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.
The Lake District is England’s only true mountain area. It has the most beautiful scenery in the land, with its bewitching mix of rugged mountains, deep gylls, shimmering lakes, bouncing waterfalls and attractive stone-built villages. Our solos guided walking holiday introduces you to this spectacular countryside.
Our unique speciality is providing guided walking holidays for singles and solos in the UK and Europe. We choose only the most stunning locations. We also design bespoke holidays for special groups.
We stay at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks Hotel Arnside – right on the water’s edge.
Famed for hosting groups, good , wholesome food and caring staff, the hotel compliments our walking programme. It has 22 bedrooms and offers our clients a friendly welcome.
Breakfast and evening dinner are taken at the hotel. We lunch in one of the local hostelries in the area or, depending on the walk, we will sometimes have a packed lunch.
We offer you the opportunity to stay additional nights, and many people extend their weekend as they wish. Just reserve what nights you need.
There are other walking holiday companies that cover the countryside but we believe we offer the best value for many reasons….
By rail – Arnside lies on the rail line from Lancaster to Barrow with regular services. The hotel is a short walk from the station.
By car- we will send you exact details – but for SatNavs use LA11 7HH.
Walking starts on Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm with a local walk to get to know each other, your leaders and the local area. We then walk on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday finishing around lunchtime.
Where necessary, we will use transport to get to the start of walks, but this will not involve more than 12 miles travel.
We walk between 9 and 10 miles per day. We walk at a steady pace, we don’t rush. We want you to enjoy our lovely scenery – these hills and valleys are a walkers paradise with good paths and an ever changing landscape.
There are hills to ascend – we go up to a maximum of 200 metres over two miles of walking, but the climbing is gradual and we won’t rush. 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.
Paths on this Lake District holiday – “From Sea to Sky ” – are mostly well marked and walked but can be rough and uneven with stony parts in places. These we take carefully, bearing in mind your safety at all times.
You need good walking footwear, preferably waterproof walking boots with good soles for protection.
Whilst we do not climb the high fells- we will ascend up to a height of max 200 metres in any one walk. So, there will be some short, sharp ascents and descents.
We will organise walks from the following choices…
Hempsfell – a lovely 5 mile walk from the hotel starting at 2.00pm.
Cartmel and the Ellerside Ridge
Walk from Grange to Cartmel, part of the way on the Cistercian Way. Cartmel is an historic village with an ancient priory, as well as being the home of sticky toffee pudding and a race course. The walk takes us through woodland and undulating fells with fabulous views of Morecambe bay 11 miles.
Whitbarrow Scar and the Witherslack Valley (10.5 miles)
This walk takes us up the escarpment of Whitbarrow Scar, through the Winster valley and rolling woodlands of Yewbarrow. A perfect example of the pretty South Lakeland Limestone Fringe.
Arnside and Silverdale (Between 7 and 10 miles)
A six minute train ride to Arnside opens up a variety of options, depending on the tides. We may walk along the shoreline or over Arnside Knott, all within an AONB. There is a variety of bird life from Greylag Geese to cormorants. The limestone is a wild flower haven. We may visit the Leighton Moss nature reserve where this the option of returning back to Grange by train. There are cafes and refreshments in Arnside, Silverdale and Leighton Moss.
West and North
Staveley in Cartmel woodland walks taking in Simpson Ground Reservoir and the iconic Gummers How view point.
South
Heathland and woodland walks taking in the pretty tarns of the area. There is an option to walk to Haverthwaite and return by the steam railway
Humphry Head – Morning
A perfect end. A stroll along the Grange promenade to Kents Bank. We then walk along the shore to Humphry Head. Humphry Head is reported to be where the last wolf in England was killed. It’s a narrow rocky outcrop of limestone with fabulous views across the bay. Return by the same route.
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.
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…
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.
We stay at Arnside. This former fishing port has retained many of the features from its past. The beautiful pier and port areas of the town offer stunning views across Morecambe Bay as well as providing an enduring reminder of Arnside’s illustrious history.
Arnside and Silverdale– this extraordinary place is famous for its amazing wildlife, stunning scenery, and superb walks. From the simple beauty of the lady’s-slipper orchid to the shining sands of Morecambe Bay, the area is simply awe-inspiring. Stunning limestone pavements, ancient woodlands, orchards and meadows and an impressive coastline make Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty one of England’s finest landscapes. The work of the AONB Partnership aims to conserve and enhance this extraordinary place now and for the future.
Arnside Knott– is renowned for its wildlife. Take a circular walk to admire views of the surrounding countryside and enjoy the sights and sounds along the way. The peaks of the Lakeland Fells and the Yorkshire Dales are all visible from the high viewpoints so you can see down into Lancashire and right out over the sands of Morecambe Bay. Sit and enjoy the view with a picnic or carry on along the many different paths which take you down to Red Hills Wood or Heathwaite.
Close by are the fells above Newby Bridge and south Windermere – just a short drive to wonderful walking such as Gummers How.
Guided walking very good. Organisation – Excellent. Alvina’s (walk leader) extensive knowledge of the area was a real bonus.
The hotel was good. I had a room in the converted barn which was very nice. The owners and their team were friendly and helpful, and any issues were rectified quickly.
Guide Alvina, superb, what a lovely person and felt completely safe walking with her and relying on her skills to give us a very memorable holiday. Really enjoyed her company and a shining example of the standards that the company puts in place by giving customers first class guides. I also met Jill, who had exactly the same attitude and skills as Alvina,
I hoping to re book at some point. Many thanks
Hotel was comfortable and my room being a twin was very good. The manager, was excellent with great humour and helpful. Guided walking, Excellent even with exceptional weather! Organisation of holiday; Still impressed under current circumstances. Really like the personnel service and smaller groups.
Hi Alan, I totally enjoyed my trip. The walks were great and well arranged. The hotel was lovely and inviting, very well run and the food superb…pockets of us did sit in the garden or one of the lounges and have an hour together, this was fine with the Hotel Manageress. Thanks Lorraine