Arrangements
UK holidays - Arrival & Departure details
 The first date given for a holiday is the day you
arrive. We don't walk on that day, except perhaps for an evening stroll to get
to know each other. You can usually get into your room from 2pm. Your guide
will arrive by 5pm and will leave a message at reception to say where she'll be
at that time. Dinner is generally at 7pm - so do tell us if you think you will
be late in case we can hold your meal. The walks start at a convenient time
after breakfast each day. Their length depends on the grade and sometimes we
might change a walk because of the weather. The walk on the last day is
shorter, and we are generally back by 2pm for trains from 3pm. However, on
weekend breaks and treks - especially if intermediate and high level - we are
generally not back till 3pm for trains from 4pm. When booking a weekend or a
trek, please tell us if you will need to leave earlier than this.
Accommodation
 The accommodation we book for the holidays varies hugely - from
charming small hotels and inns, to moderately priced guesthouses, and
ideally-located hostels and mountain refuges. The prices are based on you
sharing a room with another member of the group unless it says otherwise.
Singles with or without a supplement are often available if you book early. All
supplements are given as a figure per night. In hostels and refuges you mostly
sleep in bunk beds sharing a dormitory with other members of the group. Help
yourself to a free welcome cuppa from the Member's Kitchen when you arrive! For
much more accommodation information see our
Accommodation page
Frequent Walker Miles!
It's very gratifying how many women return
for more WalkingWomen holidays after their first experience. So we've
introduced 'Frequent Walker Miles' as a way of giving something back to you.
This means that if you come on 3 holidays in a calendar year, we'll take
£20 pounds off the 3rd one - and again off the 6th!
Trekking
 If 'trekking' to you means days of slogging with the kitchen sink on
your back - forget it! We use the words 'Trekking' or 'Trek' to refer to
holidays that involve walking to a new place most days, allowing us to get off
the beaten track and reach more remote places like the stunning Western Lakes
or a high Alpine valley. We transport the luggage by taxi or porters wherever
possible, and on trips where this is not possible we clarify in the holiday
description the number of days you will carry extra gear. A trekking day can
sometimes be a little longer than a day walk of the same grade and there isn't
the same flexibility to take a day off as with other holidays, so please choose
the grade with special care. The reward is the satisfaction of having walked
there and seeing a new valley come into view. If a UK trek is not circular we
arrange transport back to the starting point or nearest station for free or for
a shared charge (see the holiday description & travel directions).
Taking time out - other things to do
Whether you walk each day is up to you; it's
only tricky if you want to take time out on a trekking day! There are lots of
other things to do - either for a day off or after walking. You might also want
to walk on your own for a day, or sit under a tree to read, paint, or do
nothing!
Travel directions
Travel directions and a list of what to
bring will be sent to you with your confirmation of booking. You will also find
a lot of useful information on the Travel & Gear page of this website. We confirm the
booking after you have paid the deposit. If you would like to see travel
directions before you book, just email us for a copy.
Dogs
WalkingWomen has been set up to cater for
the needs and safety of women who want to walk. Assistance dogs (e.g
'blind' dog, 'hearing' dog etc) are permitted on all WW holidays and at all UK
accommodations we use. Non-assistance dogs are allowed at some
accommodations we use (see below), but will only be allowed to join walks
if they are well behaved around people and sheep, are under
control at all times, and are not likely to be experienced as threatening due
to their size or breed. If the guide feels that your dog is endangering or
annoying other women, you will be asked to make other arrangements even if it
means that you cannot join the walk. For this reason, please consider carefully
whether your dog is sufficiently well behaved and non-threatening to others
before bringing him or her on a holiday - and please let us know beforehand.
Dogs are only permitted at the hotels we
use in: Great Langdale, Derwent Water, and Lulworth Cove. Dogs are also
exceptionally allowed at Glenthorne when we take the whole guest house for
ourselves - e.g Christmas. (Accommodations often charge extra for cleaning).
If you are frightened of or allergic to
dogs, please avoid holidays at the above locations since even if there is
no dog ' in the group', there may be other dogs staying at the hotel. If you
are very allergic to dogs, please let us know in case there is an Assistance
dog as part of the group.
Foreign Holidays - Flights, ATOL, transfers…
On most WW foreign holidays your guide will
meet you at your departure airport if she is flying on the same flight, or look
for her as you come into the Arrivals hall at your destination. We include the
transfer to your accommodation on practically all foreign holidays. Please see
your holiday details sheet for the time of this transfer and/or the flights
that it meets.
The cost of your flight is not included in
any 2010 holiday price. There simply hasn't been time for Sue Donovan, the new
owner of WalkingWomen, to obtain an ATOL licence in her own name before the
brochure went to print. We can, however, buy your flight on our agent's ATOL
licence for all those holidays which were previously ATOL protected in the WW
programme (Nepal, South Africa, La Gomera, & Crete), and for any other
scheduled or charter flights that may be an option on some holidays. Our agent
for long haul destinations (i.e Nepal & South Africa) usually only requests
a deposit for your flight until 10 weeks before departure.
For holidays involving budget airlines we
are happy to buy your flight for you on your card if you do not have the
Internet access or the time to buy it yourself. If your payment card requires a
security code for online purchases, we will need to contact you back for these
details in order to get the payment put though.
More and more countries are requiring
advance passenger information (called API or APIS) as an anti-terrorism
measure. Some are starting to introduce this retrospectively for flights
already purchased. So for all flight purchases we now ask for your passport
number + its issue date, expiry date, & place of issue; your nationality;
and your date of birth. It is because of the increased admin involved in buying
flights today that we have started to charge a flight booking fee of £10
- please accept our apologies.
If you buy your own flight...
WalkingWomen arranges the airport transfer
to your destination on most foreign holidays to keep arrangements simple and
affordable. If you are buying your own flight, please first check your holiday
information sheet to see which flight/s will suit this transfer in each
direction, (or for details of our transfer time). Your guide will usually be
travelling on this flight or she will meet you as you come through from Baggage
Reclaim at your destination. WalkingWomen is not responsible for your transfer
if you arrive at a different time or on a different flight than the one we have
detailed. Most of our holidays are based at some distance from the airport, and
it will often be difficult or expensive for you to arrange your own transfer.
Please contact the WW office before buying a different flight from the one/s
given on your Holiday Information Sheet.
Insurance essential on foreign holidays
If you book a foreign holiday with
WalkingWomen it is essential that you have sickness and injury insurance.
Insurance against your having to cancel is highly recommended on ALL holidays.
If you want very competitive annual
insurance, try Essential
Travel on 0845 803 5434 or Columbus Direct Insurance on 0870 033 9988 . Columbus
will also take an additional 10% off is you say you're booking with
WalkingWomen. Age Concern (0845 600 3348) is the most competitive
insurance we've found if you are over 65 years. If you hear of a direct
insurance company offering better rates, please do let us know!
Insurance on UK holidays?
If you are taken ill at the last minute and
cannot come on holiday, you might also be very glad to have cancellation
insurance in place. Many companies offer very competitive rates for short
breaks, or for an annual travel insurance policy that covers all your holidays
over the year. Try Essential Travel Insurance or Columbus Direct Insurance
above. |
Grasmere is one of the most
central yet easily reached villages in the Lake District - with stunning
scenery that has inspired poets and artists alike. We'll be staying at
Glenthorne Guest House not far from the village centre, with wonderful views in
three directions, comfortable bedrooms, and excellent food! From here there are
plenty of superb Intermediate walks to explore in the surrounding Grasmere
fells. Wild Blea Rigg is always wonderfully deserted despite its stunning views
of Easedale Tarn on the way up, and of the Langdale Pikes from the top. The
path up Helm Crag also offers its own rewards with great views over Grasmere
and a lovely long ridge walk to follow. On other days, we might find ourselves
climbing the hillside to Alcock Tarn and Heron Pike, stopping for a swim in
deserted Codale Tarn, or stretching ourselves as far as High Raise for its
fabulous views. If we don't mind driving around to Great Langdale, there can
even be an exciting foray onto the Langdale Pikes! 
This weekend break with Sarah is based in
the ancient village of Hartington in Derbyshire and will allow us to explore
walks in the beautiful Upper Dove Valley. Our paths beside the river will take
us into spectacular limestone scenery, perhaps climbing to the unspoilt village
of Alstonfield on one day, or heading north to the quiet upper reaches of the
Manifold River on the other. Our accommodation will be in ensuite singles,
ensuite twins, and one triple bedroom with shared facilities at the
exceptionally comfortable 4* Hartington Hall youth hostel. Hartington Hall is a
magnificent 17th century manor house with log fires, oak paneling, excellent
food (+ table licence), and a bedroom where Bonnie Prince Charlie once slept.
Hartington village is easily reached by bus from both Buxton and Matlock
stations. You can arrive at any time of day, and there can be an extra walk on
Friday if you arrive by 1pm. Dinner is served from 6-10pm, but we will aim to
eat together at 7pm. (Single supplement £5 a night). 
Here's a chance for some fab
Intermediate walks from Littletown Farm in the beautiful Newlands Valley beyond
Keswick - a venue which has proved a great success since we started staying
there last year. Littletown Farm nestles against the hillside close to the path
up Cat Bells, and from here we can head up onto strikingly shaped Causey Pike
across the valley, or over whale-backed Knott Rigg towards Buttermere, not
forgetting the new vantage point we'll have to walk the stunning High Spy ridge
and Cat Bells. Littletown farm, which was actually mentioned in Beatrix
Potter's Mrs Tiggywinkle, has its own licensed bar, serves excellent
home-cooked evening meals, and offers comfortable twin and single rooms (with
ensuite or private facilities) each with its own stunning view looking directly
onto the fells. Guided by Marian.
Rosie Jeffries or Sarah Burt. The Lake District Map is