Very well organised walk with our Guide Paul who was exceptional in every way. I honestly couldn't fault a thing and would definitely book another walk with Shephards
Great walk, amazing experience. Tour leader very skilled. Accomodation of high level. Very well organised. Definitely worth doing.
A fabulous guided holiday combining stunning scenery, particularly the Cheviots, with the history of St Cuthbert, ruined Abbeys and the magic of Holy Island.
Our guide Ray was excellent, a master storyteller who was so knowledgeable about his subject and a perfect host/guide for the week. The accommodation and food/drink during the week were also faultless.
Our 3rd guided trip with Shepperds Walks and another stunning success.
Thank you so much. Mark and Rachel
I enjoyed the holiday very much.
The only criticism I have is that the packed lunches are somewhat unimaginative and I have not always been able to get only half a sandwich.
Everything--our guide, Paul Freeman; the group members; the accommodations; the drivers; the logistics (with one exception, explained below); and the walk itself--were top notch.
I will recommend Shepherd's Walk without hesitation. The one exception: instructions regarding luggage. In the trip materials, we're told not to bring wheeled luggage. I think that my roommate and I were the only ones who did as we were told.
I bought a duffel bag that fit the size and weight restrictions. Everyone else had wheeled luggage. My bag was difficult to deal with at the airport and transitioning between transportation modes (I ended up dragging it on the ground, which wore holes in it--I should note that I have a broken wrist, which made matters more difficult), and because the bags were not placed in our rooms by the haulers, I had to get my duffel from reception to our rooms in accommodations mostly without lifts. The haulers did not seem to be concerned about the wheeled luggage, and I felt rather foolish dragging my "sausage" around.
My suggestions are to 1) dispense with the unenforced "requirement" that walkers not bring wheeled luggage; and 2) inform walkers that although the luggage is transported to accommodations, it is not placed in rooms and that most accommodations do not have lifts.
Shepherd Holidays did a great job for us. Everything went very smoothly and all the accommodation was great. It's a lovely walk with some great pubs along the way. Highly recommended.
This was my first walking holiday, and I felt like I was in safe hands from the beginning.
The meeting in Newcastle gave us time to find out about each other as a group, and to meet Paul, our endlessly patient guide.
The accommodation was good to excellent (Abbey Farmhouse B&B was the standout), and the food was of a great standard.
Paul deserves special mention for his knowledge, enthusiasm, calmness in a tricky situation and sense of humour (which he really needed with our group of 7 strong-willed and feisty women) which bonded us all.
The one thing I would highlight that would have improved the holiday, seems a small detail, but if the bags could have been taken to the rooms instead of us having to carry them up after a punishing days walking, it would have been a 10/10 from me.
Generally a well designed and organised walking holiday.
Easy to follow guide and notes. The second day was easily the most demanding- staying at Buckden added an extra 40 minutes to the start of a very long day.
The ground on the high fells was boggier than anticipated - reliable waterproof boots are essential.
All accommodation was a good standard, the Station Inn and the Black bull were particularly nice.
Overall a memorable and enjoyable experience.
Weather could have been better. - then 8/10!
A really nice walk, helped by mainly dry weather.
As always, expertly organised by Shepherds Walks.
Special thanks to Jane who retrieved my waterproof when I left it in a hotel and for chasing up our luggage, so that we could get dry clothes, when we were drenched in a sudden downpour on the grouse moors.
We had a great time. Great accommodation with the exception of night 2. Room was musty, temperamental shower and no TV, however Monday Pie Night there was fantastic.
We enjoyed the 4 day walk, very varied and quite challenging as there isn't a single Heriots Way sign.
We opted for the 'low route' on day 3 from Keld to Reeth as it poured with rain and was misty higher up. A lovely route however the downloaded route goes wrong after Gunnerside.
You climb out of the village and look for a turning right, it doesn't exist, as confirmed later by several other walkers.
We just followed Coast to Coast signs as it went to Reeth and was well marked.
We were really pleased with Shepherds Walks form the first enquiry right up to the moment we were delivered back to Berwick Station. All of our accommodation was what we expected and the courier service was brilliant. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip!
We had a great time. Hosts and accommodation and taxi service was good as was weather.
The main disappointment was the Hilton reception staff who provided poor service.
Firstly they struggled to understand the concept of 4 of us booking in through you on both Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 19th Aug. On 19th they claimed Sue Pemberton was not booked in. Eventually they found booking in name of Mark Thebridge my son who was with us, which confused us as booking was in my name. They also struggled with car parking for a week being covered by what we paid you. On the previous day 19th Aug the reception staff were clear we did not need to reserve a table for dinner and Stella was told we could come down whenever we liked. When we went down there were no tables in restaurant or the bar area and dining staff struggled to find us a table but were helpful and did sort us. And on 20th Aug when Philip joined us they did not seem to think it necessary for him to register, but we assume for fire regs they ought to know who was staying.
The paperwork was good, we expected some narrative re maps to make sure we went right way and sometimes the signage was poor.
We went the wrong way only once.
The shed at Sewing Shield Crag was amazingly good. The walk was a lovely experience and we met some interesting fellow travellers both going our way and the opposite direction.
Loved the new maps - instructions overlaid on the maps themselves. Good hotels and excellent taxi firms. Great suggestion to have a day of rest built into the itinerary.
As previously emailed - a lovely walk. Organisation was excellent, info and naps very useful, and everything worked well. Accommodation was fine. Particularly liked B&B in Lanchester.
From the very start, when enquiring about the holiday, the service was excellent!
All our questions answered and promptly.
The welcome pack which we received a few weeks before our trip was very informative and gave us everything we needed to know.
The holiday itself was perfect!
Lovely and clean accommodation with friendly staff especially at The Hope and Anchor at Alnmouth.
The taxi services were also friendly and prompt and being in touch before pick up put our mind at rest.
Of course, finally the walks were beautiful, simple routes following the coastal paths and were certainly enjoyed by all and certainly by the dog!
Thank you for an excellent holiday from start to finish.
Weather was perfect for walking though too dry for the farmers!
All accommodation was of a good quality and owners were friendly and helpful.
Taxis, where required, were efficient and flexible to changes in times. Notes were adequate and supported Cicerone guidebook / OS maps.
Although notes included current diversions, they could have contained a more current detail, such as warning that ~10kms descent to Garrigill from Greg's Hut (below Cross Fell) has been recently relaid with loose cobble/large pebble gravel and is very hard on the ankles and knees.
We found Mid Section more varied and interesting than South Section, which we completed last year.
Thoroughly enjoyable 5-day holiday, walking from Bowness to Heddon on the Wall.
Well organised and good accommodation. Luggage transfer always worked and bags were waiting for us on arrival.
Just some observations:
1. Carlisle - good accommodation and surprisingly good food. Recommend to eat there which is useful as options for eating in Carlisle were limited on the Monday when we were there on our first night.
2. Taxi driver arrived early and was very friendly taking us to the start at Bowness. However, dropped us off slightly away from the start and had to be guided by a local B&B owner to the start. Only a minor issue as actually quite close to the start but on other walks may be an issue so drivers should know precisely where the start is.
3. Following night - very good accommodation and experience for us. Not everyone may like the communal meals but we were lucky with the other guests. Just something potential guests should be aware of in case this would be an issue.
4. Third day walk Lanercost to Once Brewed I found quite hard. i'm reasonably fit albeit not an experienced long distance walker but the section from Walltown through Cawfields Quarry to the finish at Steelrigg was challenging, especially with it being the last part of the day.
Lot of up and down walking and slow progress made. Also ended up doing nearer 18 miles rather than the 14 miles stated.
Partly this was because we had a short diversion to see Poltross Burn Milecastle and went the wrong way near Walltown but that would only explain a mile or so of the difference.
I think partly its to do with the fact that with the route towards the end being so undulating, the actual progress is less than the distance covered.
Nothing Shepherd Walks can do about this and we still enjoyed the walk just ensure you do some preparation before you embark on the experience and understand it isn't all walking on the flat!
5. Good food and well looked after at Twice Brewed Pub. Room though small, with extractor fan right outside room window (though turned off not long after 9) i think that this was to do us booking quite late and therefore not many rooms being available but definitely poorest room of trip.
6. Taxi pick up at Heddon again early and friendly driver. My son left his walking polls in the car and the gentleman kindly delivered them to him at home which was very kind of him.
Overall very enjoyable holiday which was well organised and we would definitely use Shepherds Walks again for another walking trip.
May be along the coastal part of the Cleveland Way next time and possibly with less miles each day!
We found the walk interesting with its varied terrain and oozing with history.Accommodations were all of a good standard.We got lost a number of times,our fault, so in retrospect the GPS might have been handy.Thank you Shepherds walks holiday…we had a great time
Excellent holiday, trip itinerary provided excellent, service from Shepherds Walks excellent, accommodation and transfers excellent. I can’t praise the whole experience enough. Will definitely book a holiday with them again.
Fabulous week catching up with a friend from overseas while walking Hadrians Wall.
SWH made the trip easy taking care of planning, accommodation and logistics inc moving our luggage between accommodation stops. We did the 7 day tour (6 days walking).
I did the 6 day (5 day walking tour) with another friend in May. I preferred the 7 day tour - it split the best part of the walk into 3 days rather than 2 so there was more time to admire the scenery and take in some of the roman sites on the way.
Accommodation was overall good with some highs and lows....the County is Newcastle is OK but when it's warm there is no aircon and opening the window in the centre of Newcastle is not a great option. The team at the Cumbria Park Hotel in Carlisle are really great and the food is good too...the rooms are small though so when your case is open it's squeeze. The Abbey Farmhouse in Lanercost was the best room and the best nights sleep - the thick farmhouse wall kept the room at a good temperature. Charlotte is a colourful character. I found Charlotte v amusing but I'm not sure everyone would appreciate the experience. Twice Brewed Inn - OK, OK team, OK food and room v small and v hot....mine didn't have a fan and they had no spares. Battlesteads hotel was probably the best food of the week and the room was sensational - we arrived at Chesters in a thunderstorm so we ended up getting an Uber to the hotel as I could get an answer from them as to whether the could pick us up sooner. Final night was in Heddon Lodge in Heddon on the Wall Jackie (?) and Kevin were lovely and the room was great - I had the one with the private but not ensuite bathroom - it was great though as it had a full size bath! Room v small - it had a chest of drawers and to be honest for one night just space to open your case was more important.
Hope all that helps - really enjoyed the trip and I'd definitely use SWH again.
Beautiful path to walk and nice places to stay at the end of each day.
Most places have good vegetarian and also vegan food on the menu. There are stretches to climb but it was never to bad for a person with fear of heights, except maybe for the footbridge over the river Teviot, there I took a detour via the Old Ancrum bridge.
Cows with their calves can be problem when they are all over the path, we once climbed over a fence to the next (empty) field for safety. You need to protect yourself well against ticks and check yourself well, because in a lot of places you have to crawl long distances through densely growing vegetation.
But happily not one tick did bite us, thank you Saint Cuthbert.
We had one little problem with a room but that was quickly sorted out by Shepherds Walks. We were told that on average only about ten people a day walk St.Cuthberts Way, sometimes you meet the same walkers almost every day, and that can really give an extra.
Great trip with lovely scenery and breathtaking landscapes. The logistics worked well throughout the trip. Recommend for anyone who want an interesting daily walk with great scenery
A great walk with lots of variety. Interesting places, both historically and scenically.
The latter sections were fairly challenging due to the weather - very wet underfoot (we had some wet and very windy days) and some issues regarding signage (hidden in hedges, missing or very old!) OS maps app proved invaluable.
We also found the Dales Way by Colin Speakman very helpful.
The detailed route descriptions with additional points of interest were excellent.
Most days we found some excellent rest stops eg Addingham (Hamiltons cafe at the "camp site") , Bolton Abbey Cafe and the honesty refreshment stops on the section between Hubberholme to Ribblehead - Outershaw - The Old School House and Netherhall Farm Nature Barn which also has toilet, both very welcome.
The accommodation was great - a variety of typical Dales pubs, b&b's and hotels. All the hosts were very welcoming. We particularly liked Dent Stores, The Station at Ribblehead, Fountain Inn at Linton and The Angel in Bowness.
It was nice to have the bags delivered to the room at Stonecross Manor in Kendal and the young staff who carried bags for us at Linton, Ribblehead and Bowness. Great customer service.
The taxi pick-ups were excellent especially On time taxis and Merecabs. If we were to change anything we would have the taxi transfer between Ilkley and Bowness at the beginning and walk west to east (wind and rain behind you generally speaking) and do the most challenging section first. The Wheatley Hotel in Ilkley was a good place to leave the car but the first day ended up being over 16.5 miles when we included the distance from/to the accommodation.
It would be worth suggesting that walkers go up Stangs Lane rather than along the river and up through the campsite (The path which comes up from the river direct to New Inn at Appletreewick has signs saying no access) All other stops were actually on the route which was great.
Our group had a wonderful time on our walking holiday.
The Sheperds Walks team makes this pilgrimage so easy for us.
We are so appreciative of all of the information/resources provided, and for the consistent and clear communication throughout the booking process.
All of our questions were answered quickly and clearly.
Our group felt well prepared for the pilgrimage.
The trail itself is challenging yet beautiful.
The views were breathtaking, and walking across the sands over to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne is a spectacular way to end the pilgrimage. We hope to bring another group back in the future.
Very well organised and all went to plan.
A couple of minor comments would be that start from Bowness could have been a bit earlier in light of long walk distance ahead.
It would also have been nice to know accommodation a bit sooner to give peace of mind about distance away from route and daily walk distance.
Overall a great experience and good memories.
We (John and Rosemary) undertook the walk starting on 2 June and completing it on 11 June, which worked well for us in terms of daily distance and ascent (we are both of an age which makes us eligible for a bus pass).
We did the walk over 9 days and found that on the first four days we met people walking for a variety of reasons – the dog, the coastal footpath and on the Saturday a challenge event for both runners and walkers which made the path extremely busy (a pity we were not warned, especially as Shepherds Walks were sponsoring it).
The next 4 days were very quiet, and we met few if any people out and about. The final day along Hadrian’s Wall was very busy and it was raining. It is an interesting walk combining a glorious mix of coast, woods, forests and moorland.
The guidebook provided interesting facts about places along the way and was most informative.
For navigation, we used our own GPS on which John had loaded our daily routes while Rosemary made frequent reference to the Official guidebook, more for matters of interest than navigation.
Overall, signage is good but inevitably there are times when careful consideration of GPS, Guidebook and map are required.
We made little use of the provided Harvey Map, the scale of which we do not find helpful, 1:25,000 O.S. is much better.
All the pre-arranged taxi pick-ups and luggage transfers worked well, although a slightly later start from Berwick-upon-Tweed would be better.
Overnight accommodation arrangements all worked well, standards varied (as they inevitably do over the course of any long-distance walk) but there were several excellent venues, and hosts / staff were always friendly and helpful.
However, some of the bedrooms were very small for 2 people with little or no room for the suitcases. Drying wet outer clothing was also a challenge at times.
I was very disappointed with the room in the County Hotel, Hexham – too small, especially as we had paid £150 for an extra night. We met another couple, undertaking the same walk as us, on several occasions.
They had made arrangements using another well known company but listening to them, we felt generally that Shepherds Walks had secured us better located accommodation.
We found Shepherds Walks to be on time in sending out travel details and they were helpful in responding to telephone enquires when we had additional queries.
Consideration should be given to summarising some of the information sent to us and perhaps tailored to our holiday rather than just general notes about all the places we may or may not be staying at or visiting.
Well organised trip, good hotels and transfers. Luggage always arrived.
We really enjoyed the coastal paths and varied scenery on this trek. The B&B accommodation and food was, very good overall and our hosts were all very friendly. Probably the best trek so far. We were very lucky with the weather too - only one wet day.
This was my second walk with Shepherds Walks, a small company that is intimately involved with the design of their walks and looks after their walkers with care and concern.
I did the walk from north to south starting at the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Holy Island is a magical place particularly when the tide is full and the day trippers are all on the mainland, and I spent an extra day there to be able to explore the whole island, walking the peripheral coast trail along many all but deserted beaches and exploring Lindisfarne Castle and the famous Priory ruins.
The first half of the walk proceeded down the coast along miles of sandy beaches punctuated by rocky headlands and rarely out of sight of the next castle along the route. The coastal walking was much easier than other coastal walks I have done in that there were relatively few ups and downs due to the flatness of the coast. I would very much recommend spending an extra day at Seahouses to visit the wildlife preserve of the Farne Islands. I could have watched the puffins there for hours. Each of the castles had a distinctive character. Bamburgh is updated and relatively modernized, Dunstanburgh is an almost eerie ruin that could be a backdrop for a gothic horror movie, and Warkworth has a structurally nearly intact keep with a warren of stairs and passages that gave me a better feel for how it would feel to live there than any other medieval castle I have visited.
The second half of the route went inland, first to Rothbury (home of Shepherds Walks) and then south to Hadrians wall and Heavenfield where St Oswald invoked the Christian God and won a battle against a pagan king against overwhelming odds.
I am glad I spent an extra day at Rothbury as it gave me time for an extended visit to Cragside, the fascinating estate of one of the most successful Victorian entrepreneurs, Lord Armstrong. The walk south from Rothbury was the longest of the trip, climbing up to the open moorlands below Simonside and providing spectacular views from the Cheviots to the North Sea.
The accommodations were varied in style and ranged from small inns and hotels to family run bed and breakfasts, one of which was in the carefully restored Rectors house for the Earl Grey Estate.
Each provided a very real sense of place and were an important part of the whole experience.
I felt it was indeed a privilege to have experienced Northumbrian culture, history and landscape an intimate way by making this walk, and I thank Jon, Jane, and the rest of the Shepherds Walks team for providing me with the opportunity.
Excellent arrangements. Nice variation in the accommodation - all very good. Brilliant that they were all on or very near the route, especially the Castel Hotel in Berwick, right next to the rail station. Good to see all the golf clubs, except Bamburgh Castle, welcome walkers. We would add the coffee stop next to the cricket pitch in Bamburgh and "The Hut" just outside Bamburgh (great crab sandwiches) to your list of "watering holes." Can recommend for sure.
We were very happy overall with the transfer of our luggage and the accommodation on route. The accommodation in Ulverston and in Rosswaithe were particularly good. The only accommodation that was not satisfactory, was in Keswich where we had to stay two nights unfortunately. We were staying in a poky room with hardly any space to move. Also the breakfast was very sparse.
In general we had a very enjoyable trip. However, at New Dungeon Ghyll we could not obtain the bill for the evening meal in time before we left in the morning and the lunch packet was also not ready in time. In Keswick we had a much nicer room than Trudy and Patrick, whereas we both paid the same. And finally the distance of the walks was not always correct, the walks were generally longer than indicated. The transport of our luggage went fine. The meals at the different accomodations were good, but often expensive. We particularly liked our accomodation and meals in Rosthwaite, The Royal Oak Hotel.
Excellent! The trip was custom made to fit in with our requirements. The staff Excellent! Our trip was custom made to fit in with our requirements. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff at Shepherds Walk to meet with our requests.. We appreciated the abundance of information including eating places en route, and local taxi numbers. Thank you.It was an excellent holiday and we can readily recommend the comoany
Never done this type of walking holiday before but would now thoroughly recommend!
SW's were fantastic in tailoring the trip to our requirements.
The accommodations were excellent, all the transfers were smooth and all we had to do was to walk from 1 destination to the next.
Special shout out to the B&B's in Gilsland and Haltwhistle who went out of their way to ensure we had the best of times and nothing was too much trouble.
The information in the holiday pack provided was invaluable, especially the seasonal bus timetables, which we used to visit Corbridge and Vindolanda.
Thank you everyone for the best of times!
We had a wonderful walk. Great countryside, nicely varied. We were particularly taken with the sound of the curlews, oyster catchers and lapwings on the moors, but they were also in the fields - wonderful! Hugely helped by the weather, which had been forecast as rain but in fact we only had one wet day. Ushaw was an amazing surprise. I knew about it, but others didn't and I had no idea of the scale of the building - incredible. Lovely way along the river and through cobbled streets into Durham too, a real feeling of reaching our destination. We felt like pilgrims! We loved the churches along the way too. Your arrangements were all excellent and the accommodation great. First night in Hexham at the Coach and Horses was very good, Lord Crewe Arms lived up to expectations, Lanchester was delightful with Daryl at the Station and Keith in the Old Post Office and the Radisson in Durham was perfect. The only comment from our group was about Derwent Manor hotel. We were booked in for two sharing rooms. One couple were given a large room with two queen beds and the other couple had a double bed. Understandably, they didn't want to share the double bed so ended up in a very small room with two beds pulled apart just enough to put the lamp table in it. But all in all an outstanding week and thank you very much for everything you did to help us.
We were a party of 2 couples and all agreed this was a great trip, so well organised. All accommodation was top notch. One breakfast had to be slightly rushed due to early pick up but we managed.would not hesitate to recommend and looking forward to doing another trip soon
We really enjoyed our walking trip on the Berwickshire coastal path. The accommodation and baggage transfers were excellent, and staff friendly and helpful when we needed them. However, we felt the information given for Day 1 could have been better. The taxi driver dropped us in a cul de sac with no information about where to go. There were no instructions, just a map, which could be hard to follow. The route was not straightforward or well signposted. The subsequent days were much better.
Well organised in terms of quality of accomodation provided and baggage transport all worked smoothly. Information about the walk and maps provided were excellent.
The Shepards Walk team provided us with a lot of great information ahead of time and this helped tremendously with our preparation.
The trek was very well organized, and the hotels were very nice and comfortable. Jane in particular was very helpful and easy to contact.
Regarding the trail conditions, most of the terrain was good with a few exceptions where the duck boards are in need of repair, not too much road walking which was good, although the beach walk was long and quite strenuous.
Overall, a great holiday and highly recommended.
Shepherds Walks organised a fantastic bespoke trip for three friends based on our time available, section of the walk we wished to complete and accommodation requirements.
From the initial contact to sorting a suitable itinerary, updates, trip information packs etc SW did a fantastic job.
Due to booking early all of the accommodation was either on the Wall or a very short distance from it. We encountered no problems with the baggage transfers.
We received any relevant updates and reminders during our walk. All of the accommodation was a different mix of B&B, Guest House, Hotel, Pub and was of a good/great standard, especially Abbey Farm House, Lanercost.
This was the stand out accommodation/evening of our walk.
Thank you SW, Jane and team.
We loved our walk and are now looking at our next walking adventure with yourselves in the future.
Shepherds Walks organised a fantastic bespoke trip for three friends based on our time available, section of the walk we wished to complete and accommodation requirements. From the initial contact to sorting a suitable itinerary, updates, trip information packs etc SW did a fantastic job. Due to booking early all of the accommodation was either on the Wall or a very short distance from it. We encountered no problems with the baggage transfers. We received any relevant updates and reminders during our walk. All of the accommodation was a different mix of B&B, Guest House, Hotel, Pub and was of a good/great standard, especially Abbey Farm House, Lanercost. This was the stand out accommodation/evening of our walk. Thank you SW, Jane and team. We loved our walk and are now looking at our next walking adventure with yourselves in the future.
Fabulous weather if you like a heatwave!
Day one was in Ilkley. Overnight at The Craiglands Hotel. The hotel used to be excellent but is now very run down, breakfast was served as a buffet and was adequate. Considering that the hotel is about a mile from the start of the Dales Way perhaps a closer accommodation could be found.
The walk from Ilkley to Burnsall was easy despite the temperature and the Red Lion at Burnsall was very welcoming and the accomodation and food were excellent.
Day three from Burnsall to Starbottom was easy but there was no eatery open on a Monday, even a bank holiday Monday, at Starbottom so we ate in Kettlewell on our route.
The B&B Cleveliot House at Starbottom was wonderful both the rooms and the breakfast were super.
Day 4 Starbottom to Ribblehead was a hard day made worse by having to walk two miles from the route at Gearstones to Ribblehead Station and a further half mile to the Ashes Farm B&B retracing our steps the next morning. Ashes Farm was ok small room but good breakfast.
Day five Ribblehead to Sedbergh, a long walk but very pleasant The Black Bull was very expensive for food and drink but excellent rooms.
Day six Sedbergh to Kendal quite a tough day of walking but picked up by taxi at Burneside and delivered to Bridge House B&B where the rooms and breakfast were excellent.
We ate at the Fleece that evening, OK.
Day seven Kendal to Bowness after a timely taxi drive back to Burneside easy walk to Bowness and a pleasant taxi ride back to Ilkley.
Hi thank you for your help organising our walk of Hadrians Wall.
It was indeed a memorable experience. There was a mixture of good and bad points that hopefully our feedback provide a positive critique of the event.
We were blessed with weather that was almost too good, and the relentless sun and heat really did take its toll on us.
We are fit, but did suffer from total exhaustion despite being hydrated etc....not really a fault of yourselves of course and it so easily could have been cold/wet.
The bookings at the accommodation was all seamless and the transfers of ourselves and luggage were perfect.
We'd like you to thank Hadrians Haul....as if by magic our bags always awaited us.
We have written a positive feedback on Tripadvisor to those we thought of particular quality, namely The Scotch Mews and Wormald house who really did go the extra mile. We were very unimpressed with our stay in Chollerford, and thought it was a grotty hotel and a terrible town offering little quality sustainance.
We were impressed with your input leading up to the event, and were always given prompt help to our requests.
We did however feel that the way in which the information for schedule was terribly confused, and we needed to decipher and rewrite our own version, amalgamating facts into a single document. We did speak to you about this, and though I understand doing so leads to human error, the onus felt very much upon us to collate readily 'carryable' facts.
I understand why you work in this manner, but it didn't feel 'bespoke' in a way we anticipated. We think the Cicerone Guide book is a terrible piece of work, trying much much too hard to be an 'Alfred Wainwright' with needless florid language, when all you need is concise information....maybe narrative with map locations featuring as facing pages. It needs a savage editing!
Signage along the route was, as you promised, very good, with the exception of a couple of important junctions that lead to confusion/delay and with little decipherable succinct supportive help from the guide book lead to delay and anxiety.
We enjoyed it very much indeed, and was a quite a mixed bag, so thank you.... kind regards Nick & Ellen
We loved our trip and it was all organised beautifully. The pubs we stayed in were well chosen and the tips for where to eat were welcome. The pack was very detailed, and it would have been helpful to have a summary page at the start. We would use the company again!
Everything worked very smoothly and as promised. Accommodation was mostly of a standard higher than we had expected. A great experience all round.
A very well organised trip with all hotel bookings, baggage transfers and car transfers working perfectly. The hard copy schedule and accompanying guides make the navigation easy to follow and almost impossible to get lost (although note I said “almost “!!!). Hotels ranged from very good to adequate and were usually very close to the path. The odd exceptions included a lift to the accommodation and a return drive back to the path next day. Some offered food (such as in Lanercost - which is a good option) and many were close to other pubs and restaurants. Communication with Shepherds Walks was easy and friendly. Overall a very enjoyable trip!
Enjoyed this holiday.
A great experience.
Everything worked including the weather.
The main feedback therefore is on the accommodation. In the main it was okay, which is the best you can hope for in England. The hotels in Gilsland and Newburn on the last night were of a low standard, the rooms were poor and neither place served porridge at breakfast!!
No porridge accounts for dropping one rating point on its own!! The Abbey Guest House at Lanercost facilities were good and we had an interesting dining experience with fellow travellers that evening.
However, after a long walk full of planned diversions, the last thing we wanted was a less than welcoming reception regarding Charlotte's long list of rules on a closed entry door. The most disappointing experience was Halton Red House Farm. The farm and room facilities were excellent, really high standard. However, we were mithered from 11 am for our arrival time that evening and what do we want for breakfast the following morning and at what time!! When we arrived at 4pm we found that no one was there and there was no milk in our rooms for tea and coffee, which after our walk I was gasping for!!
After texting I got some milk from the landlady's husband who admitted that it had been forgotten but I later found out that no attempt had been made to secure milk for my fellow traveller after my delivery!!
Still at Halton Red House Farm, the following morning at 8:00 the place was deadly quiet despite advising them of our eating time 18 hours previously. After 15 minutes I texted the landlady again!! 3 minutes later she appeared to supply rock hard porridge and an average cooked breakfast.
A special mention has to go out for The Old School House in Haltwistle; great facilities, food, hosting and a very positive attitude to what you CAN do as a guest opposed to Charlotte's what NOT to do..
One last mention for Paul the Taxi driver who picked us up at Wallsend.. Great guy with good attitude and a proud Geordie, a nice end to the trip that evening.
Thanks.. I think we will be planning another trip with Shepherds at some time next Spring.
Lots of positives - luggage transfer was seemless and instructions and taxis were all very clear.
We loved everywhere we stayed for differnet reasons (but the staff were excellent wihtout exception). Particular praise for our Buckden stay in Romany Cottage - the rooms were perfect and our host could not have been more lovely and helpful. We dictated the room at the Black Bull and at the Gilpin.
The rooms at the Red Lion were very basic and in desperate need of refurbishment - our friends who stayed there a few nights earlier had lovely rooms - I would have liked the option to pay more for a better room.
We had OS maps on our phones - and I think you should be recommending that, rather than GPS handsets, which are another bit of kit to carry.
A very well organised trip with all hotel bookings, baggage transfers and car transfers working perfectly.
The hard copy schedule and accompanying guides make the navigation easy to follow and almost impossible to get lost (although note I said “almost “!!!).
Hotels ranged from very good to adequate and were usually very close to the path.
The odd exceptions included a lift to the accommodation and a return drive back to the path next day. Some offered food (such as in Lanercost - which is a good option) and many were close to other pubs and restaurants.
Communication with Shepherds Walks was easy and friendly. Overall a very enjoyable trip!
What an amazing experience.
Fantastic people, taxi drivers are a great source of knowledge-finding good places to eat, amazing scenery, history at your finger tips, and a physical workout.
We were even lucky with the weather. We didn't need to use a rucksack, almost everyone else had a suitcase, and for us travelling by train, would be our preferred luggage.
You don’t need much cash as everyone accepted (some preferred) cards, lack of toilet facilities day 4 and 5. Would be great if English heritage/Northumberland parks/Vindolanda/ Segedunum have a one stop shop Hadrians wall walk entrance ticket.
Thank you Shepherds Walks we had an amazing time and the Jaffa cake dessert at Twice Brewed made the walk worthwhile .
From initially contacting Shephard's Walk, to booking and enjoying the walk, all communication was good and they responded to my questions and requests promptly.
The welcome pack received by email and a full hard copy via the post was very detailed and contained guidebook, maps and all info. you could need.
I was also impressed that they provided a GPS tracker as I was a solo walker. All the accommodation was to a good standard and location, in particular 8 The Walls (Berwick) and the Old Rectory (Howick) were excellent. All luggage transfers went without a hitch. Only note is to be aware that dining options are limited around Craster and very limited in Belford (May 2026).
The Northumberland Coastal Path was excellent for a first long distance walk, the empty beaches are spectacular, the various castles impressive and majestic and the weather near perfect.
I added an overnight stay on Holy Island, walking via the Pilgrim’s Path over the sands which was a highlight. I would have no qualms booking another holiday with Shepherd’s Walk or recommending them, excellent!
It was a very enjoyable walking holiday. Shepherds organised the whole trip really well.
The daily walks and accommodation chosen for us were generally very good, though of course each was a little different.
In our case the taxi driver who returned us to Berwick asked for payment, Shepherds quickly refunded the fair we'd paid.
Thanks for everything we would certainly look to book again in the future.
I walked with one friend.
All the arrangements were excellent. Maps and guidance was supplied to us so all we had to do was turn up and walk!
The hotels were all great, really friendly and helpful with delicious breakfasts. Evening meals were all great, we did book ahead to be on the safe side.
The route was varied and beautiful. Walking over the sand to Lindisfarne was a memorable and wonderful fitting finale.
All the days were great though. Really I can’t think of anything that Shepherds Walks could have done better.
The attention to detail was such that every tiny question that arose was already answered.
We knew of Shepherds Walks having purchased hand held GPS units from their sister company GPS Training.
Having decided to walk the Dales Way it seemed only natural to consider using their services. Jane was so helpful throughout the planning and booking process coming back to us with a complete itinerary that met our schedule within 24 hrs. The information pack provided was very comprehensive.
The accommodation booked for us was overall of a high standard. Daily baggage transfer was executed like clockwork. We did have cause to escalate two minor issues during our walk and these were both successfully resolved within minutes.
In conclusion we could not recommend Shepherds Walks highly enough and would absolutely engage them again as our long distance walks partner.
We had a wonderful time walking this route. All the accommodation was comfortable, transfers were on time and the walking notes clear and easy to follow. Would definitely use this company again
This was our second walking holiday with SW and as before everything was well organised with local knowledge by a friendly team who were adaptable to our requests. We would thoroughly recommend Shepherd’s Walks.
All the arrangements went well. Accommodation was excellent or good but the service at the Buccleuth Arms at St. Boswell's was poor for both the evening meal and breakfast.
Staff were inattentive and clearly inexperienced and tried to overcharge us for our evening meal and queried later that we hadn't paid when we clearly had.
The service was very slow. We had to wait ages for our food, including breakfast
We hugely enjoyed these few days. Accommodation perfect and such nice hosts. The weather was kinder than expected. Most importantly our guide, Paul was wonderful: thoughtful, meticulous in planning, educational, and great company. It was like being with a group of good friends. Many thanks.
Organisation was brilliant.
Pick ups, and baggage transfers were excellent.
Welcome pack great, and all the accommodations were good.
Notes for improvement (but in no way would these preclude me from booking again): would be nice if bags could be moved to room - after a long days walk, hauling a bag up stairs (no lifts anywhere) is no fun.
Day 3 - 21 miles is brutal terrain, and although we had no desire to see the ruins, if we had of, we would have had no time.
Last 5 miles of Day 5 really is grim walking through industrial wasteland - wish we had planned to walk through the suburbs instead.
The walk from/to Brookside Villa to Samson Inn is also tough after 19 miles on the trail + 2 miles getting to/from trail.
Packed lunch from George Hotel not worth it (but their restaurant is lovely).
Baggage transfers - perfect on each occasion (10/10)
Taxi transfers - perfect on each occasion (10/10)
Night 1 - Welcoming atmosphere; tiny room, but adequate; lovely breakfast. Only issue was that we were staying there on a Wednesday and the pub closed at 7pm which was far from ideal.
Night 2 - Excellent in every way (10/10)
Night 3 - Not very welcoming, breakfast excellent, but I really would not recommend this hotel
Night 4 - Information provided by you suggested check-in from 3pm, but did not open until 4pm. Friendly atmosphere, good room and good food
Night 5 - Beautiful and huge bedroom suite; welcoming atmosphere, very good breakfast.
Night 6 - Excellent in every way (10/10)
Night 7 - Friendly staff, but room was very basic and breakfast average
Guidebook ok, but we found Trailblazer guide more useful Support offered by Shepherd’s Walks prior to the holiday was very good.
Dales Way itself was magnificent to walk.
Another enjoyable holiday, thanks.
The only instructions that I didn't find totally clear were to High Force Hotel from Langdon Beck for the additional miles at the end of the Pennine Way section for the day. (Middleton-in- Teesdale to Langdon Beck)
I talked to two or three people that I met on the Pennine Way. The information said about two additional miles, with directions to the hotel being to cross the bridge.
The options seemed to be to walk further than two miles back along the Pennine Way (West of the River Tees) to cross the bridge or use local footpaths and the road to walk a shorter distance. (East of the River Tees) I chose the former but may have preferred the shorter distance.
The staff at the hotel went the extra mile or even two and I was given a lift in the morning along to the start at Langdon Beck.
This was in fact incredibly helpful as I was in rain and mist for some time near High Cup and most thankful that I hadn't done the extra two miles at the start.
I am thinking of the Northumberland or Berwickshire coast next before contemplating wondering around in the slosh, the mist and the rain on the Pennines again.
What a wonderful week we had overall!
Ray led us from West to East and despite several challenges along the way, managed to get us all across the finish line, with our knowledge of the area and The Wall vastly increased.
The group was made up of lovely and interesting people which is important as one has a lot of time to spend chatting and getting to know each other.
The accommodation varied but was satisfactory at worst; likewise the food, as vegans, was variable - with some places being well prepared and some others having no clue what vegan means.
I would understand this but as they had all been pre-warned, that was sometimes disappointing e.g. for packed lunches where we often had to provide the answers.
So would absolutely recommend Hadrian's Wall as a guided walk and Shepherds Holidays as a provider as they were very helpful throughout.
It was the most amazing experience walking Hadrians Wall.I have meet some lovely people and our guide Ray who provided interesting information along the route. All accommodation was comfortable. Brookvilka and Twice Brewed had good drying facilities A great week ☺️
Great beautiful walk with lovely hotels prebooked along the way.Great efficient service by the Shepherds Walk team .The walks were stunning and the villages a joy to behold
We were blessed with good weather. All the accommodation was fine. The Black Bull in Sedbergh was excellent. There are a few instances where extra practical guidance would have really helped, such as navigation around Cam houses. Lakeside Taxis were very late and I would not recommend them. The taxi from Bowness back to Ilkley was excellent. Also, consider giving walkers a good walking app with the route preloaded.
A beautifull walking holliday. Great guide, nice hotels and B&B's, everything taken care of. Yorkshire Dales are very impressive, views are amazing and people are so kind. Thank you Shepherds Walk for another great vacation. See you next year!
Firstly, a big thank you to Jane at Shepherds: excellent communication; well organised; efficient; resourceful. Baggage transfers and taxi pick-up/drop-offs----all excellent----as was the accommodation with one exception: The Swan in Warkworth where management seemed lacking.
The Welcome Packets were a great source of information and luggage transfer was perfect!
I can honestly say that both my walk-mate and I enjoyed every minute of our little adventure across Hadran's Wall.
What started as a drunken bet earlier this year turned into reality on Sepember 6th and yes, we were a bit apprehensive.
We needn't of worried as Shepherds Walks Holidays had taken care of everything. From the very detailed pre-holiday information to the excellent accomodation enroute, it all led to an enjoyable experience.
Having ticked this one off our list, we are now looking at doing another walk next year so we'll be studying the Shepherds Walks Holidays catalogue again before long.
Thank you to all involved in organising this.
We had five days' wonderful walking from Saltburn to Filey: a spectacular coastline with fascinating industrial history including mining, shipbuilding & fishing.
Very well organised / planned, the 'Sherpa' transport moving our cases from one location to the next worked seamlessly.
We'd have scored you 10, but a couple of the overnight stays were pretty soulless with breakfasts that are great if you're a truck driver on a fried food diet, not so great if you prefer fruit, Greek yogurt and an espresso... If they were all as characterful and high quality as The Endeavour in Staithes, we'd have scored you 11...
We had a very good trip on which everything worked smoothly (transfers, luggage transfers, accommodation, meals. 4 of our 6 walking days were dry, so not too bad!
We built in a visit to Vindolanda, which I regard as essential on a Wall walk, and was a bit surprised it wasn't in our itinerary.
Apart from that, thanks very much for arranging everything.
Beautiful scenery which we hadn't expected with our preconceved ideas of County Durham, an eye-opener.
As warned, not always an easy route to follow, particularly as the vegetation had overgrown some of the lesser walked paths.
Accommodation very comfortable and hosts welcoming, particularly "Castle View" in Durham. The self-catering accommodation in Lanchester was spacious and well-equipped for self-catering. However it had not been well prepared for B & B visitors, i.e. our suitcases were at the Old Post Office and we had to fetch them (after our first long day's walk.) No one had been in to refresh the supplies so we had no milk or decaf coffee, no hand towels and no body wash. The wooden step into one bedroom was damaged before our arrival.
The taxi service for our cases was efficient and worked well (apart from the above). The taxi service from Juniper was spot on and the driver very friendly.
The pick-up from the evening meal was so late one evening that we made alternative arrangements. The way-signs were sparse and we were often glad to see them and be reassured we were on the right route.
The information panels near larger towns and villages were excellent.
We had not been able to find on the Northern Saints web-site where we could have our passports stamped. In the event we only got 4 stamps, which was disappointing!
As a pilgrimage route we would thoroughly recommend the Way of Light.
Great well organised trip with some super overnight locations, the walk was so picturesque covering different terrain and views, our guide Ray Biggs was exceptional with amazing story telling skills bringing history to life, we loved Ray and our fellow walkers company on this adventure. No doubt we will be booking again soon Jon and Jane xx
The six day hike was great. We were lucky with the weather, a bit of rain but lots of nice days.
Organization by Shepherds Walk was perfect, with good accommodation and reliable taxis for luggage.
Everything went smooth, and I would do it again - but this time in 7 or 8 days (23km per day was exhausting, even for our dog).
Absolutely brilliant. there were no hitches at all.
The taxi pick ups were as arranged and the baggage transfers were as promised, so when we arrived at our accommodation, we were able to shower and change into clean clothes straight away.
The badges you sent us before we set off were well admired by fellow walkers and there was a certain amount of " badge envy" from other groups!!!
Thank You to everyone involved for your efforts and for making our holiday such a wonderful event. We will be in touch next year to arrange another walk.
We had an amazing week on the St Cuthberts Way walk.
Our guide could not have been better with an in-depth knowledge of the route and local history along with a very engaging way of telling a story and bringing things to life.
The organisation of the trip was flawless. We have highly recommend Shepherds Walk.
I was apprehensive at doing this trip but there was absolutely nothing to worry about.
Yes, the steep climbs and long hills in the heat were a challenge but to look back and see the views and the distance we'd walked was amazing.
A great group of people and I was quite emotional at the end that we'd all experienced the adventure together. Patrick our guide was very knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble, he kept us safe.
Slight problem at our last night's accomodation but he dealt with it very quickly. Jane at the office was very helpful when I made my booking and answered all my questions on other calls to her.
Accomodation was varied and good, Carlisle hotel had lots of stairs to climb with a big bag after a days walking. Overall a fantastic experience with Shepherds walks, I've recommended them to friends I have told about my Hadrian's wall adventure and hope to book with them again.
Well organised ; excellent choice of hotels and B & B; high quality . Lovely coastal scenery , well marked path / route . Luggage and taxi organised by Shepherds Walks worked well .
The accommodations on the walk were great. Had some fantastic rooms.
Only thing is we rang to book evening meals, however the accommodation had already reserved a place.
Would be good if this was in the itinerary and maybe told to call to cancel as I would say majority of people will want the evening meals where they are staying.
The Dales Way needs some more signs being put up and someone to keep the trail clearer as in some places it’s overgrown with nettles and brambles.
The taxi in between the walk was half an hour late, which was disappointing. The taxi at the end of the walk to take us back to our car was great.
Cannot fault their timings or the driver.
Overall, would book with Shepherds Walks again.
This was the second leg of three in our bespoke Hadrians wall trail trip. Thankfully more of the wall is viable as we are heading east. We loved our stay in The Sally at Irthington. Organisation perfect as before.
We are very satisfied with the way our walk was organized: good hotels or B&B places, the lengths of everyday walks, the weather (not organized ????, but we felt lucky it did not rain much), the luggage and taxi transfers, everything was just perfect, except maybe the unpleasant attitude of the landlady at Abbey Farmhouse in Lanercost, probably because we did not wish to have the evening meal, being used to having very light dinners.
All the rest was exactly what we expected. We'll certainly walk with Shepherds Walks another year
We really enjoyed our holidays. It was perfectly organized. Our transfers and luggage transfers were taken care of reliably, so we really got into the carefree holiday mood, concentrating on the scenery, the wildlife, the weather and the nice people we met on our way.
We really enjoyed our walk and send a huge thank you to the team at Shepherds Walk Hols for making all the arrangements for us.
We loved working with a small local team who really knew the area. Even when our booking hit a glitch thanks to an email that went astray, it was sorted out rapidly and with good humour.
We enjoyed our various accommodations, the taxi rides were prompt, efficient and friendly, and all in all we were delighted.
Many thanks for all your help.
Shepherd walk exceeded my expectations.
Every detail was taken care of. All we had to do was enjoy.
Patrick our guide was perfect, he was very knowledgeable about Roman history and the surrounding nature.
I would not hesitate in recommending your vacations.
Knowing I was walking with a group solely made up of women was a bit daunting but from first meeting when I was referred to as the token male!
Things rapidly got better and we was soon a tight-knit team of friends.
Walking was overall good but the middle section was so hard due to the extreme heat, any of us could’ve given up but we dug deep and carried each other to twice brewed led my our expert guide.
The only complaints I could make was the accommodation which was strangely was worse in the bigger towns where there’s surely a better choice. I wasn’t impressed with Carlisle or the out skirts of Newcastle.
Overall I’d recommend Shepard’s walks to friends and family, hopefully, I’ll do another walk in the coming years.
The accommodation was superb except for Carlisle where the hotel was spread down a maze of corridors before we got to our rooms and was run down and then the eatery was a good walk away after day’s walk which was tough, and Newburn where we were met with shambles.
SW got us taxis to a local pub though and this rectified some a problem. The problem was that the venue couldn’t accommodate our expectations for timings with their kitchen both evening and the following morning.
Following the big story the day before Twice Brewed was that the Sycamore Tree trunk was in The Sill and we were there so we had hoped to see this but it was another early boots on and away we go.
Patrick was very good though, extremely knowledgeable having walked this walk numerous times I would definitely book another holiday with SW. very thorough and extremely well organised just the couple of niggles
This is a great holiday - food was great throughout and accommodation was much nicer than I was expecting if I’m honest! Our guide was great and the Vindolanda trip was a really interesting half day. Basically anything that could be sorted was sorted - shame you couldn’t fix the weather too!
An excellent way to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and nothing to worry/argue about en route. All questions answered immediately and nothing was too much trouble. Would thoroughly recommend Shepherds Walks to anyone contemplating walking Hadrians Wall and would definitely use them again.
This was my first long-distance walk, and the experience now has me planning my next!
I have wanted to try a solo walk for several years but have been too busy to plan all the many components needed.
Shepherds Walks took care of all the details incredibly efficiently and the people I worked with were always helpful and knowledgeable.
Every day, the walks were wonderful and the pubs and B&Bs were all of high standard with lovely staff. There was one evening when my luggage hadn’t arrived and even though it was a Sunday, Shepherds answered my call immediately and got it sorted.
It was a wonderful personal experience and they made it possible for me to go on my personal pilgrimage.
The route wasn’t marked clearly in several stretches - despite being excellently marked in others - but I imagine that is not your responsibility. I very much appreciated those purple stickers though!
I really didn’t need the GPS and didn’t use it because I wanted to remain cut off from technology for my pilgrimage and able to really focus on what I was passing rather than a screen.
You thought I would be okay without but encouraged me to have one as I was alone. Had I known you would have provided the wonderful Ordnance Survey maps I would have felt more confident and not ordered it.
As it was, I didn’t use it at all but was too late to cancel it. As do the people at Durham Cathedral - everyone was amazing and really ensured it was a pilgrimage for me. I loved doing it backwards, ending there for evensong.
Thank you so much for an unforgettable walk: I might well use you again if I can and am recommending you highly to several friends both in the US and in England.
A fantastically organised trip to walk Hadrians wall.
There was hardly anything to fault about the arrangements for our south to north walk of St. Oswald's Way. Taxis all turned up on time, accommodation venues were expecting us and bags were always delivered, only once arriving slightly later than we did. So all we had to do was walk, eat and sleep. The landscape was very varied - farmland, forest, moor, river, estuary, dune and beach. The birdlife was wonderful and the bridges and castles very picturesque. It was for us a bit of a pilgrimage too and a friend had provided a recorded reflection each day which added to the purpose. Between Hadrian's Wall and Lordenshaws we saw next to no-one, so the landscape was ours alone. We would have felt cheated without some rain and this was duly provided. Any gripes are trivial, really. The paperwork pack was vast and a bit superfluous given that it was also sent as a pdf. And the taxi driver who took us from Holy Island to Berwick at the end was more vigorous than we would have liked, but we didn't hit anything...
Excellent organisation and prompt replies at every point. Friendly support and very thorough and meticulous information. Would highly recommend this company.
Shepherds Walks are outstanding company. I wanted something a little bit different and they had no problems supplying it. The information, accommodation, transfers and taxis worked out perfectly and of very high standard. Contact when needed was readily available. I would have no hesitation in using them again.
Lovely walk, varied and not too hard. Accomodation good… varied in terms of food/breakfast but limited choices so very happy. Well organised so no issues with bags. Only request would be more historical information.. maps do not always give it. With written or electronic links be great.
Lovely walk, varied and not too hard. Accomodation good… varied in terms of food/breakfast but limited choices so very happy. Well organised so no issues with bags. Only request would be more historical information.. maps do not always give it. With written or electronic links be great.
The walk ; a great walk the book was a little out of date when leaving Hawes ( others we met also had problems there ).
We all enjoyed the walk thank you.
We will recommend you to others (already have done) and use you again. Thank you for everything.
We recently walked the coastal part of the Cleveland Way. The organisation before the holiday was great and Jane was very helpful and responsive when we were booking. The practicalities of walking were very straight forward - the path is very clearly way marked. We did buy a guide which was great to have for a bit of history and things to look out for. The walk is beautiful with amazing coastal views. We were blown away by the geology and industrial history we learnt about on the way. The towns we stayed in were also beautiful and interesting. The accommodation was all excellent and we met some lovely people along the way. We chose this walk as there are good transport links as weren’t sure about whether our knees were up to it. We met other along the way who had used buses as times rather than walking the whole way and this worked well for them, giving extra flexibility. Thanks for the wonderful holiday.
Fantastic walk with stunning view's . Plenty of nice places on route for food, drinks and a rest ( if needed) All accommodation great Only one small complaint, the continental breakfast in Alnmouth B+B wasn't good could be improved on alot, Considering the proprietor kept telling us he was a chef! Overall a great 3 days walking and would recommend this holiday to friends etc
Everything worked like clockwork! Accommodation was good, taxi on time, and everyone friendly & welcoming. The walk was challenging in places (we loved it), and the views were outstanding. The last day walking across the sands was a perfect end to the trip.
In late May I fulfilled a long-standing ambition to walk across the UK following the path of Hadrian's Wall. I was able to do this as a result of the excellent service and support of Shepherds Walks Holidays. Every aspect of the organisation was faultless while the communication with the support team was both friendly and professional. The chosen accommodation was welcoming and well maintained. The people I met along the route were always interesting. I will certainly use Shepherds Walks again should I choose to undertake another long trek in the UK.
Excellent walk , almost feels like this part of the borders is completely uninhabited
Hat alles gut geklappt mit der Abholung und dem Gepäcktransport.
Translation: Everything went well with the pickup and luggage transport
The arrangements were first class - the options were clear at the booking stage; every option selected was confirmed and well communicated in advance ... and, more importantly, everything worked as set out in the planned itinerary. The Drivers (Steve who picked us up from the hotel on Day 1; and Paul who picked us up from the end and took us back to the hotel) were very professional; very knowledgeable; and very friendly....and finally they were both early so we weren't left fretting over their arrival. In addition, the daily bag moves all happened without any dramas. All in all we were very pleased with the whole experience and I have already passed on positive recommendations to other members of my local walking group. Oh, and the Wall walk itself was great ... in spite of the windy and wet weather !
Prior to booking my self-guided walk, shepherds walks holidays spent a lot of time on the phone with me, answering my questions, giving advice and suggesting various options available to me. To help me make a decision I received a tour dossier detailing exactly what was included in the price and the costs. Having made the decision to go ahead and providing my dates, all I did was arrange my rail tickets and shepherds walks did the rest. Communication was great throughout. In the weeks prior to the start of my walk I received a very detailed electronic copy covering everything about my holiday, including accommodation details, taxi transfer details for both me and my luggage, all the contact telephone numbers I might need as well as suggestions for eating places and places to visit. I also received a paper copy of this to take with me on my walk. The holiday went exactly to plan giving me the very best of experiences. Thank you to everyone at shepherds walks holidays.
The Dales Way was beautiful and I was amazingly lucky with the weather. All the arrangements by Shepherds Walks worked well. I enjoyed all the accommodation - three were directly on the path and three a little way off. Only one needed a walk along a busy road at the start and end of long days, which I did not like so much. The luggage transport worked out well and navigation on the path was straightforward thanks to the excellent Dales Way guide provided as part of the holiday package.
The trip was well organised by Shepherds Walks holidays. All the accommodation was as expected which was clean and well located with the exception of one which was a little too far out for our liking. However, once at the accommodation the outlook from your lodge is superb as are the owners of the property. Overall we had an excellent walking holiday and would happily recommend Shepherds Walks holidays.
We had a wonderful time on our 7 day walk. The accommodations were in the main very good with the exception probably being The Masons Arms in Gargrave, which was a substitute a few days before our holiday. The room was literally roadside with traffic rumbling past 10 feet from our bed. One accommodation became unavailable at short notice and Shepherds immediately rearranged a change to a lovely guest house in Haworth, Rosebud cottage. We had to call the taxi transfers and arrange earlier collections but that wasn’t really an issue, we appreciate calculating a collection time is tricky as weather and speed of walking will vary. The weather was amazing which definitely enhanced the whole experience. All in all a wonderful walk with memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to everyone involved at Shepherds for organising our holiday, we are sure we will use your company again.
Organisation, communication 10 out of 10.
Everything worked as planned.
Detailed information sent contained all that we needed.
Accommodation variable, one exceptionally good, others all fine except for one which was disappointing and in our opinion way below all the others.
We would stay at all of them again apart from the one.
We would use Shepherd Walks again and recommend them to others.
We had a great 7 day walk and were grateful for the organised accommodation and bag transfers.
We felt that the way the walk information was set out was very confusing we needed to divide the pages into days.
As we are not familiar with this area it would have been better to have been given a day-by-day schedule.
The advice we were given on Day 3 - Lanacost to Gilsland was unfortunately not correct. We were advised that we could visit Vindolanda by bus but due to the lack of transport links it was not possible.
The accommodation was better in some places than others but that’s part of the adventure. Fortunately the weather was amazing and we would definitely recommend Shepherds Walks to a friend.
Organisation was great.
Everything ran smoothly. Accommodation was good - especially at Kirk Yetholm.
A future idea could be Templehall Hotel in Morebattle which has re-opened as a community facility.
The walk from Jedburgh to Kirk Yetholm as very challenging especially in the heat.
Several people we met stopped at Morebattle and then taxied back next day from Kirk Yetholm. There was some confusion with Thistle Taxis picking us up at Harestaines Visitor Centre - which closes at 16.00 (as there were other customers from another company and the driver was changing shift and the message got muddled - despite us having rung as requested by them) and we ended up waiting nearly an hour. This pickup was the suggestion from Thistle Taxis.
A better option is to be picked up at Jedfoot Bridge (where we were dropped off next morning) There was no problem with the pick up next morning by Thistle Taxis. Pickup and drop-off at Jedfoot Bridge means that you don't have to miss out a section of the walk.
Turks Head in Rothbury - probably better to be in the upstairs rooms - our second stay was in Room 4 (Patio Room) which is right next to the kitchen and the noise from the fan was loud. Also there is a seating area outside which is used a lot and also can be noisy with groups.
We thoroughly enjoyed our self guided walking holiday we you.
The Pubs and Hotels are excellent.
Our only negative feelings were that compared to the other Long distance paths we have walked , this was appallingly badly way marked, causing us to walk may miles out of our way , on several days.
Had the weather been less than perfect, it could have been dangerous.
As it was the weather was fantastic. I can't re-read what I have written so hope it makes sense xx
We had the most wonderful week it helped the weather was on our side but such a great walk . Well organised so it also felt relaxing and easy.
Firstly, I have nothing but praise for the organisation of our walking holiday.
Everything worked flawlessly, and the one time I needed some help (which was to obtain a phone number of a taxi), you responded very quickly.
There were of course some highs and lows with regard to the accommodation and I understand that it is not always easy to find places to stay. The B & Bs were without exception wonderful, the highpoint being Mrs Letts in Hethpool who greeted us with old-fashioned charm and produced a wonderful 3 course meal for us.
We also found we had a mutual friend. The pubs were a bit more hit and miss, the low point being The Ship on Holy Island where the landlord was a bit grumpy and the room small.
We understand though that there is not much choice there. Also the Plough in Church Yetholm was the only establishment that had lost our email booking for supper. Fortunately, they were able to fit us in. In retrospect we could probably have done some slightly longer days, although the double climb over the hills from Morebattle to Hethpool was a bit of a killer with the heat.
Although we refilled our water bottles at the Youth Hostel in Kirk Yetholm we were dehydrated as we climbed over the top. The high point undoubtedly though was the walk across the Pilgrim's route to Holy Island at 8 in the morning.
In conclusion we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday. We think we will do at least one other long distant trail before we finally hang up our walking boots so would not hesitate to visit Northumberland and the Borders again, nor to book it with yourselves.
Thanks once again.
Helpful staff, dossier and other information just what we needed. Seamless accommodation and transportation. Gorgeous weather also helped - please can we order this for next time? ????
Helpful staff, dossier and other information just what we needed. Seamless accommodation and transportation. Gorgeous weather also helped - please can we order this for next time? ????
I had the most amazing time ever. I can’t believe what I have achieved! Booking with Shepherds Walks was the best decision I made and this allowed me to achieve my goal. I chose the 5 day package - 4 nights accommodation , 4 days of walking, this included my accommodation and breakfast, bag transfer but best of all the transfer from New Castle to Bowness- on- Solway, no other company offered this that I could find. The accommodation on route was amazing and I was made to feel welcome and it was more than comfortable. It was a nice touch to have food on site or within a few minutes walk. All the accommodation I stayed in was less than 1km away from the HW path. My main goal was to walk the wall- on such a tight schedule I didn’t have time to detour from the path - although I did pop into the Roman Fort in Chollerford for refreshments. As this was my half way point on the days 43km walk!! I loved ending my walk in Wallsend, I loved the city vibe at the end and I loved it so much I kept walking to Tynemouth! And got the metro back to Wallsend where my super friendly lovely driver Paul was waiting for me. Paul drove me at the start of my journey from New Castle to Bowness- he was amazing! He told me about the best places to see, history, pointed out different bits on the drive and was so excited for me and equally happy to hear about it at the end. I personally can not fault anything. I would 100% recommend Shepherds Walks. So easy and hassle free. Thank you so much for helping me have the best adventure I have ever had!
This was a great challenge and adventure that lived up to expectations.
The organisation prior to the weekend was full and comprehensive and flexible enough to fit in with my wish to make it a camping weekend rather than a B&B weekend.
All the arrangements over the weekend worked smoothly, meeting up with the other hikers, arrangements for lunches and sorting out transport to get us to and from the walks.
The pub chosen for our suppers was excellent and ordering in advance worked very well. We were very fortunate with the weather, which enabled us to really enjoy and take in the splendour of the area and enjoy the challenge of getting up and down the peaks - we had a range of abilities, some more confident than others, some certainly faster than others, but on the whole this worked well.
There were one or two times when the group needed to be a little more cohesive, particularly allowing some of the slower walkers to catch up and on the last day on the summit of Ingleborough when the fog came in and hikers lost sight of each other and the leaders as they were spread out.
Each peak was different, with its own challenges, but doing them in three days really gave the weekend a feeling of having achieved something special, rather than just doing them individually. Walking with a guided walking company made the weekend possible - I would not have attempted this on my own or without a group. A really great weekend - thank you
Unfortunately the weather can be testing in late September and we were tested with head on strong winds but only a little rain thank goodness.
It was a good walk and reasonably well signposted, we only had a little confusion in a couple of places. Everyone we met was really nice and very happy to help point us in the right direction.
Stunning views and dramatic seas thanks to the wind! Accommodation was mostly acceptable but considering the cost could have been much better.
St Oswald’s Way 15th - 21st September 2024
Our party of walkers was made up of four people, who having been following a pilgrimage annually for a number of years.
Nowadays we find it helpful to ask an organisation to plan our accommodation and luggage transfers for us, so that we can concentrate on the experience of walking.
We chose Shepherds Walks because of a recommendation from two different friends and because they are a firm who know the local area well.
Transfer Arrangements - All the arrangements worked well most of the time. The luggage was delivered punctually each day apart from one mix-up when two cases were not picked up from the hotel where two of us were staying on Lindisfarne.
Because of the tides, the collection was delayed but we appreciate the promptness with which both the Managing Director and the Operations Manager went themselves to retrieve the luggage and our evening meal was not after all delayed for want of clean clothes.
The taxi service at the end of our first day was waiting for us and we had a very knowledgeable and friendly driver, so that, in spite of the disappointment of having to be transferred to and from from the next hotel on the route, we had an enjoyable journey.
Accommodation Our accommodation was up to the standard that we had hoped. We especially appreciated the welcome that we received from Donna and Paul at Megstone House when we finished our day at Seahouses. They were a charming couple who were extremely helpful and friendly; we would certainly recommend their B & B.
This offset to some extent the additional walking required in order to reach them from Seahouses.
Megstone House is actually in North Sunderland and is roughly 1 ½ miles from Seahouses and, as an evening meal could not be served there, we had to walk back into Seahouses for our evening meal.
We realise that requesting single accommodation for four people raising challenges and understand that it contributes to the extra mileage required both on this day and on the day when we arrived in Craster.
On that day we had to walk again another 1 ½ miles to reach the Cottage Inn, but fortunately were able to have our evening meal there.
It would be helpful to walkers if the distance to the accommodation could be made clear in advance, so that we could ‘factor’ in our expectations.
If we anticipate walking 13 or 13 ½ miles from the beginning, it is not quite such a shock to the system as when we discover the extra mileage when we are tired on reaching the end of that stage of St. Oswald’s Way.
Meals - All are breakfasts were exceptionally good and gave us a good start to the day.
We found a good selection of restaurants for our evening meals, often with some fresh and delicious fish, as we would expect in that part of the country.
We would especially recommend The Ship on Lindisfarne and Insieme, the Italian Restaurant in Seahouses.
People we met, Gordon from Croft Taxis, Donna from Megstone House and other walkers gave us excellent recommendations for cafes serving light lunches.
We were able to have a mix of packed rolls that we had bought and sit-in lunches. This meant that we did not need to order packed lunches from the hotels, although these seemed to be available.
Route - The St. Oswald’s Way takes a stunningly beautiful route. We particularly enjoyed the coastal path and were blessed by a week of sunshine, dryness and light breezes – ideal for walking. We would recommend this path to other walkers.
As pilgrims we appreciated the links with the northern saints, not only St. Oswald. We have previously walked St. Cuthbert’s Way and enjoyed retracing some of our steps on that path, particularly as on the previous occasion it was raining heavily and this time the sun shone. Because St. Oswald’s Way shares a route with other paths (St. Cuthbert’s, Northumberland Coast and other public footpaths), the way was sometimes not as clear as we had expected. We intended to keep the sea on our left and follow the signs.
However, we were glad that we had bought the guide book, as a number of times we needed to check the route.
On our last day from Warkworth to Weldon Bridge, where we finished, we were walking west way from the coast. After the village of Felton changes had been made to the route, because of new farm buildings. We lost our way for a while and were set right by a local farmer who explained the route clearly although the signs were not always apparent.
Finally Patrick from the farm at Catheugh reassured us that we were on the correct path and encouraged us with some lively stories! The Harvey map was essential for finding our way but we suggest that directions such are to be found in the guide book are also necessary.
We shall contact the local St. Oswald’s Way organisation with the suggestion that they check the way-marking on the stretch between Felton and Weldon Bridge. You may also like to look into it.
Summary - We thoroughly enjoyed our trail along St. Oswald’s Way and felt well-served by Shepherd’s Walks.
We were pleased to received texts from you at the beginning and end of our stay, so that we knew we could get in touch should we have an emergency.
We came to expect that the arrangements would work smoothly and could concentrate on the walking. Each day there was a treat to see or experience and we could relax mentally, leaving the organisation to you. We take away happy memories of our pilgrimage and a determination to return and enjoy more of Northumberland.
Our walk was perfectly organised and stress free. All accommodation was appropriate for our trip with all venues warm and welcoming. All transfers were smooth and all meals delicious. We enjoyed the challenge of our 5 day itinerary and the people we met along the way. Thank you Shepherds Walks Holidays
Shepherd's Walks did a fantastic job organising my holiday. All my accommodations and transfers ran smoothly and i encountered no problems. The choice of accommodations was excellent with wonderful staff at all locations.
As always a well organised holiday schedule. A very good documentation package. The accommodation was generally to a high standard, all resulting in a very enjoyable walking holiday.
This cross country hike was a goal we set several years ago with friends and family. In 2024 we finally made it happen. We knew we preferred to go with a guide to educate along the way. We did our research and decided upon SWH based on several online reviews. It was a good decision as SWH provided us with a wonderful guide, Patrick Norris. He was extremely knowledgeable about all things Hadrian, as well as ever helpful and encouraging to each and everyone of our rather large group. SWH arranged our luggage transport and lodgings, and all went off without a hitch. We recommend SWH for this hike without reservation.
Our trip was excellent . Shepherds did an amazing job with the pre planning, communication, and coordination. Our guide, Patrick made the trip a wonderful experience. His exceptional knowledge of Roman history, the geology of the area, and his hiking experience made the trek an outstanding experience for our group.
We had a wonderful time, walk was very well organised, accommodation and meals excellent. Ray Biggs was an amazing guide, his historical knowledge was encyclopaedic.We couldn’t have done the walk without him.We would recommend Shepherds Walks to anyone.Hope to do another one at some stage.Best wishes Margaret and Hamish.
The fact that this is my third long distance walk with Shepherds Walks Holidays, speaks for itself! I am looking forward to many more long distance walks holidays in the future with Shepherds Walks.
Thank you for a great guided trip in september 2024. From beginning to the end it was excelent. Our guide Patrick knows everything about the Roman history and also nature and wildlife. He made sure everybody had a good time. The hotels and B&B's were very comfy and friendly staff. Also taxi driver Paul in Newcastle was very friendly and punctual. I will definetly book a trip again with Sheperds Walk.
Loved this walk. The walk was well led and organised. The group was great banter. Lovely to catch up with old walking friends and make new ones. The Dales are so beautiful. Although the weather did have an effect on the amount of scenery we got to see it was still fabulous. You will be well cared for.
Fabulous holiday. Really well organised and led with fantastic scenery and fellow guests. Accommodation, breakfasts, packed lunches evening meals were all excellent. This is an ideal walking holiday with similar walking distances each day and experiencing the varied scenery of the Yorkshire Dales.
Firstly, I would just like to say that myself and Simon really enjoyed the walk, with good company, an interesting route and per our last walk with you, an excellent guide. The weather could have been better on the second and fourth days, but at least it didn't rain. Regarding the accommodation, we thought that the room at (Aysgarth) was a little on the small size. In fact Simon said that it was cosy. It was a shame that the hotel had only just changed hands because the service at breakfast was really slow. We came down at 8.00am and only got served at 8.40am. However, the fixtures and fittings there were very good and it was very clean. The stay at (Hawes) in our opinion was extremely poor and we would describe it as a modern day Fawlty Towers. We enjoyed our stay in (Grinton). We had a nice evening meal there and the breakfast was first rate and well organised. It was the only place where I could get porridge. The room was the largest of all the places we stayed at and I would stay there again. Taking everything into account it was a great group of people who all got along well with each other, helped I think because some of us knew each other from our previous walk. Our rating below takes into account the accommodation issues and not with regards to the overall trip or the organisation of it, which was first class. I hope this helps.
NB from SWHols - All new accommodation at Hawes and Reeth/Grinton for future holidays, both guided and self guided, has now been found. Thanks John and Simon!
From start to finish this was a well organised trip, the walk itself was lovely over different terrain, up and down, great company and some informative chats on the local area which was really interesting. Comfortable, clean and friendly accommodations, some great food and lovely packed lunches to keep us going! We will obviously be back again for another trip, thank you Jane and Jon
Life changing would be understatement. Our guide Ray took us back through history in a way like no one else. At times you felt as though you were right there back in time! There would be nothing that could have made this trip better, except to do it all over again! Thank you Shepherds Walks for this experience! I will never stop talking about it!
We had a superb time on the St Cuthbert's Way with Shepherds Walks and guide, Ray Biggs. Everything was very efficiently organised from the start of the booking process onwards and the scenery along the route is enjoyably varied and absolutely beautiful. We were part of a fantastic group, who all got on well from the first meeting, and it seemed strange to say "goodbye" at the end of the trip. Ray has an infectious enthusiasm for his subject...he was knowledgable, patient, good humoured and a great story teller who brought the history of the area to life. There were many stand out moments in this dramatic, wild landscape but walking across the wet sands together towards Holy Island was very special. A truly memorable and enjoyable trip. Many thanks!
Beautiful scenery beach after beach, castle after castle stunning Mostly flat so good for us older people Really enjoyable experience reasonable weather too
This walk was good on so many levels. I have taken a number of walks and this was the best. From the moment I started to deal with Shepherds walks everything was taken care of, every question was answered and I did need help. From the moment I began the walk I knew it was going to be special from Ray, our guide who took care of everything, his knowledge of the history of Roman and Anglo Saxon Britain as well as of St Cuthbert was great and entertaining, the entertaining extended to singing English folk songs and poetry to entertain us. nothing was too much trouble. The accommodation and meals were great. I know that this doesn't have anything to do with Shepherds walks but my fellow Pilgrims were exceptional. From singing and poetry and dancing to their joy in the walk.
We had a wonderful time, walk was very well organised, accommodation and meals excellent. Ray Biggs was an amazing guide, his historical knowledge was encyclopaedic.We couldn’t have done the walk without him.We would recommend Shepherds Walks to anyone.Hope to do another one at some stage.Best wishes Margaret and Hamish.
Documentation provided was detailed and sufficient. Accommodation overall was good. Service was good
The walk along the Northumberland coast path was stunning. We were really lucky with the weather and had sunshine and light winds every day. The directions were good, the transfers efficient, and everything went to plan. The accommodation was comfortable and the hosts were all welcoming. One or two of the rooms were a bit less than we would have hoped and we would have liked a cooked breakfast option in Alnmouth. Overall everybody really enjoyed the trip and we would do it again.
We had a fantastic holiday walking Herriots Way. The organisation by Shepherds Walks was excellent with no hitches apart from a query when we arrived at 1 B&B but 1 phonecall to the number we were given at the start of the holiday cleared this up in minutes. We extended our trip by 1 day so we had a rest day in the middle and this was organised without any problem. The B&Bs were mostly of a good standard but not as good as when we walked Hadrian's Wall last year (just before Sycamore Gap was denuded). The map and route info provided was excellent. We would definitely recommend this walk organised by Shepherds Walks. The scenery was fantastic. The weather was excellent for walking although the forecast weather was awful! So do not rely on the forecasts more than 36 hours in advance!
Hadrian wall Thanks -we had a very enjoyable but challenging holiday. Our feedback is very positive overall. The book was good (if not the most useful format to use while walking) and the little map was very useful (and easily fitted in all weather map readers etc) Itinerary we assumed that 7 days of walking would be very gentle which it wasn’t, but if you went any faster you would struggle to stop and explore the sites. We would question the logic of starting in Newcastle and then being transferred to Bowness. Starting from Carlisle if going west / east would make sense. It may be worth highlighting that there is effectively no wall to see for the first 2.5 days of walking which we didn’t grasp, similarly there are very sparse remains after Chesters. However we don’t regret seeing all of the wall.
We found it very difficult to organise taxis in the middle section of the wall ( they were booked 2 weeks in advance) so didn’t have time to do Vindolanda, which is a shame. The bus shuttles got good reports but we couldn’t make the timings work to complete a full day’s walk and then get to sites like vindolanda by bus before it closed. Top tips for other relatively new distance walkers. Make sure your waterproofs are still waterproof ( ours failed in 5 hours of constant rain). Wear shoes for several consecutive days before your walk to really explore comfort/ pressure points. We thought we had fully tested our boots and hadn’t. Use the courier to bring spare shoes. The last day we did in low ankle boots & trainers as it is all surfaced foot path. Overall thanks for a great trip.
NB from SWHols - We start our holidays froboth Newcastle and Carlisle, the choice is yours. We offer Newcastle due to its excellent road, rail and air links, plus we can offr car parking here for the duration of your trip. You can then collect your car on completion of the trail.
A great walk across border country finishing with the Pilgrims path across the sand to Holy island.
IT WAS THE BEST!! BUT THE CLEAR WEATHER MADE THE DAY!! BEAUTIFUL ACCOMMODATIONS, PUNCTUAL PICKUP SERVICE AND GREAT MAP/GPS GUIDE
An enjoyable walk
I have completed a sponsored walk from my home in Brompton on Swale to Lindisfarne. Shepherd’s Walks has been totally flexible in helping me from Durham onwards by combining the Way of Light with St. Oswald’s Way. A glitch at Durham was promptly and efficiently dealt with. The accommodation and baggage handling and taxi arrangements were excellent and there were no other glitches. The walk itself will give me pleasant memories for years to come. Even the plodding through rain on wet paths will be remembered but for most of the time the weather was dry and the experience was enjoyable. I would recommend you to anyone who is considering a long distance walk in this part of Britain.
The holiday was very well organised and the accommodation and food were very good. Ray was an excellent leader, full of information. He was concerned with the welfare of the weakest members of the group.
Ray our guide was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable about the area. It was a wonderful group of walkers. Our lodging was outstanding and our hosts were superb.
Great trip around and over the Three Peaks with our guide Ray and a bunch of other great walkers. Perfectly organised and great fun.
We used Sherpherds Walks for this walking holiday because they came highly recommended. We had some snafus happen with our last walk with a different company. I’m happy to report that everything was arranged for us perfectly, and all the accommodations were great, the standout being Allerton House in Jedburgh. All the guides and instructions were spot on, and we felt in very good hands. It was nice to know Shepherds Walks was reachable after hours if we had any issues, but we never did. I’d highly recommend. St. Cuthbert’s way was beautiful and remote, with plenty of varied landscapes so you never knew what was around the corner, from forests to farmland to hills, valleys, moors, and seaside. We got a taste of everything!
The walk itself is simply beautiful and I would strongly recommend it. Shepherds Walk Holidays enhanced the route. The accommodations and their staff were very good. A special mention going to the Buck Inn , Buckden and the Red Lion in Sedbergh. The logistics of the trip (baggage and taxis) efficient and timely. Shepherds staff were very friendly and helpful in what turned out to be a slightly awkward booking process ( my fault, short notice and a change of dates). Many thanks for a fantastic weeks walking .
Well organised. Great B&Bs (specially Lanercost (nice dinner!) and Haltwhistle (great breakfast!). Luggage transfers worked well. Nice part of the route. Great to be able to learn more about the Roman history along the route. Only day 3 was too short - we ended up in Gilsland after the Birdoswald first visit at noon. We decided to walk to Haltwhistle rather than requesting the transfer - worked ok, but not great part of the route. Would have been better to make a longer day 3 along Hadrian’s wall. Weather was mixed.
We had a great time. Really impressed by the text messages - no other walk company in UK or in France has added that bit of personal service and contact. Information was really helpful for planning meals and lunch purchases on the way. Quality of accommodation was good. Being able to get transfers through you really helped us out. We are thinking of St Oswald's Way next year if we can find a slot in our diaries.
A great time. All your planning and materials were ideal and very helpful. Great accommodation in Aysgarth, Reeth and Held. Hotel in Hawes - room fine but breakfast arrangements not great (coffee machine broken, one (slow) member of staff). Walk was wonderful. Thank you so much!
Excellent organisation. Accommodation was superb and provided just what we needed after a long days walking. Beautiful scenery would definitely recommend the 6 day itinerary.
Thoroughly enjoyed three day walk with lots of great scenery! Fantastic B+B at Eyemouth ( clean, bright bedroom) but think the Queen's head in Berwick has seen better day's. ( Bedroom needed modernising , full of old dark furniture ) they have also stopped evening meals which is advertised in holiday details) Overall great trip and would recommend it . If it wasn't for the Queen's head we would rate this a 10
Good variety of walking with lots of interesting places en route which are worth visiting in their own right such as Durham cathedral, Ushaw, Blanchland and Hexham Abbey.
A perfect circular walk in the Yorkshire Dales.
- This was our first experience of a sherpa’d walking holiday.
Booking was straightforward and the information pack arrived in good time.
All the elements of the walk flowed smoothly, accommodation hosts were expecting us and both the taxis and baggage transfers worked well. - All hosts were friendly and welcoming and the accommodation was comfortable throughout the holiday.
- The information pack contained all the resources we needed to find meals on route, although it would really have been better for the pack to be chronological for each day of our walk, instead of separating out route, accommodation details and amenities at each rest stop into separate sections, as this would have avoiding a fair bit of shuffling between pages and scrolling once we were underway.
- The map provided was useful up to a point, however, Harveys have a colour-scheme which is very difficult for red/green colour blind users (1 in 10 males) and one of us was unable to use this map at all. We recommend the excellent Ordnance Survey phone app (there’s a free trial for a fortnight if you don’t want to subscribe).
We wonder if the official guidebook would have been a better option and may have offered some additional background on the places the walk passes through.
- The route is extremely well waymarked, but there were a couple of places where we really did need to use the OS phone app to confirm the route.
- There is a complementary finisher’s certificate available from the St Cuthbert’s Way website, but we only discovered this by chance.
This was a very varied walk in beautiful settings.
Starting off at Hadrians Wall and ending at the Holy Islands. The first day we felt we hadn't been given enough time to enjoy our walk and the coffee shop on route, rushing to get the taxi booked originally for 1.30. We had managed to change it to two, but couldn't get later due to the school run.
We were then deposited outside our B & B with bags with no one in. Shepherds Walks did sort it when we rang, but not a good start. A lovely B & B and Mrs Brown was an excellent host.
Day 2 was more relaxed and no rush to get the taxi. The accommodation that night was very friendly.
Day 3 was the hardest, but the most rewarding. The signage had been adequate with a lot of map reading but when it came to Hardwood Forrest and going into Simonside moor it went completely. Due to storm Arwn the Forrest had been devastated and also the signage. We got completely lost, and with it being so desolate it was quite frightening. Goodness knows how we made it but we eventually arrived at our pub for the night at 7.40.
Shattered and straight to bed, we couldn't be bothered to eat. That was the hardest after that everything seemed much easier.
Although signage disappeared at times it was easier to get our bearings.
Lovely walking and no pressure with having to get a taxi to our accommodation.
On reaching the Northumberland coat, it was a joy to walk along the beach and visit the small fishing villages along the way. It was a shame we couldn't stay at Belfort and had to get a taxi back to Seahouses.
The person we joined along the way that day and stayed at Belford said her B and B was empty apart from her. Then the last day, the crossing on the sand to the Holy Island. Amazing, what an end to a walk.
We were so glad we stayed for an extra day there to explore the island.
A lovely holiday and we would certainly recommend the walk.
The whole experience was organised so well, hotels booked, transfers arranged and lots of info supplied. The guide book and map provided were very helpful. The list of places to eat/drink along the route could do with updating as some were no longer available or didn’t open until later in the day. The hotels used apart from one were comfortable and welcoming and generally of a good standard. The walk itself is quite challenging as the terrain changes all the time from fields, gravel, stony ground , boggy bits and many many stiles. The scenery is stunning and the satisfaction of walking into Newcastle made it all worthwhile. Plus we managed to raise money for our local charities and met lots of lovely people on the way. We have to say a big thank you to Jane who sorted out alternative accommodation for us when one of the hotels wasnt up to standard. To do this on a Saturday evening on a busy July weekend must have taken a tremendous effort on her part and showed the level of service provided. We have no hesitation at all in recommending Shepherds Walks as from the moment of booking until the end of the walk we were more than satisfied with the service provided.
I have completed a sponsored walk from my home in Brompton on Swale to Lindisfarne. Shepherd’s Walks has been totally flexible in helping me from Durham onwards by combining the Way of Light with St. Oswald’s Way. A glitch at Durham was promptly and efficiently dealt with. The accommodation and baggage handling and taxi arrangements were excellent and there were no other glitches. The walk itself will give me pleasant memories for years to come. Even the plodding through rain on wet paths will be remembered but for most of the time the weather was dry and the experience was enjoyable. I would recommend you to anyone who is considering a long distance walk in this part of Britain.
We thoroughly enjoyed out walk on St Cuthbert's Way - it's a lovely route, exceeding our expectations! All the arrangements worked well and the accommodation was all good. The best day was the longest day (although the notes say Jedburgh to Kirk Yetholm is 15 miles, it's actually 17 miles if you include the walk out of Jedburgh back to the trail), weather and scenery were delightful that day and views from Wideopen Hill unforgettable. The final walk, barefoot across the sands to Holy Island, made a fitting climax. It was also great to have an extra night to stay on the island and enjoy the peace once the crowds had gone.
I had previously used another company for the Coast to Coast and Cumbria Way walks but that company didn't match up to the excellent response I received from Shepherds Walks when combining the two walks.
Booking process easy and straightforward, excellent briefing pack and video, quick response to queries and helped arrange walk to Holy island with a fantastic personal guide.
Transfers worked like clockwork and were flexible when required e.g. we decided to spend a day around St Abbs instead of walking there from Cockburnspath so taxi accommodated that, baggage transfers perfect and accommodation excellent as were recommendations for eating.
The weather was also outstanding as was the wonderful scenery. Inland sections at times felt like a bit of a trudge but well signposted and great beach sections. A truly exceptional walk - big thank you to all those involved.
If you want a short walking holiday in stunning scenery, then the Herriot Way is a top choice. Two days of walking along a dale (Wensleydale and Swaledale) plus two days walking up out of one dale and down into the other. A great mix of terrain and walking challenges. We received useful and well-presented information from Shepherds Walks, and the accommodation was excellent as were the baggage and taxi transfers. NOTE OF CAUTION: if you suffer from vertigo DO NOT take the high route from Keld to Reeth.
As usual, a good Shepherds Walks holiday. Lots to enjoy.
Dales Way is often poorly signed, esp if you are walking N > S. We had to do a lot of checking on our trusty OS app.
Fabulous B&B's
Many thanks!
Arranged transfers all arrived in good time & the drivers were pleasant & knew their roles.
The accommodation was excellent on the whole, although the Lanercost stop was some distance from the wall route & no transport option was offered.
If we had a choice, we would have preferred if day 3, 4 & 5 distances could have been more even. (ie. day 3 was only 5 miles). The guide & map book were good to have & provided some useful & interesting information.
No issues with the baggage transfers, our luggage was always at the accommodation before us.
On the whole, a thoroughly enjoyable week, helped by great weather!
We enjoyed the holiday and our bags and any previously agreed on transports were handled in timely and professional manner. The walk itself - some days there are no bathrooms so something to keep in mind if you are considering doing this one. It would be great if there would be port-a-potties added by tour organizers to some of these sections. A lot of the walk is going through farmland and dodging sheep or cow poop. Sceneries are really great once you get to the middle sections - and climbing the hills is very worth it. In the middle days is also where you see most of the wall itself. There are also opportunities to visit museums along the way that explain the history of it. We also saw archaeological diggings one day. Breakfasts were mostly really good even though half our group was vegan - everyone was able to make us something. One suggestion, recommendations for types of shoes/boots for the different legs of the tour as we were left guessing between road shoes and hiking shoes and sometimes made the wrong guess.
A great mix of coastal and inland walking with a fair bit of history thrown in. Northumberland is a beautiful county which we felt we saw quite a lot of, having also done St Cuthberts Way last year. The accommodation was variable but good and everyone was really friendly and welcoming. The accommodation bookings and taxi pick ups all worked smoothly, so thank you SWH.
This walk has been carefully designed to include four full days of walking along the remains of the Wall and two shorter days mid week with visits to two fascinating museums at Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum in Green Head. Four days of over 20Kms sounds hard going but Patrick kept our interest in the history and archaeology of the Wall high, ensured we were making good enough progress and getting regular tea and coffee breaks. Walking west to east the tail wind makes a notable difference. I was impressed with the precision of the bus pick ups, the accommodation at Gilsland and our knowledgeable, well organised and thoughtful guide.
Our little group of 70+ year olds has a "long walk" every year. This year we chose to repeat the Dales Way from Ilkley to Bowness, walking for eight days, luggage and accommodation organised by Shepherds Walks. With two minor hiccups the walk went very smoothly. Hiccup one. The taxi company due to take us back to Ilkley on our first walking day denied the booking! A call to Shepherds Walks had that sorted out in minutes, our calls to the company got us nowhere, so thanks. Hiccup 2: In Grassington we were in two residences, The Forresters Arms and Grassington Lodge. The next day the luggage of those in the Lodge failed to appear at The George, Hubberholme. Again a few phone calls to Shepherds Walks sorted the problem. I have asked the team for comments and overwhelmingly we agreed that Shepherds Walks organised everything extremely well. From our original booking to getting home communication with the company was first class, a couple of changes we had to make were easily dealt with. The only complaint, which had nothing to do with Shepherds, was the condition of the carpet in Forresters Lodge, Grassington. And the facetious complaint was that Betty's Cafe in Ilkley was closed for refurbishment! We can't thank you enough, we had a most enjoyable trip and recommend your company to any group wishing to follow one of your walks. Unfortunately I do not have the technical skills to upload photos but should you wish to read our blog go to gadgiewalks.blogspot.com The Dales Diary Volume 2 yours on behalf of the team Mike Emmett
This was one of the best experiences of my life, everything was well organised and with clear instructions. The accommodation was very very well selected and to a high standard. We have no complaints or moans at all - even the weather was good. Well done guys
CLEVELAND WAY – MOORLAND SECTION 3rd – 9th July 2024 I’ve just completed the Cleveland Way Moorland section organised by Jane and the team at Shepherds Walks Holidays. The walk was everything I have come to expect of Shepherds, well organised, well planned, great accommodation, excellent welcome pack, very efficient bag transfer and first class taxi service, a special mention of Rob from Ayton Taxis who called me the day before to introduce himself and who was happy to alter the pick up time as I was making such good daily progress. Nothing is too much trouble for the team at Shepherds and you can tailor the walk to suit your individual needs or wants. This is not my first walk with Shepherds and it won’t be my last. ANDREW JOHNSON
This proved to be one of my most enjoyable distance walks. As usual Shepherds Walks Holidays did an exceptional job in organising the holiday and everything went according to plan. The scenery was varied and outstanding and the arduous bits were compensated with fantastic views. The daily distances were about right and the overnight accommodation, albeit was varied, but all did the job. The highlight of the walk was paddling the 2 miles out to Holy island on Sunday morning to finish the adventure. Thanks again to the Shepherd Walks team for another (my fourth) classic walk. My only problem - where shall I go next time?
The booking process worked well, the information sent was clear and relevant, the guide book was very good. All the hotels were expecting us and the baggage transfer was efficient. The hotels in Whitby and Scarborough were disappointing. Both were in need of refurbishment, the headboard at Whitby was filthy, the shower walls had black mould and the room at Scarborough had no bedside lamp only a ceiling light that couldn’t be switched on from the bed. The walk itself was good except for some steep rocky ascents and descents which would be much safer with a handrail. Some places had these but not all and I feel it is something that would be of great benefit. I would use Shepherds Walks again and recommend you to others.
Very well organised trip with a great informative guide. Full of information on the history of the wall, the local flora, fauna, birds and wildlife. Made our Holiday Fun and Interesting. Everything was covered. Accommodation, Restaurants, Luggage Transfers. A Brilliant Crew! The walk is challenging, achievable and very rewarding. I would highly recommend Shepherd's Walks Holidays they take care of everything. All you have to do is enjoy it!
It had been raining all year until the first week of June when we planned our trip, and it was wonderful!
Beautiful sights, a lot of fields with cows and sheep, friendly encounters with fellow walkers and in the evening a good pint in the local pub, England at its best!
Strongly recommended, well organized by Shepherds Walks, wouldn't be surprised if we would do one of the other walks they offer on their site, thanks Jane & team!
We may not have had perfect weather on our Northumberland Coast Path highlights walk but we definitely had perfect service from Shepherds Walk Holidays.
All of our accommodations were lovely and comfortable, our breakfasts amazing, baggage transfers and taxi pickups prompt and friendly.
Trip highlights (other than the obvious beauty of the Northumberland Coast):
-the meals at The Hope and Anchor Inn Alnmouth
-arriving at The Blue Bell Inn in Embleton after hiking through 40 mm of rain to find our room freshly cleaned and our luggage waiting for us. Sometimes the smallest things seem huge. We had such a sense of accomplishment that day.
-arriving at the beach in Bamburgh with the castle looming. A sight to behold.
The staff at Shepherds Walks know what they are doing. All my emails were answered promptly and everything ran like clockwork.
The trip itinerary and trail information were very helpful and we closely followed the guides for bathroom breaks and restaurant options. I highly recommend this self guided walking holiday and would book with Shepherds Walks again.
Thank you for the opportunity to do this spectacular trip. My son and I had a great time. We have spent a lot of time hiking in the Canadian wilderness but walking through the fields, villages and beaches of Northumberland was a completely different experience. The logistics were all taken care of without any concerns and I loved that we were able to modify the holiday to accommodate our needs/timing. Thanks again.
A very efficient service. Always available on the phone or email, and as a solo walker I was provided with a GPS tracker for the walk and my progress was monitored each day- quite comforting in poor weather on the wilder sections.
Enjoyed it, very much, met some great people on the way.
Accommodation was pretty good overall, and mostly handy to railway stations etc. please though update the ‘walking ‘distances stated, we felt they were road miles rather than walking miles.
The welcome pack was fairly extensive, possibly condense it a bit. There was only one in our party who had a phone that worked as she had been staying in London since the start of the year, the rest of us had data only, as we are only in the UK for a couple of weeks.
It just made getting in touch with the pick up drivers a bit tricky at times. Overall though an amazing experience never to be forgotten.
I greatly enjoyed my 6 days walking Hadrian's Wall.
The accommodation was fine, with particular thanks to Twice-Brewed for its drying room (needed after the one wet day of the trip) and first rate cuisine, and Blacksmith's Arms for its friendliness and flexibility.
The luggage transfers took place without a hitch as did the small number of taxi trips to accommodation that was a few miles away from the Wall.
Shepherds' Walks Holiday were very helpful at every stage and everything went smoothly. On a couple of days the time allowed between pick-up (when staying off the Wall) and collection were over-optimistic, at least for any walkers over the age of 65. I had to get these modified to make those days more flexible.
A memorable experience overall, free from any anxieties about the arrangements.
Strongly recommended.
Most of the accommodation was fine. At St Boswell's I asked to change rooms on the second night as my room overlooked a separate party annex and they were partying! Kirk Yetholm was a small room with no direct outside light. The window opened onto the corridor and there was a skylight tunnel. I'm not sure 2 people would have found it comfortable of be able to move around. On the plus side their home made soup was marvellous. My favourite accommodation was at Jedburgh. Massive room with lots of light and a small kitchenette. Great breakfast. Finishing the walk by walking over the sands at low tide to Lindisfarne was magical.
Liked the bespoke programme.
Felt our requests had been accommodated. Happy with the standard of most rooms.
We had no fresh air on one night as the room looked out into an enclosed yard.
Enjoyed it, very much, met some great people on the way.
Accommodation was pretty good overall, and mostly handy to railway stations etc. please though update the ‘walking ‘distances stated, we felt they were road miles rather than walking miles.
The welcome pack was fairly extensive, possibly condense it a bit.
There was only one in our party who had a phone that worked as she had been staying in London since the start of the year, the rest of us had data only, as we are only in the UK for a couple of weeks. It just made getting in touch with the pick up drivers a bit tricky at times.
Overall though an amazing experience never to be forgotten.
We really enjoyed the holiday. arrangements and transport were superb.
It was very valuable having a locally based company. navigation was easy. GPS tracker was not required.
Food left a bit to be desired but this is English catering.
A wonderful walk which we greatly enjoyed - and we raised over £5,000 for Ukraine.
Most of the accommodation was fine and your organisation was excellent. And we found nice places to eat.
The Morebattle Hotel was exceptionally good.
We met some lovely people and the walk across the sands to Lindisfarne made a great finish. We did find on a couple of occasions difficulty in finding our B and B. A written description with the map could have been helpful.
But a great week and Nadiia particularly enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you
Thank you for organising a wonderful 4 night, 3 days walking trip along the Northumberland Coastal path for our group of 4 plus 2 dogs and arranging perfect weather! Everybody I spoke at Shepherd's Walk holidays were extremely helpful and friendly. This was our first time doing this type of holiday and we couldn't have asked for better service. Text messages along the way gave reassurance that we were being well looked after. It was a nice touch. Parking our car in Bamburgh and having the taxi take us to Alnmouth at the start of the holiday worked very well for us. All the accommodation was clean and mostly comfortable (the springs in the mattresses' at The Sun Inn, Alnmouth could be felt poking through), and our bags were always waiting for us at each destination. Everybody we met were very friendly and no litter was seen, which was lovely. We had a fantastic meal at the Jolly Fisherman in Craster and will hopefully be returning there in the future. Many thanks from us all including two tired dogs!
We were blessed with perfect hiking conditions throughout our 6 days. The length of the walks were spot on. The Let’s walk the Cleveland Way guide book was very useful as was the map. The Skelton diversion is no longer in place. The accommodation was certainly varied and of high quality. The staff at each hotel/b&b were excellent apart from the morning waitress at The Wilson Arms in Sneaton who was very unpleasant and clearly didn’t want to be serving breakfast to anyone! A real shame as none of us would ever go back there. The bags were delivered perfectly to each venue always on time. Overall an excellent holiday. Many thanks. This revue is based on the views of all four of us.
Shepherds Walks organised every part of our holiday: hotels, taxis, luggage transfer. Everything went smoothly, we cannot fault the holiday itself, the hotels were all high standard, taxis were all on time. We were given all the information we needed if anything didn't go to plan. The reason we've given 9 is because we didn't know the hotels we were staying in before we had to pay the full balance of the holiday. Also I accidentally deleted the email containing all the holiday info as it went into my junk folder. I'd suggest maybe an email from the company saying they'd just sent the holiday info through. Overall we were very happy with shepherds Walks and will definitely use them again for holidays in the future
We can't thank Jane and John enough - and recommend them as hosts/guides - for their amazing support and flexibility in accommodating a wobbly start to the St Cuthbert's Way for us due to flight/baggage delays. They went well out of their way to reorganise our trip at short notice so that we could drop in and enjoy the majority of the walk. We loved this walk - the variety of landscapes, fabulous accommodation and welcoming hosts, the daily itinerary (just enough challenge to make for rewarding days), and the support of luggage transfers. We found some great places to eat, discovered some amazing little villages, and enjoyed meeting good people along the way. Shepherds Walk Holidays' support package and their lead-up correspondence were both impeccable, and very useful. We'd highly recommend using them for any supported walk they offer - Jane and John are both passionate about what they do, and friendly, caring and professional. We hope to meet them again on another walk one day!
We had a good walking holiday and were very lucky with the weather. Although cold, which is fine when walking, we only had one very wet day. The itinerary pack was comprehensive although we didn’t deviate from the route so didn’t use many of the listings for snacks etc. only used those we passed en route.
After a good breakfast we didn’t need much extra food. The daily mileages on my fitness app nearly always exceeded by a couple of miles those stated in the itinerary so some days we were quite tired.
Going to Craster Cottage Inn we had walked 15.5 miles and not the 13 stated. We could have done with some clear instructions for getting to Craster Cottage Inn as road names and signage not obvious and we followed a woodland path shown on an information board which took us too far over but a local man put us right but it added another half mile. Also we went round the narrow alleys a bit , there were building works in the roadway and had to ask the way, before finding the Ship Inn.
We could have done with part of an OS map for the inland section from Belford to Fenwick. We got on the wrong path from Swinhoe Farm where we took the path with the squiggle on it but we should have gone straight on. We were off the coast path map but not sure where we were. It was a horrible wet day. We were lucky to see a van parked up in the distance and crossed terrain to get to it and a young man was helpful, showed us where we were and took us to the NT car park for St Cuthberts Cave which we wanted to visit.
From there footpaths were confusing between Cuthberts Way and Northumberland coast path as some doubled up. There seemed to be a lack of good signage for this part of the walk and we ended up back at Swinhoe farm and realised our error and got on the right path! We ended up walking 12 miles instead of 7 miles. I think having part of the OS map which has more detail than the coast map would have helped us.
All the taxi pick ups worked well. The coast and scenery were absolutely beautiful and I enjoyed the visits to the castles en route. Our free day on Lindisfarne was a longer distance from Fenwick than we realised. We used the X18 bus to get one stop to Beal but the Lindisfarne bus only runs on Weds and Sats so we had to walk 7 miles to the town.
However we managed to find a couple in the car park who were leaving to take us back over the lengthy causeway and they kindly dropped us in Fenwick otherwise it would have been a 14-mile day. It would have been useful to know beforehand how long the walk was from Fenwick. I think the man who ran us to the next village for dinner may well have taken us for a small charge. These are just small details that would have made a difference but overall we had a good time and enjoyed the walk very much.
Accommodation was all good and luggage was always there when we arrived. Taxi links to some of the accommodation were timely and friendly. Overall, an excellent experience. It would have been nice to know that Segedunum Fort had been closed due to a leaking roof! Luckily, none of us were completing our Hadrian's wall pass otherwise it would have been a major disappointment. Overall, it was an excellent holiday and a great experience.
An interesting and varied four days with many historic and natural attractions slightly marred by unclear directions and inaccurate food information, all of which I have fed back to the Company, whose staff were most helpful throughout
Richard and I walked SCW this year. Shepherds walks sorted accommodation, route maps etc, and the organisation was very good. The overnight accommodation was always comfortable and welcoming and added much to the trip. Downsides? Weather! We were cursed with heavy rain and strong winds through much of the walk. Local people we spoke to said there had been rain every day for weeks on end, and I turn this meant that much of the actual trail was a bog of clinging mud, so we were faced with several very arduous stretches. The rain also denied some of the views from the fell tops we had hoped for. We crossed to Holy Island by the pilgrim sands and this was quite an experience. An enjoyable week, tired but exhilarated by the end. Marked 8 solely due to weather, but Shepherds walks can do little about that!
Shepherds Walks were amazing from start to finish as was Hadrians Wall! After a general search on Google for a company to use we settled with SW. Everything that was agreed on, itinerary, transfers, accommodation was spot on, thank you. Even the part, which was not in the itinerary, of taking forgotten engagement ring, wedding ring and eternity ring from one accommodation to the next by taxi to the very embarrassed wife was taken care of by SW without fuss or bother, thank you! The accommodation was brill as was the food and drink. We had the most amazing 6 days adventure.
Excellent 3 days. Accommodation and bookings efficiently managed by Shepherds Walks. Best walking company that I have used.
The walk itself was wonderful providing varied landscape and a physical challenge.
We were lucky with the weather and when we really needed it to be dry it was. The walk to Holy Island on our last day was very meaningful and we were blessed with great conditions.
Our small group was an ideal size for me and led by a fantastic, top-notch guide in Ray (10 out of 10!). He is so knowledgeable about St. Cuthbert’s era and the area, and knows how to tell a story.
It was both fun and interesting to learn about the history and hear the stories from Ray.
We all got along very well.
Really enjoyed the three peaks walk. It was well organised and the walking group were great. The accomodation was very good, although the shower in the room was poor. However, that didn't deflect from the overall experience, which was first class. Just wished that the weather on the Sunday could have been better.
The walk was fantastic. Ray Biggs was the perfect guide; extremely knowledgeable, funny and friendly. The hotels were wonderful. My rating would be a 10 if not for the mixed quality of the lunch sandwiches. I will return next year. Thank you so much!
It was fantastic! Lovely group, great, knowledgeable and friendly guide (Ray) even the weather cooperated for most of the time. The accommodations were comfortable and the breakfasts were great! Would love if Shepherds Walks offered guided tours of St. Oswald’s Way or even segments of it from Rothbury. Thank you for your excellent organisation!
Fabulous Few days. Well organised would certainly recommend.
We had a great time in Yorkshire walking the Three Peaks with a lovely group and our super Shepherds Walk guides. We had fine weather the first couple of peaks and enjoyed Jon and Jane’s interesting talks on their experiences and the local area. The last hike, the weather was not so good but we all managed our last peak…our comfortable accommodation included a lovely breakfast and a substantial packed lunch each day and our evening meals were hearty and delicious! Just wondering which challenge to choose next…
I had a fantastic time, it was a memorable journey. My travelling companions were great company and our guide, Patrick was superb and extremely knowledgeable. My holiday was well organised all I had to do was enjoy myself
The St Cuthbert’s Way guided walk was really wonderful.
I enjoyed the path, the people I walked with and the places we stayed.
My only suggestion would be to include a night on Holy Island as it is indeed magical when all the people go home and the food at the Crown and Anchor is great.
The highlight of my vacation and our guide Ray Biggs made things flow smoothly and told great stories.
The St Cuthbert’s Way guided walk was really wonderful.
I enjoyed the path, the people I walked with and the places we stayed.
My only suggestion would be to include a night on Holy Island as it is indeed magical when all the people go home and the food at the Crown and Anchor is great.
Our guide Ray Biggs made things flow smoothly and told great stories.
It was fantastic! Lovely group, great, knowledgeable and friendly guide (Ray) even the weather cooperated for most of the time. The accommodations were comfortable and the breakfasts were great!
Would love if Shepherds Walks offered guided tours of St. Oswald’s Way or even segments of it from Rothbury. Thank you for your excellent organisation!
Beautiful scenery. No trouble navigating. The second day was too short- we would have liked the walks evened up a bit.
I have been saying to my wife for the last 45 years that we must visit the Isle of Man as I loved it as a child but we never got around to it.
That was until I discovered the Shepherds Walks self-guided IOM costal path.
We went in September just after the school holidays had finished so hoping it would still be warm but not too busy. We couldn't have picked a better time as we had some of the hottest days of the year and only one day of rain.
It can be very strenuous as there are a lot of hills in the southern part of the island but the views are stunning.
Over the course of 11 days we walked over 100 miles and had over 10 000 feet ascent. Saw dolphins and seals and lots of bids and insects. Loved the castles and prehistoric sites, as well as rides on the electric tram and the Snaefell mountain railway (on our extra day).
In general the accommodation was good, a couple of places were a bit tired but the stays in Ramsey and Douglas were excellent. Some points to be aware of:
- The paths in places are not well tended and there is a lot of gorse and bramble so you can get quite scratched if wearing shorts. Also there are some parts not for the faint-hearted where you are walking along the edge of a cliff with a vertical drop down to the sea.
- Carry lots of water as there are few places to refill. We climbed to the top of Cronk ny Arrey Laa (sea level to 1475 feet in 3 miles) on a day where the temperature was 25 degrees C, I managed to drink all the 1.5 litres of water I was carrying in the first 7 miles and was hoping for a refill at Niarbyl bay café only to find it was permanently closed and the water was cut off to the outside tap. Had to beg water from a passing cyclist.
- It would be better if the walk finished at Niarbyl Bay on day 5 rather than Peel as it is very strenuous (and poorly signposted in the hills) and also if the next day you start at Niarbyl Bay then you reach Peel just as the castle is opening and it is well worth a visit. (it closes at 3:00 p.m. so you cannot get there in time on day 5).
- Some of the paths are poorly signposted ( quite a number of the signs have been pulled off or are quite far apart) especially around Cronk ny Arrey Laa so you need more than just a map and compass ( there were parts we the path is different to the map as well) either a good GPS or one of the apps (I use the OS premium service) is well worth it.
- A lot of restaurants have closed down on the island recently so outside of Douglas there is little choice, make sure that you have booked ahead (even then one restaurant canceled on us 3 hours before we were due to eat).
- There is a bit of the costal path missing from the itinerary. On day 3 the path around Langness has been missed out. We did it and it was very interesting but it did add another 6 miles to our route so increasing it from an 8 mile walk to a 14 mile walk.
All that being said we really enjoyed it the sun shone the people were friendly and on the one occasion that I had to phone the help line everything was sorted out in minutes.
We had such a great time walking the Hadrians Wall with Shepherds Walks.
All the arrangements were seamless and everything was well communicated to us. We really appreciated the detailed guidebook we were provided with.
The accommodation on the whole was amazing (Keelmans not quite up to same standard but still comfortable).
Hosts were lovely and breakfasts were plentiful and delicious.
We’d not done a walking holiday before so were not really sure what to expect.
We were very happy with how the holiday worked out and have already recommended Shepherds Walks to other Australian friends and family. Thanks!
Pre-departure communication first class.
Booking and subsequent advice, guidance and holiday literature most helpful.
Staff at Rothbury always happy to swiftly address queries.
Walk itself was most enjoyable.
Luggage transfers and taxi connections worked well.
No complaints about any of the overnight accommodation stops, most of which also provided an evening meal. A refreshing change of bed and restaurant to look forward to each night of the trek, and all offering first class service and cuisine.
Trail itself was easy to follow. I did however prefer my own OS map linked to smartphone GPS. Nothing wrong with the material provided by SWH, just more comfortable with what I'm familiar with. We also purchased an additional freely available guide to the trail which was also most helpful.
This was our first long-distance walking holiday. It won't be our last. I will certainly consider future holidays with SWH and would have no hesitation in recommending it to others.
This is my second holiday with Shepherds Walk, last year I did the Cumbrian Way, although this walk wasn’t as challenging for heights it still was a challenge for me.
There were some amazing views , especially over the hills. Walking barefoot across the sands to holy island was very magical and atmospheric early in the morning .
The accommodations were all of a good standard and we had some memorable meals too Taxis were all on time and our luggage was there when we reached our overnight stay ( except for one night when they arrived at 6 pm, and that was the only day it rained ????)
It was a great adventure for me and hopefully, I will be able to do another next year.
We did the standard six day trip, but began walking from Melrose straight away, without staying the previous night. While this made for a bit of confusion on day one (we didn't receive our map until the end of the day!), it was nice to "hit the ground running" so to speak. Not sure if it was just the lack of a map, but the first day was the most confusing for us. There are many other trails running close to Melrose, and in a few places the waymarkers were ambiguous. This walk was definitely harder than we had anticipated. Though we are in our 50's, I am a fitness instructor and my husband loves to walk and work out. We both enjoy day hiking and wore boots that we've had for awhile, but walking for hours and hours day after day was another thing altogether! So grateful we were blessed with warm, sunny weather EVERY DAY! And we really appreciated most of the accommodation along the way and the hearty breakfasts to start off each day. Walking barefoot across the sand/mud on the last day was a triumph (also loved that this final day was short!). Shepherds Walk was great with communication in the planning stages, and with allowing us to modify the walk to suit our needs (we booked two days in a retreat centre on Holy Island at the end of our walk). Aside from one place we stayed that was just okay, all of our other accommodations were fantasitic - friendly hosts, good food, comfortable beds.
Holiday booking, payments and planning all very efficient. The documentation, accommodation, transfers, mapping provided in the 'Welcome Pack' afforded plenty of detail. The standard of accommodation was good and in all cases our hosts were amenable to arrange breakfast to allow for an early start to the day. The only problem encountered was on day 2. A road bridge at Appersett was closed (It looked as if it could be a while before works are completed!) as a result over an hour was spent in finding an alternative route that added more than two miles to the days walk. This would not have been a problem had it not been a day when we were due for a taxi transfer. Of course out in the sticks it was a while before we were able to get a signal to call and change the transfer timing. As always - another enjoyable Sheperds walks holiday.
All arrangements went to plan. Accomodation mixed but all of an acceptable standard: Jedburgh and Yetholm accomodation were both excellent. Walk info provided was adequate though we used own OS Maps and Official Guide.
Everything worked out really well, and we enjoyed the walk and all there is to see along the way.
The accommodation was all very good, and the weather was almost perfect.
The Cicerone guide was just right for us and route finding was never a problem.
Best bit: The Gateshead Hilton hotel, especially the location and breakfast timings coupled with Dennis taking us to Bowness such that we were off walking by 9.30am
Worst bit: Having a deadline to meet on our longest day (a 5pm pick-up to the Battlesteads Hotel). We're fairly fast walkers but even we were a bit anxious about meeting the minibus (we got to Chesters at 4.20pm) and so had to hurry past some of the best bits of the walk just to be in time.
Being a lovely Sunday with hordes of visitors around the hot-spots didn't help progress either.
We realise that suitable accommodation is very limited.
My brother in law David and I recently returned from walking the St Cuthbert’s Way.
The Organisation, accommodation and route information were excellent, everything we have come to expect from Shepherds Walks.
With Shepherds, you get what you pay for and a whole lot more.
Nothing is too much trouble and the walks can be tailored to suit your own individual requirements.
This was our second walk this year with Shepherds and who knows there may be time for another.
Our thanks to the team.
We had a great time. The walking was very enjoyable and the supplied map was very helpful. The places chosen for our overnight stops were all good and our luggage always arrived ahead of us.
The walk is very nice, wild, in astonishing surrondings. It is amazinig to be able to walk for miles without houses, roads. The walk is quite strenous and you need a GPS. There are not so many signs and there is risk to get the worng pathway. The inns for the night are nice and offer very nice food. Recommended!
Accommodations and all information given were top notch. Great company to walk with! Only minor “complaint” Accommodation on final night. B and B was good but the walk from trail and back the next morning was too far after a long day. Closer would have been really appreciated. Thank you again SHEPHERDS WALKS…we will be back!
The 4 days of coast path included some lovely stretches. Unfortunately the weather was not kind so we did not see the Isle of Man at it’s best. We enjoyed the electric tram and Laxey waterwheel but Snaefell was shrouded in cloud so no view.
We enjoyed our self guided Dales Way trip with Shepherds Way. Accommodation was comfortable though occasionally off track. Some hosts really went the extra mile for us by minding our bags or giving us a lift into town. The maps and guidebook were very useful The staff at shepherds way got back to us quickly for any queries.
Shepherds Walks were with us right from first contact to completion of the walk, and even afterwards.
Every baggage transfer and accommodation booking went smoothly, with a variety of overnight stays, all of great quality (although every pub seemed to have the best pie in Yorkshire ????).
The information pack was informative and useful. We would recommend installing the Ordnance Survey maps app on your phone, and downloading the relevant maps in offline mode.
We are highly likely to use Shepherds Walks again.
A well-organised trip with efficient bag courier and in general good accommodation.
A very varied walk with hilly bits and coastal bits.
When there was a minor issue with the booking at Seahouses - quick action from SW personnel - resolved the issue and this was a good plus for SW.
We think SW should consider sourcing a place to park a car in Alnmouth albeit we agree that closeness to train station helps mitigate. At Belford - having known the taxi phone no on arrival would have simplified the pick up - we had to google the taxi number.
We were of the view that the accommodation in Embleton was not of the same standard as the rest of the walk - as contact was difficult and clearly some significant changes have happened at the pub.
We would suggest leaving Alnmouth earlier on the first morning and extending day 1 walk.
We booked all dinners in advance - this was important as some of the places we went to were not taking 'walk ins'.
We would note that the coastal path from Warren Mill to Bamburgh Castle GC has changed route and is quite different to both the OS map and the Guide maps - nonetheless, the signposts going West to East were still easy to follow. Overall - a really well researched route and a lovely 6 days of walking.
Able to walk to good quality accommodation, without the need for taxi transfers. Luggage transfer service efficient.
We completed the Cleveland Way moorland section over five days and met about as many walkers on the way.
We were lucky enough to have sufficiently clear weather to enjoy the stunning views from the long ridge along which the walk runs for the majority of the way.
Ending up in Saltburn by Sea was a delightful end point for us. Generally very well waymarked, but we were pleased to have access to the map and compass at these weak points in the signposting.
Accommodation was all good, except for the Three Tuns (Queen's Head) in Osmotherley.
I've still given the walk 10 points because it's the walk I am rating, not the accommodation and it's clear there are few other options for overnight accommodation in this well-located and pretty village.
All very well organised, good accommodation, helpful guidance, and friendly, prompt advice from your office. Provision of the SPOT GPS very conscientious. Would have preferred a printout of the OS 1:25000 map to the 1:40000 Harvey map, because the former is more detailed and the route needed to be checked at times. However, this is a personal preference.
This was an astonishing experience and the St Cuthbert's way is a magnificent walk through beautiful countryside.
I found it physically challenging, particularly the longest walk, when we walked 10 miles before tackling the steepest climb, with another 5 miles to our B+B.
I would love to do this holiday again with my husband but I would hope to split the longest walk into two sessions.
I traveled with 5 other women from the US. We talked about doing this for over a year. We planned, talked and “trained”.
We were not prepared for the inclines, but once we got adjusted, the experience was worth all of the challenges. The trails were beautiful. The reviews said it was moderate level, but I would argue some of the trails were difficult, even with trekking poles.
Day one was much steeper than anticipated. I was surprised by the cardio aspect, as I thought that my legs etc were ready. Slow and steady wins!
The organization of the trek was good. Also, the km/miles indicated on the written materials were the path itself, and does not cover walking through the towns to get to the accommodations.
All accommodations were comfortable and clean, except one. Recommended restaurants hit the mark. We had some of the best food we ever had- anywhere! I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. This has whet my appetite for more adventures. Thank you thank you!
Excellent trip. Surpassed expectations with all pick-ups and bag transfers working seamlessly. Accommodation ranged from good to excellent. Thank you for arranging a July trip at relatively short notice. Even the sun shined,... most of the time.
We had a great holiday. It was well organised, all the overnight stays were fantastic, although a couple were quite a long walk away from the walk route. The walk was beautiful, as we expected, with amazing wild flowers, birds and birdsong. Our bags arrived before we did at each overnight stay. Would thoroughly recommend.
What a great walk. It was challenging in parts, with walks up the dales, then across sections of moorland and what beautiful dales. I liked the fact it was not all signposted and one had to follow the map. The book was incredibly helpful and I think it actually may have been quite challenging without the book.
The walking and scenery were amazing , we were very lucky and had fantastic weather.
In a couple of places the path went very close to the calf edge ( I was a little nervous in these spots ).
The only thing that we think could have been better was that in some of the B+Bs the breakfasts were late 8.00 and 8.30, so starting the day walking was late and the pickups at the end of the walk were early (we personally like to go off the route and explore interesting sites along our walk etc, so enjoy having long days).
Firstly the weather was superb with the exception of one day when we all got thoroughly soaked through but dried out pretty quickly overnight as it was so hot in the bedrooms.
I have to say that eleven days was the perfect duration for our group as I am not sure I would say that the route was "moderate" but tending to be strenuous. But then I am in my 60s.
I was also very surprised to find the path so overgrown and disinterested in maintaining it. Our first day was a baptism of fire quite a challenge being torn to pieces by overgrown gorse that was all along the route and very thick in places.
Rob made the comment we should have brought a flame thrower with us. The path is at times uncomfortably - inches away close from the cliff edge and its massive drop. It is not a walk for the faint hearted or anyone with vertigo.
Overall it was a tremendous holiday and terrific scenery but sad to see that IOM do not support this footpath to make it a pleasure rather than a constant obstacle course. If it had been wet all the time I feel that I might of lost my nerve and given up as too dangerously slippy.
All in all very good. Well organised and everything worked smoothly.
Only minor issue was distance on a fee days was mile more than expected and also didn’t include distance to accommodation.
Which on a couple of days was 1-1.5 miles off the path. Hence a few day’s pushed our daily walks from 14-17 miles.
Other than that excellent organisation.
Varied. Some accommodation excellent, some OK.
Very scenic .
More Basic guidance is needed on certain walking sections.
Absolutely brilliant. Excellent organisation and support throughout.
Beautiful route with some memorable accommodation.
Sedburgh to Burneside the most challenging section owing to poor signage on route.
Would definitely use this company again for walking holidays.
We had a great and relaxing start to our walk, staying at the Gateshead Hilton.
At 8 am the next morning Dennis collected us from the hotel and was a mine of useful information.
The holiday was from start to finish superbly planned, the accom, luggage transfers etc meant all we had to do was concentrate on the walk.
Just one of our overnights was slightly underwhelming and that was Abbey Court in Carlisle which was a bit impersonal but that is only a slight criticism.
Overall the entire holiday was an unforgettable experience. We would have not the slightest hesitation in recommending or using shepherd's walks again.
I really liked the mix of rolling Cheviot hills and coastal paths.
The brochure gave lots of useful information and staff very friendly and helpful.
The accommodation was excellent, beautiful locations, apart from the last one. The bags were left in an open porch with no one to greet us.
The food was not fresh and poorly presented, not as described in the brochure.
The taxi services and transfers were punctual and helpful.
I recommend Shepherds holidays, and particularly this new route which takes in country and coast.
It is not too hard for new walkers and well signed.
Shepherds Walks Holidays provided an excellent service in arranging the Hadrian's Wall Path walk.
The overnight accommodation was of a high standard with good facilities and excellent meals.
The baggage transfer went without a hitch and all prearranged taxis arrived promptly on time.
The courtesy and very prompt response to any questions raised with the Shepherds Walks Holidays team was much appreciated.
Overall Shepherds Walks Holidays is to be highly recommended.
After having walked the length of the costal section of the Cleveland Way, I feel I now have an intimate acquaintance with the landscape.
The entire way is never more than a few hundred meters from the cliff edge or seaside and presents an ever changing kaleidoscope of coastal views punctuated by a series of varied coastal towns which for the most part are still true to the spirit of their traditional roots.
As an American growing up in Hawaii it was particularly fascinating to meet a part of English history and culture that was virtually unknown to me previously.
The logistics of the walk were seamless, and the places I stayed were varied and each added to the sense of place.
I look forward to walking with Shepherds Walks again.
All very smooth and the glorious weather helped! Couple of inaccuracies in the documentation and some general observations.
1. The railway crossing was open to the public on the day we got there (would have been a 1.6km detour had we not checked).
2. One or two “cut and paste” errors in the documentation.
3. Perhaps the map of the day should have taxi and other info on it so that you only need to take that sheet for that day.
4. The need for pre-booking dinner could be more emphasised.
Overall a lovely holiday with no issues. A great walk. Thanks
My brother in law David and I recently walked the Herriot Way (July 2023). It was everything we expected of Shepherds Walks, friendly and helpful office team, great organisation, first class information packs, excellent accommodation and the weather amazing ( not sure if that was Jane's doing). I am not a new customer, I've walked several other classics with Shepherds Walks and each one was like our last one, excellent. We have just booked the St Cuthbert's Way and can't wait, one thing's for sure we need have no worries about the organisation, Shepherds will see to that all we need to do is pray for good weather.
I walked the Dales Way with my wife Sharon and two little dogs Freddie and Dory during the first week of June.
Lovely warm sunny weather the whole way, a bit too warm at times.
The accomodation was very good apart from one, and the luggage transfer excellent, as was the taxi return to our car in Ilkley from Bowness, at the end.
The walk was very varied from beautifull riverside walks to open moorland and lots of hills.
I thought the general state of the walk needed some attention in places, particularly days 4 and 5, some of the gates and stiles were in a poor condition, particularly difficult with 2 dogs to carry over, so not dog friendly.
In addition signage was not great, luckily I had GPS navigation on my phone.
Parts of the route required cutting back, however I suppose it was June in the middle of the growing season.
Once we got into Cumbria the condition of the walk improved greatly.
Overall a memorable walk with great support and organisation from Shepherds Walks.
Lovely holiday thank you very much, some issues I'd like to mention though, the first 2 days,
Heavenfield to Rothbury the signs were few and far between, especially on farmland.
At Little Bavington farm we had to walk through a field with very frisky bullocks, thankfully they were charging in the opposite direction as we walked through.
All the pubs we stayed in were great, except the Sun Inn in Warkworth, surprisingly had people vaping at the bar, I didn't think that was allowed?
The old Rectory b&b was really good, lovely surroundings and the owners couldn't do enough for us, however when we phoned before we left for the holiday to book our evening meal we were told they don't do food on a Saturday evening and we should have been informed of this by you.
Otherwise, everything else was perfect, the manager at the Lindisfarne hotel we stayed in was especially helpful.
It was hard to believe that we had NO rain during our St. Cuthbert's Way experience! I am still smiling at quick memories that pop up!
The organization from Shepherd Walks was first class.
The choice of hotels was great, staff helpful and breakfasts great. Before leaving we had questions and Jane always responsive and helpful.
Appreciated the option of 24-hour access.
Already looking for the next hiking destination!
We had a super time. All arrangements went like clockwork.
Accommodation, food and hospitality all really good. We needed to change our plans on the final day and this was all organised without further charge.
The Briefing Pack was excellent and we were blessed with beautiful weather.
We had a fabulous time, thank you for organising everting so well.
A lovely mix of riverside walking, wild flowers in the hay meadows, hills and moorland, aided by perfect weather and nice pubs.
The printed maps really helped and the gps gave us confidence that we were going the right way.
It was my wife's choice to walk the St Cuthbert's Way.
I was slightly less enthusiastic, probably because it is not one of the better known trails.
However, she was proved right and my doubts were totally unfounded. It really is a fabulous trail with so much variety in terms of terrain and scenery.
Some of the climbs are relatively steep but nothing out of the way. When you are at the top the views are fantastic.
There is some lovely riverside walking, particularly beside the Tweed. And the walk across the sand to Holy Island was a unique way to finish the walk.
We were extremely happy with the organisation of the holiday by Shepherds Walks.
Everything went as it should.
The accommodation was very good.
Should just mention our taxi driver, Sarah, who took us to the start of the walk and collected us at the end.
She was so friendly and told us all about the points of interest we passed on the two journeys.
Overall, I would thoroughly recommend both the St Cuthbert's Way and Shepherds Walks.
For our recent holiday on the northerly Pennine Way stages, Shepherds Walks organised Elizabeth and me a great trip.
The weather was even kind to us so perhaps they arranged that too!
Armed with the supplied routes on our Garmin GPS, self-guided we enjoyed the upland walking in some of the most remote areas of England if not the whole UK.
The daily distances and ascent were not too bad but combined with the terrain underfoot, in England's sometimes boggy high fells, this combination explains why the Pennine Way has a reputation for being tough.
The small number of Shepherds Walks' arranged transfers worked like clock-work, including our luggage every day, and each night we had an overnight stay arranged for us in truly unusual and high quality accommodation.
These overnight venues can only be so reliably picked, day after day, by someone with real local knowledge.
An evening meal, along of course with breakfast, was provided at each venue, and all but next door at Kirk Yetholm, and to a meal these were all excellent and used local ingredients sourced by our friendly local hosts.
The dinners, extra cost items over the included b&b, were very reasonable value for the terrific quality offered.
One overnight stay was in a luxury wooden cabin near Hadrian's Wall, with extensive views of the surrounding hills, and to which our meals were brought and served - better service and food quality than in most hotels.
So with 15m average daily mileages and what in bad weather could be quite difficult terrain, this was a very memorable trip: UK-unbeatable scenery, great places to stay and high quality food and drink, all under-pinned with faultless organisation and logistics. And from a family run outfit too.
Why go anywhere else for a northern England walking holiday?
We set off from Bowness in Solway, so walked west to east.
Our first nights meal in Carlisle was at Amoto's. A little gem of an Italian restaurant.
The first day was long with rather too much road walking, however subsequent days there was little tramac until the last day again.
The terrain changed the further east, with a gently undulating path.
The middle days as expected were tough but the views were simply stunning.
Perfect weather helped , blue skies and white fluffy clouds make for great picture.
All the logistics worked extremely well.
We had a mix of accommodation (no pubs)
All in all a great experience and one ticked off the bucket list!!
This brilliant walk gives you the opportunity to experience the many different types of landscape and scenery that southern Scotland and northern England have to offer.
It is not overtaxing for the average walker, and is mostly away from populated areas so you get to feel the countryside at its best. Crossing the sands barefoot to reach Lindisfarne was definitely the highlight of the walk, making the last day, and the walk as a whole one to remember.
Did this as a guided walk with Shepherds Walks so everything was well taken care of and all that was left to do was to walk and enjoy.
Cannot recommend Shepherds Walks and the St. Cuthbert’s Way more highly.
All went very smoothly and we were blessed with super weather.
Generally lovely staff at the accommodations with an especially warm welcome at Angler's Arms Weldon Bridge.
The only negative point was Sun Hotel Warkworth where names on our room booking were all mixed up and we didn't have water in the bathrooms before breakfast. It did become available relatively soon. Staff there were less helpful with the exception of the breakfast manager.
Our prepaid order for pack lunches given to the bar manager on Saturday evening had not been received by the kitchen but the dining room manager did sort this out with a little delay.
We felt that sandwiches costing £9.95 were well overpriced. At the Beach Hotel Seahouses there is still a little snagging required as the staff are not quite up to speed ( no soap in bathrooms, a suitcase delivered to the wrong room) but we appreciated the pool access offered.
We really enjoyed this trip. By doing the 'Highlights' we were committed to relatively short walks, which meant we could go off-route if we wanted to (we had the OS 1:25,000 maps as well as the Harvey's you gave us); in fact we climbed Great Hetha, saw the Lynn Falls, climbed Humbleton Hill and spent a wonderful misty afternoon searching for cup and ring stones on Doddington Moor.
This also meant than on alternate days we started a good few hours ahead of the crowd, so had the walk to ourselves.
The hotels, taxis and Carrylite were all very efficient.
Best marks to Hownam Taxis: the vehicles spotless, of course on time, carefully driven down the lanes and both husband and wife full of interesting and useful information.
And East Horton farmhouse, where we were, by special request, served a most beautiful supper, and stayed in a room where we imagined ourselves characters in a Jane Austen novel.
Points of information: the railway crossing was open, despite a notice on the far side saying it wasn't, and it felt very safe using the phone and being reassured we could cross.
And the pick up at Fenwick at three didn't really fit with the Black Bull's strict check-in time of four - they kindly gave us a pot of tea as a favour, and as it was sunny outside it didn't matter, but would have been uncomfortable to wait in the rain.
And a small niggle; having your bag (in fact everyone like us seemed to have little wheelie cases) ready for 8.30 was difficult in accommodation where breakfast starts at eight. Do I go to breakfast in my walking boots, or just my socks, or carry my house shoes all day, or rush through breakfast .....
But what will live in our memories is that mysterious stone on gloomy Doddington, the paragliders in the sunshine high on Humbleton Hill, and of course that wonderful walk across the sands to Holy Island as a most fitting ending.
Thank you
I travelled with 5 other women from the US. We talked about doing this for over a year.
We planned, talked and “trained”. We were not prepared for the inclines, but once we got adjusted, the experience was worth all of the challenges.
The trails were beautiful. The reviews said it was moderate level, but I would argue some of the trails were difficult, even with trekking poles.
Day one was much steeper than anticipated. I was surprised by the cardio aspect, as I thought that my legs etc were ready.
Slow and steady wins!
The organization of the trek was good.
Also, the km/miles indicated on the written materials were the path itself, and does not cover walking through the towns to get to the accommodations.
All accommodations were comfortable and clean, except one.
Recommended restaurants hit the mark. We had some of the best food we ever had- anywhere!
I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. This has whet my appetite for more adventures.
Thank you thank you!
We enjoyed our walk, and everything was on time and where it should be. The map was good, and the folks at the Inns lovely. We would highly recommend it!
I cannot think of anything that I would have had different than what it was.
The Way itself featured lovely and varied terrain and scenery.
Our guide pointed out various historical, agricultural, and geographical features that made things that much more interesting.
The accommodations ranged from Good to Superior, with most being Very Good.
Our transfers at the beginning and end of the trip were provided by a delightful driver.
Shepherds Walks provided what support was necessary along the way, from changing dinner reservations to a time that better suited our group, to untangling a booking miscommunication.
The only suggestion I would make to SW is to be clearer in their marketing that at least one section is quite physically demanding and that another could have been if we had met with adverse weather conditions.
Two members of our group were not strong walkers, and if they had not self-selected out of those days I think our Guide could well have been put in a difficult situation to keep us safe.
As it was, the days that they did walk with us, we made very slow progress and if personalities had been different there could well have been tension within the group.
Four of us undertook the Northumberland Coast Path in May.
We were fortunately blessed with dry weather albeit a little cloudy and with some sea mist on a couple of days but pretty good hiking weather - the sun making an appearance on a two afternoons was a bonus!
The organisation of the whole week was faultless and everything went like clockwork.
Accommodation was good and exceptional at two overnight stops.
Everyone was friendly and welcoming, while our luggage was waiting for us at each onward stop.
The taxi connections were always on time or early so no worry about whether they would turn up.
One company even phoned us to check where we were on our walk so as to ascertain an eta.
The whole route is well signed with the new England Coast Path posts which in conjunction with the map made for easy navigation.
The suggested list of Cafe’s, loo’s and shops along the way helped us to plan our day and were impressed that the Golf Clubs mentioned were happy to welcome walkers for drinks and snacks.
The coastline is stunning. We saw a variety of birds and wildlife including hares and the wild spring flowers were all in bloom.
The Information Pack was comprehensive. We did book all our evening meals a couple of weeks ahead to avoid disappointment and enjoyed some really delicious seafood.
This is our third long-distance trek with Shepherd's Walks and are trying to decide which one to do next!
The staff are friendly but professional and although we didn’t need them it was reassuring to have the Emergency Contact Numbers just in case of any unexpected event.
Thank you so much for another brilliant and enjoyable week.
As ever, the holiday was really well organised and everything went off seamlessly.
We really appreciated the comprehensive information pack.
We also really liked being able to stay in a couple of the hotels for two nights. Lovely not to have to completely pack up every night, altho’ appreciate that’s because the mileage each day was fairly short (and very welcome ????).
The only thing we thought could be changed is to make Day 4 a little longer and Day 5 a little shorter, by having us picked up at Gribdale instead of Kildale, to go back to The Wainstones Hotel.
Other than that, a smashing Shepherds Walk holiday as usual.
And it only rained once ????.
Fabulous walking holiday, the walking was varied ranging from a gentle first day walking by rivers, through fields full of lambs and over dry stone wall stiles.
The other days were hilly and gave us glorious walking and views across the moors, although sadly it was very foggy going up Great Shunner Fell so no views at all!
The maps, GPS file and guidance were excellent and we particularly appreciated the information about cafes along the route!
We could not fault the taxi and luggage transfers as all went very smoothly.
The pre-booked accommodation was superb ranging to OK. The Aysgarth Falls Hotel was amazing - fabulous rooms and breakfasts and lovely staff. Cocketts Hotel was comfortable with good breakfasts and the added bonus of a bath and robes - very welcome after long days walking. The Kings Arms in Reeth had good food - good breakfasts and well priced tasty pub food in the evening. However, the room was too small.
Overall a great holiday.
Gilsland's accommodation was superb. The place in Carlisle was less good, the people there were friendly and helpful, but the location was not good: on Carlisle major north-south road which was noisy and busy and very far from teh Hadrian's Wall path
My wife and i had an amazing time walking Hadrian’s wall . Shepherds walk holidays made it such an enjoyable holiday by providing first class accommodation and baggage transfers . The only thing we has to do was get up , eat breakfast , walk , have dinner - Repeat . The walking days were well planned and 6 days was ideal for our level of fitness . Thank you Shepherds Walks, for making our walk such a memorable experience . We will definitely recommend you to our friends and family.
A very well arranged holiday. The walk was beautiful. The accommodation was all good. The baggage was moved without error and the taxi transfers were prompt and well timed.
Good info pre walk. Very happy with accommodation en route. Perhaps a bit more info on terrain? Overall tired but exhilarated by the holiday.
We enjoyed the walk, particularly the stunning beaches.
Some of the timings were a little ambitious - eg - Craster - Seahouses . We had to negotiate later pick-up time with taxi firm. And don't think we were being particularly slow that day! Bad weather obviously slowed the pace a bit.
We thought the accommodation at Warkworth was a bit tired. Ok - but not great. (The taxi driver said that this is a common complaint.).
The accommodation at Lowick was fabulous.
The holiday was 100% wonderful. I have written you a detailed report which I have posted to you using Royal Mail. You thought of everything and I would welcome a phonecall to fix up a further holiday with you in 2023. I am thinking about the Isle of Man Coast Path in July or August. I am a highly satisfied customer.
This was the walk of a lifetime for me, something I had wanted to do as a young woman and hadn’t quite managed, but newly retired it suddenly became possible.
I wanted to walk with a small group, didn’t want to carry too much (the walking on its own seemed enough of a challenge) and wanted someone else to organise food and accommodation.
Shepherds Walks provided all of this, plus an experienced guide to “shepherd” the group. The financial and admin side of things was managed very efficiently via setting up an online account. I was able to get in touch with the company easily when I had questions and the information supplied was comprehensive and clear.
The holiday itself was just fabulous and everything I hoped for.
We had a small group - 5 walkers, plus Patrick our guide - and even though our walking abilities and ages differed, we walked as a group and supported each other throughout the seven days. Patrick was just marvellous - you wouldn’t have guessed it was his 21st walk along the wall. He so knowledgeable about the local wildlife, the history of the wall and obviously cares deeply about the area and wanted us to share in that. I learned so much on this trip, and developed an even deeper appreciation of our amazing countryside.
I was so grateful not to have to worry about the accommodation and meals. The accommodation varied from the perfectly acceptable (Carlisle) to the extremely comfortable (Gilsland) and we always received a warm welcome from our hosts. The food also varied - dinner at Twice Brewed was a highlight, if a bit pricey, but I don’t have any complaints.
Debbie’s packed lunches are worth a special mention - very tasty and she runs a slick operation. I’m really struggling to think of how you could improve things. It’s such a stunning landscape and more varied than I’d appreciated.
I enjoyed everything - the long flat walks at the start and finish and the more challenging ascents and descents with dramatic views. At the end of the holiday I felt as though I wanted to do it all again - it rates as one of the best experiences of my adult life, so thank you so much for everything you did to make it so memorable!
After 2 years of pandemic delays we were finally able to undertake our 8 day walking tour of Hadrians Wall. We walked from west to east with another couple and had a fantastic time. The scenery was stunning - particularly in the middle 3 days.
The accomodation was lovely especially the Brookside Villa.
Food was just what we needed after a long days walk.
Would highly recommend Shepherds Walk.
The organisation of the holiday was excellent, from the transport of luggage and clients (getting us from the end of the trail to our accommodation) to the lunches every day.
Everyone was welcoming and friendly- our guide was knowledgeable and really helpful, ensuring everything ran smoothly. Accommodation was good to excellent.
The company even organised good weather for our 84 mile trek - only one day of drizzle!
Thanks, Shepherds Walks for a great trip.
Thanks I'm hoping to return, perhaps next year for the coastal section. My favourite pictures, one or two from each day are posted on FB.
I was looking to do something for my 70th birthday and came across an article in Countryfile magazine about the 70 mile Cumbrian Way Walk.
Shepherds Walk organised it all for me and were very helpful and encouraging, hotels ,transfers and taxis were all excellent.
St Cuthbert’s Way was one of the most beautiful walks I’ve been on, especially the first 3 days. Very helpful having our bags transported between accommodations.
This service makes the walking more manageable and enjoyable. Our GPS unit came with batteries, but needed a cable to charge as far as we could tell. It would have been really helpful to have met with anyone from Shepard’s Way to go over details, logistics, and operation of the GPS. The Black Bull in Lowick was a very nice accommodation.
Excellent communication from the team before the holiday made things straight forward from the start. Clear instructions about the day to day practicalities. We actually used directions and a book we had sourced from elsewhere but the path is so well signposted it’s barely necessary. We got GPS but that really wasn’t needed. Bag transfer was so helpful and people along the route very friendly. Special shout out to Brookside Villa, Twice Brewed Inn, Samson Inn and Dennis for the lifts. Would definitely recommend.
We could sum it all up with one word, "Fantastic" but that only begins to describe how happy and thrilled we were with our St Cuthbert's Way Guided Tour.
To start, we've taken several holidays of the hiking/biking variety through bigger companies than Shepherds Walks here in the US but none match our experience with Shepherds Walk in terms of overall value.
All our accommodations were first rate, meals were very good and the logistics of person and baggage transfers were seamless.
The hike itself could not have been better.
The Way is very well marked and the distances each day traveled each day were challenging but manageable. We cannot say enough though about our guide, Mark Nordmann. He is a superb guide, very knowledgeable, caring and a great guy to share a pint with at the end of the day.
We will fondly remember Mark who did an outstanding job with our group.
We will end this review with this - we are already talking about getting back to the UK and taking another hike with Shepherds Walk, and we've passed along the company information to a friend here in the US who asked about hiking in Great Britain.
This was a wonderful holiday that we will always treasure!
Just wanted to drop a word (now that we are back in the US) to thank both of you again for what truly was one of the best experiences Sybil and I have ever had. Many kudos to Jane for responding to all of my email enquiries (some of which I’m sure bordered on the inane) and for making the logistical arrangements, all of which went off without a hitch . And a very special thank you and job well done to Mark for “shepherding” us so well during the hike. We really can’t say enough how much we enjoyed the hike, and getting to know him. The door here in Pittsburgh will always be open if Mark’s travels bring him to the States.
We hope to explore other hikes in the UK through Shepherds Walks so please do stay in touch.
Just wanted to drop a word (now that we are back in the US) to thank both of you again for what truly was one of the best experiences Sybil and I have ever had. Many kudos to Jane for responding to all of my email enquiries (some of which I’m sure bordered on the inane) and for making the logistical arrangements, all of which went off without a hitch . And a very special thank you and job well done to Mark for “shepherding” us so well during the hike. We really can’t say enough how much we enjoyed the hike, and getting to know him. The door here in Pittsburgh will always be open if Mark’s travels bring him to the States.
We hope to explore other hikes in the UK through Shepherds Walks so please do stay in touch.
Just wanted to drop a word (now that we are back in the US) to thank both of you again for what truly was one of the best experiences Sybil and I have ever had. Many kudos to Jane for responding to all of my email enquiries (some of which I’m sure bordered on the inane) and for making the logistical arrangements, all of which went off without a hitch . And a very special thank you and job well done to Mark for “shepherding” us so well during the hike. We really can’t say enough how much we enjoyed the hike, and getting to know him. The door here in Pittsburgh will always be open if Mark’s travels bring him to the States.
We hope to explore other hikes in the UK through Shepherds Walks so please do stay in touch.
Thank you for organising such a brilliant trip for us. We had an amazing time. All the people were so friendly. a special shout out to Denise and Gerry, the Twice Brewed team and Deniisfor the lift back to Carlisle.
I already have 2 sets of people asking me about the trip, so I will definitely recommend you.
The Herriot Way proved to be a most enjoyable route and the maps and travel information provided by Shpeherds Walks were excellent.
I was able to download the GPX files to my Garmin GPS without difficulty.
The route over Great Shunner Fell followed by the ascent of Kisdon proved challenging for my 74 year old knees on a hot day.
The taxi/luggage transfers with James Peacock were very reliable.
The excellent luggage labels supplied by Shepherds Walks proved their worth on our last morning when over a dozen cases were left in the stairwell of the inn.
The accommodation in country inns was fine and the friendly George and Dragon in Aysgarth where we started the walk, was able to provide a car parking spot for the duration (at a fee).
If we were to repeat such a walking holiday, I would be pleased to consider using Shpeherds Walks again.
Blessed with good weather for most of the time, Hadrian's Wall was a lovely walk with three sections, leading up to and just beyond the Whin Sill, sporting stunnig views and providing much interest in the concentrated Roman Wall excavations. The visits to Birdoswald, Mithras Temple, Housesteads, Chesters and the Corbridge Roman Town were really quite absorbing. Segedunum Tower gave great views too, even though the Roman House was out of action.
Some of the villages were idyllic and absolutely delightful.
Very grateful to Shepherds for selecting accommodation with baths.
Overall very well organised by Shepherds Walks and attentive service and feedback from Jane & Katherine.
We had a great time apart from a daunting, drenching two-hour overhead thunderstorm and the odd shower.
The organisation went smoothly apart from a taxi firm confusing Errington Coffee House and Errington House and leaving us temporarily stranded. On the other hand Jason of Potts taxis was brilliant from an entertaining and informative journey to Lindisfarne to taking a photograph in the rain at Heavenfield and being seriously splashed by a passing vehicle.
Accommodation in Embleton was also problematic with staffing problems and the pub in the process of changing hands.
Highlights were the Victoria Hotel, the Malabar B&B, the Angler's Arms and Errington House which was exceptional.
The walking was nicely varied from the bustle of Bamburgh to the isolation of the moors heading for Harwood Forest on a super sunny morning.
We opted to rely on the official guidebook, the map provided, the notes, the waymarking and common sense where necessary.
There were no problems apart from the information about diversions being either non-existent or not accurate.
Well, what a great trip we had, all the organisation was super, our bags were efficiently taken onwards throughout our journey making it it stressless! The accommodation choices were lovely, we enjoyed our hosts and the food including the packed lunches.
It was a real adventure meeting some amazing people including famous ones- we met Dan Snow filming a history programme!.
Our trusty Nordic Poles kept us going and we were blessed with the most fantastic weather, we could see for miles and enjoyed some breathtaking views.
We were foot weary at the end but exhilarated by our fabulous journey.
Our experience hiking the Three Peaks in the Yorkshire Dales was amazing.
Having had to cancel in 2020, and again in 2021 as we could not travel from Australia, at last in 2022 we could do the walk.
Shepherds Walk was extremely generous and helpful in respect of our need to cancel twice. It was well worth the wait.
Our guide Mark was helpful, friendly, and knew exactly how to pace the walk for us all.
Scaling each peak was challenging but the sense of achievement and the views were worth every step.
The accommodation coordinated by Shepherds Walks in Ingleton was brilliant. Comfortable, extremely clean, quiet and the owners so helpful and friendly.
Hopeful that in the future we will be able to join another walk organised by Shepherds Walks.
These were our second holidays with Shepherds Walks which on its own is a statement of how good they are.
The holidays were organised really well, luggage always arrived in the right place before we did and the vast majority of the B&B places were top notch.
The information received from SH including recommendations on where to eat and availability of refreshments on the way was extremely helpful!
I am sure it was not our last holidays with you guys!
I can honestly recommended!
Some hotels were not fully aware of the difference between vergetarian and vegan. They usually had oat or soy milk, but only dairy yoghurt.
The staff was very friendly and went out of their way.
Ramsey's accommodation was very good. We were happy to stay there for 2 nights.
The luggage was nicely handled. The taxi service was very good.
A lovely trail. I was very lucky having great walking weather every day.
The early morning crossing to Lindisfarne was magical.
The taxi drivers Jason and Des were both very friendly and helpful with local knowledge.
The accommodation was all good though the last night was rather "tired".
The Percy Arms was exceptionally good in all aspects.
Two navigation errors -
1. After Coldberry Hill above Wooler I missed the trail marker I was rescued by a local farmer who told me "it keeps happening" ! 2. After Weetwood Moor (leaving Wooler) I missed the left turn to Weetwood Bridge even though I thought that I was taking care to spot the trail markers and finished up in West Lyham before regaining the trail at West Horton
Perhaps both are worth checking. The day from Jedbrugh to Kirk Yetholm was too long for me and so I succumbed to a lovely bus ride from Morebattle.
On reflection, I should have opted for the longest option for this trail to recognise that age is finally catching me up !
Overall, I enjoyed and appreciated the very friendly and attentive service provided by Jane and her colleagues who made me feel "special".
Thank you for organising a great experience.
The Coniston Inn and the Glaramara are both very nice places to stay and the even meal and breakfast where spot on. All luggage transfers + taxi collection from Carlisle worked as planned. Great adventure and would definitely use Shepherds Walks again.
This was our second long distance walk with Sherpherds walks and again both my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Everything was taken care of including the pick ups and drop offs at the agreed arranged time. The accommodations were all first class, with a special mention to Brookside Villa at Gilsland, for the personal touch of a cold bottle of water when picked up during the hottest day of the year. Also it was very reassuring to be informed by the host at Brookside that if there were any mishaps before reaching our next destination then do not hesitate to call. Superb time and experience and some live music at Rothbury to end our holiday , thanks to all at SW.
This Herriot Way Circular was a special and auspituos walking holiday for me. I knew it is going to be hard walking over 20 km a day and it was. I was not entirely sure I will make it to the end but I did. I knew I will do my best and hoped that my will power combined with inbread endurance might help. What I was completely unaware of was that Shepherds Walks will send me an guardian angel. I am talking about Mark, my guide. Not only is he well experienced and professional in everything he is doing, but he is a great communicator and compassionate human being. Without him my holiday could have been a failure. As it is I am happy to plan more holidays in Yorkshire, and yes it was Mark's enthusiasm and knowlege about the Dales, which made discover and fell in love with the region. Thank you Mark! Thank you Shepherds Walks.
What a privilege to be able to walk on this beautiful and well-waymarked trail at the end of June.
A mixture of landscapes including riverside paths, woodlands, windy moors, and a variety of arable fields and pastures.
Throw in some excellent B&B's with helpful hosts and reliable luggage transfer made this a holiday to savor!
The icing on the cake was to spend our last night on Holy Island when all the visitors had gone.
Magical!
My daughter and I chose a seven-day itinerary for this delightful and not too strenuous route.
The first three days took us up the Wharfe Valley in nice weather conditions, mostly following the river amongst beautiful wildflower meadows, although north of Grassington the path climbs onto a limestone plateau providing very different views.
Old villages dot the valley and it proved easy to find a cafe for lunch, while a shorter second day gave us the chance to deviate from the route to visit the very beautiful and little-known gardens at Parcevall Hall.
Beyond Buckden, the upper Wharfe Valley is sparsely inhabited - so food and drinks need to be carried. We crossed the watershed into Ribblehead on a calm and warm day, but the gentle climb would be very exposed if the weather is unkind.
The Station Inn at Ribblehead was our favourite accommodation on the trip, with a great view of the famous viaduct from our bedroom window and the best evening meal of the week.
Day five was the toughest for us, contouring around Whernside in heavy rain before descending into Denthead. A lengthy tramp down Dentdale, much of it on quiet paved roads, brought us to the cobblestoned village of Dent and a nice cafe by late lunchtime. But our overnight stop was still some way off and we were both pretty footsore by the time we climbed the last hill to reach the centre of Sedbergh.
The next day's trek towards the Lakes required a good deal more map reading than elsewhere, as the footpaths in this area were less maintained with some wobbly stiles and missing signs. Not a big problem, as the supplied Harvey's map is accurate, but definitely less defined than the rest of the route.
Again, no obvious refreshment stops en route and we were pleased to have pre-booked a meal in our farmhouse B&B as it was a considerable distance from the nearest pub.
The route on the final day from north of Kendal to Windermere probably involved the greatest height gain as we crossed a succession of ridges as we headed towards the lake, but the scenery was delightful and eventually brought the satisfaction of reaching the lake at Bowness on Windermere.
Overall a great trip. The accommodation was clean, tidy, and modern throughout, evening meals ranged from the excellent to the edible, and the lunchtime cafes in Wharfedale and Staveley were great.
We had a minor glitch, rapidly resolved, with luggage transfer on our first night but otherwise, there were no issues at all.
We reached Bowness on Windermere by lunchtime on the last day, to find our baggage already delivered and this gave us plenty of time to head back to Ilkley by bus and train - fortunate as one of the Trans-Pennine rail lines was closed and we had to make a lengthy deviation.
Walk experience = 9 Paths are well signposted... except for one stretch towards the end where fallen trees had almost completely blocked the path. Just use the map and signposts. Don't use the GPS - not easy to use.
Great trip! The weather held out for us over the 85 miles. Looking forward to our next Shepherds Walk trip
Had a great time, a challenge for my 65th birthday. Lovely weather, good accommodation. Just wish that the restaurants in Cumbria and Northumberland were a bit more creative and used more of the wonderful local ingredients.
We booked our walking holiday with Shepherds Walks to traverse St Cuthbert's Way, and added an extra night on Holy Island and every aspect of our trip was memorable.
The pre-trip arrangements and preparation materials provided everything we needed and everyone was so pleasant.
All our transportation to and from Newcastle with Jason, he was was superb; our accommodations were comfortable and we never lacked assistance or advice.
Obtaining packed lunches for the next day was easy and it was obvious that folks were used to hikers. We truly enjoyed working with people who are locals and have great love for their home makes this kind of personal traveling a delight and sets Shepherds Walks apart from a travel company that just offers services but is not local.
There was one change due to staffing considerations, but a very acceptable alternative option was made available. One accommodation on a Sunday had only limited dinner possibilities which we had not anticipated but the folk in town shared a wonderful option that we managed to book and it was fun to meet people and share in lively banter.
We hope to return for another walking holiday and have been recommending Shepherds Walks to our trekking and traveling friends.
Was fantastic to have luggage all sorted.
A couple of really lovely places to stay, 1 terrible but I understand they have stopped using the George in Chollarford.
Found the maps to accommodation sometimes hard to follow so used our phones.
Working with Jane to book was great.
This was my first organised walk and fulfilled a long held ambition to walk the Wall.
I wanted to walk on my own and Shepherds Walks team made the whole process of booking very easy as were the joining instructions and welcome pack.
My walk was over 5 days walking and I would describe as moderately challenging - the middle section especially from Gilsland to Chollerford was quite a tough day especially in the heat - repeating 18-20 miles also has an impact so you need to be fit.
The weather for the week was spectacular, warm and sunny which certainly helped. I loved the week, the challenging walking, sense of achievement and solitude and calmness from walking alone for a week - the central sections of the wall were the most enjoyable and challenging sections.
The accommodation was generally good - weakest was Carlisle, and by far the best was Dacre House in Gilsland which is a gem, with great hosts.
Evening catering worked fine - some of the smaller places like Chollerford and Gilsland the options are limited and important to book ahead into the good local pubs.
All the admin and bag transfers worked seamlessly - thank you especially to Dennis who picked me up early at Wallsend and was good company on the initial drive to Carlisle.
So would thoroughly recommend and had a great week - will def book through Shepherds Walks again.
Thank you for the whole team at SW for such an enjoyable and memorable trip JB
We had a very enjoyable time. The trip was planned and all but one of our accommodations were fabulous. The transfers were seamless and the views were magnificent.
The first section from Bowness to Carlisle & the last 10 mile section to Newcastle we all found very boring and not an enjoyable experience.
The middle 55-mile section is exactly what we signed up for…. Scenic, historical and challenging.
Fully recommend this part to everyone.
Sallys B&B was superb.
Good accommodation, company, three days superb walking. Thanks to our excellent guide Mark.
Thank you very much for organizing such an excellent holiday for E, A and myself. We were blessed with perfect weather. All the accommodations were good and the luggage transfers went flawlessly. Likewise the taxi journeys between Hawes and Keld were prompt and efficient. I found all the information in the Welcome Pack most helpful including the maps and the guide. We opted for the low level route between Keld and Reeth and that was our favourite walk of the four days. We had some lovely bar meals in the evenings.
We had a fabulous time in gorgeous weather walking on wide empty beaches. Everything worked brilliantly, accommodation was very good for twin rooms and Brian our taxi driver was always on time to meet us. We can’t wait for the next trip!
Wonderful Coastal scenery. Some of the sections were rather short but overall nice pace. At the hotels and guest houses the rooms were on the small side so I would not rate the accommodation particularly high. The customer service was excellent on the couple of occasions I needed to contact the company.
We had a great time, 10 days felt like the perfect amount of time to experience the walk without being too strenuous, but still pleasantly tiring.
The luggage transfer worked seamlessly.
There were some very nice B&Bs, particularly in the middle section.
Very little to criticise, some of the places we stayed were a little shabby compared to the others (but still perfectly serviceable, and I realise there is probably not a lot of choice in some areas) and there was a slight hiccup with taxis at one point but this was quickly resolved.
Overall, would thoroughly recommend Shepherd's Walks and I am already considering some of their other holidays.
Glad we decided to hike west to east with the rain and wind we encountered.
The scenery was beautiful as was the historic aspect of the trail.
People were friendly and accommodating.
Shuttles and pick-ups were efficient.
A delightful week's walking amidst wonderfully varied scenery (riverside, farmland, moorland, sand/beach/coastal) with a friendly group and a great guide.
Mark was very personable, with a warm manner, and he led us very professionally with a light touch, and was considerate when a couple of people had to skip a day for various medical reasons.
He was very good at keeping us going!
The accommodation was very good on the whole, although it was clear that lack of staff was a major issue at some places: the inn at Rothbury was struggling in this way (and wasn't too good on the gluten-free front) but the B&B at Jedburgh was amazing, up with the outstanding B&B on Hadrian's Wall.
Food was a bit pub-by but fine, and packed lunches were fine too, though personally I preferred Debbie's lunches on Hadrian's Wall. I have recommended this walk to my friends.
The above holiday went exactly according to plan.
We were even upgraded in Warkworth to the Bridal Suite!
All accommodation and taxi transport worked well.
Our additional day walking onto Holy Island went according to plan and we enjoyed our meal in the Ship Inn on the Island.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable trip. Our intention was to take the path slowly so that we could make the most of all of the sites to visit along the route.
With visits, every day was full, even when the walking was short.
Day 1: The Hilton Gateshead was a very comfortable stopover with excellent parking arrangements.
Day 2: Cab ride/driver was prompt, friendly, informative and efficient. Given that we were only walking to Bousted Hill, the 8am start resulted in a very early arrival at Bowness.
Excellent accommodation with a friendly host who drove us to us to the local pub, who then provided a free taxi ride back. Fabulous views across Solway Firth to Scotland.
Day 3: Varied but largely flat terrain to Carlisle with time to visit the Tullie Museum (having been to the castle last autumn). Well worth it.
We actually walked further around the path to a cycle path between schools, which ended up closer to the accommodation.
Day 4 walking. Another excellent stopover with friendly and efficient host.
Day 4: Interesting and varied countryside although visibility was limited due to rain at times. Met our first of many groups of Americans heading for Carlisle. They'd completed the West Highland Way the previous week!
Our host provided exceptional service, in terms of the accommodation, wonderful food and boot drying too! An amazing stay.
Day 5:Very enjoyable visit to Lanercost Priory and the adjoining Church - well worth it. Beautiful views across to the Pennines and a fascinating visit to Birdoswald, We ended up covering just over 9 miles as a result. Excellent accommodation again- very helpful host.
Day 6: Beautiful day and now hitting the ascents.
We stopped to visit Thirlwall Castle, briefly, spent a good hour at the Roman Army museum and then made good progress up along the heights to Twice Brewed.
It was very windy so we were pleased to be going W to E.
We were in time for a bus to Vindolanda and enjoyed another hour exploring both the museum and grounds there. This seemed a better use of time rather than visiting the day before. Again, very helpful staff and a very comfortable stay.
Day 7: Another great day's walking although still very windy.
Fabulous views again and a good visit to both Housesteads and Chesters Fort.
Day 8: An enjoyable but very short walk to The Errington coffee house (less than 6 miles) so we arrived there, even after taking our time, at midday. Fortunately the Taxi was able to pick us up and drop us in the centre of Corbridge.
We had a fascinating afternoon at the Corbridge Roman fort and the town itself was very pleasant with interesting history of its own.
Our host at this night was great and the adjacent pub, The Dyvels, was very friendly with extremely generous portions of good food.
Day 9: Another good day's walking with wonderful views.
We clocked over 14 miles along here from the coffee house. Although Day 8 was full, we were lucky that the pick up could be re-arranged. Walking wise, it would have perhaps made more sense to carry on to Robin Hood Inn and be picked up there.
The accomodation this night was a perfect stopover with good food, beer, service and spacious accommodation.
Day 10: Fascinating path along the river with lots of history to read about en route and, of course, the bridges.
We were thoroughly taken with this section and found it difficult to understand why others have been less enthusiastic about it.
Segedunum museum had some wonderful displays and the tower was particularly interesting. Shame that they can no longer support a café. Dennis was accommodating with the pick up and the Hilton hotel proved welcoming again.
Overall, a great experience, well organised by Shepherds Walks. It was particularly pleasing to have a bath in most of the accommodation.
After walking Hadrians Wall last year straight after lockdown with Shepherds walks Holidays (in the rain), we were looking forward to a beautiful coastal walk with them again.
We set off from Cresswell on the most beautiful deserted beach (it could do with a official place for photos etc rather than a car park). The sun was shining and stayed that way all day.
Our walk to Amble for a coffee and then to Warkworth was fabulous.
Day 2 Warkworth to Craster - again in glorious sun we visited the beautiful Alnmouth. Craster suits its name and is famous for Kippers!!
Day 3 Craster to Seahouses - overcast today with the threat of rain which never came.
Day 4 Seahouses to Belford - a lovely walk along the beach to Bamburgh castle, a quick visit, then a walk inland around Bugle Bay to Belford.
Day 5 Belford to Linsdisfarne Inn - a short walk today, which is a shame as we didn't get the chance to get to Holy island due to the tides.
Day 6 Lindisfarne Inn to Berwick on Tweed - another beautiful walk ending in a complete soaking in Berwick for the last couple of miles.
We thoroughly enjoyed this walk.. the views were breathtaking and it made 'our hearts sing' - corny I know!!
Easy walking on well-marked paths, a couple of fallen trees in one section, but totally understandable after the recent storms. Thanks for providing such good weather!
It was helpful to leave a car at Mary’s Mount although parking on the road around there would have been safe too.
We liked Ulverston. It was full of restaurants and cafes which were all busy in the evening.
I would not like to do the walk without a GPS. In many places it isn’t well signed, or there are a multiplicity of paths and field gates.
We are both good walkers but found we were only walking at 2 mph rather than our usual 3 mph as we kept stopping to read the description in the book and check the track on my GPS. We had also assumed that most of the walk would be ok underfoot but we were taken aback by the tree roots alongside Coniston water, and the streams crossing our path at Langstrath.
Wonderful three days with varied landscape and terrain, including clambering up bucolic fields of sheep to the high fells where we were alone with superb views. The accommodation exceeded our expectations and the company dealt with a small issue regarding taxi times very promptly.
I absolutely loved my 6 days Hadrian’s Wall walk organised by you, Shepherds Walk. The accommodation booked for me was very clean and friendly. My bag was transferred from accommodation to accommodation and I had nothing to worry about. I would like to thank all at Shepherds Walk for an outstanding, professional and friendly service provided x
Sunday morning arrived after meeting fellow walkers on Saturday and off we went to Bowness on Solway not really knowing what to expect. The fairly long, but flat, first day was interesting and gave us all a chance to talk and get to know our fellow walkers on the way.
After a good night in Carlise day two made me realise we were actually near to the wall with all the information and history given to us by Patrick. Once we got to the actual stone section of the wall the next three days walking will live long in my memory. The sheer scale of the wall and the amazing skies and landscapes on either side where enhanced by lots of information about the forts, turrets, milecastles and the associated history. I think the clear blue skies certainly added to the whole experience and cannot imagine how it would be in the rain. As we left the standing wall behind us the walking became easier and scenic along the river but by the last day we were all feeling a sense of achievement on actually completed the journey across the country.
Sunday morning arrived after meeting fellow walkers on Saturday and off we went to Bowness on Solway not really knowing what to expect. The fairly long, but flat, first day was interesting and gave us all a chance to talk and get to know our fellow walkers on the way.
After a good night in Carlise day two made me realise we were actually near to the wall with all the information and history given to us by Patrick. Once we got to the actual stone section of the wall the next three days walking will live long in my memory. The sheer scale of the wall and the amazing skies and landscapes on either side where enhanced by lots of information about the forts, turrets, milecastles and the associated history. I think the clear blue skies certainly added to the whole experience and cannot imagine how it would be in the rain. As we left the standing wall behind us the walking became easier and scenic along the river but by the last day we were all feeling a sense of achievement on actually completed the journey across the country.
Sunday morning arrived after meeting fellow walkers on Saturday and off we went to Bowness on Solway not really knowing what to expect. The fairly long, but flat, first day was interesting and gave us all a chance to talk and get to know our fellow walkers on the way.
After a good night in Carlise day two made me realise we were actually near to the wall with all the information and history given to us by Patrick. Once we got to the actual stone section of the wall the next three days walking will live long in my memory. The sheer scale of the wall and the amazing skies and landscapes on either side where enhanced by lots of information about the forts, turrets, milecastles and the associated history. I think the clear blue skies certainly added to the whole experience and cannot imagine how it would be in the rain. As we left the standing wall behind us the walking became easier and scenic along the river but by the last day we were all feeling a sense of achievement on actually completed the journey across the country.
Sunday morning arrived after meeting fellow walkers on Saturday and off we went to Bowness on Solway not really knowing what to expect. The fairly long, but flat, first day was interesting and gave us all a chance to talk and get to know our fellow walkers on the way.
After a good night in Carlise day two made me realise we were actually near to the wall with all the information and history given to us by Patrick. Once we got to the actual stone section of the wall the next three days walking will live long in my memory. The sheer scale of the wall and the amazing skies and landscapes on either side where enhanced by lots of information about the forts, turrets, milecastles and the associated history. I think the clear blue skies certainly added to the whole experience and cannot imagine how it would be in the rain. As we left the standing wall behind us the walking became easier and scenic along the river but by the last day we were all feeling a sense of achievement on actually completed the journey across the country.
Sunday morning arrived after meeting fellow walkers on Saturday and off we went to Bowness on Solway not really knowing what to expect. The fairly long, but flat, first day was interesting and gave us all a chance to talk and get to know our fellow walkers on the way.
After a good night in Carlise day two made me realise we were actually near to the wall with all the information and history given to us by Patrick. Once we got to the actual stone section of the wall the next three days walking will live long in my memory. The sheer scale of the wall and the amazing skies and landscapes on either side where enhanced by lots of information about the forts, turrets, milecastles and the associated history. I think the clear blue skies certainly added to the whole experience and cannot imagine how it would be in the rain. As we left the standing wall behind us the walking became easier and scenic along the river but by the last day we were all feeling a sense of achievement on actually completed the journey across the country.
Shepherd's Holidays provided us with an interesting route to walk and set up the accommodation and transfers for us and our dog. All we had to do was to turn up and do the walking. Route finding was straightforward and the route was varied, taking us along coastal paths, through woodlands, along river valleys and over the moors. The information pack told us where there were refreshments available, and more importantly, where there were not. We were able to book our evening meals in advance and enjoyed a worry-free holiday. Our favourite stretch was coming over a hill at the end of the first day and seeing the sea, sand and Bamburgh Castle. Magic.
Sunday morning arrived after meeting fellow walkers on Saturday and off we went to Bowness on Solway not really knowing what to expect. The fairly long, but flat, first day was interesting and gave us all a chance to talk and get to know our fellow walkers on the way.
After a good night in Carlise day two made me realise we were actually near to the wall with all the information and history given to us by Patrick. Once we got to the actual stone section of the wall the next three days walking will live long in my memory. The sheer scale of the wall and the amazing skies and landscapes on either side where enhanced by lots of information about the forts, turrets, milecastles and the associated history. I think the clear blue skies certainly added to the whole experience and cannot imagine how it would be in the rain. As we left the standing wall behind us the walking became easier and scenic along the river but by the last day we were all feeling a sense of achievement on actually completed the journey across the country.
The planning of this holiday was very smooth and clear. The hiking map was very useful and easy to follow. We particularly appreciated the daily sheets with photograph, map and essential details. The Bespoke system responded to our requirements and meant we could walk St Cuthberts Way according to our fitness level and return to this lovely part of the country.
The trip to Holy Island on a sparkling sea and accompanied by dolphins was a high point.
We have used Shepherds Walks for walking holidays a few times now and have enjoyed each of them immensely. Each holiday had its own highlights and we have always received an excellent service from Shepherds Walks. The Taste of Two Trails edged it for us as the standout, on account of the variety of stunning upland / coastal scenery, quality of accommodation, and the extra touches included such as the courier arrangements, extra night's stay at the end of the holiday, and transfers to and from the station. Luckily for us we had perfect walking weather: 20 degrees and incredible clear skies affording stunning views as we made our way from the Borders over to the coast. Thanks to Jackie and all the team at Shepherds Walks for working so hard to ensure everything went smoothly for us (especially with some Covid restrictions still in place) so that the only effort required on our part was to do the actual walking and enjoy a hearty meal with a pint or two at the end of the day. Although we did these trails in June, enjoying warm weather and wonderful light evenings, I would recommend it at any time. A final recommendation, time permitting, is to take a boat trip from Seahouses round the Farne islands to see the puffins and guillemots - a good excuse to rest your feet for a couple of hours after a day's walking as much as an opportunity to see the wildlife.
At 61 and coming from Essex there were moments when I wondered if I had been a tad reckless doing this. I had not done something like this on my own before. Yet I never felt unsafe and felt secure in the thorough and encouraging support of Shepherds Walks throughout. Would happily do another walk with them. They took care of me very well.
Just returned from a Hadrains wall six day walk and thoroughly enjoyed it !! Well organised and good accommodation. Bags were always at the b+b when we arrived and we were greated very warmly at the end of each day.
I must give Dennis our driver a thumbs up...nice guy.
I would definitely recommend it.
This was a nostalgic walk for my sister and I , now in our 70s . We were covering familiar ground from our childhood. Northumberland remains beautiful, still largely unspoilt with wonderful views of the Cheviots. Shepherds Walks Holidays adapted the walk for us so that we finished in Bamburgh, again for old times sake!
Not particularly a regular walker I still found the daily mileage very manageable. Holiday organisation very good likewise our leader Mark, knowledgeable and experienced. Good accommodation together with hot sunny weather in September made for a most enjoyable holiday. Would highly recommend Shepherds Walks.
I really can’t emphasise enough how good Mark, our guide, was - checking on slower people but always aware of challenges, ready with jelly babies etc to motivate us..
Thanks Jon & Jackie for setting up a great holiday. Starting with an extra day at Lindisfarne, we took advantage of low tides during the day to walk the many beaches which are close to the trail. The choice of accommodation was excellent.
This was another excellent holiday with Shepherds Walks. We thoroughly enjoyed walking the St Cuthbert’s Way in June 2019 through a wide variety of landscapes in perfect weather. The highlight was walking across the sands, barefoot on the Pilgrim’s Trail to finish at Holy Island. The holiday was expertly organised. Jackie fulfilled our particular requirements for accommodation and it was good to meet Jon again for our briefing before the start of our walk. We would thoroughly recommend Shepherds Walks and look forward to booking another holiday with the team again.
The holiday was brilliant all you have to do is walk, eat, relax and enjoy. One of my most memorable holidays.I would certainly use Shepherds Walks again.
An excellent walk strenuous in places eg Keswick to Caldbeck. We really appreciated being able to split the Ulverston to Coniston section by staying at Lowick Bridge. All arrangements were very good with friendly comfortable accommodation,totally reliable baggage transfer, very informative pack at the start and a friendly taxi to get us back to the car from Carlisle to Ulverston. Thoroughly recommended.
Thank you for making it so easy for us to just follow and enjoy the Coastal Path. What a lovely way to make a new country feel like home!
We’ve done similar holidays before, booking our own accommodation. It was really nice to leave organisation of the holiday to the experts.
Very friendly and personal, excellent literature before the holiday, encouraging pre and post walk contacts; felt that if any help had been needed it would have been prompt and appropriate.
The packed lunches were amazing. Found that we were hanging around with excitement for them to arrive every morning, then diving into them as soon as we stopped for lunch.
The packed lunches were amazing. Found that we were hanging around with excitement for them to arrive every morning, then diving into them as soon as we stopped for lunch.
The packed lunches were amazing. Found that we were hanging around with excitement for them to arrive every morning, then diving into them as soon as we stopped for lunch.
The packed lunches were amazing. Found that we were hanging around with excitement for them to arrive every morning, then diving into them as soon as we stopped for lunch.
Patrick, the guide was excellent, his knowledge of all things Hadrian made the walk 'come alive' the bonus being his flora, fauna, and wildlife knowledge which made the walk even more interesting.
For lovers of coastal walks this is a must, whether it is your first walk with Shepherds or your next, this walk has all the attributes that coastal walkers love. The fine scenery, variety and first class accommodation backed by the excellent service I have come to expect from Shepherds made it a great choice.
Faultless organisation. We appreciated Jackie booking accommodation to meet our requirements and Jon's briefing.
This walk really helped me feel at home in the North East! Thank you!!!
The variation is what makes this walk a must, coast, country lanes, woodland and lots of flora.
My friend & I who are middle aged female health care professionals decided we wanted to walk the Wall with our 2 dogs. I know sorting accommodation suitable for the 4 of us was tricky but we all had a wonderful time. The scenery was amazing, the camaraderie from other walkers ( many of whom were considerably older than us) inspiring and it was a truly relaxing holiday. I am inspired to do more in the future. If I could change anything - it would be having more time to do some sightseeing - perhaps when I am retired and time is not an issue planning some non walking days would be a good idea?
Thanks for an excellent, well-organised holiday. Great time of year to do this walk; extremely beautiful and varied.
The package provided was very easy to follow and easily organized our day. The accommodation provided was excellent, providing a hearty breakfast each morning. The transfers at the beginning and the end of the walk makes the walk more enjoyable as this major concern is covered.We would highly recommend Shepherds Walks.
This walk is a must for those who like variety. Traverse the majestic wharf valley with its picturesque towns and villages, the serenity of the meandering Lune Valley with its bridges and mighty viaducts to the magnificence of Lake Windermere and the satisfaction of completing one of England's classic long distance walks.
This was a fantastic trip where everything was sorted for us so we had nothing to worry about. Would definitely book again!
This was our third holiday with Shepherds Walk. Outstanding company to book travel with-all the details are covered and explained. Cleveland Way was a senic and at times challenging walk. Places visited were delightful-small coastal villages to larger seaside resorts. Anyone who enjoys walking will love this hike.
The Dalesway is a lovely, not too demanding walk. Signposting is usually pretty good. Shepherd’s Walks did a great job of working with us to arrange the walk we wanted and placed us in some great accommodations. We’ll be back!
The Dales Way is an easy walk through glorious scenery. Some superb accommodation. Excellent organisation by Shepherds Walks meant everything went like clockwork. Thank you for a wonderful week!
My wife Carol and I have just completed the St Cuthbert's Way with Shepherds Walks, we cannot put into words how wonderful the experience was. The accommodations along the way were top class with the added personal touch from the proprietors of the B and Bs and hotels.Most importantly the personal touch from Jon and his team from Shepherds Walks is marvellous and something that is missing from modern day Tour companies.A simply fantastic experience, with a reassuring personal touch, thank you Shepherds Walks
What a wonderful 5 night trip we had walking St Oswald's Way starting from Lindsifarne. In terms of bang for your back it doesn't get better than this. The scenery, the beaches that stretch for miles and the wildlife were all amazing.There was surprisingly little uphill walking to do which is unusual for a coastal walk. each hotel/inn was great and the luggage collection and drop off worked like a dream. The maps, route and navigation were all easy to understand.Thanks so much to Jon and the team. It's our second holiday with you and I'm already planning a third.
I am a great fan of coastal walks and of Shepherds. The variety this walk provided will be a lasting memory. The organisation, accommodation and support were excellent, all I have come to expect. This was my second Shepherds walk another is planned for July. I believe it is not what it costs its what you get for your money.
Such an enjoyable walk with some brilliant highlights:•Walking away from Ulverston for at least the first 6 miles and when looking back, still being able to see Sir John Barrow Monument overlooking Morecambe Bay as well as being surrounded in every field by newly born lambs•The walk from Coniston to Skelwith Bridge. Tarn Hows was amazingly still and picturesque and fortunate for us quiet and we set of early•Scrambling up Grainsgill Beck to Lingy hut. This was one of the most challenging parts of the walk but a change from regular tracks•Last day meander along the River Caldew towards Dalston. Once again we were surrounded by lambs and the occasional protective parent!
An extremely well organised holiday benefiting from the experienced Shepherds Walks staff. The history and geology of the area are fascinating . We had a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable walk with a real sense of achievement on completion. Thank you.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable walk talking in some stunning countryside with spectacular views. Each day brought something new to see and learn about. Our guide was well informed and able to give a pen picture of the area we were passing through. Days were well organized ending with good accommodations at the end of each day. Would highly recommend taking up the challenge.
Really enjoyed this guided walk. Scenery was superb and walked with a very interesting group of people.
We had a wonderful time. Our guide was personable and took good care of our group, and everything ran like clockwork. I highly recommend Shepherd's Walks and this particular guided hike.
Beautiful countryside walk over crags with interesting ruins and first class museums along the way. Shepherds Walks' support services were outstanding - maps, trail guides, accommodation arrangements, baggage transfers, and transports were of high quality and reliable.
In addition to my feedback I had a great trip, l travelled all the way from Whangamata , New Zealand, and l would gladly do it again tomorrow . Cheers.
Well organised, enjoyable walk. Accommodation is very good and the packed lunches excellent. Patrick is an ideal guide, friendly, knowledgeable, answering questions and sharing information in relation to the history, archaeology, scenery and the natural world.. Especially enjoyed the central section with its wonderful scenery.
Thank you for a really enjoyable walking holiday. All went very smoothly, and the accommodation ranged from very good to excellent. The borders region is a unique part of Britain and long may it remain so. It felt a bit like a pilgrimage - St Cuthbert was never very far away - and it was very satisfying to reach Lindisfarne Priory in its peaceful setting. I am sure we will be back with Shepherds Walks again before too long.
This is an excellent walk. Each mile is varied, each day is different. Melrose, Dryburgh and Jedburgh Abbeys enhance the walk. Lindisfarne is a wonderful and rich ending to the walk, and well worth an extra night before returning home. Thanks to Shepherds walks which made it easy.
After a hearty breakfast, Jon collected us to start us off at Cresswell...scary that we were solo. It was a very wet soggy start. Weather did improve though and we had a couple of bright days as we made our way up the coast. Beautiful scenery , unspoilt beaches and saw much more on foot than by car. B& Bs were all fabulous apart from a little dull and dingy at Beal the last stay. Made the best of it though. Food along our trip was second to none and a very warm welcome at B& Bs. Walk was well planned, although we did find the book that I brought The Northumberland Coast Path Official Guide invaluable as it had written route instructions, we did refer to Shepherds Walk map too. Bag drops were perfect. Recommended places in our pack were all good. Advice to book was helpful and good to know as I did book ahead in a couple of places. Well done to all the team at Shepherds Walk, very well planned apart from " forgetting to collect us at the station on arrival at Almouth. Soon sorted very swiftly. Thank you againWe are sure to walk with you again.Xx
Meet and Greet by Jon is a valued part of service, personal touch and Jackie is organised, provides information, and great communication.
We stayed an extra night in Berwick, which was very enjoyable. You offer this as an option, but we would suggest this be strongly recommended. Finally, many thanks for a wonderful holiday; we will definitely use Shepherd Walks in the future.
Really good! Received all the information re route, accommodation and services along the way in good time. All the pick-ups happened exactly as arranged and Peter was waiting for us at Heavenfield, so no worries there. Jon gave us thorough info re the walk and how to use the gps.
Thank you very much for putting together a lovely holiday.
I had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed walking the Wall. This was my first walking holiday - I wanted to see all the remains of the Wall and more of the countryside of the north-east, an area I have always loved. I feel I have the confidence now to do a self-guided walk.
Just returned from a brilliant holiday. Organisation was first class. Briefings, pickups, bag transfer went like a dream. Accommodation and food excellent with hosts going that extra mile by giving us lifts to pubs and start points. Use of a gps was an added bonus too. Scenery was stunning and information and visitor centres en route added to the experience. Can totally recommend this holiday but be prepared for those hills (however the views are worth all the effort). Thank you Shepherds Walks.
First time on this sort of hoiliday & exceeded all expectations. Enjoyed the variety of terrain; well waymarked; some long days but well warned about that. Comparing notes with other walkers, we seemed to be getting best service. Many thanks Shepherds Walks Holidays
First time on this sort of hoiliday & exceeded all expectations. Enjoyed the variety of terrain; well waymarked; some long days but well warned about that. Comparing notes with other walkers, we seemed to be getting best service. Many thanks Shepherds Walks Holidays
Patrick went out of his way to accommodate all levels of walkers, with an ease that did not make anyone feel they were holding the group back but with a total understanding that we're all different and that's ok! As he said it was our holiday and we could stop and stare - and we did!
We did this walk last year and very much liked the varied countryside it passed through. After a few days down the Northumberland coast we headed inland and then over the top of the Simonside Hills, a highlight to the holiday. Heavenfield was the end of a great walking holiday.I must commend Shepherds Walks holidays on some exceptional customer service, it is so nice to meet real people who know and understand the trail you are going to walk.This year we are heading off along the Dales Way with Shepherds Walks holidays!
A great section of the coastline, we have never seen anything like it. Empty sweeping beaches and castles. What else could anybody ask for.
We did this walk early 2016 and really enjoyed it. The route varies so much and you pass through a wonderful part of the country.
A very big thank you for making a great holiday. Being met on our first evening was a real bonus, something we had never experienced on a walking holiday before. it was great for Jon to go through everything with us in person. Top class!
Did this guided trip with Shepherds Walks Holidays in 2016 - Lovely group of people and excellent guide. He was funny, knowledgeable and took great care to look after everyone on a personal basis. Great leader qualities!
Thank you for all your attention, and organising a great walking holiday for us - the first of many hopefully
We walked this trail last year and loved every moment of it. You pass through some very different countryside. Really like the middle few days with great views of the Three Peaks, a truly special part of the Dales. The surprise was how nice the section to the West of the M6 is as you head to Bowness on Windermere, not an area we have walked in before but a great end to the holiday.
We walked the Dales way last year, the first long distance trail we have walked and loved every minute of it. A great walk through some very different landscapes.
Really enjoyed the variety of scenery. It was the first long distance walk that we had done and it fitted the bill perfectly.
Just a few lines to say how much I enjoyed the Hadrian’s Wall walk, Patrick and Andrea where excellent in all aspects of guiding and imparting knowledge of the wall. The food including the packed lunches was second to none, the accommodation was very good. I needed a pint at the end of each day. Thank you very, very much.
Just a few lines to say how much I enjoyed the Hadrian’s Wall walk, Patrick and Andrea where excellent in all aspects of guiding and imparting knowledge of the wall. The food including the packed lunches was second to none, the accommodation was very good. I needed a pint at the end of each day. Thank you very, very much.
I had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed walking the Wall. This was my first walking holiday - I wanted to see all the remains of the Wall and more of the countryside of the north-east, an area I have always loved. I feel I have the confidence now to do a self-guided walk.
I enjoyed Paul and Patrick's company very much. Thank you to Paul in particular for pointing out so many things on the route - I would not have got so much out of it if I had been doing a self-guided walk. Also thank you to Patrick for pointing out so much of the natural history.
The highlight of the holiday was our trip to the Farne Islands. Gobsmacked to see so many birds, so close - arctic tern perching on my head. Perhaps you should make this more of a feature of your itinerary at the right times of year.
I enjoyed Paul and Patrick's company very much. Thank you to Paul in particular for pointing out so many things on the route - I would not have got so much out of it if I had been doing a self-guided walk. Also thank you to Patrick for pointing out so much of the natural history.
Lunches provided were A. Great variety and more than enough goodies which provided us with snacks throughout our entire trip! The caterer was at our lunch stop every day waiting for us.
Congratulations to Jon, Jackie, Paul and everybody at Shepherds Walks for a well run business that provides QUALITY walking experiences. Great memories of a fabulous vacation! Many Thanks!
We did this walk with Shepherds Walks last year and really enjoyed. Paul was a great guide and his with and knowledge kept us going for the full length of the trip. Thanks very much looking forward to walking with you again.
We did this walk with Shepherds Walks last year and really enjoyed. Paul was a great guide and his with and knowledge kept us going for the full length of the trip. Thanks very much looking forward to walking with you again.
The St. Cuthberts Way is a delightful walk incorporating the Border Regions great variety of landscapes.
We set off from the beautiful town of Melrose having been transported by the Shepherds team to the start of the walk. In good weather and on dry paths we made our way across the lovely Scottish countryside to our excellent overnight accommodation.
This pattern was continued over six nights to our destination at Lindisfarne. We thoroughly enjoyed our well organised holiday and appreciated being looked after by the Shepherds Team.
We recommend this holiday, we had so much enjoyment walking in the countryside during the day and pleasant evenings at the accommodation.
Thanks to you all, Elaine, Harry & Basil (the dog).
I wanted to add my thanks for a truly outstanding job in coordinating our trek through northern England on the Hadrian's Wall Trail. Considering all the bits a pieces that had to be accounted for, everything went remarkably smoothly. Even the weather cooperated - for which you may take credit as well.
We walked this section of the coast last year and added it onto our walk up the Northumberland Coastal Path (just added 3 days on).It is a stunning section of the coast but be warned there area few climbs, but very much worth it.We did not see another person along the route which made a good holiday great.
Just booked on this trip for this year. If the walk is half as good as the service I have received so far it is going to be a corker, we just need some good weather please!
Thanks so much for a very memorable walking holiday along the Hadrian's Wall Trail.
Thanks so much for a very memorable walking holiday along the Hadrian's Wall Trail.
Thanks for arranging a great walking holiday for us along the Hadrian's wall trail this year, everything worked like clockwork.
We had a great walk along the coast earlier this year, thanks for sorting this for us.
Paul our guide was very knowledgeable , helpful and good company.
Paul our guide was very knowledgeable , helpful and good company.
Thanks for planning our walk along the Northumberland Coastal Path for all thre of us (including the dog).
We had a great time and it all worked like clockwork.
Thanks for a great holiday, everything worked like clockwork.
A very big thank you for all the team for a great walking holiday on Hadrian's Wall, we have walked with many walking companies over the years and I have to admit the service we received from you guys rates you at the top.
We really liked meeting you at the start of our first days walking and all the extra info you gave us so we then knew not only what to expect each day but also where to eat and buy snacks from. We did appreciate how much work must have gone into this.
We looking forward to joining you agin next year on St Cuthbert's Way.
Performance of company was excellent!
I wanted to add my thanks for a truly outstanding job in coordinating our trek through northern England on the Hadrian’s Wall Trail. Considering all the bits a pieces that had to be accounted for, everything went remarkably smoothly. Even the weather cooperated for which you may take credit as well.
We completed this 5 day Hadrian's Wall walk (4 days walking) with Shepherds Walks earlier this year.
Great walk and well organised but we did find it demanding at times doing the walk over so few days.
Lovely countryside and good walk.
I came on this trip last year and it was great. Richard was very informative and it was great to complete the Yorkshire dales Three peaks as it is something that has been on my wish list.
Great company and I have since walked with with one of the ladies who i met on this holiday.
Thanks Shepherds Walks Holidays!
I thank you for a very well organised walk with an exellent guide. I really enjoyed it. As I was told a good mix of very friendly people.
I thank you for a very well organised walk with an exellent guide. I really enjoyed it. As I was told a good mix of very friendly people.
I thank you for a very well organised walk with an exellent guide. I really enjoyed it. As I was told a good mix of very friendly people.
I thank you for a very well organised walk with an exellent guide. I really enjoyed it. As I was told a good mix of very friendly people.
I thank you for a very well organised walk with an exellent guide. I really enjoyed it. As I was told a good mix of very friendly people.
We are trying to interest some friends in a walking holiday in the UK. Of course, we will be recommending Shepherds Walk Holidays as we had such a great walking holiday on St Cuthbert's Way.
Thanks for a great walking holiday along St Cuthbert's Way, a great route and really good company.
Thanks for a great walking holiday along St Cuthbert's Way, a great route and really good company.
This was the first HOLIDAY of my life (48years young)!
So I visited the UK, an unknown country to me. I was ashtonished with the gorgeous panoramic views, in Latin: "Magna sunt opera Domine" (Lord how great are your works), the nice people who gave us a warm welcome at the B&B's & others we met there. I also appreciated the silence during the walk through this historical area, the peacefull atmosphere during the daily distances. I enjoyed the sheep. (a local said: " They look different but they all taste the same"), the bulls, the thistles, the sun and the wuthering heights.
For me it was the perfect combination: a sporty holiday with atypical English weather: during our trip we had no rain ... The distance of the daily trips was perfect, with plenty of accommodations for a good lunch!
We also visited historical places: Vindolanda, the Roman Army Museum with a very good 3D movie! The great Noble Prize Winner in exact science Einstein once said: "Open your eyes and you will be wondered!" I was wondered with the view, the hospitality, the perfect organsation. Unforgettable, thanks!!!
We walked the Hadrian's Wall Trail with you earlier this year.
Really like the personal touch, especially the transfer to the start as it gave us plenty of times to ask all the questions we had.
We loved our Shepherds Walks Holiday on Hadrian's Wall.
We chose the Shepherd’s Walks for our Hadrians Wall Path 7 day self guided holiday because they are locally based. We were not disappointed and the holiday exceeded our expectations. All the staff at Shepherds walks provide a very friendly and personal service. We particularly appreciated being met by Jon Monks so that we had the opportunity to chat to him about the holiday ahead as we were driven to Bowness-on-Solway. This historic walk passes through some beautiful scenery with extensive views. In our opinion it is best walked west to east because of the prevailing wind. Accommodation, luggage transfer, route notes and itinerary were all excellent. And we didn’t need our waterproofs! It was a nice touch to be rewarded with a completion certificate and badge when we had finished the walk. We highly recommend Shepherds Walks Holidays
We must ciommend Shepherds Walks Holidays for helping to make a great walk along the Hadrian's wall trail.
From the day we first enquired about the holiday to the day we caught the train home the service we received was well above anything else we have ever received.
Thanks to all the team, it is appreciated.
Thanks for all your extra work in planning our walking holiday along St Oswald's Way.
We had a great time and you even aranged some good weather! It was great to meet Jon at the start of our holiday and the info he gave us made our holiday.
Thanks and we look forward to walking with you again.
We walked Hadrian's Wall last year on one of your guided jobs.
We really enjoyed it from start to finish and we made some good friends on our trip.
Thank you Shepherds walks Holidays.
A stunning stretch of coastline and hada great few days away.
It is an area we had seen lots on the TV so raelly glad to see it for ourselves.
'St Oswald's Way provides an interesting variety: coast path, riverside walking, a short stretch of moorland and even tidal mudflats on the first day. Most walks are very picturesque and not particularly demanding. We liked the fact that the distances are not too great so we had plenty of time to visit local sites along the way such as the wonderful castles. We took a boat trip to the Farne Islands to see seals, puffins and other seabirds. St Oswald's Way finishes at Heavenfield on Hadrian's Wall and we added on a couple of extra days walking by the Wall and visiting Roman forts.
All in all we had a lovely holiday and the organisation and support from Shepherds Walks was excellent.
"The four of us had a great holiday walking the Northumberland Coast Path in July 2015. Everything ran smoothly from the pick up at Alnmouth Station to our last leisurely day in Berwick before catching the train home. Our various hosts were very welcoming and the walking allowed us to tuck into hearty Northumbrian breakfasts without too much guilt. Even the weather co-operated with mainly blue skies all week and near perfect walking conditions. Despite the fine weather the beaches were virtually deserted and my abiding memory is of striding across firm golden sand under vast skies. (Pictures to follow) We also enjoyed seeing the castles and my personal highlight was walking the pilgrim's route across to Holy Island with Lindisfarne Castle looming in the distance. I hope to revisit to tackle Saint Cuthbert's Way next time"
Shepherds Walks provides outstanding personalized service and solid value for those seeking walking vacations. I highly recommend booking walking trips through this great little company. My daughter and I walked St. Oswald's Way in the summer of 2015. Jon Monks helped us out of a couple of binds -- each time with humor and graciousness. We made use of GPS units he loaned us and programmed for the route -- a real life saver for directionally challenged people like us. The accommodations booked for us were uniformly excellent. We hope to arrange our next walking vacation through Jon and his great team. I recommend Shepherds Walks without hesitation. A wonderful find!
The Northumberland Coastal Path is a lovely and easy walk, with no great hills to climb, but with beautiful countryside and stunning sea views. The accommodation was very good with friendly hosts, and was mostly very close to the trail. Walking across the East Coast Main Line was exciting, but using the yellow telephone to contact the signaller made it perfectly safe. We had one wet day, but our hosts dealt very efficiently with our wet clothes. All in all, a very enjoyable week.
A big thank you to Chris for guiding us along St Cuthbert's Way.
It made for a great walk along this stunning long distnace trail.
Doing the Hadrians Walk was a fantastic experience. When I look back I think of the lovely hilly landscape for miles around, silence and tranquillity, birds singing and the summerflowers on the fields. It gives you peace.
Thaks for aranging a great walking holiday along St Cuthbert's Trail.
A great walk and so well organised.
Diane and I completed our walking holiday of St. Cuthberts Way in May, 2015. Thank you for a wonderful experience. We enjoyed the change of scenery each day; the beauty of Melrose Abbey, the quant villages along the way, the remoteness of the Cheviots, and the walk to Lindisfarne while the tide was out. Each day of the walk was different.
The accommodations provided by Shepherds Walk were outstanding. Each hotel and bed and breakfast we stayed at was unique and comfortable. The proprietors of each establishment were all very friendly and totally put us at ease.
Tanks again for putting together a wonderful holiday for us, this time on St Cuthbert’s Way.