Beat the Xmas Pud
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Why Book With Us?
- Value for Money
- Personal Service
- Hand-picked Tours & Activities
- No single supplement (UK only)
- Flights from local airports (Europe only)
Make an Enquiry
Do not hesitate to contact us. We are an expert team and we are always happy to talk to you.
01694 723600

You matter to us & we promise to provide you with a superb walking & social holiday, tailored specifically to your needs. We provide walking holidays for walkers & as walkers ourselves, we appreciate & understand the requirements of a walking holiday.
Want to get away from Christmas blues and meet like-minded solos on a superb guided walking experience? Then this is the holiday for you. Forget the stresses of the season and join us in a small, friendly and relaxed group. Meet new people and make long-lasting friends.
This holiday based in the Shropshire Hills and Ironbridge Gorge simply is the antidote to your Christmas Blues- getting away into lovely countryside between Christmas and New Year. We walk for the first afternoon, then three more days.
Walking is moderate, some ascending and descending – and you should be walking fit.
We pride ourselves on how we create a social feel- so join us on this sociable active holiday where we meet as strangers and depart as friends.
We organise everything for you – from the minute you arrive at the hotel. We stay at the four star Park House Hotel, just off the M54 motorway, in the Shropshire market town of Shifnal.
Join us on this sociable active holiday where we meet as strangers and depart as friends
Solos and Singles Guided Walking is our unique speciality – unlike other walking holiday companies. We specialise in offering guided walking holidays for solos and singles in beautiful locations in both the UK and Europe. We have an extra speciality in that we also design bespoke holidays for special groups.
- Three and a half days
- Refund guarantee
- Expert Tour Guides
- Three nights
Location: Shropshire Hills
What you get on a Secret Hills Guided Walking Break for Singles
- Hotel bed and breakfast– en suite three nights
- Dinner- three course.
- Lunch- except first day
- Sole Occupancy- this is a singles guided walking holiday
- Personal service
- Expert guiding- friendly, local guides that know the area superbly well
- Four guided walks
- Transport to walks start and finish as needed
- Flexibility
- No single supplement
- A social, relaxed approach
- Full joining details prior to your holiday
- Our administration support from the point of booking to you joining the holiday
Hotel and Meals
Accommodation is single en suite rooms – no sharing. We stay at the Park House Hotel in Shifnal, which is a country house hotel set in a superb setting. The hotel has a bar, and two lounges and is just 1 mile from the M54 motorway at Junction 4- close to Telford and 13 miles from Shrewsbury.
Three nights- 27/28/29 December.
Dinner
is three course plus coffee and breakfast is buffet style – both in the hotels main restaurant. Dress code is smart casual.
Lunch
We have lunch at one of Shropshire’s lovely country pubs
Your walk leaders will make this weekend break relaxing and the wonderful walking will stimulate your enthusiasm for the wide outdoors.
Great reasons to join us
There are other walking holiday companies that cover the countryside but we believe we offer the best value for many reasons….
- We specialise in organising guided walking holidays for singles and solo travellers
- We are a small friendly company
- We have a loyal customer base who return again and again (so we must be doing something right) – read our testimonials page on the website
- We offer a lot of flexibility – you can stay extra nights which we are happy to organise for you. We are also very flexible on the walks we provide, adapting to suit walkers and weather conditions
- Our walk leading is second to none. Unlike some other large Walking Companies, we use LOCAL leaders who live in the area and who love their surroundings. They have expert knowledge of everything you need to know to make an area come alive.
- You are safe in our hands – our guides are experts, fully qualified in first aid. Also, because of their local knowledge of the hills, they can respond to any situation that might for example demand cutting short a route. They don’t need to consult maps – they know the hills intimately.
- Our leaders are all easy-going, genuinely sociable people who want to ensure that you have the best time you can with the rest of the group. They make the weekend fun by engaging with all members of a group, and ensuring that everyone feels part of the group experience.
- We give great value for money. Because we recognise that lots of walkers holiday on their own, we have negotiated no single supplement deals with all our hotels to ensure the best possible deal.
- We always use good hotels.
- We have smaller groups than some of the larger walking companies, because we believe the social experience is much better in a smaller group. People can talk to everyone, especially at dinner where you can all sit on one table in a small group. Our numbers vary from holiday to holiday but an average group size would be 8-12.
Directions
Getting to our destination
By train – Shifnal – is the nearest station, some 300 metres away. Contact us for a transfer to hotel from the station . See www.nationalrail.co.uk
By car – the post code for your Sat Nav is TF11 9BA
Full detailed journey instruction will be sent with your Joining Details prior to the holiday.
Itinerary
Our alternative to Christmas Blues
In between Christmas and New Year – a social walking break in Shropshire’s glorious hill country.
A perfect antidote for those post Christmas blues, designed as the alternative to shopping, endless TV, visiting relatives and the boredom that Christmas can sometimes bring. Just relax, bring your sense of fun, and go away refreshed in time for your New Year celebrations.
Relax and enjoy the antidote to Christmas with us.

The programme starts on the afternoon of December 27 (with a two hour “get to know you walk” ) – the whole programme being three nights and three and half days walking,
December 28th Full days walk – in the Shropshire Hills- from Church Stretton
December 29th Full days walk- in the Ironbridge Gorge- World Heritage site, Ironbridge
December 30th finishes at 1.30pm with buffet lunch – a lovely 6.5 miles walk in the Worle Valley near the hotel, covering Lodge Hill, Evenlith Mill, King Charles coppice walk.
Check out on the morning prior to the walk.
Grades and Difficulty
We walk between 8 and 9 miles per day. We walk at a steady pace, we don’t rush. We want you to enjoy our lovely scenery – these hills are a walkers paradise with good paths and an ever changing landscape.
There are hills to ascend – we go up to a maximum of 500 metres over two miles of walking, but the climbing is gradual. What’s the point of huffing and puffing, being exhausted then not being able to enjoy this fabulous land? Descending is not precarious, and is gentle in relationship to many walking areas.
You need good walking footwear, preferably waterproof walking boots with good soles for protection. You may find that walking poles will aid your enjoyment of this land.
Exclusions
Although our leaders are well trained and experienced in dealing with different capabilities of our walking clients, if they have any concerns about any clients ability or suitability to undertake safely any walking activity we plan or they feel that participation of an individual may affect the groups safety and cohesion, then they have full permission to exclude that client from an activity.
They will try at all times to provide an alternative suggested activity, though this may involve the client in additional local cost.
We rarely have to enforce this above recommendation, but it is a sensible and necessary protection for the individual client, the group and the leaders.
Sample Walks
The following are examples of the walks we may do – dependent on weather, grade of walker etc.
Sample Walk One
A superb walk through Carding Mill Valley, ascending to the top of the Long Mynd at Pole Bank. Walking along the heather-clad ridge before descending down one of the many delightful valleys for our lunch stop at a local hostelry. In the afternoon, we ascend Ragleth Hill and walk along its ridgeline with superb views in all directions. We finally return to Church Stretton in time for a cuppa.
Sample Walk Two
Walk to the Batch at All Stretton, ascend the Longmynd hill to its summit at Polebank, and then walk into Cardingmill Valley via Motts Road and into Church Stretton for lunch. After lunch, walk the flanks of Ragleth Hill to the summit then return for transport back to the hotel.

Sample Walk Three
We travel to Ironbridge. Walk into Coalbrookdae]le and LoamHole Dingle. Across the old Madelely colliery site and descend form the Rotunda viewing point to the valley for lunch. SAfter lunch, walk over the Ironbridge, take the old rail line to Maws Craft centre and the Coalport china area before returning through Lloyds Coppice to the Ironbridge Museum of the Gorge for transport back to the hotel
Sample Walk Four
From the hotel ,take Park road, over Lodge Hill into the valley of the Worle river, Follow this past Evenlith Mill and to Kemberton Mill and Ryton returning across fields back to Lodge Hill area and the hotel
Just arrive and enjoy.
Meet New Friends
Its all about meeting new friends. Each holiday is designed to be a friendly, relaxed and stress free occasion. Talking is as important as walking on Secrethills Walking Holidays. We don’t go in for discos, we may use an event that is taking place in the area we are in to boost the weekends activities – but its good, old fashioned chat that makes our short breaks successful.
“Make new friends that turn into old friends” – that’s our motto.
You might be surprised by what fun you’ll have with people who are older or younger than you during a holiday with us, and that’s exactly the sort of atmosphere we encourage; people find it very rewarding. It doesn’t matter what your reasons for traveling with us are, we’ve had people who are single, divorced or widowed, people who have partners that are unable to travel, and people who can’t holiday with their friends anymore as they’ve all got married themselves. There are people who want to make friends, see sights, and experience something completely new. Whatever your reason, we’ll welcome you with open arms and our friendly hosts will help you to get the most out of your holiday.
Don’t worry if this is the first time you have ventured to join a group holiday – its always a bit daunting – but we will look after you and ensure that you get used to being amongst friends again. Trust us to to get you back into the swing of things.
Oh – by the way – its not a dating agency – over the years we have had people meet and fall in love – but that’s just chance. Our aim is that you make like minded friends – just relax and enjoy.
Just arrive and enjoy.
How to Book
To reserve a place on any of our holidays, please follow these simple instructions.
Reserve online – once you have chosen your holiday, click on Proceed Booking and complete the online form. If you have difficulty reserving online, please contact us (tel: 01694 723600, email: info@secrethillswalking.co.uk) and we will assist you to complete your booking.
Payment
Please note we cannot take credit/debit card details over the phone. You may pay by the following methods when you book online…
- Paypal – if you have a Paypal account, simply click on the link to the Paypal website.
- Credit / Debit card – we use Paypal to host our credit/debit cards facility because it is a very secure system. So if you want to pay with a card, simply click on this option which will take you to our page on the PayPal website. Check in there as a “Guest” to enable your card payment. You do not need to have a Paypal account for this transaction.
- We will also accept a Bank Transfer – you will find our account details on the booking form.
- Finally, we will also accept a cheque payable to Secret Hills Walking Holidays and sent to: Secret Hills Walking Holidays, 35 Sandford Avenue, Church Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6BH
Please note than an initial deposit is required with each booking regardless of which payment method you choose. Your booking will be accepted when your payment (deposit or full balance) is received. Note – if you are reserving a holiday within a month of the start date then the full amount is due immediately and no deposit should be paid.
It is important that you read the terms and conditions before you sign the booking form.
Note – if you are reserving a holiday within a month of the start date then the full amount is due immediately and no deposit should be paid.
Location
The Shropshire Hills -A geological masterpiece – an area of Outstanding Natural beauty – an AONB- these hills are a walkers delight.
Rolling hills, but some interestingly magical summits, and lovely stream valleys that delve deep into the hills to provide excellent walking for the discerning walker. You will be enchanted by the magic of the Longmynd, the majesty of the Stiperstones ridge and the volcanic Stretton Hills with Caer Caradoc the flagship hill.

Added to this – the Severn Valley gorge, and Ironbridge – a world heritage site with plenty of walking and historical reminders of bygone industrial might.
Reviews
Mary Williams
Thank you very much for arranging the holiday to Shropshire.
I enjoyed the walk and company, both of the group members and the leaders.
Charles Abell
Did you enjoy the Guided walking experience? Excellent.
How well did we do organising your walking Holiday? Excellent.
Elaine Briggs
We were a lovely group of people which helped & all the walk leaders were fabulous. Nice hotel, warm & comfy.
Mark Ward
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
Guntis Rebane
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.















