warm welcome and touch of luxury.

Would you please update this website to remove the spelling errors - it's very annoying! (Note use of too instead of to and during is incorrectly spelled)

Mr Stebbing
Dordogne River Walk
13/09/2013

The Dordogne is a great area for walking with fantastic views and places to visit such as Chateau and cave/rock attractions. Mostly small hamlets along the route and limited facilities for refreshments so a picnic was essential. The walks were very strenuous in places with steep climbs and descents along stony paths. It was the toughest series of walks that we had undertaken (we live in Norfolk but have walked up Snowdon and other hills!) but we did it. Food at hotels in Beynac and Tamnies in particular was substantial and excellent but the walking helped burn off the calories. We flew from Norwich to Toulouse via Amsterdam and it was nice to be home within 40 mins of touching down in Norwich. Headwater helped us find a route to the Dordogne which didn't involve a long trip to and from London and didn't break the bank either.

Mrs Bird
Marvels of Madeira Walk
12/09/2013

A really good holiday. Some of the walks were slightly more dangerous than we imagined and the Porto Bay Serra Golf would benefit from a lift as we had to carry our cases up a narrow winding staircase with no help. As we had upgraded the room you should perhaps warn clients this may happen.

Mr Souster
Castles to Coast Walk
10/09/2013

Must be our ninth or tenth holiday with you. A very well thought-out tour with the usual Headwater touch of finding interesting as well as luxurious places to stay and devising well-balanced walks to reveal the landscape. We were particularly impressed with the local agent and the two local taxi drivers who were always firendly and helpful.

Mr Stern
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/09/2013

The comments on food above refer to breakfast only. Restaurant comments:

Villa d'Amelia: First meal a little disappointing regarding service and food. Second much better in both respects. Just about worth a Michelin star.

Il Castello: A little formal but excellent food. Worth a Michelin star.

Le Torri: Really friendly, interesting well cooked food, a nice contrast to Il Castello. Two excellent evenings. Pity the owners are moving to La Morra.

Osteria dei Catari: Nice people. Starters good but the 4 of us had 3 different main courses and all were poor.

Osteria La Salita: Friendly service and an excellent dinner, better cooked and more interesting than dei Catari.

Mrs Brown
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/09/2013

We (and others) felt that the 1st day of walking was merely pleasant - not up to the billing - but from our arrival at Casa Pavesi the holiday took off and justified the comment we had had that it was the jewel in your crown. It was, however, marred somewhat by the poor wording of the script walking guide, which caused all 4 couples to go wrong (independently of each other) at least once. Fortunately the map enabled recovery of the route.

Mrs Reeves
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
10/09/2013

Excellent in every way and the food was amazing!

Mr Gunn
Chianti Classic Walk
10/09/2013

Lovely walks particular second and third ones. Wouldn't recommend extension to 10 nights as food at Rovere was very limited in choice.

Mr Wiblin
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
08/09/2013

The owners of the hotel really went the extra mile to makes us welcome. Their service was excellent and the quality of the food was superb, dealing with one of our party with a wheat intolerance with ease.

We have just enjoyed our second wonderful holiday at the Milano Real. The walks here are very varied, with scenery that ranges from green and leafy woods and meadows to impressive wild and barren terrain. The hotel is very friendly and welcoming and the food is superb, from the imaginative and unusual breakfasts, to the a la carte 3-course picnics to the tempting and varied evening menu, eaten while watching amazing sunsets. We strongly recommend this holiday!

Dr Banyard
The Amalfi Coast Walk
08/09/2013

This was one of our all time favourite holidays owing to the stunning scenery & the very high standard of accommodation offered. The walking schedule was relatively relaxed but the amount of step climbing might be daunting to some, though it would be easy to slow the pace if necessary and to take full advantage of the alternate 'rest days'. It was well worth the time and expense in adding a couple of extra days during which we explored Pompeii and Herculaneum and took a trip up to the summit of Vesuvius. The local bus & train services (although a little basic & crowded) were easy to use and efficient. Our dietary restrictions were catered for very competently and without fuss.

Mrs Brown
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
08/09/2013

This is our second HeadWater holiday and both times we have not been disappointed. We have been pleased wit the standard of hotels in Italy, better than the ones we had in Switzerland - clearly you get more for the money in Italy. Breaking the holiday into 2 and spending 2 nights in Florence was a highlight for us.

Mr Finn
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
07/09/2013

We thought that this was an excellent walking holiday. The variety of the walks meant that we could always choose one which suited us plus could travel to the next valley for better weather. The hotel was extremely comfortable and Peter and Agnes were great hosts with lots of good advice.The big surprise was the quality of the food which was definitely 5 star with good flavours and presentation

Mrs Pyke
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
07/09/2013

Park Hotel staff and service outstanding. The walking guide notes were a good way to get the feel of the available routes in an all too brief week..they were accurate and very detailed. The Locanda staff were a delight, as well..so cheery and helpful. The Ferrovia area is a bit of a nightmare people crush, but, amazingly, down our little alley, all was very peaceful. The small Trattoria next to the hotel was a nice place too..staffed by pleasant and hospitable couple.

Dr O'Brien
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
07/09/2013

Exhilarating walks in magnificent mountainous landscape with dramatic views; hotel a 'home from home' in authentic village Spain looked after by genuinely kind and courteous staff; vegetarian food was outstanding here with a careful choice offered for each evening (a first on the continent!). Local driver was punctual, good driver and always cheerful. Local people were a really significant part of making this holiday so enjoyable. There was sufficient of historical and architectural interest locally, from neolithic caves to nineteenth century railway history, to interest us without needing to go elsewhere.

Mr Galbraith
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
07/09/2013

Generally well organised, as above hotel selection varied and some of instruction on walks info could've better. Walks much harder than appear to as advertised.

Dr Tudor
Walking the Camino de Santiago
07/09/2013

Overall it was a fantastic holiday - one of our best ever. We loved the Camino itself and our holiday was enhanced by the 6 others in our group.

Our stay in O'Cebriero was horrid, as the community was celebrating its local saints day and the hotel/pub was in the centre of the long festivities, including lots of pulpo (octopus) being prepared, boiled and eaten and an amplified band striking up at midnight. Understandably on such a big occasion it took quite a while before we could access our rooms, and it was not possible to get our cases through the crowds for a time either. Unfortunately the refuge at the quiet end of the village was fully booked otherwise we would have stayed there instead. Headwater should warn clients arriving on that day what to expect.

Mrs Rouse
Chianti Classic Walk
06/09/2013

An excellant Holiday company for all the local knowledge it incorporates. The reps were great.

Mrs Meadows
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
05/09/2013

A delightful area with a large range of walks.

Mr Goodall
Catalan Classic Walk
04/09/2013

The holiday overall exceeded our expectations. The Hotel Castell d'Emporda in particular is in a stunning location with exceptional service and quality. The food at the Hotel Rosa was excellent. The walking instructions were exemplary and Alan and Linda could not have been more helpful.

Mr Davis
Castles to Coast Walk
03/09/2013

We had a great experience, found all the maps and guides very accurate. The guide was very informative and gave us a good update on changes to the routes. All three hotels were very good and up to the expected standard, we were warned by the guide that the Hotel Bristol was not as good as the others, however we found the room very nice and the buffet particularly good and great value. We enjoyed Croatia and its people were warm and friendly throughout. This walk was not leisurely and required a reasonable level of fitness if it is to be enjoyed.

Mrs Cornelissen
Dordogne River Walk
03/09/2013

There should be more information on the routes available early in the process. We had a 23 km walk, which was fine for us but it was not clear that there were any walks of this length and it could cause problems for some guests.

Mrs McKinstry
Catalan Coastal Walk
02/09/2013

The Catalan Cooastal Walk guides you through an area of outstanding beauty which remains unspoilt by tourism.

Mr Howell
Walking in the Venetian Hills
02/09/2013

Excellent holiday! The office staff were very helpful and patient and helped us choose the right holiday. We greatly enjoyed the walks, they were varied and interesting, with lots to see on the way. All the hotels were lovely and welcoming with great Italian food. On our days off we did a bit of 'culture'

we visited Padua and Monselice. At the end of our holiday we tagged on a few days in Venice, as it was virtually on the way back anyway and that was great as well. We just would like to add our sincere thanks to Sarah our rep. She gave us lots of interesting information about the region, and seemed to know all the walks in great detail because she gave us very good advice about finding our way. It gave us a good start to our holiday!

We are looking forward to our next holiday with Headwater.

An excellent holiday. All the travel arrangements involving air travel and car hire were excellent. The Hotel El Milano Real was excellent and the food superb. Teresa was an excellent host. Scenery excellent. The waymarks on some of the walks need updating and an indication of the distances between waymarks would be helpful. Also distances on the route from Madrid to Hoyos del Espino would be helpful.

The Sierra de Gredos region of Spain is an outstandingly beautiful area of mountains, valleys and rural villages. It's an easy 2-hour drive from Madrid and the hotel El Milano Real in the village of Hoya del Espino can barely be faulted. In particular, the range and quality of the food on offer is of the highest order. Also, the views from the hotel of the Gredos range are breathtaking. The walking is varied from fairly demanding, to reach the higher areas with magnificent views, to idyllically rural along lovely river valleys.

Mrs Brown
The Amalfi Coast Walk
01/09/2013

The major walks were excellent, views were superb and the route notes very well put together. The heat and lack of shade was the main problem, especially in the afternoon when the long 'downs' and many steps made for hard work. Your choice of bases for hotels was excellent as at all places there were plenty of opportunities to see the local sites using local transport which was very cheap. Our visits to Pompeii and Herculaneum from Sorrento were made even better by the fact that it comes free for over 65 EU citizens making for cheap days out when you consider that the return rail fair was at it's most expensive just over 8 Euros for the 2 of us! Extending our stay in Sorrento at the end gave us the opportunity to chill out at the excellent Hotel Favorita ( the icing on the cake in terms of facilities, service and comfort) and fit in the trips we wanted without being rushed at other times. Well done for putting together such an excellent package.

Mrs Alessandro
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
31/08/2013

The holiday was a wonderful experience with really beautiful views to reward us as we tackled the walks. Instructions and timings were excellent. The hotel was lovely too.

Thanks Headwater.

Mrs Winward
Catalan Coastal Walk
31/08/2013

use headwater and plan a holiday to fit your needs and wishes.

Mr Ballantyne
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
31/08/2013

Lovely holiday but too hot in last week of August for walking. we aimed to be finished by late lunchtime to avoid the heat of the day.Which was not the aim.



Would avoid the Nice transit as it is too long a wait in Nice for a train and the transit up country is tedious.

Mr Pearce
Catalan Coastal Walk
30/08/2013

Excellent walks but in places were much more demanding than 'leisurely.' Good mix of hotels. Generally good food. Roses was very much at the Costa Brava end of holidays but the rest was good. It was a bit disappointing to find so many extra costs - the train from Barcelona to Garriguella & back - the 59 for a relatively short taxi ride from Garriguella to Figueras for the train home (although the taxi people - Francisco & Maria - were very reliable). With a few exceptions the guidance notes were reliable - the optional walk at El Port de la Selva had loads of mistakes - I have pointed this out to the rep. Overall though it was a good experience & I would recommend it.

Mr Prestage
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
27/08/2013

We did enjoy our walk. The scenery is good. To ans the 'no' above - we would seek out a different type of holiday as we are getting on in years. It is a fairly steep walk for parts of the day, particularly the final ascent to the villages and hotel and can be hot in the sun. Suggest picking a time of year when temp is 24-28 degrees max. If you are over 60 you may wish to consider an easier walk as this one will test your fitness. You will have to train up for the event, as we did, if you are only of average fitness for your age. The other 4 members were younger than us (in their early and middle 50's) and handled it fairly well without any real training. Choice of footwear was not critical as one member did it only in runners. The rest had slightly more hike specific gear.

Mrs Turner
The Amalfi Coast Walk
25/08/2013

All the arrangements, transfers and pick-ups worked well with the drivers being friendly, helpful and always on time. All the hotels were of a very high standard with large rooms and excellent bathrooms. We had no contact with the representative over there but did not need any help anyway.

All the walk instructions were very detailed and accurate and the only times we made errors was because we were talking and not concentrating on the instructions!

Mrs Walker
The Amalfi Coast Walk
25/08/2013

A fantastic holiday with excellent organisation, well-chosen hotels and superb walking route notes. Nothing ever goes wrong on a Headwater Holiday. Can't wait to see next year's brochure.

Mr Mellish
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
23/08/2013

We used Headwater last year for the Alsace walking holiday. We were so impressed we booked for the Barolo Gastronomic walking holiday. We were not disappointed. All aspects of the holiday were well planned and we felt very well supported by Headwater's local representatives. Have already recommended Headwater to friends and we will definitely use them again.

Mrs Brown
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
21/08/2013

We challenged ourselves- walking every day even in August in Italy... Mostly, the hotels were a great reward for our efforts. We think we would do it again.. Maybe try the cycling.

Mr Beale
Walking in the Venetian Hills
21/08/2013

Enjoyable walking in beautiful scenery combined with very comfortable hotels.

Mr Morris
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
15/08/2013

The holiday offers a good choice of walks for all levels and we weren't disappointed with any of them. The first two walks we undertook started from the hotel. A number of the walks start a bus ride away and we soon got into the swing of catching the bus and the drivers were always very helpful and patient.

The hotel was really lovely and exceptionally friendly. We travelled by train and the hotel is very near to the train station.

The views were truly excellent.

All in all, a delightful holiday in the Dolomites.

Mrs Hoptroff
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
13/08/2013

This holiday was excellent. Marc and Marcia were very friendly and extremely helpful.

Marcia ran through the instructions for each of the walks with us and pointed out areas where we needed to be extra careful so that we did not get lost.

Marc always arrived exactly on time to pick us up in a morning to take us to the start of the day's walk.

I have a number of food allergies and Marcia had contacted each of the restaurants where we ate our evening meals to advise them of my requirements. They were all fully aware before we arrived and the waiters were extremely helpful in ensuring that meals were suitable for me. The hotels, restaurants and food, and infact everything about this holiday was excellent and ran incredibly smoothly.

Mr Hambleton
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
10/08/2013

Fantastic week - can't think of anything we could/would change to improve it. Hotel was excellent and staff very friendly & accomodating (e.g. agreeing to change day for walk that required hotel transportation). Food incredible (and lots of it). Scenery spectacular and walking routes very well planned, with good variety of options (and potential to extend) depending on weather and legs (although we had generally good weather)! Transfer to/from airport very efficient. We've already recommended this holiday to friends and family! Only problem is whether another holiday will live up to this one.....

Mrs Slater
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
05/08/2013

Headwater always come up with the perfect balance between walking, time for relaxation and interesting, well-appointed hotels.

Dr Baynton
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
03/08/2013

This was our fifth holiday with Headwater and our best to date. We are always happy with the holidays booked with Headwater and the support provided by your staff. The Dolomites is a superb location for a walking holiday and we wondered why we had never considered this holiday before - we will definitely be visiting again. We liked the fact that all of the walks were easily accessed by the local buses and cable cars or gondolas. The Bellevue Hotel provided a very high standard of accommodation and the food was fantastic. A good selection every day, beautifully prepared and presented. One of the friends we travelled with requires a gluten free diet, Headwater had advised the hotel in advance, and the hotel went out of its way to provide delicious gluten free rolls and adapted the menu accordingly so our friend felt she was well looked after. The hotel staff were always welcoming and helpful. A holiday that we will be considering re-booking as there are so many trails we still want to explore.

Mrs Remnant
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
03/08/2013

We thoroughly enjoyed our Headwater holiday in the Dolomites. The walking directions were excellent (maps were redundant) and the walks themselves inspiring. Mid-August is probably not the best time to go - the weather was glorious, but really difficult to escape the crowds of people. We only had ourselves to blame! The staff at the Bellevue hotel were delightful (full marks to Rita and Andrea in the dining room - and to Andreas for his overall supervision) - but beware if you're in a room facing the railway tracks.....the early morning announcements of train arrivals / departures wore a bit thin by the end of the week.

Mr Williams
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
02/08/2013

Reassured by a member of Headwater staff who had just been there that the Alpen Soleil in Kandersteg was 'a quiet hotel', we were very disappointed to discover that the hotel is right on a main road at the front and that at the back is a railway line carrying cargo freight through the night. In the hot weather, with windows open, it was hard to sleep for the noise of traffic and trains, all the more intrusive because occasional.

Mr Fairweather
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
01/08/2013

The walking was tougher than I expected because of the above average temperatures (often around 95 F). The area is very picturesque and the route is well planned to give a feeling of doing the round of all the major Barolo producing villages, with good views from each of the hill towns. I was glad, however, that the last day's walk was a complete change from walking through vineyards. The standard of accommodation and food was excellent throughout the week, and represented superb value for money. I would have welcomed air conditioning in Hotel Le Torri rather than a cooling fan, but at other times of year it would have been fine. The cooking in all the restaurants was very good, particularly in Il Castelli at Grinzane Cavour and at Villa D'Amelia where we gladly paid the supplement for their superb full tasting menu on our final evening. I would have welcomed a change of restaurant on the second evening in Monforte D'Alba, not because there was anything wrong with the food but because the menu (the same each evening) was rather limited - especially the secundi. The local people were all very welcoming, and it is a trip that I would happily do again, but preferably in the autumn.

Ms Barton
Dordogne River Walk
31/07/2013

We thoroughly enjoyed our walking holiday in the Dordogne. Accommodation and food were for the most part excellent. Walking notes were detailed and accurate. Our rep. was helpful and very informative.

Mrs Allen
Chianti Classic Walk
30/07/2013

Roger and Monika had changed the routing of the first day's walk as a result of storm damage. We really enjoyed this walk as we felt it added more variety and more open views than the original route which would have meant more walking in less open woodland. The walk was shorter than the original but we felt this was a good idea as it broke us in more gently and meant we had more time to savour the landscape. We recommend you amend your notes to keep this new route and ditch the original. The last day's walk was lovely until we reached the agriturismo San Antonio junction; from then on until Restaurant Prato d'Era we were on quite a busy strada bianca with quite a lot of traffic (not just tractors) for a long time, followed by and another long walk on a tarmaced lane. We would have preferred more 'off-road' walking if it had been possible at this point without losing the views. All the other days were simply lovely, the views wonderful and the walking very much enjoyed.This is our fifth holiday with you and we have had some excellent reps but we must say Roger and Minika were outstanding and provided a personal, friendly and humerous service above and beyond what we could have expected.

The Sierra De Gredos is a fantastic destination in July/August and the Hotel El Milano Real in Hoyos Del Espino is a perfect place to base the holiday. The weather on the north side was perfect for walking, blue skies all week - high 20's near the hotel and low 20's in the mountains. The food and service in the hotel was excellent and everyone was very friendly. This was our first Headwater holiday and I hope that the other destinations can live up to this one.

Ms Merrick
Chianti Classic Walk
28/07/2013

1. Make sure you get the details you need before you travel.

2. If travelling with friends, insist on separate invoicing if that is what you want. Keep insisting

3. Self guided holidays offer great flexibility and also require more effort. Guided holidays have the potential to give local knowledge.

Mrs McIntosh
Chianti Classic Walk
28/07/2013

Four very varied walks, challenging in places given my fitness level (poor!) but all definitely do-able - and very, very rewarding - in fact, unforgettable. It was unseasonably hot (35-38 degrees) but we were able to stop for leisurely lunches on two of the walks. The weather meant we made full use of the pools a each hotel - just wonderful. Our room at the Terre Casole will go down as one of my favourite ever - wonderful terrace with a walk across the lawn to the pool. At the relais we were upgraded to a superior room at no extra charge - just a most lovely room with a jacuzzi bath. As for the rest days ... with easily arranged trips into Florence, Sienna and San Gimignano - just wonderful, giving great lunch opportunities too.



This was a complete break from our daily lives. Whilst undoubtedly costly ( we had three extra nights) it was the main holiday we will take this year, the only holiday abroad and was just superb. I'm usually very attached to 'seaside' holidays but the landscape, countryside, towns and hotels all combine on this holiday to make iot a real experience to treasure

Mr Sillett
Chianti Classic Walk
24/07/2013

A really lovely mix of hotels with excellent walking and sight seeing opportunities

Mrs Hole
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/07/2013

Wonderful holiday excellent accomodation and walking. Some walks quite challenging but managable. One of the best food in any hotel I have stayed in. Good quality wine at reasonable prices.

Mrs Jones
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
21/07/2013

We particularly like Headwater holidays as they take you to unexplored regions of countries which are unspoilt by tourism and overcrowding. We extended our holiday and stayed in Segovia for a few days which we loved and we had the opportunity to go to Salamanca for a day.

Mr Petch
Dordogne River Walk
21/07/2013

The accommodation was excellent, it was great having meals already arranged so no need to go in search after a long walk. Walking was as described in the brochure and route notes very good with a couple of minor hiccups. Our rep Claire was 1st class and made some helpful suggestions which added to the enjoyment of the holiday. All in all we had a great holiday and would definitely recommend it.

The holiday was everything we had hoped it would be. The notes provided on how to get to our destination, general useful information and the self guided daily walks themselves were very well put together and most helpful. The variety in the scenery of the walking itinerary each day enhanced our enjoyment of the trip as did the hotels which were individual, characterful and were perfect after a long day walking. Our Rep was knowledgeable and helpful and was available at the end of a mobile when additional assistance was needed in following the walking notes. The experience completely lived up to its claims and our expectations.

Mr Bradley
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
13/07/2013

Wellorganised, comfortable hotel, easily followed walking notes, beautiful area, challenging treks

Mr McDavitt
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
12/07/2013

We enjoyed our holiday. However, we were a little disappointed by the lack of entertainment in the evening at both the hotel and location.in general.

In terms of value for money we felt the holiday content was expensive when compared to other holidays we have been on. And I do appreciate that we were in Switzerland!

Mr Archer
Catalan Classic Walk
06/07/2013

The holiday was exactly as described. The route note were absolutely perfect, we did not go wrong on the wrong route once

Mr Dennis
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
06/07/2013

Kandersteg was an exellent place for a walking holiday with a good variety of walks but age was against us (we are 80plus) in some instances, we made full use of the cable cars however.

Mrs Longfoot
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
06/07/2013

Switzerland is breathtakingly beautiful and we loved it, but everything was very expensive, so we were glad of half board and the picnics provided which helped to keep the cost down.

Mr Grant
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
06/07/2013

Outstanding cuisine, wines and service in all places. a very quiet region with friendly locals. Beautiful landscapes and a great way to eat lots and then burn the calories off in the walk. one of the very best holidays I have ever had.

Mrs Turner
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
06/07/2013

We had a fantastic time and will certainly recommend this type of holiday to our friends. Even our 15 year old son got into the swing of it. We went in early July which was hot but it had the benefit of the walks being reasonably dry underfoot.. Our guides had changed one of the routes as a result of previous bad weather which was good as I would imagine that some of the walks could be quite difficult after rain. The route descriptions were generally very good and we didn't get lost but there were a few times where this was more by luck. The hotels were all good, some of the rooms were a little tired but the welcome, service and food made up for it. We completed our walks between 2-3pm each afternoon and our luggage had always arrived before us. Thank you Roger and Monika for your support and for taking us back to Pisa airport so early on Sunday morning.

Dr Hodgson
Castles to Coast Walk
02/07/2013

As a new holiday this year it all worked very well indeed. Istria is a lovely area and at the very beginning of July we were treated to abundant wild flowers, butterflies by the thousands, gorgeous views and stunning weather (though hotter then we had expected). Most days though we did have shaded sections to walk through. Loved the two hilltop towns we stayed in (Motovun and Buzet) and after leaving Buzet we did do a small (half hour) detour to visit the Vela Draga before starting our walk up Mount Ucka.

Mr Duesund
Castles to Coast Walk
02/07/2013

we suggest a few changes to the walks. The walk up to the mountain Ucka would be much better if the trip to Vela Draga was included, also that being on the way. The walk up was fine but should be extended to a walk down the mountain, giving the day much more meaning. The first day,s walk included a long portion on an old railway path. A little weary and boring. The last two kilometres were hell for all who dislike mosquitoes. The representative was asked directly at the info meeting about the mosquitoes and did not give correct information. Many walkers were bitten badly and the walk finished at the same spot the next day. The walk to Buzet was the best walk. More walks like this are very positive. We found many other places Headwater could have had focus. Why not include trips to Roc and Hum? Walking in this area was sublime. We also would have liked more descriptions about the things to do around places, since the local tourist offices were not on the ball at all.
The biggest let down was the Hotel Bristol, inspite of the warning that the standard was lower. We expected a better welcome and expected a refrigerato in the room. Headwater would do better with a quality boutique hotel alternative, many of which we found attractive. We reccommend choosing a place away from Lovran, a town that was full of run down and ruined buildings. Volosko was a better alternative. Up in the hilltops were many OK places.
We joined this trip to walk with family who had used your services before and were impressed by the standard of hotels and restaurants. They were offended by the standard at the Bristol. We thought the whole place was tatty.
We hope our feedback will inspire improvements. We will certainly return to Croatia, but reccommend visits to other places as well.
Nice walking companions make a trip such as this ideal for up to 8 people.

Mrs Gualtieri
Marvels of Madeira Walk
01/07/2013

The Headwater attention to detail was brilliant but would want them to change the second hotel. We did meet a family who had previously enjoyed a Headwater canoeing holiday so we all sang your praises together and may look at that another year. Thank you for giving us a holiday that made us feel special.

Mrs McLaughlin
Catalan Classic Walk
30/06/2013

I really enjoyed the holiday. The local rep was excellent as were his directions. He'd obviously put a lot of work into them. The walks were very enjoyable and varied. The Castle Emporda which was the highlight. The hotel in Begur was OK but the location in the town centre was great and the restaurant of higher quality.



Mrs Wilton
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
29/06/2013

A wonderful region for walking at almost any level. Every area we walked was beautiful and we did a mixture of moderate (with a little bit of challenging) and leisurely.



Hotel was excellent, very friendly and helpful and good food.

Mis Triggs
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
29/06/2013

A great venue except for the overcrowding on the buses.

Mr McAlpine
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
29/06/2013

All travel arrangements on the flights and the transfer to and from the hotel went well. The food and accommodation at Park Hotel Belleview in Dobbiaco were very good and the staff were very helpful. We got on well with other Headwater clients through the week we stayed there. The weather in mid-June was warm with little rain. Due to a recent knee problem my wife and I were unable to walk on as many routes we would have liked to but the Tre Cime and Lago de Braies walks that we did manage to complete were stunning. The 7 day travel pass was a real bonus and one day we travelled to Villnoss by train and bus to take pictures of the view of the Odler mountain range from St Magdelena. We plan to return another year.

Mr Lindley
Catalan Classic Walk
28/06/2013

good experience well supported both by headoffice and at the resort. hotels were well chosen for quality of room and food. walking varied and interesting and routes accurate. let down by one hotel on one night which we will take up with the customer service team.

Mrs Poole
Marvels of Madeira Walk
27/06/2013

A beautiful, breathtaking experience.

Mrs Hales
Catalan Coastal Walk
26/06/2013

Although we enjoyed the walking we found some of it challenging, and yet we are quite active walkers. It is not what we expected as a leisurely classification.

But the whole area was beautiful and enjoyable.

Ms Biagini
The Amalfi Coast Walk
23/06/2013

We were very disappointed that our walking itinerary was missing from the package sent to us, and we received it only at The end of our second day. We were also expecting to be welcomed by a headwater rep upon our arrival at Luna Convento Hotel, instead we had to call the help line to figure out what to do. Our rep Liberata, told us very bluntly that due to costs cut our briefing could only take place over the phone, with the line being cut every 3 minutes from her end. As a result ot this delay, we missed the visit to Ravello (supposed to be among the must see of the Amalfi coast) and nearly got lost on our first walk. In The hotel in Sorrento I had to sleep on a sofa dressed as bed for two nights, as we were given a double room instead of a twin. As a result I ended up with a bad back for the rest of the week! I would expect a bit more for the price I have paid!!!!

Mr Hill
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
22/06/2013

Awesome scenery, excellent hotel, wonderful wild flowers and butterflies.Mixed weather.

Mr Wildsmith
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/06/2013

A beautiful area of the Dolomites with spectacular scenery and added historical interest. An excellent choice of varied walks to suit all abilities. A very good hotel base, well situated.

Dr Curry
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
22/06/2013

Dolomites outstanding area

Mrs Everson-Davis
Gastronomic Barolo Walk
21/06/2013

This is a really excellent choice for any guests wanting a truly gastronomic experience amongst wonderful countryside. We enjoyed the walking very much, although at first we wondered whether it might be challenging enough with alternate rest days. However, Headwater provided good suggestions on how to spend the available time and we were pleased that we had the time to explore more widely. Our days were all the more enjoyable for being able to look forward to some of the best cuisine which Italy has to offer anywhere. Headwater's has done well to enable guests to experience a range of Piedmont's restaurant cooking, from the world class to the more rustic, but all served to an extremely high standard.



We were impressed too with the attentive support given by our local reps, Marc and Marsha, for whom nothing was too much trouble.



As we self drove to Italy, we stayed in two Headwater arranged hotels en route, Hotel Normandie in Auxerre, and Hotel Alpina in Les Gets, both of which represented very good value for money.

Mrs Eynon
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
15/06/2013

Very enjoyable, although the walking was quite challenging due to length, terrain and lingering snow. We often adapted / cut short from the recommended routes, but this was feasible and equally enjoyable. Fantastic scenery.

Mrs Crookes
Walking the Camino de Santiago
15/06/2013

Felt could have walked further each day, especially in order to reach Santiago more comfortably to experience the pilgrim's service (we walked the final 21kms in 4 hours in order to do this) plus that last part is the least interesting part of the walk. Appreciated the care taken to make the first 3 days so interesting - very glad that started at Leon and not at Sarria - and very glad that stayed way out of Sarria as it's a rather depressing town! Found the trek down to the resort at Portomarin a pain - felt had arrived, at the river, then found had another good up and down km to do to reach the entrance. The manager/owner offered to drive us the next morning, which we all appreciated. All the taxi and other drivers were excellent, on time, friendly and efficient. Would especially like to mention Blanca, the guide in Leon; such a lovely and enthusiastic person with immense knowledge - we were expecting to be bored, but were totally immersed and hope to go back. We all agreed that it would be useful to have a list of taxi and other drivers' phone numbers as we often arrived 2 or 3 hours before pick up time. O'Coto was a pleasant hotel, it was just a pity that was sandwiched between 2 busy roads with a car dump nearby. It was also a bit damp, tho the owners put the heating on for us (we know they are new owners so maybe will be making improvements for next year), and was difficult to dry our washing - which we all did as were staying 2 nights there. I am being very pernickety here, as overall we enjoyed the holiday immensely and have enthusiastically recommended it to our friends.

Mrs Brand-Hardy
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
13/06/2013

Although I have indicated that we would book a holiday with you again I would have strong reservations as to whether the holidays that you provide are really catering for our interests. Before booking the holiday I raised the query as to whether or not it was suitable for us given that we walk to see wildlife and landscape rather than just to walk. Unfortunately the worry that the holiday was a walking holiday with little or no emphasis on wildlife came to fruition. At the start of the holiday in Dobbiaco we found it virtually impossible to find out information on where to go to get the best chance of seeing wildlife or to get information needed to identify the flowers that we were seeing. The hotel did not know nor did the tourist information centre. Half way through the holiday we managed to get to the nature centre at the Grand Hotel who were very helpful but by that time the opportunity to visit the areas suggested had largely passed. We also found the large numbers of walkers on the routes suggested to be offputting for us. We are used to walking in areas where you often do not see footprints let alone people so we were amazed to see so many people on all the routes that we followed. Perhaps it would be possible to include routes that are quieter for those that want to escape the crowds.

Having said all that the holiday was well organised the hotels were excellent and if all you want is a walking holiday then I doubt that the service that you provide can be beaten. I am just not sure that it is for us.

Mrs Watts
Walks in The Italian Dolomites
12/06/2013

We had a very enjoyable but quite energetic holiday in a comfortable hotel in the Dolomites. The early season flowers and scenery were spectacular.

Mrs Graham
Chianti Classic Walk
12/06/2013

we really enjoyed the holiday-great way to visit these lovely hiiltop towns and cities of Tuscany

Mr Neilson
Walking the Camino de Santiago
08/06/2013

We thoroughly enjoyed the walking but preferred the days when the accommodation was actually on the Camino. The inconvenience and waste of time waiting for taxis in unpicturesque places at the end of a day's walking was irritating. Similarly starting a day with a taxi ride to get back to the Camino from remote accommodation was unsatisfactory.

Menorca is ideal for walking with a diverse landscape and the whole island being relatively low- lying. The landscape is interesting, the coastal paths are really lovely and you are never more than 3 hours from a watering-hole! People are friendly. Driving on the island is very easy. Headwaters walking itinery was well-planned and descriptions excellent, even going so far as the tell you which cafe's will order a taxi for you. Coastal walking is particularly lovely as you have a light breeze coming in from the sea and plenty of opportunities for a cooling dip or paddle. Inland, there are castles and ancient monuments to explore. Hotel Morvedra Nou is a perfect base, being quiet and luxurious, an ideal spot to relax after a day (or a morning) walking

Mr Goldstone
Volterra to San Gimignano Walk
06/06/2013

What a fantastic experience ! Not a tourist in sight and walking in the middle of nowhere with just the sound of the birds and wildlife to break the silence.

The beauty of this holiday was the fact that we were walking most of the day but HeadWater have appreciated that just because you are walkers you don't need to 'rough it' in down market accommodation it was such a joy to have he freedom to enjoy the beautiful countryside and arrive to find your luggage already in your room and a luxurious hotel with fabulous food and absolutely breath taking views !!!

We had some great moments and despite eating and drinking copious amounts of wonderful food and local wine because of all the exercise, amazingly we didn't put on any weight

We cannot praise the reps highly enough. Monika and Roger made us so welcome and at ease from the moment they greeted us at the airport with chilled bottles of water for the journey to our hotel NOTHING was too much trouble for them ! A HUGE THANK YOU TO YOU BOTH

For anyone considering this holiday , you do need quite a high level of fitness. Both of us are EXTREMELY ACTIVE and fit people and were pleased to find that we were suitably challenged by the walks in the heat. The hotels all had stunning views as they were all at the top of mountains ( so bare in mind the end of your walks when the sun is at its hottest are all uphill!!)

A fab holiday!! Something so different. I would not hesitate to recommend!

Mrs Triger
Classic Swiss Alps Walk
04/06/2013

An excellently organised walking holiday with a selection of very interesting walks. First rate hotel with superb food - makes a huge difference to be 'family owned' and upon arrival we were given an upgraded room as the hotel was not full. A very nice way to start! Kandersteg is quite beautiful and the people courteous and friendly. It helped that we had superb weather for 5 out of 7 days and the mountains and meadows were looking their best. All in all a most successful holiday. Thank you Headwater.

Mr Shortman
Castles to Coast Walk
04/06/2013

We really enjoyed our walks through unspoilt countryside, the wild flowers and butterflies in particular were delightful.The hotels in Motovun and Buzet were both excellent, and we enjoyed the food and wine.

Not your fault but one of the landowners appears to have gated off one of the walks. When I get a spare moment, I'll write to you about it.



Overall a superb holiday.

Mr Bostock- Smith
Catalan Classic Walk
02/06/2013

The holiday was excellent. We were fortunate with the weather and the walks were good. It is a simple task to calculate the costs of the basics in the holiday particully hotel prices. We are therefore paying a significant premium for the convenience and support of having a local guide & his imput into the walk instructions.. What you charge is of course up to you and many will no doubt be happy to pay this premium for the reassurance it provides but we would not regard it as value for money

Ms Priday
The Amalfi Coast Walk
02/06/2013

We had a lovely time marred only by the fact that 3 of the 4 hotels provided a double bed when we as 2 female friends sharing a room needed our booked twin beds!

Mr Castell
The Amalfi Coast Walk
02/06/2013

The itinerary was well structured and well organised. Pick up and transfers were punctual and efficient. Hotels were excellent - great locations, wonderful views, comfortable and with a high level of service. The upgrade to the Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento - due to the Favorita being overbooked - was very much appreciated. We were also grateful that a transfer to Sorrento port was organised for us on the last morning.

Mr Stather
The Amalfi Coast Walk
02/06/2013

We stayed at the Royal Prisco in Positano (not the hotel on the questionnaire) and I cannot change the hotel name - but all comments on the Royal Prisco are 'good'.



Neither did we stay at the Favourita in Sorrento - biut we did stay at the Excelsior Vittoria which was excellent in all respects.

Mrs Molyneux-Carte
Walking the Coastal Trails of Menorca
31/05/2013

Dinner at the hotel Morvedra Nou was generally not good. Fish was the best option. However the staff were delightful and made up for the cooking somewhat. Breakfast was good but if we should go again we would probably prefer to go B&B and take our chances with the A La Carte menu. We did not try A La Carte this time as we felt the standard of the half board dinner was poor and didn't bode well for the A La Carte. However some other guests tried it and said it was reasonable. It would be a bit of a trek to go elsewhere for dinner so some improvement is needed. In spite of this we would happily go again.

Ms Tippett
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/05/2013

I spent a very pleasant week exploring Gozo on foot, and undertook all six of the supplied walk routes. The route descriptions were at times excellent, at times difficult to grasp. Informal discussion with another 'headwater' traveller staying at the same time as me revelead they had similar problems, so I don't think it was purely me! I did not find the map supplied particularly useful, and actually ended up buying a cheap basic map from the local representative in Gozo whilst I was there. Maps are individual, and I realise what did not suit me may suit others. The weather was very hot. The sea breeze helped, but I agree with Headwater that this is about the latest in the summer you could undertake these walks - particularly towards the middle of the day.



The hotel has super staff and a relaxed feel to it, is in a stunning situation and has a nice layout with individual bungalows. There are some features that are not the standard which I would expect from a five star hotel. One of these I brought up with the hotel at the time, and others mentioned in the feedback at the end of my stay (a holiday is, after all, meant to be relaxing and not a series of complaints). The room was spacious but the bathroom was very dated (painted murals on the tiles suggest it had not been refitted since 1991) and there was a large crack in the sink in the room. The small spa on site had a changing room and showers. In these there was a lot of green and black mould on the tiles of the shower area. I mentioned this to the hotel spa staff at the time and the next day it was better but not gone. This disappointed me from a five star hotel. The package had half board included, something I would not normally choose. On several nights, particularly over the weekend when we arrived, service was very slow and meals arrived looking like they had sat around for a long time. The waiting staff were, on the whole, excellent, but the food was disappointing. I also found the four courses included too much every day, and would have preferred to have some days without dinner at the hotel so I was free to explore local restaurants. I was asked to specify dietary requirements (no fish in my case) with Headwater but the hotel seemed unaware. On days when the antipasti were fish, I always had to say I did not eat fish. Sometimes I was offered an alternative, sometimes not. Hotel guests are advised local water is safe but unpalatable, however the still bottled water I therefore ordered with dinner each night was charged for, and at over 3 euros a bottle I thought this was a bit much. Do they expect those on half board to just not drink anything with dinner?



Finally, transfers were very efficient. Paradoxically, on the way out I had a large minibus all to myself, yet on the way back I was squashed in the back seat of a normal car with two other guests I did not really know (slightly embarassing as there was not much room) as a normal taxi was taking 4 of us to the airport.



Overall I had a great time and would definitely visit Gozo again, but was a little disappointed with the details described above, given then star rating of the hotel and cost of the package.

Mr Davis
Catalan Coastal Walk
25/05/2013

Excellent holiday. Walking notes by Alan were excellent and to a point that a map was unnecessary.

Mr Monck
Following St James' Way
24/05/2013

Headwater had thought of everything and it's attention to detail that counts on a holiday like this. Thank you !

Mrs Norris
Walking in the Venetian Hills
21/05/2013

A great introduction to this little known area of Italy. The itinerary meant that we could easily combine walking with sight-seeing.

Mrs Whybrow
Catalan Classic Walk
19/05/2013

The holiday was a chance to explore a region in depth and to do walks into deep countryside, which we could never have done without your detailed route notes. Lovely scenery, flowers, butterflies and birds. Some of the walks seemed quite long! - but worth the effort.

Mrs Currie
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
18/05/2013

Good walking across the island with some wonderful scenery. Need to pay very close attentin to the route notes as there are no waymarkings. Found the notes for the walk to Fungus Rock and th Azure window difficult to follow and ended up having to make a detour. No problem with the other walks although notes could be clearer. Very good local bus service for getting to the walks. Excellent for seeing wildlife including insects, lizards and non venomous snakes.

Mr Williams
Secrets of Sicily Walking
18/05/2013

Good variety of walking and interest on the transfer days. Traveled in late May which seemingly is low season in Sicily consequently some of the restaurants on Marettimo were closed leaving a very limited choice, however the accommodation has a good kitchenette giving the option to self cater for 1 or 2 nights. Marettimo was very windy the days we were there making the coastal path to the Castello challenging, you certainly need a head for heights in windy conditions.

Mrs Hilditch
Catalan Classic Walk
16/05/2013

Whilst we have had the most brilliant holiday as it was an old school reunion, considering the time in advance it was booked it seemed that the cost did not really reflect our expectation. We paid well over 1000 for a four night trip that did not seem very well tailored to our needs mostly in terms of transfer arrangements. We felt that for a group our size there could have been better transfer arrangements. The walking was very well organised and well marked and our guide whilst he clearly was not used to such a large group of opinionated women (!) he ensured that our needs were met.

It is some years since we have used Headwater, having previously travelled with them to over 30 itineraries since the company was first formed. It was reassuring to find that standard were fully up to the excellent levels we have always experienced.

Dr Hand
Catalan Classic Walk
13/05/2013

My sister and I were looking for a walking holiday which neither of us had done before.

This was one of the best holidays I have ever had. The superb organisation from start to finish resulted in an almost totally stress free time.

The walks were very thoughtfully planned , varied and a total delight. The scenery and views were spectacular. The area is unspoilt and full of history. The hotels and food were a real pleasure.

The local knowledge meant that every aspect of the holiday was chosen carefully to maximise enjoyment.

You just couldn't do this yourself.

Grilled rep on way back about which holiday to do next.

I would highly recommend this trip

Marie Hand

Mr Arnatt
Walking in the Venetian Hills
13/05/2013

We were most impressed with the welcome and hospitality at all the hotels, as well as the great service offered by Sarah, our rep. However, we were surprised at the challenging terrain of the walking, especially on the last day (Teolo to Il Feudo) and our overall enjoyment was spoiled by having to cope with shinning up rocks, then traversing knee-deep mud, then a slide down a rock strewn path. It was not the enjoyable countryside walking with views we had envisaged.

Holiday was exactly as described, accommodation, food, service all very good. Headwater staff were excellent when required.

Mrs Tromans
Catalan Classic Walk
05/05/2013

A very relaxing holiday in superb locations with varied walks & interesting local historical interest. Away from the usual tourist spots. Manageable walking for those not used to walking great distances & very helpful & knowledgeable local rep.

Menora is a beatiful island and as it had rained the week before our arrival (beginning May) the wild flowers were fantastic. If you're a birdwatcher there is also a lot to see (and hear) - spent a great half hour one evening after dinner watching a Barn Owl coming and going between the trees and the hotel grounds. Morvedra Nou Hotel is a delightful, converted farmhouse, very peaceful location. Victoria and all her team made us feel really welcome and couldn't have been more helpful. The daily dinner menu was a great way to sample Menorcan cuisine.

Ms Kennedy
Marvels of Madeira Walk
30/04/2013

A few minor details aside, everything worked like clockwork and we had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday in a beautiful location which offers an unusual walking experience through the unique levada system. We were pleasantly surprised by the second hotel (Serra Golf), which was much better than previous comments had led us to expect. It has joined a hotel group and had a refurb last year, so it has a smart boutique feel. All the facilities were clean and fresh, including a new swimming pool and lawned sunbathing area. The dining room was lovely, the breakfasts excellent, and the dinners very tasty. The picnic was substandard though, someone needs to follow up on that! Also, the reception desk is not manned the whole time and the welcome you get can be a bit brusque, depending who comes when you ring the bell.

Mrs Blake
Secrets of Sicily Walking
27/04/2013

Loved Western Sicily, looking extra beautiful covered in spring flowers. And how well we ate!

Independent walking with the confident backup of Crilu's expertise. Seeing those parts of a place not normally on the tourist routes and enjoying beautiful scenery and interesting locations away from the masses.

Mr Robson
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
27/04/2013

An 'independent' Headwater Holiday can be adjusted to suit individual capacity, especially as one grows older! We wanted to go to this particular area but no longer operate at two boot level. So we used the notes, Antonio's advice and good public transport services to visit Cordoba and Granada, to tweak the holiday, enjoy the Subbetica National Park fully as well as two historic cities.

Mrs Bainton
Secrets of Sicily Walking
26/04/2013

A wonderful opportunity to get to know this corner of Sicily. We would never have found these nature reserves ourselves. The wild flowers were a spectacle, and the local cuisine excellent.

Mr Previte
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
25/04/2013

We greatly enjoyed Gozo and our stay at Ta Cenc. The hotel staff were extremely good and the hotel very comfortable. The bedrooms, with en suite bath, very quiet and secluded. The breakfasts were very good, the dinners not so good. Would give dinner B ; adequate but not imaginative. The wine was extremely expensive. Perhaps if we had had the 'a la carte' dishes the food would have been better, but that would have added considerably to the cost of the holiday.



The local buses are good, mostly punctual but occasionally a bus does not turn up. There is always another one. Buses may be very crowded in the high season. Worth getting the weekly season ticket. Check bus numbers as some of these have changed since Headwater notes published.

Mrs Winward
Catalan Classic Walk
21/04/2013

A fantastic holiday. Alans notes made the self guiding really easy. There was a lovely mix of different types of walks i.e. woodland, coastal, villages. Alan did his very best to plan the walks away from any main roads en route so we had a lovely, safe views and vistas. The Castella D'Emporada was one of the nicest hotels that we have stayed in, in the world. The food in both hotels was excellent. The bags arrived before us, as if by magic at each hotel. This is a beautiful area.

The Sierra de Gredos holiday was very enjoyable. The hotel's normal clientele are weekend visitors from Madrid; a bit like the Lake District for the Midlands. The food (breakfast, packed lunches and dinner) was excellent, though quite different from British food.

The walking was very good, but we were glad we had come in April as there is very little shade.

Mrs Scott
Catalan Classic Walk
13/04/2013

This was a most beautiful part of Spain and completely unexpected. As we were the first guests of the season our hotels and destinations were not at all crowded. People had time to stop and chat. The weather for walking was perfect at this time of year.

Although this was a 'soft' holiday, we found some of the walks quite challenging either in length (Castell d'Emporda to Begur) or difficulty (Cami de Ronda between Begur and Lafranc), but we took our time and shortened walks by taking the odd taxi (phone numbers thoughtfully provided by Alan). We have had many wonderful holidays over he years, both in Europe and elsewhere, but have never been so reluctant to leave an area.

Mr Plumb
The Amalfi Coast Walk
07/04/2013

A very enjoyable holiday. we were particularly impressed by the taxi transfers and their good driving on difficult roads. Always hugely reassuring to be welcomed at the airport, and when the taxi arrives on time, indeed early! The hotels were far more luxurious than we expected, so a real treat.

Mr Scharer
Secrets of Sicily Walking
06/04/2013

Well thought out and stress -free holiday but not cheap.

Ms Clough
Walking the Camino de Santiago
06/04/2013

Fantastic, it was everyting I hoped it would be and more!

Mr Townsend
Marvels of Madeira Walk
04/04/2013

We had a superb week away with Headwater. There was a great balance of challenging walking with luxury at the end of the day. We will certainly be booking through you again.

Mrs Barbour
Marvels of Madeira Walk
01/04/2013

We've travelled with ATG on similar holidays and the materials, guides etc you receive are far more robust - hard back bound ring folders - and far more detailed with good maps and topography profiles. The maps from Headwater were pretty poor, small scale and not very useable. The instructions come on stapled A4 pieces of paper printed double-side. By the end of a wet walk, they were in tatters even though we had them in a plastic map carrier. The whole package in fact was cheap compared with competitors' packages.

In terms of the accommodation, that was better than our recent ATG experience, higher quality, however without a car you were somewhat isolated in the villages/towns that two out of the three were located in and there was little to do. The half board was very variable; the first was a set menu poor quality and the traditional element never changed for any of the three nights, also you couldn't eat off the a la carte. The second was excellent and you could eat off the a la carte but it was complicated at billing to understand the adjustments, and the third you only got a 5-course a la carte which was excellent and if you ate a la carte had to tell the hotel by 3pm and then only got a 30% discount, meaning for the same value you would have had to spend c �120. It didn't make sense. The hotels weren't all geared for walkers either. Quinta Bela Vista in Funchal knew we were walkers and presented our picnic in a wicker basket. Just don't think Headwater briefed the hotels well. Finally the walks were ok, but the better walks weren't in the schedule. The classic High Peak walk was spectacular, not a hard walk although at c 1800m, but not even mentioned until we asked the local guide. Two to the four walks actually returned by the same route. Haing looked at the website, a guest had mentioned a number of years ago that the Levada Nova was a poor walk, mostly on a road and just walked back the same way as you go. Clearly nobody had listened and it was a waste of a day when there were far better walks in the area.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your comments. We're sorry our maps and walking instructions did not meet your expectations. We do everything we can to keep our literature as up-to-date, informative and user-friendly as possible. We do now print all route notes double-sided - responsible tourism is a strong part of our Headwater ethos and where we can save paper, we do. We choose not to provide ring-binders and such, again, in line with our environmental policies (they can also be a bit bulky to carry in luggage/rucksacks). We do however monitor all feedback, and if we feel changes are necessary, we will certainly take action. The last thing we want is for people to struggle with maps and notes during their holiday.
We are also sorry there appears to have been some confusion at the hotels with regard to your menu choices. We have been working with these hotels for a number of years and upgrading your menu should be no trouble at all. We will take this up with our local agent and ensure that the meal arrangements are clarified at each hotel.
Thank you again for contacting us.

Mr Barber
Walking in the Sierra de Gredos
24/03/2013

The Sierra de Gredos has something for everyone who enjoys exploring the outdoors - from river banks to pine forests; from open heaths and alpine terrain. To have these in such a small area makes for a wonderfully varied break.



Combined with a comfortable and relaxing stay in the Hotel El Milano Real, we wondered why it took us so long to try this Headwater break!

Mrs Lay
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/03/2013

Quinta do Furao was a great hotel and the staff were particularly helpful when my husband's tooth broke on the first night (just before they supplied him with a surprise birthday cake). They went out of their way to find a local English-speaking dentist so we didn't have to pay for a taxi to Funchal. The dentist was efficient and cheap, so we were extremely happy with the service.

Do take poles for the walks and good clothing, especially if it is a rainy month like March. Also remember that in two of the hotels you may have to go outside to access the restaurant.

Our main disappointment was that the levada walks seemed to be mainly among trees, so you didn't often get a view despite being hundreds of feet up.

Dr Mason
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/03/2013

Madeira is an interesting and picturesque island. The walking is pleasant, but you need a head for heights. The walks are mainly along 'levadas' (narrow water channels) which often cling to the sides of steep gorges. On our holiday there was a mixture of sunshine and downpours of rain. Waterproofs are a must, and also walking poles, since the paths can often become slippy when wet. The food is excellent with an abundance of fruit and vegetables. The hotels we stayed in were very comfortable and luxurious. Funchal is a large town, with interesting architecture, but currently the whole of the seafront is being re-built, a major construction operation which is likely to take a long time. We had a very enjoyable holiday in a place we had never previously visited.

Mr Lascelles
Marvels of Madeira Walk
21/03/2013

Although not thrown together with the other walkers one of the pleasures of the holiday was meeting other people. Some of those walks were rather long and to be able to chat to somebody new helped to pass the time.

We enjoyed getting to know Madeira, was impressed and certainly would like to visit again when the weather was more settled. Out of our four walking days two were a wash out because of torrential weather, which we have to admit we were not totally prepared for.

March was a brilliant time of year for a walking holiday in Gozo. We had almost continuous sunshine but temperatures of 15-17 degrees made for comfortable walking - any warmer and it could have been a struggle at times as there's little shelter on many of the walks. The scenery was fantastic and we really felt we got to know Gozo in the week we spent walking round it. The walks were of comfortable length and enabled us to spend time admiring the scenery, both coastal and inland. A thoroughly enjoyable, peaceful and relaxing holiday.

Mr Stevens
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
09/03/2013

A superb holiday with flexibilty for as much or as little walking as we wanted.

Mrs Douglas
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba Walk
09/03/2013

We were forewarned from your office that the Spanish weather was unusually wet and our flight was 1 hour late due to adverse weather in the UK but Antonio waited at the hotel until after we arrived with up to date information and advice about the walks. I myself was 'indisposed' for three days so Antonio gave my husband a choice of alternative walks which avoided all the streams and rivers that had become too dangerous to cross. The packed lunches provided were excellent and the staff were very helpful and considerate and nothing was a problem to them. The taxi was prompt and very carefully driven by Maria. Altogether, considering the weather etc

the hotel and staff were excellent and

and the food was superb with choices which always included at least 1 vegetarian option for my husband.

A holiday which was thoroughly enjoyed.

and can be recommended without qualms.

Chris Douglas

Mr Harding
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
08/03/2013

A real surprise package. Gozo has everything in a small area. The people are very friendly and helpful. The bus service is excellent, and the scenery and walks are very tranquil yet quite dynamic with the sea at every turn..

Ta Cenc hotel was well positioned for all activities yet in many ways remote from the town.Whether we ate in the hotel, in the towns or at a beach bar the food and service was very good.

Dr Rayner
Marvels of Madeira Walk
07/03/2013

We needed to find somewhere to go in early March, which was a challenge! The weather was fine, apart from the last day, when it rained heavily.

The flowers were out in some areas, but not yet at their best. We enjoyed particularly the walk from Queimadas to the waterfall, and the parts in laurel forests. Some of the other walks in eucalyptus forests were rather dry and boring. We saw a few birds, but not many. Could not find a suitable bird book.

We took a taxi from Funchal up to the peaks on the Wednesday, which cost about 60 euros and stayed two hours while we walked along the summit footpath. This is definitely worth recommending if the weather is fine.

Found Hotel Ta Cenc, to be really fantastic. All staff were so friendly and welcoming. Very professional. Lovely hotel set up - bar and restaurant super. Very unspoilt island. All the transfers from airport to ferry to hotel and back - a pleasure.

Dr Millward
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
18/02/2013

It was one of our most enjoyable headwater holidays. The sun shone everyday and it was perfect weather for walking. We enjoy going off season and avoiding the crowds. Ta Cenc is the best Headwater hotel we have stayed at with an excellent restaurant and service. Malta really loves Britsh tourists and everyone speaks English. A very welcoming destination.

Ta' Cenc was a fantastic hotel for location, service and food and peace and quiet in February - exactly what we wanted. Opportuntiies for walking were wonderful, although definitions of flat may vary!

Mrs Cassells
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
10/02/2013

This was a great holiday. We walked every day, and had time for some sightseeing as well. We very much enjoyed the comfort, food and ambience of the hotel ta Cenc.

Mr Burgoine
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
09/02/2013

Others taking a similar holiday in the hotel did not have access to Headwaters walking notes - until they complained and got copies.

They were more likely to use Headwaters in future, since they had not used the company before.

the hotel Ta Cinc was advertised as a 5 star hotel but did not live up to that standard in respect of accommodation and food. I recommend that you remove th 5 star from the brochure then customers will not have such high expectations of the hotel and consequently will not have to cope with the disappointment.



This was our 6th holiday with Headwater and is the only one that we would not repeat due to the hotel. We would go back to Gozo but would stay in a different hotel.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback on the Ta Cenc, we have been working with this hotel for many years and it is a real surprise that it didn't meet expectations. The hotel has undergone an extensive renovation programme over the last couple of years and the feedback we've receive is generally very good indeed. I can assure you however, that your comments have been noted, and forwarded to the Programme Manager in order to be raised with the hotel.

The last thing we ever want is for people to return home disappointed and we offer our sincerest apologies if this was the case. We will be monitoring feedback for the Ta Cenc very closely over the coming weeks, and if we feel there are any areas that require improvement, we will work with the hotel to rectify this.

Mr Broughall
Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle
29/12/2012

Excellent hotel, beautiful location, stunning scenery, warm,sunny weather, friendly and hospitable islanders

Hotel Ta Cenc is very well located, in a lovely situation with views, and the most delightful staff.

New Year was a good time to visit - it was so quiet and tranquil, and we had sunshine. We wondered whether we'd like it so much with lots of people round the pools etc.