Great British countryside | John Millen
UK Walks: How It Works
A self-guided walking holiday in the UK offers freedom, independence and choice in the way you explore the best of what Great Britain has to offer. With UTracks, you can tailor your active holiday to your personal interest and travel style.
It may be your first self guided walking holiday with UTracks and you may have several queries before deciding to head to the outdoors with us. Find below the answers to the most common questions we get asked. If you like to discuss any other points, please do get in touch with our experienced team.
With our large range of self guided walking holidays, as long as you are reasonably active you will be able to find a suitable tour. Find out more about our tour gradings.
What is included during my trip?
We have designed our self-guided walking and cycling tours to include a number of elements to help you enjoy your holiday more, while leaving out some things to give you more freedom to tailor the trip to your needs and interests. Refer to the Trip Notes for more information on the specific inclusions for each trip.
Included:
- Detailed Route Notes
- Accommodation
- Luggage transfers
- Any scheduled transfers as per Trip Notes
- Emergency support
- Some meals (mostly breakfasts)
Not included:
- Transport to/from start/finish points
- Most meals
- Any entrance/park fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses along the way
- Unscheduled transfers that may be required during the trip
How will I find my way?
While our trips vary in terms of difficulty, route finding is made simple and convenient with our package of maps and route notes that is prepared in-house. On many of the walks it is easy enough to navigate carefully using the route notes provided with a cursory glance at the map. As tours reach the higher grades, you will need to take more care and we would expect you to have at least some knowledge of using a compass. Maps for our tours also vary considerably, from up to date GPS referenced additions, to map copies which may still be the only ones obtainable for a particular area. The differences in style, grade and destinations of our tours are features that make them of continual interest and delight to our walkers.
What are Route Notes?
Included in your holiday is a set of route notes per room booked. The notes offer a great tool to deciding on the walks to take and offer directions while out on your walking day. Each set of route notes can contain the following elements, relevant to the route:
- History and information on the region and the route you are walking.
- Detailed maps including points of interest and accommodation.
- Detailed step-by-step descriptions (with pictures) of the route and information on detours/optional additions.
- Transport timetables and information for getting there and away.
- Safety information and advice.
- Contact details of accommodation, transport, local representatives and emergency support.
- Advice for things to do along the way.
- Suggestions for dining and self catering.
Are your trips flexible?
Our detailed Route Notes will contain all of the information you need to plan how you would like to approach each day, giving you the freedom to set your own pace. As you are not limited by the constraints of group travel, you are free to shorten or lengthen your walk as the terrain permits. You can even ask us to include an extra day for resting, sightseeing or to enjoy an extra walk in a certain area.
Where will I overnight?
Accommodation for each night of your self-guided walking holiday is included in the trip price. We have carefully selected a range of charming country inns, pensions, guest houses, hotels, and bed & breakfasts based on their charismatic nature and the fact that they epitomise the region you are travelling in. Most are family run, so expect a healthy dose of local charm and insights while you're there.
In some cases you are able to customise the type/level of accommodation to suit your needs. Contact us to learn more.
How do luggage transfers work?
Self-sufficient walking holidays are great, but they can include the hassle of carrying your own luggage. To remove this stress we include luggage transfers in all of our self-guided walking holidays around the UK. Some restrictions can apply to the weight and/or amount of luggage that you can take and details of this will be outlined in the Trip Notes.
What if something happens during my walk?
Things don’t always go to plan and for anything that you need help with, 24-hour emergency support is only a phone call away. Emergency contact details are provided in each trip’s Route Notes and as we are closely connected to our very helpful accommodation and transport partners, we will do our best to keep any interruptions to your holiday to a minimum.
Where can I find a UK walking holiday?
From the Emerald Isle to the Isle of Wight, every track or trail across the UK and Ireland seems linked to a legend. If you like to discover the magic of these lands and their fascinating stories on an active holiday, find an overview of all UK walking options here.