J&P are wonderful walking leaders as well as hosts. It was an unusually hot week, and thanks to J&P’s diligence, none of us suffered any ill effects from the heat and was able to enjoy the walks despite the heat. Great walking programme, great and friendly walk leaders, wonderful, friendly and compatible group including several old friends from previous SHW holidays. Loved it!
More Pyrenees magic, June 2026
Organisation faultless , Good varied walks with great guides and transport to start of walks
Slovenia’s Splendid Mountains, gorges and Lakes, June 2026
Guides very good and knowledgeable. They kept an eye on us and were always there to help when needed. Accommodation and walks very well chosen. Always had excellent guides, knowledgeable, friendly and well organised. I thoroughly recommend Secret Hills.
Slovenia’s Splendid Mountains, gorges and Lakes, June 2026
All in all an excellent holiday, Slovenia is impressive, clear mountain streams, friendly people and no litter
Slovenia’s Splendid Mountains, gorges and Lakes, June 2026
This is an excellent walking holiday for experienced walkers looking to explore this area of the Pyrenees. The mountains and views are amazing. The walks were all different and highlighted the beauty of the area and made the most of the stunning views. Jill and Pete are excellent guides and looked after everyone in the group and ensured we all had a great holiday experience.
More Pyrenees Magic, June 2026
The guided walking was fantastic Had a fantastic time seeing such beautiful scenery and flora. The guides were very attentive and helped to make the whole holiday a wonderful experience!
Slovenia’s Splendid Mountains, gorges and Lakes, June 2026
Walking in the beautiful Pyrenees on this holiday was a truly wonderful experience. The variety of walks ensured we were able to see as much of this beautiful place as possible with a good balance of distance and elevation too. Our guides, Jill and Pete couldn’t have done more for us and were so enthusiastic about sharing this special place; it was infectious! The group was terrific too, all getting along brilliantly on the trail and socialising afterwards together as well. All in all, far exceeding expectations
More Pyrenees Magic, June 2026
A very enjoyable holiday with first class accomodation in a beautiful setting. The walks were excellent with enough climbs for superb views without going to the highest peaks. Nice size groups for being sociable.
Magnificent fells, lakes and valleys around Borrowdale, June 2026
Simon and Nina are wonderful guides! So knowledgeable, they were both highly engaging, and highly engaged. I loved learning about local history, flora and fauna. Loved every minute of my Gower adventure.
Gower’s Glorious Coast and Moors , June 2026
This holiday hit the mark for me as with our guide, Tina codling, she knew the area as it is like her back yard. In the five days of walking we bagged 4 Wainwrights, which is no mean feat but that was down to the excellence and knowledge of our guide. The walks were varied and challenging and at a great pace. Tina’s knowledge of all things Lake District can’t be under estimated. We learnt about local flora and fauna, history of the mining and he navigational skills were outstanding.
Magnificent fells, lakes and Valleys around Borrowdale, June 2026
The holiday was well organised. A thoroughly enjoyable walking weekend in a lovely part of the world. Ing, our guide, was very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended
Majestic Malvern Hills, June 2026
Great walks with fantastic views. I even had my own personal guide for three of them. Great holiday with fantastic walks, food, people and views. This was my first visit to the Pyrenees but it won’t be my last
Pyrenees, May 2026
A very enjoyable week in a great walking area. The group was a nice size and everyone got on so well together with the leaders providing lots of local history and information to make it fun and interesting.
Tina was warm and welcoming. She discovered I had a bit of a fear of heights and any time I felt a bit worried she appeared unbidden at my side to guide/help me. She was extremely knowledgeable about the area which – for a first time visitor – was wonderful.
Magnificent fells, lakes and valleys around Borrowdale, June 2026
I liked the size of the group. Enjoyed walking somewhere never been before Thought Simon and Nina were great guides. Lovely holiday
Gower’s glorious Coast and Moors, June 2026
Tina was brilliant. Best guide I’ve ever had. Caring and knowledgeable and adapted walks to the weather and needs of the group. Secret Hills is a lovely small group walking holiday company with a very personal touch. Now I’ve found them I’ll keep returning.
Guides very helpful and chatty. Helped to encourage group to bond. It was pleasant that the guides seemed to be enjoying themselves too. Very well organised with lunch stops timed to perfection If you like a not too strenuous guided walking trip with unique scenery and plenty of interest to see on route, this is for you
Food was of a good standard. walks were great. The organisation was excellent. I really appreciate the personal touch and contact prior to the holiday and Tina’s consideration and efforts to make sure everything was perfect throughout the week. Secret Hills put personal effort into making sure their holidays run smoothly and everyone has everything they need. This is a company that truly cares about their customers.
Kelly and Janet are a dream team, so knowledgeable and so much fun and full of love for the area and what they are doing. It was great how they adapted the last walk so that we were out of the wind for most of the time but still had a great walk. The Isle of Purbeck is a great place to explore on foot with an incredible diversity in terms of history, geology, flora and fauna for such a relatively small area. All walks even if more inland have outstanding sea views and each walk had a different character.
Tina was an excellent walking guide. Very kind & helpful. Secret Hills is a friendly, caring company that wants us all to have a great experience
I remembered favourably the way the holiday was run in a very personal way. A great deal of attention given from start to finish Very good value and taste. Tina the guide was very knowledgeable and took great care of every member of the group. The holiday gives you a great insight into the area and the guide could not have been more supportive
This was my second trip with Secret Hills. The organization was first class and I like joining a small group where there is flexibility to change plans and find better weather for each days walking itinerary. Secret Hills is a the company to book with if you want to experience great walks and good company! Trips are organized seamlessly meaning you can enjoy your holiday, as everything and everyone’s needs are taken care of. Attention to detail is key in finding the best walks and the best restaurants to enjoy. Taking small group means there is flexibility to make changes due to weather conditions if necessary. I would highly recommend taking a trip with such a caring team! Thank you Alan
Thanks for a great holiday!
Very much enjoyed the guided walking. Tina was a great leader and the walks are very varied and interesting.
Excellent hotel room and friendly staff. There could have been more vegetarian choices but staff were flexible and made vegetable curry as requested and then had Nut roast Easter day which was appreciated.
(Helen is a repeat customer)
Easter in the Lake District, March 28th – April 1st 2024
Thank you for arranging such a wonderful holiday.
Guided walking – Yes, very much enjoyed. We were a small group with 2 walk leaders and we all seemed to get on very well, so it really did end up feeling like walking with a group of friends. The leaders were kind and patient, as well as friendly and interesting and were able to move the walks to take account of the different weather so we had the best experience each day. Hotel – Really lovely. The people who run the hotel and so kind and friendly, and had to make a very special effort for me as the only vegetarian in our group, and did it all with a smile. They really added to the whole holiday experience. The breakfasts were amazing . The evening meals were always home-cooked, and tasty and we had some authentically Spanish dishes that I’d never come across before. Yes I would reserve another holiday with Secret Hills. Yes I would recommend SH holidays to others, if their walking ability was about right. Jill and Pete (walk leders) were exceptional, and really gave 100% on this trip.
(Jane is a repeat customer)
Costa Blanca, March 28th – April 4th 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
Excellent holiday, good leadership, truly enjoyable.
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 is my 4th holiday with Secret Hills. A great hotel, good facilities, food excellent and staff very helpful. Couldn’t have been better, great walking and guides very knowledgeable of the area. Weather on the first day not helpful but alternative walk excellent.
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
…a good week in great company. Very well organised. Definitely enjoyed guided walking. Keep up the good work.
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
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
Guided walking excellent – Honorio (walk leader) was very knowledgeable and marshalled the group well. A really good experience – great walks and location, excellent guide and a friendly group of fellow walkers. Excellent organisation at every stage. Well done to everyone involved!
Madeira, February 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
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, February 2024
Dear Alan,
Just back from the walking trip in the Cotswolds.
It was a lovely trip. The leader, Tristan, was excellent and felt we were in safe hands. We were also lucky with the weather.
I’ll certainly book another trip.
Kind regards,
Susan Holding
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.
I very often talk to friends about my experience with Secret Hills.
Guided walking – Alan, Ing, Gail, Ian and John looked after us very well. Excellent organisation.
Thank you very much for a lovely holiday – I look forward to seeing you again in 2024.
Beat the Xmas Pud, December 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 Xmas Pud, December 27th – 30th 2023.
Hi Bev
This is my fourth holiday with Secret Hills.
Really enjoyed the Walking and I must give gold stars to both Jill and Pete (walk leaders) for being so friendly and very knowledgeable!
I am already recommending Secret Hills to friends.
Thanks for a great holiday.
Barry
La Palma, 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. 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.
Madeira, November 2023
Good organisation of holiday. Really enjoyed. Yes (would recommend and reserve again).
Madeira, November 2023.
Did you enjoy the guided walking?
Yes, especially the mountain walks. Great walks with nice people.
Would you reserve another holiday and would you recommend?
Yes to both.
Madeira, November 2023.
Hi Alan/Bev
Holiday was enjoyable as always and the walking/guiding was great.
Hotel was pleasant and breakfast/ packed lunch was good.
Reservation process and pre holiday information was good and already booked on another holiday
Thank you Anne Dawson
Madeira, November 2023.
Hi Bev,
I heard about Secret Hills via the advert in Ramblers magazine.
The Reservation and Pre Booking process was smooth.
The hotel and food was most enjoyable, and the staff very welcoming and friendly….i would recommend staying there.
The holiday was well organised and i would certainly recommend Secret Hills to friends.
A special mention for Bridget, our Walking Guide. She was absolutely brilliant. Very welcoming and friendly throughout. She led excellent varied Walks.
This was my first Solo holiday and I shall be looking to book again with Secret Hills.
Mark
Sea to Sky, October 2023
It was great and I will definitely recommend Secret Hills to my friends and will return to visit other areas with you.
The guided walks were fantastic. Alison had gone to a lot of trouble to plan routes that were interesting and varied. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the area and able to share her passion with us. She is also good at judging when to just let us enjoy the experience for ourselves, which I think is important too when you are in such a wonderful place. It was a joy to be able to walk in this beautiful area of England with such a lovely group of people. The organisation was seamless, thank you.
South Downs, October 2023.
Dear Bev and Alan. I truly like Secret Hill’s concept. An introductory walk to meet our guide and group is an asset for all. The Fighting Cocks provided excellent food and staff. The accommodation was comfortable and suited my needs. But, overall, Bridget (walk leader) deserves high praise. Her instant relaxing approach to greeting us set the tone for the days ahead. Knowledgeable, great sense of humour and very much a team member. I would certainly recommend Secret Hills and will definitely book another holiday.
Best wishes Catriona
Sea to Sky, October 2023
The basic recipe for these Secret Hills Walking holidays works really well, if you have a good comfortable base, good friendly company, good well organised walks and supportive enthusiastic group leaders. This was certainly the case in the Alpujarras so the total holiday experience was very enjoyable. For me the walking was spot on as in parts it was challenging, the descents rather than ascents, but had plenty of relaxing stretches to interact with fellow walkers. Expertly guided as ever by Jill and Pete.
The hotel was very good, with comfortable rooms, good facilities and grounds.
Spain, Alpujarra’s October 2023.
Organisation of holiday excellent. I am looking forward to future holidays with you.
Wales, Lakes – October 2023.
So glad I made this booking, absolutely everything went superbly. Slovenia is a beautiful country with so many fabulous walking opportunities. The hotel does everything right, and then some. We were blessed with glorious weather; and the group were super bunch, we had so many laughs and so much fun. Thoroughly enjoyed the guided walking. Mika was an excellent guide, the walks were of a well thought variety, to showcase the beautiful Slovenian scenery.
Slovenia, September 2023
A very enjoyable holiday with a lovely group of people who got on right from the start. It was lovely to have people in the group from outside the UK.
The guided walking was excellent and varied. Our guide Miha was fun, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience very enjoyable. He constantly made sure we were okay. The walks were in varied terrain and challenged us without taking away the enjoyment.
The organisation was excellent from start to finish.
Slovenia, September 2023.
As usual I really enjoyed the holiday.
The Hotel Alcadima was lovely. The room was comfortable, very quiet, spacious with effective air conditioning and great shower.
The walking was very enjoyable. Jill and Pete (walk leaders) had compiled an interesting programme in an area of ‘secret’ hills.
All aspects of the holiday were taken care of. The visit to The Alhambra Palace on our non-walking day was a great added opportunity.
Spain, Alpujarra’s September 2023.
Can I say a massive thank you for the wonderfully well organised holiday we all had in Slovenia. I was bowled over by the beauty of the place, and your local knowledge and detailed briefs made it all a breeze. Miha (walk leader) was wonderful, with endless patience. In fact, all in all, I have never been so well looked after on any holiday. I will definitely be up for another one.
Slovenia, September 2023.
Hi Alan,
Jean Pollard here…I have just been on your Devon/ Dorset trip…. It was great to see you in person.I had a great time and the holiday was exactly as I had hoped it would be….it was an excellent ‘first holiday on my own’. To have my day already planned for me was such a treat and to be able to walk good distances on consecutive days was spot on. Peter (walk leader) was an excellent companion/guide and it was good to meet the rest of our group. The whole 5 days were so well organised ……all credit to your company. Later today, I will be looking to see where I can go next…with Secret Hills obviously!
Best wishes, Jean .
Dorset & Devon, October 2023
Great holiday, great scenery, great people! Guided walking: Excellent. Jill and Pete are fantastic guides, very informative and very good at communicating in advance both route options and lunch arrangements. Excellent hotel, it was everything I was promised in the holiday info. Yes I would reserve again and recommend to others.
Spain, Alpujarra’s October 2023.
was an amazing leader, planning the route according to everyone’s ability. The weather wasn’t great but to have a positive energetic leader encouraged us all…the company of the group and leaders made it a hugely enjoyable holiday. Hotel was great…food was great…amazing jacuzzi. The organisation was great. I would reserve another holiday.
Guided walking holiday: I very much enjoyed it, the guides were excellent, well organised and made the walks interesting with historical and nature facts along the way. The group was about the right size. It was very well organised. The guides went out of their way to be helpful, including giving me a lift to the pub on my final day to make
A first rate break Alan! Thanks so much. Hotel very good. Excellent food and good local beers. Guided walking was brilliant! All your guides and the walking routes were first rate. The Shropshire Hills is a great area. my return journey easier, which was much appreciated.
service. Extremely well organised. The hotel was very good, absolutely nothing adverse to report. The walking in Madeira was superb and offered great variety with wonderful views. Roberto and Miguel were first class guides. A thoroughly enjoyable holiday, Madeira is an excellent walking destination. Another most enjoyable holiday, Alan, Well done and thanks.
Did you enjoy the guided walking?
Yes, especially the mountain walks. Great walks with nice people.
Would you reserve another holiday and would you recommend?
Yes to both.
Madeira, November 2023.
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