walking tours of Europe
 

I am thinking of taking a guided walking tour of SW England(Cornwall). Has anyone had any experience with any of the companies that sponsor them? Have looked at brochures and had contact with Wayfarers,Cross Country Int'l, Country Walkers, Classic Journeys, BCT. Thanks!

Thanks for asking this - I'm looking into this same topic for a tour in late summer.

I do not know any of the companies you mentioned, but I have done guided walks in the UK with three different companies:
Countrywide Walking: http://www.countrywidewalking.com/
HF Holidays: http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/
Footpath: http://www.footpath-holidays.com/

If any of the walking holidays they offer appear to be of interest to you, I would be glad to provide comments or answer questions.

Ron, I've taken several HF trips and would like to know how the other two companies compare in terms of accomadations, food, and price. Also the socialability of other particpants. I should add that my wife and I are not serious hikers. We've stuck to HF's easy walking sites and usually do the short walks.

I've taken two walking/hiking tours with BCT and found them to be carefully planned and managed, with good hotels. The tours were in France, though, not SW England. But I think BCT started out with tours of the UK, so they probbly know SW England well and have good contacts there. I took a tour in western Crete with Country Walkers. I had a good time, but I thought the tour was priced too high in light of the very inexpensive places where we stayed. I know that some people have been very happy with their CW tours, though. Wayfarers is quite expensive, but I've heard that they're good.

Joe, most of my experience has been with HF, too, so it may not be wise of me to generalize about the other companies. But I will, anyway.

Up til a few years ago, Countrywide and HF were essentially identical -- HF, in fact, was a spin-off from Countrywide. Countrywide failed to keep up with the times,in terms of providing en suite, for example, and with respect to management. They have subsequently sold off all but a couple of their own country houses and now use hotels owned by others. My experience with them has been when they are good, they are very good (better than the best of HF), when they are bad, they are awful (worse than the worst of HF). Guests are mostly English and probably more down-to-earth and friendlier than those at HF.

Footpath is more expensive and a bit more up-market in terms of food and accommodation than HF. Not worth the difference in price, IMO. Over half the guests were American (using a broader definition of American to include Canadians) and were more demanding and whinier than the predominantly English at Countrywide and HF. They seemed surprised that the Cotswold Hills were hilly and that <this green and beautiful land> is sometimes muddy. The walk leaders bent over backwards to accommodate the complaints, which only encouraged them more.

I will be sticking to HF in the future, also using Countrywide if it is in a part of the country I particularly want to walk in (the Wye Valley is one such place -- Countrywide uses a hotel in Tintern).

Ron, thanks for the information. I'm glad to hear that HF compares favorably with the others. One of the things we like most about them is the other people that we've met.

I just (Oct., 2006) from a Classic Jouneys walking tour of the Basque Country . . .it was great! We stayed in two unusual and interesting hotels---a parador and a country inn. We did interesting things (e.g., visited a sheep farm, a cider mill), saw beautiful sights and had a wonderful guide.