Guided Walking for Singles and Solos in the UK and Europe

Thank you very much for a wonderful holiday. Alvina (walk leader) looked after us very well. Organisation of holiday – excellent. (Susan is a repeat client)

Northern Lake District – Hills & Valleys Borrowdale, July 2024

This holiday was advertised as: AWESOME AUSTRIA.
Lovely Hotel, location very good. We had a lovely experience, friendly and professional staff, excellent quiet rooms.

All our Guided walking was excellent every day was different.
Both Tristan Blanchard and Joanna (walk guides) made a Wonderful job.
Absolutely Amazing, A beautiful Country. The walks and the scenery were breath taking, with excellent guides and what a lovely group of people we met to share our experience. Thank you to all involved.

Awesome Austria, June 2024

I have been on three walking holidays before with secret Hills. The reservation process and the pre-holiday information were good.

Our local guide – Johanna and Tristan (UK based walk leader) were perfect, both very caring for the needs of the group and everyday was a different experience showing us the best of the area.              The organisation of the holiday was excellent and I would definitely look at some other holidays offered by Secret hills.

The hotel rooms were of a very high standard, lovely to have a balcony and the staff were very friendly and welcoming.      

Austria is a beautiful country and I would highly recommend this trip to other walkers.

Awesome Austria, June 2024

Grateful thanks for a most enjoyable walking break in a lovely area. A very enjoyable experience with an excellent guide (Alvina). She organised everything very professionally, taking the weather conditions and the group’s abilities into account. Very knowledgeable about the area. First class.

Hotel – Excellent all round – accommodation, facilities and food were first class. Helpful staff. Situation stunning.

Northern Lake District – Hills & Valleys Borrowdale, July 2024

I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and it exceeded my expectations. Alison Field is an excellent guide, who was very informative and relaxed, which added to the experience. The holiday was very well organised. The hotel, staff and amenities were excellent. Thank you for arranging these holidays, they are a great way to meet new people and to appreciate the countryside.

South Downs & Seven Sisters, June 2024

Alison (walk leader) was terrific; calm, watchful but not interfering.  I would book with Secret Hills again as I found the level of involvement and planning  just right and the group experience very pleasant. 

South Downs & Seven Sisters, June 2024

Hi Alan,
thank you very much for an outstanding holiday! All hiking days and also the trip to Salzburg were perfect days. And the group again: Yesterday, when I was the last of our group in the hotel, one of the restaurants staff asked me, if we already knew each other before arriving in Schladming and was very surprised, when I said we did not. I think this tells a lot what great group we have been – right from the start!
I hope, I can join another Secret Hills Walking Holiday next year!
Best regards,
Ramona Wagner

(Ramona is a repeat customer)

Awesome Austria, June 2024

Excellent – as always. Scenery was fantastic and great to have both Jill & Pete so that we could split into two groups dependent on the terrain and wishes of the group.    They are excellent walk leaders and were always keeping an eye on all the walkers to ensure we were all safe and got the most out of the holiday.

Good organisation overall.  Walks changed as appropriate dependent on weather conditions.

Pyrenees is certainly a winner; a truly enjoyable holiday with terrific & highly  professional guides whose only concern was that you should have a great holiday

(Richard is a repeat client)

Pyrenees, June 2024

Really can’t fault the overall experience.

Excellent location and as I have said before Jill and Pete (walk leaders) really add to the holiday so much with their professionalism and relaxed approach to the week. The hotel was excellent with a great location.

(Barry is a repeat client)

Pyrenees, June 2024

I’ve been on quite a few secret hills holidays over the last 8 years and always enjoyable. Reservation process is easy and straightforward. Pre-holiday information is good. The hotel on Pyrenees holiday was great, lovely rooms etc. The walking on this holiday was some of the best walking I’ve had… spectacular.      Would recommend and have done so to other people. Thanks, Anne.

(Anne is a repeat customer)

Pyrenees, June 2024

Very well organised and interesting walking holiday… very good accommodation and food. Very helpful staff.

Gower, June 2024

Pete & Jill (walk guides) The standard of guide walking was to an exceptional high level, ensuring the group were all OK, walked at a comfortable group pace and made changes without asking when it was appropriate.  Very attentive, supporting and caring which is what you need for an organised walking group. The daily walks were very well organised and flexibility was applied at all times depending on your fitness and stamina. Local transport to and from the walks was very well organised. Evening briefing sessions for the next day’s walks were very clear with options depending on how you felt.                           

The hotel was of an excellent standard for a 2 Star rating with traditional rooms and some having a modern twist. Rooms were cleaned on a daily basis to a high standard, staff were extremely friendly and accommodating and hotel was ideally positioned in the small town of Torla.                                                   

An optional organised trip on our day off to see all of our walks from the highest viewing points allowed us to really take-in the panoramic and scenic mountains and what we had all achieved which was beyond anyone’s expectations – definitely a wow factor which summed up the holiday.

(Jean is a repeat client)

Pyrenees, June 2024

My friend (who was on the trip) is joining me in our thanks for this great experience. The group members were also very friendly and helpful.

The Hotel Tripic was excellent and the staff was very friendly, diligent and efficient. It has been a real pleasure to walk with Mika as our guide. He is very professional, friendly and knowledgeable about his country, the walks and nature. The walks were well organised, with great stops at the various mountain huts or restaurants. I also enjoyed the variety in the walks, which were every day in a different environment. It was a great holiday and brought back with me fantastic memories of Slovenia. , I will reserve another holiday and will recommend Secret Hills to my friends.

Slovenia, May 2024

Many thanks to you Alan.

I have recommended Secret Hills to many friends.

Very well organised. Mikha (walk guide) was excellent.

Hotel was very clean, spacious rooms and very friendly staff…the meals were very good.

(Kate is a return customer)

Slovenia, May 2024

I really enjoyed the experience…the group and guide were excellent. Organisation – excellent.

Spring Bank Holiday Lake District, May 2024

Bridget (walk leader) was wonderful and supportive – and I really enjoyed the break.  Organisation – Excellent – no complaints at all!

Spring Bank Holiday Lake District, May 2024

Reservation process was easy and simple.

Victoria Guesthouse was superb. Staff were very good and helpful. Breakfasts were wonderful with plenty of choice and ample in servings.

The guided walking was very good and varied. Leaders were very considerate and supportive.

Secret Hills organised the holiday and all the arrangements very well.

I would definitely book with Secret Hills again. I would have no hesitation recommending Secret Hills to others. (Zainul is a repeat customer)

Shropshire Hills & Church Stretton, May 2024

Dear Alan and team,                                                                                                                           Thank you for a glorious holiday in Dorset. I have high expectations of a holiday with Secret Hills now that I have been on quite a few.  Organisation of holiday – Great. It was put together very well, the walking routes were perfect for the group, the local taxi firm seems very efficient, and you even booked perfect walking weather! I was also glad we were stopping at local cafes/pubs for lunch so we didn’t have to carry lunch packs and extra water with us. Kelly is a brilliant guide, and it was lovely to have Janet’s company as well.

Purbeck’s Jurassic Coast & East Dorset, May 2024

Thanks very much for an enjoyable holiday. A nice group of people and a decent hotel.

Dorset & Devon, June 2024

I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. Organisation of holiday – Excellent. Very much enjoyed guided walking.

The organisation by yourself and Keith was second to none. The added bonus was that I shared it with a great bunch of people. Many thanks .

Derbyshire Dales & Peak District  3^rd – 7^th May, 2024

Guiding was friendly, informative but also informal and never intrusive. As a first timer I was somewhat apprehensive about what the group holiday experience would be like. Alan & Keith played a big part in making it an easy transition and a stress-free and enjoyable weekend.

Derbyshire Dales & Peak District  3^rd – 7^th May, 2024

Excellent weekend with great walk and good food!  Keith and Alan were great and our group just gelled so well it was like having a holiday with good friends. Keith was a great walk leader, the routes chosen were stunning and he looked after the whole group. 10/10

Derbyshire Dales & Peak District  3^rd – 7^th May, 2024

The Guided walking experience was WONDERFUL! Our guide Alvina was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable . The walks were fabulous, breathtaking scenery and we were so lucky with the weather . To be joined by Alan on our last walk was a bonus.

The organising of my holiday was efficient from the very start. Any questions were answered either by phone or email promptly .

I will definitely book another holiday with Secret Hills and will recommend to others

(Linda is a repeat customer).

Yorkshire Dales 21 – 25 April 2024

Guided walking – Couldn’t have been better, challenging at times, but felt like an achievement at the days end. As my last holiday with Secret Hills, guides very knowledgeable of the area, good walks, and not just “strolls”, real walks, which is what I like!  Loved it, a good group of people also, so very enjoyable. A great hotel, supper location good facilities, staff very helpful and pleasant. (Melvyn is a repeat customer)

Majorca April 13th – 20th, 2024

We have made three highly successful bookings with secret Hills Walking.
Very straightforward reservation. Pre-Holiday information was very helpful and effective.
Hotel fabulous, typical Spanish hillside country small hotel; very clean and comfortable; hosts were very friendly, courteous, considerate, hard-working – and the service and food was top-class – and very Spanish. (Did you enjoy the Guided walking experience?) Enormously! All days were varied and suited to weather conditions, terrain and my walking ability; the two guides were great company, considerate, friendly and understanding.
(How well did we organise your walking Holiday?) Perfectly! Not a single hitch. Transfers worked like a dream.
(Would you reserve another holiday with Secret Hills Walking, and would you recommend our Holidays to others?) Definitely yes and yes.
(Andy is a repeat customer)

Costa Blanca, March 28th – April 4th 2024

Wonderful, excellent leaders who are so much more than walking leaders, they care about you, and look after you. Hugely grateful to Pete and the UK office staff – thank you…grateful to Jill for sending links and explaining how to get into Alicante. Wondered about such a small group…it was a lovely group of people. Hotel couldn’t be better, lots of variety, healthy, home cooked, traditional, huge amounts.

(Angela is a repeat customer)

Costa Blanca, March 28th – April 4th 2024

Guided walking – it was a pleasure to walk with a knowledgeable guide and not have to find my own way. A special thank you to Tina (walk guide)!
She went above and beyond…She was also very friendly, supportive and made me feel very much part of the group. Hotel excellent.

Easter in the Lake District, March 28th – April 1st 2024

The guided walking experience was fantastic.  It was so great not to have to worry about the route, or getting lost, and to have other people to walk with and eat breakfast/dinner with.  The guide (Tina) was perfect, and my fellow walkers were all lovely and interesting people.  The walking experience couldn’t have been better. Overall, a very positive experience!  Thank you Alan 🙂 

Easter in the Lake District, March 28th – April 1st 2024

Your organisation of the trip was (as usual) excellent…brilliant guiding by Jill and Peter – very knowledgeable, helpful, well organised, lovely people who really made the walking trip an absolute pleasure.

Gran Canaria, March 2024

Very nice hotel, well run and in a very nice location. Guided walking – Super! Jill and Pete (walk guides) put together a very interesting walk programme, and being flexible about it to suite the changing weather. From arrival at Gran Canaria airport to departing from there, everything in-between ran smoothly.

Gran Canaria, March 2024

This was my first Secret Hills holiday and it exceeded my expectations.

I would highly recommend to others who enjoy group walking at a decent standard. 
Our leaders (Jill and Pete) were excellent, for their knowledge, experience, consideration to us, flexibility to different abilities etc.  Special thanks to them both for leading a walk on their day off.  Very well organised. Jill and Pete made great decisions about which walks best suited the weather conditions.

Hotel was lovely and lived up to your description.  The staff were friendly, helpful and attentive… I particularly enjoyed the dinner menu featuring local dishes and Gran Canarian wine. Also, all our meals were taken around a large round table, which enabled us to mix and chat whilst dining together as a whole group. My room was quiet and very comfortable with fantastic views. 

Gran Canaria, March 2024

I enjoyed the guided walking experience very much as we had lovely countryside and Tristan was a brilliant guide; he was so knowledgeable and just a lovely presence.

Cotswolds Beauty, February 2024

Very much enjoyed guided walking, Honario was a very good guide. Seamlessly put together…did not want to go back home. Am already considering another holiday and I am always recommending you. Thanks for a good holiday.

Madeira, February 2024

Reservation – Straightforward and helpful, liked the personal touch. Guided walking very well led by Honorio. Organisation of holiday very good.

Madeira, February 2024

The Hotel was good. Rooms clean, had all the basics, staff helpful. Very well positioned for Funchal centre and Old Town. Great to be able to just walk everywhere. 

The guided walking was great. So good to have a local guide with so much knowledge and with a great sense of humour too. The pace of walking was geared nicely to the whole group. The minibus and driver were very much appreciated, as were the morning coffees in little local bars and drinks stops on the way home. 

The holiday was exceptionally well organised from start to finish. 

I have already reserved another holiday and recommended to friends. 

Madeira, 2024

The guided walking was excellent. Tristan (walk leader) was brilliant and had thought through the walks for each day to give us a slightly different experience on each walk. The group was small but they were all great.
The whole thing was very well organised.
The hotel gets 10/10. The room and, best of all, bed was very comfortable. Food was great.
I’d like to say thanks to the Secret Hills team, and in this instance to Tristan in particular. Fantastic walk, 10 out of 10 for the whole experience!

Cotswolds Beauty, February 2024

Hi Alan,

A most enjoyable break in the Shropshire Hills. Hotel and food very good.

Alan and his team of experienced walk leaders looked after our group very well, providing interesting walks, even though the weather wasn’t good.

The holiday is well organised, with a nice personal touch, and I would thoroughly recommend anyone to use this company.

Regards,

Mark Ward

Beat the Xmas Pud, December 27th – 30th 2023.

Reservation very easy and simple. Guided walking – I enjoyed it to the fullest. It seemed like a good team with good experience. I will be booking another holiday very soon and will gladly recommend it to others.

Thank you very much for all the support received from the team, especially Craig and Carol.

New Year Cotswolds 2024

Pre-holiday information… I was able to look at the areas on an OS map and so gained some knowledge of the terrain to be covered. The guided walks were good. Very well organised.

Beat the Christmas Pud, December 27th – 30th 2023.

Good organisation of holiday. Really enjoyed. Yes (would recommend and reserve again).

Madeira, November 2023.

I had an amazing week – with the help of two super leaders – their quiet, confident approach enabled me to start each day with confidence and end the day feeling I’d achieved something. Thank you, Jill and Pete (walk leaders). It’s good to know that once booked, everything that is promised will happen or if change is needed it will be done in the best way possible. Would recommend SH Holidays to others. Thanks for the opportunity to have another great holiday.

La Palma, November 2023.

I did enjoy the guided walking. Keith is always very knowledgeable about the area.
Organisation I thought it was good. Quite a lot of choices of where to go. Hotel very good. The staff were helpful. The food was good. Thanks Alan for another wonderful holiday.

Organisation of holiday excellent. I am looking forward to future holidays with you.

Wales, Lakes – October 2023.

We so enjoyed this holiday and it made us realise yet again how fortunate we were to have found Alan and Secret Hills many years ago . The sun was a real tonic, the Hotel Villla Adriatica was superb, the guides were excellent and extremely caring, and the walking was just what was required. The meals taken in local restaurants were not for the faint hearted but we quickly adapted to Brac generous portions and everyone found something of interest. It was also good to meet up with old friends from previous walks, and indeed make some new ones, who we look forward to catching up with again sometime in the future.

The walks were excellent as were both Jill and Ernst the guides. The hotel was very good. Nice atmosphere, good staff and good facilities. The rooms were modern with some thoughtful touches. The food was good with a wide selection. ‘Would you reserve another holiday with Secret Hills Walking, and would you recommend our Holidays to others?’ – Absolutely.

This was another super holiday, that was well organised, and provided very good pre- holiday information. The walks were very good, and provided a good variety of scenery, with some challenging climbs thrown in. A good taste of what the region has to offer the walker. The guides were excellent, informative, sympathetic to the needs of the group and individuals, and friendly. Thanks very much for another excellent team effort in providing another super holiday, on which I could relax and enjoy all that it had to offer.

Initial enquiry dealt with efficiently and pre-holiday information very thorough. Loved the hotel. Thoroughly enjoyed the guided walking. One of the best walking holidays, lovely experience, great guides and group made the holiday.

Fantastic organisation from beginning to end. First walking and solo holiday, so was great to have all everything arranged from transfers, tours, meals etc. Hotel, great central location and good base hotel for the week. Very clean. Lovely group and Alan is a brilliant tour leader.
‘Would you reserve another holiday with Secret Hills Walking and would you recommend our Holidays to others?’ Yes and yes