01694 723600 info@secrethillswalking.co.uk

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From£680

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1921

West Yorkshire – big skies and incredible scenery. Our solos guided walking holiday takes in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire.

West Yorkshire’s rugged Pennine hills and tranquil valleys of Calderdale – This part of Yorkshire has something for every type of hiker, stunning natural scenery ranging from wild uplands to hidden valleys, a wealth of cultural history, quaint villages and icons of literature.

Few places offer this blend of beauty and history in such a small place. Enjoy stunning countryside and waterways, amazing architecture, an abundance of great, independent shops and fantastic food and drink.

Unlike other walking holiday companies, we uniquely specialise in guided walking holidays for solos and singles – in magnificent locations in both the UK and Europe. We have an extra speciality in that we also design bespoke holidays for special groups.

Four and a half days
Refund guarantee
Expert Tour Guides
Four Nights
Location: Yorkshire

What you get on a Secret Hills Break

Hotel bed and breakfast– en suite four nights
Lunch- except first day
Sole Occupancy
Personal service
Expert guiding- friendly, local guides that know the area superbly well
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
Not included – evening dinner- we arrange a restaurant every night and the cost of the choice and cost of your evening meal is yours.

Hotel and Meals

We stay at the New Hobbit Hotel, overlooking, Sowerby Bridge – on a high moor above a lovely valley.

We use both local minibus transport and the local train network to get us to Hebden Bridge and Haworth for some of the finest walking in West Yorkshire.

Our accommodation is the New Hobbit Hotel,

The hotel does provide an evening meal but we have not included evening meal in your holiday tariff, though we mainly eat at the hotel. So you pay for your own choice of evening meal.

We may however go out together to local restaurants where you can choose individually, or you are free to go your own way if you prefer. An option we may use is eating dinner at the end of a couple of walks, once in Hebden Bridge, and once in the beautiful village of Howarth, in the past these options have been warmly received.

We offer you the opportunity to stay additional nights, and many people extend their holiday as they wish. Just reserve what nights you need.

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

Junction 24 on the M62

Take A629 for Halifax, then A646 for Hebden Bridge.

Sowerby Bridge is signed from this road.

We will send you good directions with your joining details to the hotel from the village.

Itinerary

Our first walk is on Monday afternoon starting at 2.30pm with a 3.5 mile “get to know you “walk. If you cannot make that walk, then we meet in the evening at 7.00pm, for dinner and a discussion on what we are doing during the week ahead.

Solos and Singles Guided Walking in West Yorkshire

We will then have a 8-10 mile walk with a pub or packed lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, finishing walking at approximately 4.00 – 4.30pm each day. We walk steadily as there is too much to see to rush about, and we generally walk a circular route. Some of the walks will end in Hebden Bridge, and you’re then free to stay and indulge at one of the local hostelries, or jump on the train back to Halifax and the hotel. The Howarth walk is the only linear walk, and we will using a minibus to return to Halifax.

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.

Grades and Difficulty

This is hilly country so a good degree of walking fitness is required – we grade the holiday as moderate walking, but you need to be capable of ascending and descending around 350 metres each day, and sometimes twice a day. Footpaths are well marked, some stony and across the moors they can be boggy. Good, waterproof footwear is absolutely needed.

Sample Walks

Mytholmroyd, Crag Vale, Pennine Way and Hebden Bridge

A day walk beginning at the village of Mytholmroyd and rising up along Crag Vale and up onto Bellhouse Moor for views across the Calder Valley towards Howarth. We join the Pennine Way for a short distance, passing over Erringden Moor and down to join the Rochdale Canal for a short stretch before arriving in Hebden Bridge. You will be free to spend an hour or so in Hebden and then catch the train back to Halifax in time for dinner. Moderate grade with some climbing on good paths – 9 miles

Luddendon, Midgley Moor and Hebden Bridge

A day walk beginning in the village of Mytholmroyd where we follow the Rochdale Canal before taking an old Pack Horse trail up to the villages of Midgley and historic Luddenden where Bramwell Bronte sank a few pints. From Luddenden we head for Luddenden Dean for lunch in the isolated community of Wainstalls. Then it’s over Midgely Moor and views over to Stoodley Pike, Hebden Bridge and beyond. We take the train back from Hebden Bridge although you’ll have time to spend in the town if you wish. Moderate grade with some climbing on good paths – 9 miles

Hebden Bridge, Calder Aire Link, Howarth Moor and Howarth

A day walk from Hebden Bridge to the Bronte Village of Howarth. We rise out of Hebden following the Calder Aire Link which is an old Pack Horse Trail. We pass the National Trust property of Hardcastle Crags then rise up onto Shackleton Moor and onwards to pass close to Top Withens which is said to be the inspiration for Heathcliff’s moor top home in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. Then we cross Howarth Moor and past the Bronte Parsonage to arrive in the Bronte village of Howarth. Here you will have roughly an hour to taken in some of the delights of this wonderful village. We will take a minibus directly back to Halifax and the hotel. Moderate grade with a little climbing on good paths – 10 miles.

Hebden Bridge, Erringden Moor, Stoodley Pike, and Crag Vale

A day walk from Hebden Bridge and climbing up to Erringden Moor and onto the Pennine Way before climbing up to Stoodley Pike. A short break so we can add some more elevation by climbing the stairs of the Pike to take in the views across the Calder Valley towards Howarth and beyond. Then we head to Withens Gate for the drop down to Withens Clough Reservoir and onwards to our lunch stop at Crag Vale. After lunch a beautiful stretch through an enchanting Beech forest to Mytholmoryd and our train back to Halifax. Moderate grade with a little climbing on good paths – 9.5 miles.

Location

The area we walk is known as Calderdale and is a beautiful part of West Yorkshire and the lungs of big conurbations such as Leeds and Bradford.

Known as the ‘The Pennine Centre’, Hebden Bridge takes its name from the packhorse bridge over Hebden Water. The town developed in late medieval times as a river-crossing and meeting point of packhorse routes from Halifax to Heptonstall, Burnley and Rochdale. Textiles have been important in the Upper Calder Valley for centuries, but it was not until mechanisation and steam power were introduced from the late 18th century that Hebden Bridge began to grow significantly

The arrival of the canal and railway attracted industry to the valley bottoms, but with limited flat land and a growing army of textile workers, dwellings were ingeniously built on the valley sides, giving the town its characteristic ‘double-decker’ housing.

Hebden Bridge has seen great change in recent years. Traditional industries are no longer a major force, but buildings have been stone-cleaned and revitalised, the Rochdale Canal has been restored, and the locality has become a desirable place to live and visit. And a centre for creativity.

Wander the creative, bohemian streets of Hebden Bridge, and you can feel the influence of the writers and artists who flocked to the village around the 70s and 80s. From artisan shops and inspiring galleries to organic pavement cafés and charming picture houses, the village is justifiably proud of its artistic identity. Just a few minutes away you will find pretty wooded valleys and picturesque heather moorland.

Calderdale is a special part of Yorkshire. Few places offer this blend of beauty and history in such a small place. Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Ripponden and Todmorden are vibrant market towns in the beautiful borough of Calderdale. Enjoy stunning countryside and waterways, amazing architecture, an abundance of great, independent shops, adrenalin sports, fantastic food and drink,

Right next to the hotel is Piece Hall- the former wool exchange in Halifax- wonderful architecture and a smashing large open space with specialist shops and lovely cafes and bars. You must visit whilst you are here – and just 50 metres away.

Photos

Solos and Singles Guided walking in West Yorkshire

Solos and Singles Guided walking in Hebden Bridge

Reviews

11 Reviews

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Matthew Wincott

Solo Traveller

The New Hobbit was very good with a nice room, friendly staff and excellent breakfast.
Guided walking – Keith (walk leader) is an utter jewel in your crown and cares so much. I got on with Keith really well and he was top quality company.

July 22, 2023

Nicky

Solo Traveller

Did you enjoy guided walking? Very much. Excellent leaders, varied walks, lovely countryside. How well did we do organising your walking Holiday? Very well indeed. Would you reserve another holiday with Secret Hills Walking? Yes!

September 29, 2022

Janet Coates

Solo Traveller

The walks were very well organised and gave a good introduction to the area. It was interesting to see how quickly you could get away from the busy valleys to quieter areas with lovely scenery and some far-reaching views. The walks were well-led by Keith, assisted by James and we were kept well-entertained by their anecdotes. Keith was adept at adjusting routes to accommodate the abilities of the clients.
The organisation was good, both behind the scenes and in terms of the variety of walks. The use of the mini-bus at start and end of walks was much appreciated and I enjoyed the opportunity to eat out a couple of evenings.
I’m already looking forward to my next Secret Hills holiday.

September 9, 2022

Susan Gudgeon

Solo Traveller

I very much enjoyed the guided walking experience. Keith is a wonderful walking guide who I have walked with previously. He is knowledgeable and tailors the walk and the pace for the group. James was also a great walking leader who, like Keith, was both knowledgeable and entertaining. I hope to walk with them both again.
The holidays are always very well organised.
I will certainly be looking to book another Secret Hill Walking holiday.

September 4, 2022

Sandy Baker

Solo Traveller

Dear Alan
Thank you for another great holiday.
You are right the Shropshire hills are glorious.
Thank your leaders. Darren, Helene,
Ing and Graham for all their help and
local knowledge
Regards Sandy

September 4, 2022

West Yorkshire’s Stunning moors and the Tranquil Calder Valley

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