Walking Feedback and Reviews -

A combination of truly terrible weather and a horrible cold (each) drove us home a day early…nothing serious just a combination of events

We managed to get some lovely days in, and enjoyed the ferries. Loved staying in the pubs particularly, Cadgwith cove, Pilchards and Feathers! Really friendly and full of atmosphere. Having a sunny afternoon to look over Pendennis Castle was delightful.

Thanks once again to you for great organisation – we will be back next year for more and hope that our waterproofs are not tested as much – we got truly expert at whipping the trousers on and off!

I returned home after our five days of walking on Dartmoor that you arranged. We'd like to thank you for booking the accommodation, transporting our luggage, and organising the itinerary. Everything went smoothly. We were impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of people in the various places.

But somebody needs to tell the park authorities that they have to do something about signage and promoting walking routes. Routes on maps are not reflected in quality signposting, or in too many cases, any signage at all. We are experienced walkers and can use a variety of technology to find our way around, but the poor signposting on Dartmoor does nothing to encourage those new to walking, or visitors from overseas. With the pound being so weak, the UK should be flooded with visitors, bringing much-needed income to the relatively poorer parts of Britain. The Dartmoor authorities really do need to get their act together and learn from the experience of other parts of the country and the continent of Europe.

Best wishes - RB & JW - London

Hi Damon, we had a real great time on our walk, everything - including organisation by Encounter Walking and luggage transfer - was perfect. Each day was different as the landscape changes over the path. As one highlight we loved the cosy little village Cadgewith, where we had an excellent dinner with fresh fish and the opportunity to participate on a lively folk song evening in the local inn (takes place on Tuesdays).

Falmouth would have been worth to stay a day longer with its lovely beaches, its interesting National Maritime Museum, nice shopping and eating opportunities. At one place we had difficulties to find our way: We arrived at Gillan Creek at high tide, so we knew we had to do the walk around. This one was difficult to find, our impression was that a farmer digged the path over. Locals helped us to find the way, as much as in other places people were very friendly and helpful (I've got my lost pullover back thanks to an especially nice taxi driver!). We hope that we could come back one day and try other parts of the SW coast path. Definitely we will book the next trip by Encounter Walking again!

We had a wonderful time.  Even the weather was on our side apart from a soaking near Belstone.

Every place that we stayed at was friendly efficient and welcoming    We were very impressed by the standards of accommodation but mostly the hospitality of the people we met 

The guide books and maps were very useful.

Both my daughters said it was one of the best holidays of their lives and are now huge fans of Dartmoor.

Thank you for organizing such a wonderful holiday for us. The accommodation was very good and also varied . This made it special. Sometimes a hotel and sometimes a home adress is very nice. We were always welcomed and good taken care of. We had the misfortune of a sprained ankle for one of us. But she made the most of it by walking easy parts and was kept busy taking buses to the next stop.

Only once did we get lost, when we walked from Portleven to the Lizard. A field were it was very muddy, but also the wonderful smell of camomile( it was raining all day, but still a beautiful walk ) On the path a bit away from the coast just before Soap rock. But the Ordnance survey map was very helpful. Most times the route was very clear. Apart from the one rainy day the weather was good and we enjoyed the views, the beaches, little towns, the flowers and butterflies. 

- superior preparation with the documents for walking, with booking hotels and transportation of bagagge from encounterwalking; - they had a lot of patience with our sometimes chaotic planning ideas; - the coast path itself causes very seldom open questions about the direction to walk; - nobody should underestimate the path itself. It is really beautiful, but physical exhausting; mid-height footwear is not the best idea, even if this is elsewhere useful for trecking; a day for regeneration after two days walking might help to adopt yourself to the demands, and you should be prepared for rainy hours.

We had a wonderful time walking the coast from Padstow to St. Ives. Everything worked out as planned - starting with the good information we recieved before leaving home and all the way through luggage transfers and accomodations. The scenery was beautiful, the path was easy to follow (most of the way) and the detailed descriptions we received made it easy to find the places to stay.

Thank you for the perfect orangisation of our trip and the wonderful selection of accomodations. Perfect was the acc. in Comb Martin- less perfect in Ilfracombe.

We had a greate time in wonderful surroundings.

Very nice and varied walk. For long term parking in St Ives the Rugby Club offers a good deal, a bit cheaper than the municipal car parks. B&B's were very good in most cases, top were the Chelsea House in Falmouth, the Rockridge house in Porthcurno and the Tinners Arms in Zennor. We were less enthousiastic about the Cape Cornwall Golf and Leisure club and the Chy An Albany in St Ives. All in all good choices though.

Weather was a bit variable, but we had a number of marvellous walking days. We went back to the Minnack Theatre after the walk, and enjoyed a performance there. It's often sold out, but a phone call on the day itself puts one on the waiting list, and apparently that works in most cases. It did in ours. We would surely recommend this walk to others, and thank you for your excellent organisation. It all ran very smoothly.

Great trip!

Thanks, it was perfectly organised, the baggage tfr worked well and all the accommodation was excellent. We did find some of the diversions tricky to follow as they weren't that well signposted and several of out days were wet and windy which made some of the terrain a bit scary. Full credit to you though for your part, which was greatly managed.

Many thanks.

Thank you for your well planned trip. The baggage transport was perfect. The accommodation you have chosen was good, clean and with very nice hosts. The trail was pretty well marked, although we misunderstood the way into Zennor and came from another side than you explained.

The Zennor Chapel Guest House and the "Mermaid Room" were great and the dinner at the Tinner Arms pub was the best on the whole trip, highly recommended. The sight and the beautiful coast were amazing so even though we overrated our own capacity for long walks and spent longer time than we expected it has been a fantastic holiday. We will be happy to return another summer.

Just want to send a big thank you for facilitating our Coastal path walks in Devon and Cornwall.

All went extremely well with luggage transfer and accommodation choices and the maps and guide books provided allowed for a stress-free walk.

Many thanks for giving us the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful part of the country.

St. Ives is incredible! Beautiful beaches and palm trees. Full of families having fun. Wife says it is something out of a James Bond movie.

Had a hard time finding the beginning of St. Michael's Way. Found the Holiday Park and that got us started. Not a well groomed trail here, think game trail with occasional markers. It is hard sometimes to fine the stiles on the other side of fields some times.

Loved walking the beach into Marazion. Mt. St. Michael's is a must see. There are tons of things to do over there. Wear boits to climb the slick, steep cobble stone road up to the castle. Portcurno was amazing! So much history, beautiful beaches, and Minack Theatre.

Wow... Fantastic, everything whent as planned.

Our 10-day hike at the Jurassic coast was a great success. The length of the sections was balanced, the chosen accommodations (ranging from simple to luxury) were all on or near the trail and near restaurants. We received a full english breakfast or equivalent every day. In two accommodations breakfast was not served untill 8.30 am, which we found a little late. Our suitcases were transported smoothly every day to our next stay. When we arrived they were usually already in the room.

The communication with the travel organization was pleasant and to the point. The day-to-day description excellent. In addition, we used a gps device with the latest gps tracks of the South West Coast Path from OpenStreetMap, which was really helpful. The walk was fantastic and exceeded our expectations. The variety was great. Initially we were a little sceptic that it would be the same landscape for ten days, but that was not the case at all.

Every day had its own atmosphere. Green hills, red cliffs, golden cliffs, white cliffs, pebble beaches, the undercliffs, a lagoon, big seaside resorts, tiny villages, holiday parks, chapels, castles, lighthouses, sheep, cows, grain fields etc. It all came along. And there were possibilities for refreshments during the day almost every day (villages, beach cafes).

We cannot point out one special highlight as there were so many. To name a few: The red cliffs near Sidmouth, historic Branscombe, Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs, Golden Cap, Abbotsbury, Portland Bill Lighthouse, Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove, The Lulworth Ranges and Tyneham, Old Harry Rocks (in stormy weather). The least part of the hike was Ferry Bridge (to Portland Island) in grey weather and rain. Just as variable as the environment was the weather. We had sunny days, cloudy days and a few rain showers. Only the last day of our hike the weather was really bad. Pouring rain all day and stormy wind gusts. The wind blew us from the trail (inland). But in a way, the force of nature was also very exciting. We thoroughly enjoyed this walk and the organization was flawless.

Thank you for a lovely holiday walking the SWCP! Fantastic views, great people and places to stay, and very clear instructions. We did not get lost at any point. Thanks also for the help regarding the temporary path diversion around Coverack due to the floods. All in all, everything went like clockwork! Cannot thank you enough and will definitely recommend you to others.

A note to thank you for organising the walking trip for me. I had a fantastic time, and never got lost (but see below). Was very, very lucky with the weather too. Even the presence of wind and rain up the ridge outside Abbotsbury added to the atmosphere . And I had all the hills to myself. Then it was perfect or near perfect sunshine for all the other days while negotiating steep paths from time to time often on cliff edge.

The accommodation was great.

All the (few) fellow walkers I encountered were utterly charming. And wonderfully international too (English, Welsh, Dutch, German, Austrian ...).

BTW, the small path diversion advice given below and the annotated version on site was pretty useless if not misleading. Obviously designed by somebody who is clueless about walking.  Also there were zero diversion signs for that section. Luckily, GPS came to rescue, and there were fellow walkers to follow.

I am now hooked onto the coastal path and would like to do the whole thing, section by section. Next one to tackle: Brixham to Lyme Regis. Provisional date: May 2018 and outside the bank holiday period. Hope you can organise the trip again for me.

Review of Walking Holiday – Sunday July 15th to Friday July 22nd Saints Way and St Michaels Way 2 Adults and 2 Children aged 16 & 11 Summary: Great walking and excellent route guidance. The Saints Way involved a lot of road walking and some busy roads, but even in July was very quiet. Lodging was very good. Would have appreciated a more comfortable accommodation near Lanlivery, after walking in torrential rain.

All connections worked well. Parents would definitely go again, kids are undecided. Day One: Arrival in Padstow: Our plan was to drive to Padstow, drop off the bags, drive on to Penzance and leave the car and then travel by train and bus to Padstow. The first challenge was getting the car close to the Golden Lion Pub, and after several attempts we had to park in the car park and walk down the hill. Good practice for the next day. Transit to Padstow worked fine and pub was comfortable and very hospitable. Enjoyed the Rojano’s Restaurant, no space at any of the Rick Stein establishments. (Tip: Scilly Parking in Penzance provided excellent secure parking for our cars)

Day Two: Padstow to Tregolls Farm – beautiful walking in sunny and warm conditions across well marked footpaths with friendly farmers and good views. Only one minor navigational error ascending Breock Down, where we followed the person in front. Fortunately, we spotted their mistake and helped them back onto the path. After a full day’s walking arrived at Tregolls Farm and enjoyed a beautiful evening meal and warm welcome.

Day Three: Tregolls Farm to Lanlivery: The day started warm and sunny with good paths and easy navigation. Didn’t like the long road walking on a busy road out of Llanivet, so were glad to reach the small hamlet of Fenton Pitts and views of Helman Tor. However, at this point the black clouds appeared on the horizon with strong winds and lightning visible over St Austell. From this point on the rest of the walk was a challenge to make the route in heavy rain through muddy lanes. We decided to make a dash for our overnight stop at Lanlivery. The pub food was ok. This location was chosen for it position on the route, but we would have preferred the short detour to Loswithiel.

Day Four: Lanlivery to Fowey and transfer to St Ives: After the storms and floods, the weather recovered and we made good progress on the route to Fowey. This involved a lot of road walking on quiet lanes and a friendly pub (Fisherman’s Arms) at Golant. We enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Well House tearoom in Fowey before the taxi ride to Par and onto to St Ives.

Cornerways Guest House was a great place, very hospitable host and we enjoyed an evening amongst the crowds of St Ives. (Tip: All the top dining in July is booked up so book in advance)

Day Five: St Michaels Way – St Ives to St Michaels Mount – This route was a lot busier than the Saints Way and was generally well maintained. A few pointers. There is an excellent café at the Una development, just 500m off the route on Tremcron Lane, perfectly located for the long uphill walk out of St Ives. Navigation between Beersheba and Bowl was difficult with no real waymarkings. (We weren’t the only ones making mistakes here). The ascent of Trencorn is well worth taking with a great view of St Michael's Mount.

We have returned from our 8 days walking the itinerary you kindly provided.

The organisation of the trip was faultless and everything went off without a hitch. We had to forego walking one day due to terrible, and dangerous, weather conditions.

Baggage transport went without a hitch.

The scenery was beautiful, but coming from the West of Ireland we are a little spoiled, so our highlights here were some of the cove villages rather than the coast.

The walking was challenging, but invigorating. Our biggest complaint would be the very poor signage and waymarkers. Parts of the trail, particularly as you get nearer to Plymouth are so overgrown that it is almost impassible. I don't know who does the trail maintenance, but it needs attention.

In terms of fellow walkers, there were very few - rather surprising for the middle of the summer season.

Finally, the highlight of the trip was the food - ignoring pasties and fish and chips, the standard of food was very good with plenty of variety.

Thanks to Encounter Walking for organising the itinerary and your excellent service and I would have no hesitation recommending you to any walkers considering a trip.

Just completed the Plymouth to Lynmouth coast to coast trail incorporating the Two Moors Way and just now recovering! Have to send a big thank you to the encounterwalking team for their planning, preparation, guidance and choices , in particular of overnight stops.

Everything worked perfectly and the luggage transfer worked like clockwork. Loved the choice of overnight stops at the various Inns and Taverns - was able to get a great reintroduction to the UK local fine Ales and 'pub meals'. It was astonishing to me that it was possible to walk so far and not encounter mainstream car traffic or use mainstream roads. The journey was much tougher than I thought and on reflection would add a few more legs and include a rest day in the middle rather than the end. Wonderful scenery, route well marked and when I did stray the kindness of strangers very evident. Loved it!

The luggage forwarding was perfect. Your help with the travel was also great. The guide, map and itinerary were all very helpful. We absolutely loved this whole section of the path. We liked the extra information in the guide. That small church (Culbone) for example, was really beautiful.

Thank you for all help with our walk. It was some wonderful days. We are satisfied with everything from the first contact with you.

The paths were clearly marked at the coast. Good for us, because the walk between Crackington Haven and Boscastle we had fog and could not see so much.

When we walked The Saints Way, we had to know all the time where we were on the map to be sure we were on the right track.

Thank you for helping us, we hope to be back in beautiful Cornwall soon.

Best regards

Wenche

The second week of the SWCP is quite challenging but the notes form Encounter warned us of that so were well prepared. Accommodation was all of a good standard and very welcoming.

The last night at Rick Stein's was a lovely touch and made a great finale to the week. Likewise the Old School in Port Isaac where we emerged after breakfast into a film crew shooting Doc Martin.

Very well organised Encounter! We used Encounter as it offered "dog friendly" options and Ziggy was well looked after all along the route.

Only suggestion for improvement is to persuade the accommodation to offer an earlier breakfast to allow an early start on the path. Oh, and cancel the rain!

Second year with Encounter and everything went smoothly this year as well! Luggage transfers worked nicely, accommodations were OK to excellent, path was easy to follow. Weymouth to Lulworth Cove was a very scenic walk, however the weather was not good. A bit strenous as we got closer to Lulworth.

Recommend staying an extra day in Lulworth as it was a really nice village. And do stay at Cove House! Corfe Castle to Swanage; excellent walk along Nine Barrows Down to Ulwell with a break at the pub then up to the ridge again an towards Ballard Point and back to Swanage. Swanage to Studland. Easy walk to Old Harry Rocks and towards Studland, then we took the bus to Bournemouth. Encounter Walking did everything perfectly for us once more! Thanks!.

A challenge indeed! Very well organised by Encounter with great notes provided and all transfers and accommodation as anticipated. If you are considering doing this, we thought that the average daily distance in benign weather was fine for the first five days (but we wouldn't have wanted it to be any further!), but any extreme weather, as we had on one day, makes it a bit of a route march - we found ourselves walking from 9 til 4 minimum every day with few and only short stops and we don't consider ourselves slow walkers.

The length of the last two days (20 & 17 miles respectively with the spot on navigation required on an 'artificial' route) would have been more than was enjoyable for us , so with a poor weather forecast for the last day we adapted this to a one day circuit of Bodmin Moor, which made for a nice end to a good walk. We added in a rest day in Fowey which we were very glad to have done.

Route comments - SWCP Boscastle to Port Issac - strenuous first day but worth it - the path is quite loose and footing tricky at times, especially in the wind and rain . You spend much of your time looking down, not looking at the great views.

Saints Way - a nice contrast to SWCP . Route notes - After crossing the A39, a Saints Way sign is missing at the kink in the path halfway up the stretch towards the top of St Breoch Downs. You should bear right but a farmer told us many people end up going straight on until they realise that after a mile of downhill they have gone wrong and have to double back. The footpath outside Withiel is still badly flooded and impassable after a good period of dry weather. The diversion to Retire is no longer and perfectly good. Make that the route?

The second Saints Way day, Lanivet to Fowey was particularly scenic and enjoyable - our favourite. Overall we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Service was excellent and people very friendly almost without exception. Thanks to all at Encounter for the great service too.

The holiday was a terrific success. It is a spectacular section of coast and it is hard to imagine that there is a better way to appreciate it than to walk it.

We all enjoyed the mix of accommodation, whether it was traditional B&B, country hotel or a blend of the two.

The luggage transfers worked flawlessly - what a great service.

We are now thinking about our next walk - perhaps Minehead to Westward Ho! - and shall certainly be using Encounter Walking Holidays when we come to book this.

Thanks to all at Encounter.

Ewan Warren 

My friend and I walked from Westward Ho! To Padstow in July 2017. And we had 8 wonderful days of walking. We chose the Standard Route, but with an extra overnight stay in Morwenstow at The Bush Inn, as the whole section from Hartland Quay to Bude is very long and challenging. Our experience with Encounter Walking Holidays has been brilliant from the day I made my first enquiries, and all the way through. All info and maps are accurate and all our overnight stays were really lovely. And the transport of our luggage went smoothly.

I appreciate that we get several accommodation options with web links ahead of booking, so we know what we get. I also loved the final email a few weeks before the walk, were we got all necessary info about the paths every day and good tips about refreshment possibilities (or the lack of it) along the paths. The walking was often quite challenging, but very rewarding and marvellous and with spectacular views. The lushness and fresh smells of soil and plants (and farm animals) are so lovely. And we loved the changing scenery through fields of grass and rye, cliffs, valleys, forests, streams and beaches and the sights of peregrine falcons and other birds. And we had the ocean with us all the time with the sounds from the waves and the changing tides.

The paths were very well maintained and so was the signposting. We found it necessary to wear long hiking trousers due to all the bramble and nettles, and the possibility of tics. We wore ankle-high hiking boots. And a good sunscreen is mandatory. We have fallen in love with the South West Coast Path, and I have already contacted Encounter and asked for a quote for the section Padstow to St. Ives in 2018. Thank you Encounter Walking Holidays; for making our walk so wonderful.

We have recently returned from this lovely walk. It was our first time to this part of England and our first experience of a long-distance path in this country. We had a great time. Even the one rainy day was enjoyable.

The route directions and maps were excellent. We only went wrong once when we did not trust the finger pointer because there was no apparent path in that direction (point 59 on map and directions). We were back on track in a few minutes.

Incidentally, the "rugged alternative route" on the SWCP Porlock to Minehead is now signed on the ground as the main route with the easier route as the alternative. We took the rugged route and were very pleased that we did. It is a beautiful walk and only rugged due to the many ups and downs at the combes.

We would also recommend the alternative route through Embelle and Culbone Woods between Lynmouth and Porlock: there was no difficulty with that route, even for us old'uns. All accommodation was good.

All arrangements worked fine. We would certainly use Encounter again if we arrange any similar trips.

We had a wonderful adventure and had the route to ourselves a surprising amount of the time. The organisation of bag transfer was flawless, so full marks to Encounter. For our walk, we opted for the "moderate" walking distances and found that the days with 17-19 miles were just too much. We felt it didn't leave time to stop and appreciate the views and interesting spots along the way. Also, many of the B&B's don't want to do breakfast before 8:00 which makes for a rather late start if you're walking those distances.

We're a physically fit pair in our early 50's, so hope the guide of 10-15 miles a day being plenty is helpful when you're planning.

Also - a note to the Dartmoor Parks - your insistence on a lack of any markings on the moor is rather unhelpful. The only time we wandered off the route was because of the treacherous section at the end of the Red Lake trackbed - and it could so easily have been simply marked. But it's a stunning walk with some breath-taking sections (Exmoor is such a glory) and we recommend it highly. Our top tip would be to chop out some of the dull stuff after leaving Drewsteignton and before reaching Exmoor to leave more time for the moors and the coasts. We'll be back for more - thanks, Encounter!

We had a fantastic walk. We have been very pleased with the co-operation with Encounter. You have done a really fine planning for us. The informations we received at the very first contact were obliging and friendly. The material you send beforehand was informative and gave us great expectations, that were fulfilled. Especially the last paper was convenient as it had all the informations that we needed for the walk. It made the planning from our side very easy and comfortable. You was open minded to our wishes. The suggestions to the stages on our walk was very well planned.

The accommodations were excellent with very kind hosts. We learned much about the living in Cornwall by this contact. The transportation of luggage functioned fully to our satisfaction.

The track was fine, only we had problems with the track at Lamorna. We tried to find another way, but experienced that it is not easy to find the public footpath even if the map shows that there should be one.

And as you also had created a splendid weather to us ;-); it rained only one hour in a week of walking, we can only be very pleased with your service. We will surely come back to you, and recommend you to all the walkers we know.

Brilliant two weeks doing next phase of SW coast path, only one drizzly day and one sea fret day. Loved variety of accommodation from family home B&B's where I met some interesting people, to historical pubs with links with writers, (Jamaica Room at Cornerways, St Ives really did have a Daphne du Maurier feel and The Tinner's Arms in Zennor felt like a haunt of D H Lawrence) to a Youth Hostel with a school party in - well behaved not at all noisy as I thought they might be.

Did a couple of half days - so made the effort to go up Rocky Valley to St Nectan's Glen a favorite haunt I have not been to for 12+ years. At the waterfall their new viewing platforms for the main fall and round to what has been a hidden one are excellent and well worth the charge. The road walk from top of Valley to the waterfall is not pleasant though. Didn't find the actual route through Newquay but it didn't really matter.

Ferry over River Camel boatman really helpful loved his dog in the prow. Felt really chuffed that managed even the long days and also the strenuous ones - thanks to gel insoles, and the sheer beauty of the setting.

Thanks very much for the lovely organisation of my trip to Wales. I spent a wonderful time in that gorgeous country. The weather was very good to walk, only a little rain. I met nice people walking the coast path and I talked to them even they didn't book the holiday with you! But: I persuaded them, that encounter walking is the best and gave them your adress. So I hope, your fan-club will increase! (Book with encounter walking, and you'll have sunny weather).

I'm looking forward to coming back to Britain soon (in my easter holidays, it's a long time).

We had a wonderful experience.

It started with very detailed information sent timely by mail and upon request an additional GPX-file for my GPS device.

Since this was our first long distance walk we selected the more relaxed version. On most days we had some energy left at the end of the day and so added some extra local rounds :).

Highlights were the excursion to Williton, passing through meadows with sheep and wild rabbits and then visiting the old railway station there. Another high point was the detour to Dunkery Beacon, it's moorland offered fantastic views and several groups of wild ponies!

The route was very well signposted on the vast majority of the trail and when it wasn't then the trail directions and our GPS soon sent us on the right track again.

Organization wise everything went smoothly.

We came back from this walk with so many beautiful memories that we already started thinking about our next walk. And Encounter Walking Holiday will be our first choice.

Hi Ellie, Damon, and the rest of your team!

Just wanted to let you know that we finally arrived back home and had amazing six days on the coast path! We've got quite a tan and like always hundreds of pictures and more miles to check off from our swcp list. :)

Thank you again for your help with everything, not just the initial booking but also the trouble we had afterwards.

Best wishes!

Kathrin

Hello. Our walk in Cornwall from St Ives to Falmouth in 6 days was very pleasant. We have walked into a really magnificent country. The weather was fine and warm and the people at the accomodation very friendly.

Best thanks also to Sue and Ben for the perfect luggage transfers.

All was very well organized and the daily route comments have good supplemented the maps and guids you had supplied.

Thank you for these great walking hollidays in Cornwall!

Everything was as usual well organized. All accomodations were comfortable and with friendly hosts. I had some very nice re-visits. And where I was replaced, it was as good as or better than where I stayed last time.

Cliff House (or cottage?) has been modernized and is much better than last time. With small, but very comfortable well furnished beautyful rooms. And a new, very helpful and welcoming host.

The diversions you mention are all still in place, but very short.

I had outstanding weather. Only one day with hard rain, and one morning with misty rain. 

All went well, no problems whatsoever. The staff at each hotel/B&B were super friendly and efficient. Your notes were very helpful. Bottom line: another splendid hike. This is the third time you have done a really great job for me.

On the Woolacombe to Barnstaple section I decided to take the bus from Braunton, less because I was tired than because I wasn't enthusiastic about the flat walk along the river -- but that was my fault for not looking more carefully at the route beforehand. I think that, if I were to do this particular walk again, I would end it at Woolacombe; but that's just my personal preference for the type of terrain I enjoy.

Many thanks.

Ian

As anticipated we had some problems finding our way. This was especially true at Exmoor (last day), where we lost track amidst a herd of bulls…

We had an idea that there would be a nice beer or tea every day at arrival. Maybe this was off-season? Many of the pubs were closed between 3 and 6 and there were no other options for a snack.  At several occasions, we had to just sit and wait for the opening.

Some information on our itinerary was not quite up to date. The Drogo Castle is closed for renovation and the Exmoor Forest Inn restaurant was not open all day from noon.

Encounter Walking - Thanks Agneta will check with the Exmoor Forest Inn about new opening hours. Just to note for other walkers Castle Drogo is open but is undergoing long term work  however you can still visit the Castle and Gardens there is just less of it accessible this year

We were very impressed with Encounter from our first contact. They tailored the walk to suit the time we had available and made good suggestions. Had no major problems with the notes and the accommodation was all comfortable, although my wife does wonder why English hotels have such small teacups in the rooms. You couldn’t control the weather unfortunately and we took a taxi from Dartmeet to Buckfastleigh on the last day as our feet and shoes were so wet. Will have to do that section next time. Very impressed with Encounter and Dartmoor.

Greetings,

We leave St.Ives today. There were 14 on the Padstow/St Ives walk.  All went wonderfully and we were very happy with accommodations, your daily trip notes and the special listings of options for walkers, short walkers and non- walkers.

I will give more detailed feedback in a week or so but wanted you to know we had 100% satisfaction with your work. Thank you!

Brigid

This is quite a lovely hike during which we experienced a variety of weather, from some sun to rain and high winds.

The scenery is beautiful--walking above beaches and cliffs as well as on beaches. All of our accommodations were great, and we ate very good food.

All of our luggage was delivered on time. We are impressed with Encounter Walking and their professionalism and would highly recommend them.

we much enjoyed our walking week apart from the weather over the last couple of days. we stayed in some great places especially Mevagissey where it was Feast week, so lots going on in the pubs and restaurants.

Some of the walk was particulary tough especially the stretch by Rafaels Cliff where the footpath was very overgrown and slippery.

We really enjoyed our tour through Dartmoor. It was a good contrast to the coastal path.

First day we missed our way at the second MW Marker Stone and reached Shipley Bridge. So we had a little more to go, but reached Scorriton in time. We had a misty Weather,but the other days were good.

Thank you very much for the good Organisation

Doing the Saints' Way walk on my own felt like a big adventure, which I was a bit nervous about, but I had the most wonderful experience and it is one of the highlights of my extended trip away. I didn't get properly lost (my biggest fear) and didn't encounter any unfriendly farm animals (my next biggest fear). I so much enjoyed being in the outdoors, the wonderful views, the history. 

Day 1:

It was a bit discouraging to lose my way when barely out of Padstow, trying to get to Dennis Hill. The problem was that there is a Saints' Way signpost pointing left at the campsite gate, appearing to point along the laneway leading to the farm (with another campsite further along) - while the pathway that should be followed is hidden behind it. It would probably be more helpful if the Saints' Way signpost was on the left side of the road, and actually placed on the Saints' Way path. To add to the confusion, the guide note instructions about a campsite and a hedge can also be applied when on the wrong track for a short while.

The path was very narrow and overgrown on a property just out of Mellingey. What are the legalities relating to public access on private land - are the owners obliged to keep them cleared?

After Trenance the path dwindles from a paved, well-used lane to become an unpaved but well-used lane, then becomes overgrown, then narrows to a foot-track, then an overgrown foot-track with overhanging branches - it was so good to see a gate at the end with the Saints' Way symbol to be reassured I was still going the right way!

Day 2:

I was lucky to find some helpful information in a guidebook at Tregolls' Farm for getting in and out of Withiel (“British Footpath Guide: The Saints' Way - The Spirit of Kernow” by Fred & Donna Austin - no longer seems to be in print, unfortunately). Without this I would have run into some difficulties the next day.

Finding the way to and out of Withiel from Tregolls' Farm:

1. The stile at Tregustick leads into a field that can be very muddy. Instead, use the farm lane about 10 metres west of the stile, which leads down to the bridges over the streams below the field. (This lane is half-owned by Lester of Tregolls' Farm and the detour was also suggested by Marilyn).

2. Beyond Black Hay Farm there's a misleading Saints' Way signpost at a gate. The arrow appears to direct walkers through the gate along the public path marked on the OS map. But this is not the way to go - you need to follow the laneway uphill to get to Withiel.

3. Leaving Withiel, the stile and fields are quite overgrown at the start. The Austin guidebook had useful instructions for navigating the hedges through the fields correctly.

The flooded lane near Retire was under water, despite the week of hot weather preceding my walk, so I took the detour via Retire. The first stile was very overgrown, and I found the directions in Retire not as clear as the map would suggest, but found the right way when retracing my steps.

A lot of road walking on the 2nd and 3rd day - while less pleasant than fields and woods, there was reduced anxiety about navigation.

Both the inn and shop were closed for renovations in Lanivet - but the fish & chip cafe over the road was nicer than I expected - there were more options than fish & chips available, and very friendly owners.

Day 3:

The one time I decided to detour from the marked route was just before Torfrey. There were a couple of horses in the field the route needed to cross, and they were standing in the corner where the stile was. I could see from the map that I could easily continue on by road - the field crossing just cut off a corner and reduced the distance - so I chose to stay on the road and avoid close contact with the horses.

Maybe it would be helpful to point out that the area above Golant, near Penquite Farm, is where St Sampson's Church is located - before continuing on into the village. I saw an un-named sign to a church and I did look for it, but couldn't see it. I continued on down to Golant (quite a dangerous section of road, as it's narrow and well-used) and only then discovered that the church back up the hill before the village was in fact St Sampson's - and I didn't have the energy to face the climb back up.

Pastie and salad for lunch at Fisherman's Arms in Golant. I did find that the route into and through the village is a bit unclear on the map - this was the one time I had to check my phone app map to reconnect with the route.

It might be helpful to point out that the pathway out of Golant is a narrow foot-track - I had a moment of uncertainty when the roadway came to an end, and parked cars concealed the track continuing on.

The path through woodland uphill from Bodmin Pill was one of the prettiest parts of the walk - so glad it was there to enjoy at the end.

Random observations:

Churches along the way now have a passport and stamps - I've no idea about the passport or how you get one, but I did print the stamps in my journal. It was a bit sad to get to Fowey and find that the stamp has gone missing from St Finbars. However, if you are there for a church service on a Sunday, as I was, the rector will happily sign.

Surprised at how remote the walk felt, given that it is mostly surrounded by farmland.

Appreciation of a wide range of landscapes, both natural and man-made - mud flats, pastures and crops, woodland, hills, valleys, dry parched fields and muddy ground, busy roads, quiet lanes, sweeping views and narrow, hedged paths. Wildflowers. Longstones and remains of neolithic stone structures. Stone walls and bridges. Ancient churches. Well-kept, historic village cottages.

A' road sections were particularly dangerous - no verge, fast traffic in both directions. Also needed to watch for traffic on narrow lanes - cars could squeeze by, but I was lucky there were lay-bys near when I needed to evade a large farm vehicle and a bus at different times.

Always grateful for the encouragement of seeing that Saints' Way symbol when it appeared. More signage along the path - at any junction or change which could cause confusion or uncertainty - would be helpful. There are places where there are public footpaths, sometimes shared with Saints' Way, sometimes not, but the signage is inconsistent.

Friendly encounters along the way - the occasional local out walking their dog, and one other group of walkers going in the other direction.

Accommodation - all were excellent, very comfortable, welcoming and hospitable with good food.

Luggage transfers all done without a hitch.

Weather - two cool, cloudy days - perfect walking weather, with the heat of the preceding week having dried up most of the boggy sections; third day quite drizzly - soggy feet from long wet grass to start the day - but improved in the afternoon.

The additional guide notes were helpful - especially where potential areas of confusion were pointed out and I knew to take extra care.

Would recommend people carry a map pouch - it was quite difficult reading and integrating the three different sets of information - the map, the guide notes & the information cards.

Walking poles - bought from Mountain Warehouse store in Padstow - so glad to have had them.

Distance and difficulty level were about right each day - enough to offer a challenge, not too much to cope with.

We both had a great time - it was an incredible experience, though the first two days were unbearably hot and we had to adjust the walking a bit for my dog who just gave up after the first day of walking in such heat.  Still it was better than rain!

In terms of feedback - we have a few suggestions which we hope might be helpful for you and other walkers doing the trail with a dog.

1.  Generally the instructions were fine, but we went wrong several times due to the fact that the information was sometimes ambiguous, often not quite clear or specific enough and occasionally there was too much information.  Also some of the landmarks that we had to look out for were missing.  i.e. gates, lack of signs etc.  We met another couple who had the same problems - so our suggestion would be for someone to re-do the walk with the instructions to hand and bring them up to date.

2. The accommodation was good, comfortable and welcoming. Thank you so much for emailing ahead about my vegan diet - I think all the places we stayed were aware and had made allowances which was great.  The bag collection system worked really well - and nothing got waylaid or lost!  Great we didn't have to worry about that side of things. The taxi pick up to Porlock Weir worked really well  too - no problems at all.

3.  As this was a dog walking holiday, it occurred to me that whilst all the places we stayed were dog friendly - it might be helpful if they were also able to provide some dog facilities and accessories - i.e. a tin or two of dog food, poo bags, dog wipes, dog towel, water etc.  Because of the heat a lot of the dog food that I was carrying got overly warm (yuk) and its also heavy when carrying a week's worth in your suitcase.  It might be something that those doing the walk wouldn't mind paying a bit extra for. Just an idea.

The walk was something I'd always wanted to do, and having a goal to achieve each day was great. It was a lot harder than my sister and I (and probably the dog) thought it would be due to the undulating landscape and difficult terrain underfoot. But we did it, and have the certificates to prove it! A great achievement, a lovely walk and something I would certainly do again.  Thank you for all your help, encouragement and efficient organisation in finding the accommodation, sending maps etc.  It was fabulous.

The weather during our 11 days was beautiful. Sun all over! only in Weymouth a rainy day. The scenery was great . Most days we could easily find our way thanks to the signs and the good maps you provided. Only: Leaving Lime Regis there were problems on the original route. The path was gone of unsafe and we had to walk a long stretch along the A3052 to Charmouth. The path to Portland was - in the neighbourhood of 'the military areas' much overgrown and there was a lack of signs. We enjoyed all accomodation. In Lyme Regis, Abottsbury and Portland were the best and most welcoming B&B 's. We appreciated the route Undercliff: a cool path on a very warm day! Last but not least: Luggage transport without any trouble. Well organised, thank you!

Hello,

We are back home after walking the SWCP from Minehead to Westward Ho - we had a great time and managed to complete it okay, even though the weather was very challenging . We thought the scenery was stunning though, and the path is very well signposted and we had no trouble finding our way. Thank you for your efficient organisation- all the hotels were clean and comfortable and very welcoming.

Thank you for sorting out the only we problem we had at Minehead . We were rather dismayed at first, since we were all tired at the end of the journey- but you were so prompt and helpful in making sure we were not inconvenienced- so we would like to commend your customer service. We will probably be back in touch soon to arrange the next leg of our challenge!

Encounter arranged for us accommodation and luggage transfer for 8 stages along the South West Coast Path.

One week before the originally planned starting date, family circumstances forced us to postpone the trip for two weeks. Encounter re-arranged it all, at no extra cost, in a very friendly and helpful way. A great performance, really. We accepted all Encounter's proposals for accommodation and were rewarded with very good B&Bs and Hotels, located very conveniently with respect to the route (and on the final day with respect to the bus stop for returning home the next day, perfect).

The information provided by Encounter on reaching accommodation, contact numbers for taxis, buses, refreshment facilities along the route, possible issues on the route, etc. was extensive and very helpful, and much more than ever experienced on other similar holidays with other organisations. T

he route itself is a gem. We walked Bude-Boscastle and Boscastle-Port Isaac in two days. These are long stretches, while the previous one (Hartland Quay-Bude) is a serious stage one as well. Some walkers do the Bude-Port Isaac section in 3 stages (overnight in Crackington Haven and Tintagel), which may be a good idea, although Boscastle is great! We walked Padstow-Porthcothan the other way around, by taking an early bus from Padstow to Porthcothan. Next day we walked Porthcothan-Newquay after taking the same early bus from Padstow. Reason was the limited accommodation at Porthcothan, but actually it was fun to do with an enjoyable bus trip and two nights the same B&B has its advantages, while Padstow is a good place to stay.

At Morvenstow, the Rectory Team Rooms (duly mentioned by Encounter) are a bit off-route, but are so excellent, that one should simply standardise the detour as being part of the route!

with thanks to Encounter and all people met along the route Jetze and Marjan

We "encountered" no problems on our hike apart from some awfully hot days and some very rainy ones, none occurring during moderate routes! We clawed our way through Zennor during a windy and rainy day... and then took a day off to visit a tin mine and do some other sightseeing rather than deal with another truly miserable wet-boot hike! We did not regret that and we all really enjoyed touring the Geevor Tin Mine that day. We did regret that we were at The North Inn in Pendeen that day because we could not make use of their pretty outdoor spaces: the tables and chairs and picnic table outside our windows; it was way too cold, wet and violently windy! We may have to return to walk that section we missed!

Everything was on schedule, even the ferries. Our luggage was always waiting for us and we even got to meet and thank the cheerful "luggage guy" one morning. Our rooms were clean and comfortable; we had wonderful breakfasts and we really appreciated all that you coordinated for us.

Thank you so very much!

We are 2 walkers age 70+ from USA and our objective was to see a good stretch of the endless scenic coastline of Pembrokeshire, walking 6-10 miles a day, taking side trips to see other sights, with collateral interests in birds, islands, geology, native plants and historic monuments. When traveling together our rate of speed is about 1 mph because we stop often to look and photograph.

Encounter Walking was a good choice because you planned a custom trip for us and your arrangements worked out very well and the 30+ page instructions were excellent.

Halfway through the trip my wife Jan injured her knee with a false step on Skomer island, after which her mobility was limited; she had to bus or taxi to the next evening destination and we lost a couple of days' walks getting her there and also getting medical attention ( A & E in Haverfordwest by taxi from St. Davids.) We found hosts at some B&Bs to be very helpful and are grateful that these proprietors are most willing and able to go out of their way to help their guests. This kind of service is exceptional and beyond expectations at the average hotel or vacation stay.

The bus infrastructure along the route is also just great and really helped out with our special mobility issue. The Celtic Coaster around St. Davids meant that Jan could rendezvous with me for an afternoon lunch after I walked a stretch of the path, and it makes it possible for all walkers to walk a section of the peninsula of any length and return easily to the city.

We're a little naive about cell phones and were surprised how cheap a phone plus 100 minutes are in Europe. We finally bought one at Tesco in Fishguard Dock and it was valuable later on in making arrangements for Jan; next time we'll buy two to keep in communication. It might be useful for North Americans if the notes tell where phones can be purchased; we were surprised to find them in a grocery.

Highlights of the trip for us include: + The Stacks, the Green Bridge, and their guillemot rookeries. It wasn't made quite clear to us that the MoD is generally open on the weekends, so we were unsure until the last minute whether this section would be open on the Saturday we planned to walk it. + Finding a peregrine falcon nest with chicks on the cliffs south of Angle. + Skomer Island and its puffins. Requires an hour's early morning queue; well worth the detour even for Path geeks; anyone is charmed & changed by seeing these creatures close up. + Weather extremes: we had gorgeous sun up to St Davids, then cool gray weather, and finally two days of wind and spray around Strumble Head; then sunny days to go home.

I really enjoyed the stormy weather days, especially after having done it! + With Jan's knee problem: there was almost always a cozy pub just a short walk from our B&B; that's just the structure of a Welsh village that you don't find elsewhere. + Our planned extra days in St. Davids worked out well with Jan's knee issue; we were able to get medical consultation without losing days in our schedule, and we had time to settle in to see the city, the cathedral and Oriel y Parc, plus do two stretches of the path around the peninsula.

We would do a trip of this kind again, leg issues permitting, and would visit Wales again; it's a great destination.

Addendum

I’ve written notes about our walk on the website, but forgot to add that the luggage transfers were all conducted without a hitch and we got excellent service from SW Luggage Transfers.  I believe that the Fishguard party was even prepared to transport my wife with the bag from Pwll Deri to Fishguard because of her injured knee; we were given a ride by German friends at the hostel so that proved to be unnecessary, but we appreciated the flexibility offered.

Steve M

This was our second walk using Encounter and once again everything went off without a hitch. Accommodations varied between good and great and hosts/hostesses most welcoming and helpful. A special shout out to Helen at Anchor Guest House in Broad Haven, Chris at Manor Town House in Fishguard and Meg at the Old Vicarage in Moylegrove for being extraordinary. We had several outstanding meals, including Cwtch in St David's and Meg's cooking at the Old Vicarage in Moylegrove and The Shed in Porthgain.

The path itself is as beautiful as it is challenging. We found it more difficult than the portions of the Southwest Coast Path we've walked. Also, the high weeds on the sections beyond Newport really need to be trimmed. We literally could not see where to put our feet. Maybe the path manager could find a volunteer with a weed eater. I also want to share one of many reasons Encounter is the only company we would consider booking with in this part of the world.

The walk between Trefin and Fishguard requires 2 days. Typically one would walk half way, wait for a taxi or bus in a field somewhere that may or may not have shelter and cell service, be taken back or onward, then taxi back and complete the walk the next day. When planning the trip, Damon suggested we taxi half way in the morning and walk back, then taxi half way again the next morning and walk on. No waiting on a taxi at the end of a long walk. Brilliant! Other walkers we met, using well know companies, said "why weren't they offered that option?" Because they didn't book with Encounter?

Hello to all you Encounters,

Just e-mailing to say how much we enjoyed our latest walk. As usual everything went smoothly and the accommodation at all our stops was excellent. I think we realised more this time the difference between the B&B's, which were friendlier and perhaps more chaotic, and the hotels/pubs which were more organised, tidier but less personal.

I don't think we have anything that we need to draw to your attention as everything was exactly what we expected/wanted.

As usual the luggage transfers went without a hitch - please thank them for us as this is possibly the last time they will be transferring our luggage.

Thanks once again for all help over the last 5/6 years.

I am writing to thank you for helping my sister and I to successfully complete the 2-moors way walking holiday.  Your organisation, information and 'extra information' proved very helpful.  The guide book was particularly useful. 

We found that the Dartmoor walks were less clearly signed than Exmoor but some of that was due to our lack of observation and inexperience of map reading. My husband Ken was able was able to contact you on one occasion and spoke to a member of your staff and they were very empathic towards our dilemma. We did eventually found our way out of the fields but did note that some of the farmers didn't welcome walkers and bushes etc covered the signs but good observation is what is needed!

Please feel free to include our evaluation in any of your reviews....

Thankyou

Annette  & Jeanette

Other than the fact that the nine days we hiked the SWCP from June 14th to June 23rd, was the hottest prolonged spell in June since 1976, we had a wonderful time.  Not a drop of rain, plus endless sunshine and clear skies made for some memorable hikes and amazing photos -- is the sky really that blue in the UK?  Anticipating at least some cool, wet weather, I had packed layers, including fleece and a super light down jacket, none of which I wore.  I did not pack enough cool tops, so over the 9 days walking, I alternated between two long sleeved summer tops, washing one out each night.  Sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat were a must.

The scenery was breathtaking.  I confess to enjoying the first 2-3 days in Devon the most as I liked the variety of open cliffs on the coastal trails mixed with deep valleys and cool woodland strolls.  The weather was also a bit cooler the first few days; I think the excessive heat and humidity later in the week made the descents and ascents of the coombes even more strenuous than described.  Each day I carried an extra bottle of water and still ran out.  Still, we made it to Padstow and had a celebration dinner of fish and chips and Prosecco with an English couple we met on the path. 

The B & B's and Inns were lovely, each a little different, but each unique in it's own way.  The lodgings were all expecting us, the breakfasts were consistently excellent, and when purchased, the bagged lunches were more than adequate.  Our luggage was always waiting for us at the end of the day. 

We sampled mushy peas, Shepherd's Pie, Devon and Cornish cream cones with a flake, Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, ploughman's lunch, pork pies, and Eton Mess!  The path was not crowded and everyone we met was friendly and inquisitive.  The maps and guide books were clear and helpful.

We are all back from our trip to Cornwall, tired but immensely pleased with the whole journey.  Thank you so much for making all the arrangements that went like clockwork.  We didn't have any trouble with any transfers, breakfasts, accommodations, car rentals, or anything.

We were indeed blessed with good weather.  The first day burned Sue but she didn't put on any sunscreen either.  And the hikes were tough, especially the one from Porthcorno to Mousehole which was the hottest day also.  We were glad we did the ST. Ives rest day.  But we all did fine and thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic views and countryside.  We had no mishaps and didn't get lost! 

So thank you again for your excellent service.  I will certainly recommend you to others if the occasion should arise.

Sincerely,

Mary Lane

Again we had a wonderful Coastpath-Walking-Week along your perfect itinerary.

And dream-weather: not a drop of rain, no fog, just lots and lots of sunshine with a nice cooling breeze.

Just a few remarks:

The Fire-Engine-Inn at Marazion has new owners and is actually very good. We had a very nice dinner there. Phil of Glenleigh House recommends it now.

The path-diversion at Durgan Minor was still there when we passed the place.

Accommodations very much to our liking with one exception at Falmouth.

Many thanks for your good job; by now you obviously know very well how we like our walking days.

We “cheated“ only once and took a taxi from Coverack to Porthallow ;-)

We had an amazing time thank you. The weather was superb which made our holiday even better then we could have ever imagined.

Thank you to you and your team for all the support you have given us.

I'm sure we’ll be booking another trip in the future, perhaps carrying on from St Ives and heading south.

Just a short note to say a very big thank you for all the arrangements and information given on the SW coast path from Falmouth to Plymouth 10^th June to 20th June.

Most of the accommodation was excellent and it was certainly worth having that River view in Looe.  We appreciate there is limited choice in Portwrinkle/ Crafthole.

The walking distances were good and suited Keith well.  Unfortunately he hurt his back and then had food poisoning (or something) which meant he could only complete 5 days of the walk.  He was able to take taxis and buses to join me at each night’s destination and he was sufficiently recovered for a look round Plymouth.  I thoroughly enjoyed that section of the path.

Thank you for organising such fabulous weather, perhaps too hot on the latter walks lol.  Seriously, it was great.

Looking forward to our next section with you in September.

Thank you

We did it!

Concerning the walk, it was, no doubt, a tough one, but we managed fine. The rewards were manifold, a magnificent scenery, and lots of wildlife, nice and kind people and usually good weather. At times, it was even too hot for walking. The path was in good conditions, mostly dry, but some parts are pretty overgrown. We had only two very wet days on the path at the end.

The Tarka Trail was a bit of a torture, because of the tarmac, and it was one of the hottest days and loads of cyclists were on the road as well.

The luggage transfer worked perfectly well and we had no problems concerning payments with the accommodations.

All other accommodations were fine and we felt very welcome.

We had a wonderful holiday, even though we could have done with a few more days of relaxation after the walk, but we are back at work again. We would like to say a big THANK YOU for the perfect organization of our holiday.

Best wishes

Gabi & Adi from Austria

We had an excellent time. The weather was kind to us and the scenery was beautiful. Just a couple of comments:-

1. The road between Little Haven and Broad Haven is now fully open.

2. New refreshment opportunity at St Justinians.  There is now a kiosk and a picnic table above where the boats go out. Brand new for this season. She is planning to be open every day until the end of October.

Great cakes!

Thanks for arranging us another enjoyable walk

We enjoyed our trip very much and had no problems. We are very sorry that govt wants to leave EU, but that's not your responsibility

Solva to ST Dogmaels 8-15 June 2017

I have lost count but I think we have now had 8 or 9 trips with Encounter and once again we had a wonderful trip this year.

All your selected accommodation was excellent. All the luggage transfers and route directions went according to plan… (well almost, we took a slight detour finding accommodation at Newport)

The Weather this year was not too kind to us so we had to curtail the walking distances on a couple of days. Luckily we were based in St David’s where the Cathedral seems to offer concerts most days. We enjoyed a superb choral concert followed by scones and clotted cream to fill in our time whilst waiting for the weather to calm.

The shuttle buses were very useful for adjusting our walking distances according to the weather conditions. This is not always possible on some trails but very useful here. The weather finally improved and we enjoyed our last few days finishing the final section of The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path – A most enjoyable 186 miles !!

As always we can’t thank enough the Encounter Team for all their help and assistance throughout the whole process. Always willing and happy to go that extra mile!

Thanks to the Encounterwalking Team! We had a great time, were very well prepared for and informed about the walk. No surprises. Our accomodations were all very nice and everybody was most supportive in all our demands. Luggage transport was perfect,

The outlined plan told us all about the ups and downs en route. The first leg from St Ives to Zennor appeared to be a short one on paper but due to the paths- which could be a bit demanding in parts- it was well chosen- especially as it was raining for the best part of the morning which made the way occassionally slippery. On the last day we left Penzance to return to St Ives on the St Michaels Way.... It was not so easy to find the paths at all times- but we were even prepared for that. A big plus was the digital download of the Ordenance Survey map. With GPS it worked at all the places even the remotest ones and so we never got lost. We do highly recommend others to use this service as well.

We went on the walk as a family with 2 of our children aged 14 and 19. Food on the way was a big issue when planning the walk. Thanks to our well prepared plan nobody ever went hungry!!! I am sure we will come back and do a longer walk along the coast and use Encounterwalking services again!

Our fourth section of the south west coastal path with Encounter. Everything went very well even the weather was kind. The route was easy to follow and all diversions were well marked. The remote section from Plymouth was particularly spectacular with lots of ferry crossings and incredible scenery. All accommodations were good and welcoming. Food was great everywhere and advice on booking in advance was helpful. Luggage transfers perfect. Thanks to all at Encounter Maggie & Peter

Thankyou very much for organising a wonderful walk.All the hotels and pubs booked were well prepared for our arrivals , they were all helpful, the luggage arrived at every location, taxis arrived on time.. Before leaving you equipped us with all the information we needed. Everything went smoothly and you held the trip together beautifully.We would definitely recommend you and would love to do another walk with you in the future. As for the Walk itself we were confronted with many weathers , and magnificent views of every type of rock and beach encounter..and enjoyed it thoroughly.

As you know, this year we decided to take things leisurely and enjoy our holiday in Cornwall - and it was fabulous!!

The accommodation you found for us was wonderful. Pubs, B&B's and Hotels all had their good points for different reasons.  A couple of places surprises us with a double room but both easily changed to twin rooms. And we had some super breakfasts. I certainly have no complaints at all.    Our rest day at Fowey was heavenly!

We had a couple of days of rain and strong winds as we started, but our second week was glorious

One more section to complete the walk next year, Plymouth to Sidmouth.       Mary and I are already planning dates next June so we'll be in touch to confirm by the end of the year.  The SWCP is such so lovely - the best walk in the world!

Thank you for providing such a professional service.

Best wishes,

Elizabeth

This was our second walk (after walking from Falmouth to Plymouth in June 2016) and again we enjoyed it so much, the path along the coast is breathtaking and to see Lands End was very special, we even saw seals and dolphins. The accommodation was again a very nice variety of a B&B or a hotel, with very friendly people. We enjoyed very much staying in the yellow colored Inn at Treen, where a delicious dinner and breakfast was served. St. Ives and St.Just are lovely towns to spend some time when the weather gets bad. Porthcurno seemed a bit deserted, there is not much there. Thanks again Encounter Walking for your great service in preparing the trip, we are heading for Wales next year so we'll be in contact!

I joined my friends for the first seven days of their much longer walk (they went all the way to St Ives). Encounter were great in organising my accommodation to fit with theirs along the route and all baggage transfers happened like clockwork. The route was varied with some lovely views in many parts. The routes were easy to follow - the acorn became out best friend - and the alternative routes were good too. Afternoon tea in Bossington and a morning stop on Croyde beach were memorable. Thank you. Looking forward to the next stage now!

Walking Tour Fishguard to Solva 31/05/17 – 06/06/2017 We were a group of eleven walkers, quite sportive (more or less), aged between 40 and the mid-fifties, all living around Frankfurt, Germany. Last year we decided to spend a walking holiday together on Pembrokeshare Coast Path. We detected the homepage of “Encounter Walking Holidays” and because of the nice and helpful response to our first email we stayed in contact and planned the vacation together. Our questions were answered to the full extent and all our wishes were taken seriously. In cooperation with Damon from EWH, we decided, that the tour between Fishguard and Solva would probably be the best for us. The time had come and we nervously started our trip on Frankfurt Airport on a rainy Wednesday morning (31st May). In Amsterdam our luggage got lost (because of the short connection flight). A pity, because 8 of 11 walkers had their walking shoes inside these suitcases. We had rented a bus transfer to Fishguard, so we arrived at Cartref Hotel about noon being heartily welcomed by our host. She is a fantastic and warm hearted woman accompanied by a lovely little dog named Toby. Her reception looks a bit messy (many papers lying around), but everybody has his own way to work. The rooms were clean, well appointed and lovely decorated. Kristina, the host, was always available to provide all kinds of information. Thanks to Damon for thinking of an early reservation at “Royal Oak”, where we had a delicious dinner on our first evening in Wales. The next morning, our host made wonderful breakfast and while we got to our first walking tour on the 2nd day, she awaited our luggage, which was delivered late afternoon. The first tour took us from Strumble Head to Fishguard. Although walking shoes are absolutely recommended, we managed the distance in our trainers as well, particularly because we had no choice! The weather was nice and because of the short distance, we could take a lot of time to “get used” to the stunning views. We spotted our first seals and took a rest at a lovely beach with a big waterfall around a corner at its left side. The next surprise was a short section through a small forest, where swings were attached to big trees, so we could swing above a little river. Funny exercise! At home we found our luggage. What a nice reunion!

We celebrated that at the pub “The old coach house” and later on at “Bennets Navy Tavern”. We took our dinner at the Indish restaurant next to the Cartref Hotel, which was delicious, too. The next morning we had to check out of Cartref Hotel and our luggage got transferred by “Luggage Transfers South West”. They came just in time and were able to put 11 suitcases in one estate car! The weather was rainy when we left Fishguard taking the bus to Strumble Head again to carry on to Trefin this day. Luckily, the rain stopped the moment we left the bus and the sun broke through the clouds. After a short walk we were already heaving a break because we spotted a group of dolphins at Carreg Onnen Bay. 10 minutes spent for really good reason! Pwill Deri is really worth having a break, too. The view is quite phenomenal! We were curious about this day`s tour, because it was supposed to be strenuous walking all day. It was strenuous because of the length, but the path itself was good to manage. We took our picnic at Pwllcrochan but we stayed on the hill and did not descend to the beach. But – believe it or not – at Aber Mawr one of our group really took a bath!!! She was whirled around by a wave and had an uncomfortable contact with the stones under water, but she did well and all the others were full of respect! For our group the distance was a bit too long, so it would have been more comfortable to cut off in Abercastle but we are proud to say, we managed the whole route. 19,7 km, 850 altitude difference (ups and downs!) and you have to consider that we started at 11.40 because of the bus timetable! We got to the “Old School Hostel” at 6.30, exhausted and hungry.

We were welcomed lovely by our hosts and the accommodation was really beautiful. Felt a bit like a school trip! Breakfast was well-sorted and nothing was missed. The lunch packages were delicious and helped us a lot on our longest route between Trefin and St. Justinians. With heavy legs we started the day a bit earlier than the ones before. The sun made us expect a hot day but only 10 min after leaving Trefin, we got in heavy rains. Fortunately only for a short time, half an hour later – around Porthgain - the rain stopped and it was sunny and just a bit windy the rest of the day. At blue lagoon we had a break and watched the cliff divers doing their stunts. The kiosk van was highly frequented by some of us to get a warm drink because we estimated better weather conditions and left some essential clothing at the hostel. We passed the “blue lagoon festival” which effectuated high traffic on the path, which decreased after Aber-pwll and nearly no one came across until we reached Carn Penberry. The path is quite narrow at this section with no spot to take a rest. At Carn Penberry (we did not have enough power to climb it), we could take the much-needed break. Then the path got wider and we did not need to go on in single file what we really enjoyed. Carn Llidi was too high for us, no one felt able to climb it. We decided to descend to Porthmelgan beach and it turned out to be the best idea of the day! Our brave friend took a bath again, enjoying the beautiful sand on the beach and all others lay in the warm sand and just enjoyed having a rest. The rest of the tour, especially after passing “White Sands beach” was more a fight than a walk, because all of us were tired and groggy. We could have taken the bus at “White Sands beach” but we wanted to get through the whole path uninterrupted, so we walked on and luckily reached the bus at St. Justinians.

When we entered “The Coach House” applying for the rooms nearly put us to a quarrel, but after everything was done, we became friends again. The third day always becomes difficult to handle for a big group. The host was as nice as those before. He showed us all facilities and managed a reservation at “The Bishop`s” for us. Which was a really nice location as well! Five of us were accommodated at the cottage in the backyard. The cottage is the highlight of this B&B!!! It is not suitable for a couple and singles as they told us before. The beds on the ground floor are separated and the ones that sleep there have to be untouched by “night walkers” to the bath room. Upstairs are three beds in one room so there is no privacy for a couple either. But that was not a problem for us. The couples got the rooms in the main house and we had a “lady`s cottage”, where all 11 of us could spend the leisure time in the evening (thanks to the refrigerator filled with beer cans!) sitting on the couch, the beds on the ground floor, the staircase and the floor. Best bath rooms, best breakfasts and best location of the whole trip! Highly recommended!

The next day (Sunday, 4th June) we took our rest day and visited Ramsey Island. It was the brightest day of our journey and we took hundreds of photographs. Those who couldn`t calm down refused to take the bus home from St. Justinians to St. Davids and walked. The others were contented with the 6 km trip around the island and preferred the bus service. We took our dinner at “The Farmers Arms” this time and it turned out to be the best location of the week. Really good variety of foods, tasty and good service. On our last day the plan was to walk from Solva to St. Justinians but the evening before we heard about a bad weather forecast. Because we did not want to interrupt our trip, we decided to start at St. Justinians and see how far we could get. There were really strong winds and heavy rain but we got through and after passing the Ramsey Head it got much easier. We also chose this direction because Damon from EWH told us the wind would get stronger in the afternoon, so we wanted to have fulfilled the hardest part of the trail before that. Some of us cut off at Porthclais Harbour because of being cold. The man at the kiosk sold us wonderful tea and biscuits.

One got to Caerfai Beach, then turned towards St. Davids. Three more cut off at Caer Bwdy Bay. Some brave ones kept on and they managed the whole trip. Some people in St. Davids called us crazy. But we met a lot more other walkers than we expected. In Solva the brave group was recommended to take a brandy at a pub nearby and that’s what they did immediately. So all came back well and we celebrated our homecoming at “The Farmers Arms”. On Tuesday we enjoyed having some leisure time to do some shopping or drink coffee, before our bus transfer picked us up and took us back to Cardiff Airport. The journey was awesome for all of us and everyone will remember this vacation as one of the best walking holidays ever! Thanks for the service of EWH, stay as you are and you will make plenty of walkers having unforgettable trips!!!

Had a wonderful trip on the southwest coast path. Spectacular views, great trail conditions (a few spots a bit overgrown but was easy to spot the trail and all areas were well marked), wonderful food and accommodations, in particular the B&B's, including the Surf Haven Guest House in Bude and the Tor View B&B in Padstow - these are wonderful establishments with lovely hosts and beautiful rooms!! We would highly recommend this section of the trail, and Encounterwalking did a fantastic job with all the bookings and moving our suitcases - thank you so much!

it was such a wonderful holiday, maybe the best one we ever had! Nothing is more relaxing than walking all day at the beautiful coastline on the cliffs, through the dunes, on the grassy hill-tops, through remote villages! I send you you a few impressions of the journey, starting from the first minutes in the small tower at Bude and finishing with our shadows waving bye-bye in the evening at Padstow...

The accomodations were all very nice and the "Full English Breakfast" was very much to our taste! Perfect start for the day!

All the best, and thanks so much again for all your effort! We'll certainly come back one day, to explore the Path a little further!

The Westward Ho to Padstow hike that you set up was really good. The accommodations were all fine and the maps and trail guides helped a lot. Also I thought your itinerary was very helpful. We did have some rough weather with very high winds and rain on two of the days but we hiked through that. Anyway, just wanted to thank you for all your help in organizing things. We may do another similar trip sometime and will be sure to contact you if we do.

All accommodation booked was good, but some was better and staff 'went the extra mile' to make you feel more welcome than others.

All in all well done for choosing those places. Nothing to complain about!!!

A big thank you to you all for again providing excellent advice on the next part of the trail, which we walked from Mevagissey to Dartmouth this year. This has been our forth time on the SWCP organised by Encounter Walking Holidays and we are already planning to continue next year. Everything was well organised, incl. the luggage transfer!  Accommodation was well chosen. Having been on the trail before we knew what to expect and despite a few more days of wet weather in comparison to the last three years, it did not stop us enjoying the walk. The views are absolutely stunning. We had no problem following the trail description and except for a short part of the way between Looe and Lansallos where the trail was overgrown, the rest was perfectly fine. Will definitely keep in touch! Thanks again for a perfect holiday!

Must say thanks to Encounter walking team, everything went as arranged, all luggage transferred to next stop. All accommodation was as expected from the team. Walked on my own can go at my own pace then. Did four days walking from Bude to Pastow, some very hard walking and some easy. Thanks for all the hard work you do to make it all possible Ivan

Six of us had a wonderful walk from Dale to St. Davids at the end of May. This was our second walk with Encounter Walking, our first being the Lizard Peninsula four years ago.

As expected, the trip was well planned and executed. We particularly liked the Clock House in Marloes (great host!) and Cambrian Inn in Solva (great food!). We stayed at 2 Brains hotels, the Lord Nelson in Milford Haven and the Grove in St. Davids. The Lord Nelson was ok (food only ok), but the other Brains Hotel in St Davids was a big disappointment. It was dirty and in poor repair. We notified Damon so he would know there were issues. I'm confident he will address the situation before booking anyone else in. Luckily the beds were decent, so we were fine.

We found some very good restaurants in St. Davids (the Farmer's Inn, the Biship Inn, and Saffron), since we were not keen to eat at the accommodation. The walk and countryside were terrific. We were blessed with amazingly good weather, managed to get onto to Skomer Island to see the puffins (thanks to our host at the Clock House), and had a flexible and prompt taxi service (Jones Taxi out of Broad Haven).

All our luggage was delivered without a hitch. The only time we had an issue with the route was when we tried to find the path to walk into St. Davids from St. Justine. We started down a trail marked to St. David's only to get dropped onto the road. The directions said there were walking trails, but did not tell us where or how to find them. It would have been nice to end our trip walking into St. Davids on a trail instead of a fairly busy road.

- EW - Thanks Terry really helpful comments our itinerary sheets do cover the walking routes to St Davids from the coast path (there are also minibuses if anyone does not want to walk and we give that information as well)

This was our second year with Encounter. We continue to be very happy customers. We stayed five days each in St Ives and Fowey and took hikes around those two locations that Encounter suggested and arranged. Everything was flawless. We believe that we received very good value for our money. We hope to do something again next year and recommend Encounter without hesitation.

Hello Encounters:  Just to let you know we are back in Florida after our British return the end of June. The walking was fantastic from Lyme Regis to Plymouth.

Everything went so smoothly due to all your planning experience!    

Thank you so very much for an amazing adventure. We loved it!

Best wishes,

Wonderful walk through pastures, woods, hamlets and villages. Beautiful views and plenty of sheep, horses, cattle, pigs, pheasants, geese and one guard turkey. Some ancient standing stones and very old churches along the way. Amazing wildflowers. Good accommodations and friendly hosts/hostesses. We had a last minute mix up wth our map and it was resolved promptly and cheerfully by Encounter Walking. Wayfinding was fairly straightforward with a few minor detours. Not kidding about the mud! Some long uphill stretches, but mostly gradual. Fowey is a lovely town to end in, recommend an extra day. Overall, a great once-in-a-lifetime experience for two couples in their 60's!

Concerning our recent hiking tour along the South West Coast Path:

Let me start by pointing out that we are very satisfied of the service delivered by your company. The documentation was complete and sent to us well in advance allowing a good preparation.

From day one and for the full duration of the trip everything run exactly as planned.

But of course we did not expected it to be different from our previous ‘collaborations’. Thanks!

The trail was easy to follow.

The couple of detours imposed by the ‘crumbling’ of the cost line (England is getting smaller by the day?) is well indicated and in one case (day 4) made use of another path adding a nice valley walk (though it added a couple of miles to the already longest hike of our journey, and the one with the worst weather!!)

So nothing but praise, we enjoyed the magnificent coast scenery (especial on the first part with its weird knife like rock formations perpendicular to the coast line), the ‘nice to wander through’ towns like Clovelly  and Port Isaack, good stay’s and good meals. We would like to a special mentioning of Mrs. Anna (Coastguard Cottage). She not only drove us to the Hartland Quay Hotel for dinner but also arranged the breakfast well early so we could start the longest walk nice on time.

This might then be our sol remark, though we understand difficult if not impossible to achieve, especial in a hotel setting. We presume it to be a thump rule for hikers to try to have an early start. If breakfast is only served from 8.30 AM then half of the morning is ‘lost’ before you’re well on the way.

We arrived back safely on Thursday evening having spent a day looking round Exeter before we came home.

The final section of the walk was lovely - no rain again for the whole fortnight and a lovely on-shore breeze most of the time which made for ideal walking conditions. This section was not so urban as I had expected but still contained a lot of ups and downs. The books always say that the North Cornwall section is the hardest but we have found the two sections from Falmouth to Exmouth to be equally challenging!!! Must be getting older.

The coastline was very attractive and the drowned rias were very picturesque in the sunshine with the boats floating on the deep blue water. As always the accommodation was all very good and all different. It was lovely having breakfast at Beesands with the folding doors wide open - just like being on the continent. The Sea Tang B&B have refurbished all their bedrooms this year and they are now very smart. It was also lovely to go back and see Anne in Plymouth for a couple more nights. George insisted on taking the ferry across to Exmouth to make sure we completed the route. We also managed to get some really good photos of a cirl bunting which was a first for us. No problems with the luggage transfer - they even managed to deliver a 'lost '  fleece to another group of walkers that we picked up en-route.

We have thoroughly enjoyed doing the walk - we are quite sad in a way to have finished it but maybe we'll look at the new Somerset walks when you have had more time to sort them out.

Thank you so much for organising all 6 of our trips. Knowing how difficult it can be to get one - night bookings at peak holiday times must make booking accommodation quite time consuming. It's been lovely exploring this part of the country for the first time - in no small part to your help. We will continue to recommend you to anyone who is interested in walking in the South west.

We had a wonderful walk, spectacular views and good weather. The breakfasts were so big that we never ordered a packed lunch -- happy to eat gorp from our packs. Encounter did a good job, no complaints at all. In fact, sitting around a breakfast table one morning with other hikers, we heard many complaints from other companies, but none concerning Encounter. Twice we missed the path as it branched into various options--once leading us away from the sea onto a farm, and another time losing our way just after Land's End. Other hikers also took this wrong path after Land's End, and we all ended up scrambling straight up a steep hill to rejoin main path. It's pretty obvious in retrospect that the path most traveled was always the correct choice--not simply the one closest to the sea.

We heard rumors from fellow trekkers that St Michael's Way is a bit difficult in terms of directions (she had to stop at 3 farmhouses!). The route is supposedly not marked as well as SW Coastal and much less used. We gave it a miss and returned by taxi to St Ives the last day. We didn't mind as we got to see St. Ives. Thanks! We will use Encounter on next hike.

As usual, the trip and all of the arrangements and materials worked well. We took a chance on the steam train when the TV program was being filmed.  That production really only affected the Minehead station and we had no problem getting seats at Bishops lydeard, albeit after a bit of a walk in the rain. Great fun chatting with RR guys and scoping out the activity.

The accommodations and directions were all good. Most notably, the pubs/B&Bs at Minehead and Porlock Weir--particularly because of the great staff.

One tip would be to make more clear where and how to make a hard right turn--just before Bossington--through an unmarked gate to stick to the path along the beach at Bossington, and on to Porlock Weir.  We missed that turn and ended up going into Bossington proper and following coastal path signs taking you a very long way around on paved roads through Porlock--pleasant walk on the road, but we were out of steam at that point.  Of course, when we eventually found our way back to the beach route, the giant pebble footing was a real ankle challenge for the end of the day!. Another note, the very nice ladies at Blair Lodge indicated they would not be providing pack lunches--but their were other options for those walking on. Taxi service lady with Andy's at end of the trip was great.

Thanks again for the good work.  We appreciate the responsiveness of you and your team.

You timed it perfectly again arrived after the rain and left before it got too hot!

Had a wonderful eight days with some fabulous walking and even enjoyed the so called ‘grotty bits’ which were fascinating.  My least favourite bit was thru the rifle range but the end of that day was fantastic. The lily ponds were magical. I found Pembroke as a whole quite depressing and down at heel but loved Milford Haven.  Jim at Manobier was just a delight.  Room at Angle wonderfull and what can I say about Allenbrook!

I found the walking generally not too taxing and really looking forward to September. Thank you as always. By the way the shop in Angle has closed.

The walk was a big adventure. Well planned, thank you very much. Everything worked well. We reached the ferries time, the luggage transfer was perfect. NO RAIN and good weather every day. That was rather important because of the footpath. By rain sometimes it will be very slippery and dangerous.

Our problem: the daily distances of 14 miles were to long. On two days we walk from 10:00am to 5:30pm up and down. At least we were very erhausted and after drinking 1-2 beers we immedeatly went to bed. Often there was no time to look at the famous sights nearby.

But, it was great. Perhaps we come back. Next year one month earlier to see the blossom of the huge rhododendrons in the gardens.

Thank you very much

All on the train headed back to London after a great long walk. We were very happy with all of the accomodations and with the luggage transfers! Our favorite was the b&b in Padstow. Our only comment would be that the directions to the St.Georges House were a bit confusing.

Thanks again for everything!

At last a rare free moment (it's raining outside) since our return to answer this.

The walk was excellent thanks. The weather was very kind overall to us, with the heavy rain on arrival and also day 1 soon replaced by sun. The walking was not really demanding (even the last day when the terrain was a bit tougher but mileage low), with quite low daily distances (driven clearly by accommodation locations and ferries).

The accommodation was uniformly very good, with the highlight for us both being Bayards Cove Inn, closely followed by The Fortescue Inn both of which were excellent.  We didn't bother with packed lunches due to the short distances, but perhaps should have done on day 1 with hindsight. A few updates for your guide notes:

The two taxi trips on day 1 with Kevin worked very well.
The cafe at Mothecombe is currently closed for renovation (hence my comment above re packed lunch) which made waiting for the taxi in the rain less comfortable than it might have been. And all the places in Bigbury were closed by the time we arrived!

The Sloop Inn only opens at 6pm although we could get earlier access to our room - but no beer until later!  They have some renovation work ongoing too impacting the restaurant, but the food in the bar was very good.
No problems getting a table at Cricket Inn either with very good food - and there is the option of the Britannia further along the beach which looked very good (and popular).

The Kings Arms pub in Strete is currently closed and up for sale. The village store there only had limited provisions (including some out of date sandwiches!) - we would have done better to wait until the (very good) Green Dragon in Stoke Fleming.

The ice cream shop in Dartmouth no longer sells packed lunches - but there is an excellent coffee shop called Woodroast in town (other than the Bayards Cove itself) for which we delayed our leaving until their 10am opening time! Bushell's Riverside proved to be a very good choice for dinner.
The best coffee in Brixham is at Port Espresso (we arrived just in time for their 4pm closing time) and we dined well at Beamers.

Hope this is of use.

We enjoyed the walk despite some days of rain. The walk for us was a bit more strenous then expected, due to two days of long walks of 30 Km. The second day when leaving Bovey Tracey we walked through the Park following the river up to Drakeford Bridge which was a good alternative to the normal route. From Belstone to Mary Tavy we used part of the Granite Way and descend just passed the Lake Viaduct, returned under the viaduct and rejoined the West Devon way near the Bearslake Inn.

We stayed in some very nice Inn's and pubs that were very dog friendly, most notable, The Cromwell Arms in Bovey Tracey, Ring O Bells Inn in Chagford and the Mary Tavy Inn in Tavistock. Dartmoor Way is wonderful varied walk through woods, pastures with view on the Moors, the south part of the walk is through the Moors, so you get a bit of everything. It was a memorable 6 days and we will be back to do other walks.

Cate and I have just finished a lovely walk, although the weather wasn’t too kind at times.  The accommodation everywhere was fine, thank you and the baggage arrived everywhere it should have. I would also note that the baggage did get picked up before we’d finished breakfast (9am) a couple of times.  It would have been nice to know the evening before that this was going to happen so that we could ensure that we had packed everything before going down for breakfast.

We used the Cicerone guide and you might like to advise future walkers of some (relatively minor) points that arose.

Stage 1. page 49. On arriving in Yealmpton “Just before Bowden Farm turn right on a footpath” In fact it’s left, not right.

Stage 3. pages 66 – 67.  Because we had experienced very heavy rain for the previous few days, we opted for the “First High Water Variant”.  A little more detail on how to find the “track running east from the settlement” would have been helpful.  We didn’t actually find it at all until after we had managed to cross Wella Brook.  We never did find the bridge.  A close examination of the OS map shows the track is actually on the far side of the settlement and starts off running North, then swings East.  From the far side of the Wella valley, looking back, it is obvious but up close, it isn’t.

Stage 7. page 118.  “Cobscombe Farm, seen on the hill ahead is the next port of call”.  In fact there are now a whole series of new fences, gates and waymarks which take you round the farm at some distance from it, bringing you out on the lane into Lower Black Dog about a hundred yards further North (away from the village).

Stage 7. page120.  “aiming to the right of a solitary beech tree” is not possible when the tree has been felled!  We suggest you should aim well to the right of the hedge corner just visible at the top of the ridge.

Stage 8. page 123.  “the path bears away from the trees”.  It doesn’t.  Stick with the trees.

Stage 10. page 142. “into a coniferous plantation  via a gate alongside a line of lovely beech trees” both the plantation and the beech trees have now been cut down (work was still in progress on finishing the job as we walked past).

Thank you for a very well organised trip.  The walk was a pleasure.  I would only make one additional comment.  I’d love to know exactly how far it is from Scorriton to Chagford.  Admittedly, we had some foul weather (hail and strong winds) pretty much all the way across Hamel Down and Chagford Common, but this section took us 10 hours.  This suggests to me that it’s probably closer to 20 miles than the 18 you mentioned in your notes!

Thanks Tim really useful feedback and we have provided it to the Sue who writes the Two Moors Way guidebook for Cicerone she is going to have these issues addressed in the next edition - EW

Please pass on our thanks to the team for all their hard work in choosing such varied and interesting accommodation for our holiday and also for providing such useful and comprehensive notes.   The walk went seamlessly all thanks to you even though the first few days we suffered very bad weather. 

All of the accommodation was good and on many occasions staff went more than the extra mile to make our stay pleasurable.  We will be posting good reviews for each individual accommodation on Tripadviser. 

The only slight hiccup we had was in finding the route to Worth Mattravers from the coast for the last two or three miles.  The first diversion from Lyme Regis was also a bit tricky to follow.  We wonder if that was just us though.

We had a great time and will certainly contact you again when we are ready to do another section of the walk.

Thank you so much for the way you handled my walking holiday from the point of first enquiry to booking the accommodation and sending really helpful up to date information and guidance.  As a solo walker I felt completely confident knowing I had support should I need it. (abeit mobile signal rarely available!)

Accommodation: All very clean which is really important to me.

Regent Hotel, St Ives - I was a bit concerned what the shared bathroom would be like but it was opposite my room and seemed to be brand new, so a pleasant surprise. Best breakfast of the holiday and a wonderful view of the beach from the dining room window.

Old Chaple, Zennor - best room of the holiday.  Such a comfy bed.  Very helpful staff and considerate about ensuring heating on to dry wet clothes.

Commerical Inn, St Just - must better than I had anticipated.  The name had conjured up simple basic accommodation.  I had a fantastic dinner 'trio of grilled fish'.  Top marks for quality of food and service. The breakfast was extensive and well presented.

Overall I had a great time despite choosing dates when the rain came down, but that's life.  I would have no hesitation in recommending Encounter Walking to others and hope to be a repeat customer myself.  It was my first solo walking holiday and it was wonderful. Thank you for being flexible and arranging for luggage delivery to Penzance Railway Station on the final day.  This worked well. 

St Ives - Penzance coastpath - certainly strenuous, particularly on Days 1 & 2 !!  I've walked Wainwright's Coast to Coast but the first two days of this walk were equal to some of the harder parts of the C2C. I feel a great sense of achievement.

The markers on Days 1 & 2 were not great.  No finger posts so searching for rocks by the path to check where to go.  Sometimes these were positioned at least 50yds along the path so there was occasional ambiguity.

Lamorna Cove - thank you for the warnings but these made me a little anxious.  Although I don't like sheer drops I didn't feel there was any risk of falling over the edge, so perhaps the warning needs to be reduced a little to avoid undue concern.

Thank you again and I think I will be in touch to book another walk in the future.

This was my first ever walking holiday and it will not be my last! We walked The Saint's Way in three days of rain and enjoyed every minute. All the overnight accommodations were outstanding, the luggage transfers seamless and the taxi pick-up on the dot! All the paperwork was superb and we laminated the extra walking notes as they were very helpful. All the telephone enquiries were dealt with very professionally....well done and thank-you to a great team!!

What can I say but well done to all concerned in the arranging of this lovely walking holiday, my first and certainly not my last! It was wet and windy, foggy and low cloud so we didnt see much but the lanes were lovely to walk along. It was very muddy and flooded in places but the helpful additional info sheets (we laminated them luckily) kept us on the right track. We only went wrong once and it was our fault as e went through an open gate rather than a shut one that led us into the wrong field just out of Withiel. All the accommodation was first class and helped with our wet boots and clothes.

Our walk in Wales was excellent.  Weather was better than expected.  I walked in a strong but exhilarating wind on one of the days and a bit of fog near the end of the trip.  Some of my most memorable experiences on the trail were from the days when the weather was less than perfect.   The accommodation and food was generally very good and of a higher standard that we found on the section of the SWCP we walked last year.   The flexibility that Encounter provides in selecting accommodation is one of the best features of booking with Encounter.  My wife found that the bus service in Pembrokeshire was very good. 

Trail was well marked.  The route comments provided by Encounter were very useful and I took most if not all, of the recommended options on the route.

We have just returned from our holiday walking the SWCP from Tintagel to Perranporth. Everything worked out well and we want to thank you for putting together such a great holiday and well put together arrangements.

We have 2 minor comments. The instructions to reach Westwinds B&B were written for arrival by car and entailed  an extra trail up hill on the road at the end of the day. It would be better to direct walkers to use the steps half way up the main road on the hill, these steps lead to a path which leads directly to Westwinds. Or, if coming in to Mawgan Porth from Padstow, take the narrow track which leaves the coastal path just after the Scarlet Hotel  and leads up to Tredragon Road.

The other comment is that the Fern Pit Ferry was not running this week and we were told, correctly or not, that the Ferry only starts running on the weekend of Saturday 20 May each year. You might like to check that out.

Thank you very much for all your help. We hope to continue walking the SWCP next year and if so, we will be in touch.

Thank you for the good job you did planning our hike. 

All accommodations were clean and the owners very helpful.  Some singles were tiny...tight for a bed and a suitcase.  I would avoid them in the future!  At Plymouth we had to walk through one bedroom to get to the bathroom...not ideal. Our favourite was The Finnygook Inn in Crafthole.

All the places offered a good breakfast.

The information you sent us about the route was very helpful..we never got lost!   The first day was long.  We were wondering which way to go when we ask a man walking by and were directed to a short cut, which was helpful as we were tired and wet.

The weather was very mixed with plenty of rain and the visibility was bad at times, which was disappointing.  The wild flowers were wonderful!

The hike was quite a bit tougher than the Lizard hike which two of us had done before.  One of us had a knee issue...she spent some time riding the bus, which proved to be entertaining.  Everyone made it to Plymouth.

We liked our walking holiday from Marazion to Falmouth so much that we're already thinking about our next walk with Encounter! This despite the fact that we had some rain on most days and a lot of heavy, whipping rain on the walk from Porthleven to Mullion. It was sufficiently bad that we gave up walking at the bus stop at Prudhoe Bay. It turned out that we were not alone -- two other hiking parties were already at the cafe there waiting for the next bus to Mullion. The following days had some rain too, so by the end of our holiday the paths were goopy mud in places and slippery stone in others.

We spent the last two days mostly on inland footpaths, which were an interesting change from the coast, so the rain didn't stop us from enjoying our vacation. The days with about 12 miles of hiking suited us best. The last day from the Trelawne Hotel in Mawnan Smith was only a few miles, which surprised us. We should have looked at the map ahead of time to have avoided such a short day. Still, it was a great walk overall and we're looking forward to our next one.

Encounter Walking are the best walking company we have walked with, well better than the other two. Great accommodation and on the track if possible, the only ones that were off the track were places where there just were not any B&Bs. The Cornwall Coastal Path was quite challenging, especially for me 73 years old with two total knee replacements. The only place that I wished I had taken the easy option was Port Isaac to Port Quinn as getting up and down the steps was not easy for me, but I did see the young ones striding ahead and thriving on their challenges.

WE should have used the odd taxi a bit more just to conserve our energy but the only time we decided to do this was at Lamorna and of course no mobile phone reception, café phoned for us. Apart from this and the day it poured with rain as we made Newquay going to Crantock where we caught the bus. Husband took over 800 photos just magnificient. Would I recommend this walk? Yes if I can do it so can you.

Sue and I completed the walk on Friday, and really enjoyed the experience. 

Here are a few points that may help other walkers:

The route at Little Petherick is not signposted. The map indicates that you cross the bridge and immediately turn right on to a path. This doesn't seem to be correct - one of the householders told us that the path was further up the road. In fact it would seem that you should indeed walk up the hill and turn right into a concreted drive just where the road bears left. Then follow the footpath to the left, just before you reach the property. 

When approaching Blable House, tell people to head for the top left corner of the field. We saw a stile in the field at the top of the hill, but that led to someone's garden.

West Park Farm - tell walkers to follow the farm track through the wood and up the hill. We took the wrong footpath when we reached the wood.

The path through the fields from Higher Bosnieves is indeed confusing - there is a tall slatted stile at the top right hand corner of the first field, which is quite difficult to climb over. Once over this, follow the path down the hill, keeping to the left of the fence. Then make your way to the lane at the bottom right corner of the field - we saw a deer here.

The flooded trail beyond Withiel - it had been dry for a long time prior to our walk, but there was still some standing water in the lane, and so we took the alternative footpath to Retire. We were planning to continue along the lane through the village to the footpath at the far end, but a householder closed a gate across the lane and insisted that it was a private road, and so we turned right and joined the main road. 

From Tremore Farm - we took the footpath short cut across the fields, missing out Higher Woodley. The stile is 3/4 of the way along the left hand side of the first field, but the stile is missing several steps in the wall, and so it's quite tricky to use.

St Benets Abbey - access is only from the A389 - the map indicates that there might be a track to the rear of the Abbey, but it’s closed off.

Incidentally, we would really have appreciated a hot bath after our walk, but our bathroom only only had a shower. It would be helpful for you to clarify with walkers whether or not they would like a bath, and so they could upgrade accordingly.

Helmans Tor - we thought that the sign to the left, i.e. for the Eastern leg, was easily visible! The old drove road from the foot of the Tor was dry and easily passable. We never saw the clear signpost to the Wilderness Way Walk - I couldn't find either Bodwen Farm or Whistow on the map.

The taxi back to Padstow cost £45, which we thought was reasonable, as was the £6 per day charge at the long stay car park.

Thanks again for arranging this very memorable adventure!

We enjoyed the walk despite a lot of rain. It is a fine route, but I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is not an expert navigator, due to the complete absence of way markers on Dartmoor. Of course we do not want our wild places festooned with too many unnecessary signposts, but other National Parks with long-distance paths have managed to have a few discreet way markers without upsetting anyone. If Encounter is able to lobby the Dartmoor National Park authorities they may wish to make this point. After several hours of non-stop rain the streams on Exmoor were swollen leading to some difficult crossings. The crossing below Hoar Oak Tree (grid ref 747431) was impossible and it was necessary to trek upstream and do a difficult jump.

Turning to Encounter's services, everything ran smoothly, directions to accommodation were clear, and our luggage always arrived before we did. On the question of accommodation, using the familiar star rating (5 excellent, 4 good, 3 satisfactory, 2 unsatisfactory, 1 awful) we rated four nights 4* and 5 nights 3*. Overall, the quality of accommodation was a bit below what we have encountered on other long-distance trails with a similar daily charge, so I am unable to say that the trip was particularly good value for money. To be rated good value, the price would have to be reduced a little or, preferably, a couple of the B&Bs changed. I have put additional comments in an e-mail.

Encounter Walking - Thanks for the comments Phil and great you enjoyed the walk. The Two Moors Way does work out as one of the more expensive routes mainly becuase of its remoteness which means the luggage transfers costs are a lot higher here than on routes like the Coast Path where long transfers around the moor are not required. We are always happy to suggest routes better suited to whatever budgets you are sticking to so do ask.

Many thanks, organisation exemplary. Everything ran smoothly: luggage transfers, map reading and following your directions and itinerary, quality of accommodation (we were particularly impressed with the Lerryn Hotel in Falmouth and Sea Breezes Guest House in Plymouth). The view of the harbour from the breakfast room at Honeycombe House, Mevagissey, was stupendous. Check ferry connection from Fowey to Polruan - engineering works at Whitehouse Quay necessitated a last-minute change to the advertised location.

Dear Encounter, many thanks for organising our walk recently. Bag transfer, hotels, etc, went without a hitch. The accommodation was very nice thanks. The only tough part for us was the approach to Coverack. For a 66 and 70 year old couple, it was quite a challenge!

Many thanks once again

We had a wonderful experience walking from Mevagissey to Looe ( a three day walk). The signage , for the most part, was well marked. There was one change that should be noted. In Fowey, the directions indicated that the Ferry, from May 1st to Sept. 30th would only operate 9:00am to 17:30pm from Whitehouse Quay. Actually, It only operates from the Town Quay. After watching the Ferry pass us by two times, we noted a message on the board about the change in schedule. The walk was breathtaking. Indeed the strenuous walks were, at moments, strenuous. All four of the B&Bs and/or pubs were most accommodating and helpful in providing needed information. Well done Encounter Walking! We would do this again should the opportunity ever come our way.

Thanks for the ferry update Ted which is really helpful feedback, seems that this was a sudden change by the operators due to work on the Quay at Whitehouse - we have updated notes for other walkers until its completed

Excellent notes on route and yellow maps very helpful - fabulous scenery and very varied. Good way marks and good to start in Nether Stowey ( especially at the Old cider House where Ian Pearson signed our book he wrote on the route) and end in Lynmouth

Accommodation - Overall good with 3 excellent - The Old Cider House, the Notley Arms ( even though being refurbished) and Millers at the Anchor where the bedrooms were superb and fabulous location. Recommend eating at the Rising Sun which has Les Routiers status and delicious food. Disappointing welcome at Wheddon Cross - the b nd b nearby looked very good - Sundial House. Very helpful receptionist at the Bath Hotel in Lynmouth - there was a baggage problem with the transfer and she let us use the phone and was very supportive.

We would happily use your company again and thanks.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Cornwall. We were especially lucky with the weather. The Blue Horizon was very comfortable and Paul and Judith very helpful hosts. The group at the other B&B enjoyed their stay however they felt that the hosts did not know about the local area and perhaps could have been more helpful.

The walks were great - we only had trouble on the day we did Lamora Cove and ended up doing part of the walk on the inland public footpath. Boscastle was fantastic and we really enjoyed the stay at the Wellington. All the walks were spectacular and we hope to be back to do more in the future.

I walked the trail with my sister , from Amroth -St. Dogmaels may 6-26th. We devided a couple of the longer walks into two days ,so walked at the most 20 km a day . The accommodations varied between Pubs and B&B's And a couple of hotels . All were very nice , but we enjoyed the B&B's the best . The breakfasts were amazing . We had one mix up with our accommodations but encounter handled this quickly . Better than we expected . Our luggage was moved for us with out any issues .

The walking was beautiful , varied every day , there were challenging days with a lot of climbing , and narrowing trails close to the cliffs . It you have vertigo issues some days might be difficult . However these were some of the most beautiful walks . The flowers were amazing all along the path. We saw many wild horses ,which was thrilling . I would have liked to go to Skomer Island to see Puffins but did not work this out ahead , if you want to see Puffins you will need to organize and set a day aside for this .

We spent two days in St David and went to Ramsey island expecting to see many more birds than on the trail . If you are walking the whole trail this a waste of your time . We did not find it as nice as most of the trail , and we saw more interesting birds on the trail than Ramsey island . I wish I had either taken the boat to Skomer from St. David's , or taken the extra day in Dale to go over to Skomer Island . You will see many birds along the rest of the path.

Everyone we met along the trail was very friendly , walkers and locals . The path was well marked , but sometimes confusing when we came into the larger villages as the street names were not there or were Welsh names and our maps were English . We did always find our way ,but maybe not on the trail . This was probably because we were not where we thought we were when starting to follow the directions in our booklets .using GPS would have been helpful .

All in all it was a great walk , very challenging as I have never done something as long as this before , but very beautiful . We only had two days with rain , and not heavy rain so we were very lucky . I would defiantly recommend this hike and Encounter walking holidays . I hope to try another trip with them in the future .

We walked over two days, approximately 25 miles. The first Leg was between Charlestown and Fowey. We were a little confused when we walked through Par . There seemed to be a few different routes we could take. After this we enjoyed the walk immensely...From Fowey to Looe was beautiful. The wildlife, scenery and rawness of the route was exhilarating. We were lucky to have 2 fantastic days with glorious sunshine. Definitely recommend this part of the SW coastal path but you need to be fairly fit as there are some steep climbs.

We have just completed the whole of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in 14 days, with just a day and a half of rain. We started at Amroth on 4th May and walked into St Dogmaels on 17th May in glorious sunshine. Although we hadn't particularly looked at the tide times and when the ranges were open, we were able to do both the estuary crossings at low tide and walk the entire ranges. Impressed by the range of spring flowers and birds and seeing the seals frolicking in a small cove on our wettest and windiest day. Very uplifting. The B&Bs varied along the route, from pubs to a couple who tried so hard to try our wet clothes on the wet day. People, we met on the route were very friendly, and many were knowledgeable about the area. The map and Trailblazer guide were excellent, as well as the hints and information in the pack which was provided.

We were impressed from the start by Encounter, as our first tentative enquiry was responded to, within 36 hours, including a possible itinerary, even though we hadn't any exact dates at that time. Will definitely recommend to anyone else walking in this part of the world. Thank you all very much.

We really enjoyed our 3 day tailored walking holiday Lyme Regis to Weymouth in May. Lovely walks. Travel advice and arrangements worked really well. All the accommodation was fine - especially liked Peaches in Abbotsbury. Luggage transfer went very well- the B and B hosts were great at ensuring it left/arrived in the right place.

Very happy with the break and would definitely recommend to others. Even the weather was well coordinated- we had no rain at all until 20 mins after we reached our last hotel on the route!! - Thankyou.

Just a few notes about our trip.

The road between Little Haven and Broad Haven is now open, and the cars do travel quite quickly along it, so be warned.

The B&Bs which impressed us most: Brynteg at Manorbiern, Allenbrook at Dale, Bethsaida at St Dogmaels

We were allocated good sized rooms, shower/bathroom facilities were good, breakfasts cooked well and amenable/friendly hosts.

The 2 over the cafes were both very impersonal.  Once we arrived the owner went home, so we were left alone (like caretakers) in the cafe. Breakfast could have been better, ie no cereals at one, fruit juice was an after thought at the other.

Our luggage was moved efficiently and always there when we arrived.

Thank you very much and will recommend your company to any of our walking friends who may walk in your area.

Thank you so much for making my 60th birthday celebrations so special. we had a wonderful time on our recent south coast walk and we're very happy with the arrangements you made for us. it really was the highlight of my trip.

in terms of feedback the only suggestion I have is to provide a little more detail on the alternative walking route if the ferries aren't running from Falmouth to St Mawes. That was the case for us and we struggled a bit finding our way and would have appreciated a bit more information on the route. Google maps is a wonderful thing, so we got to our accommodation eventually with no harm done. 

I am keen to do some more sections of the track, though not sure whether I can work up interest from the others. If I do, I will be back in touch. Thank you again.

Back from my Cornwall experience I want to inform you that everything went ok, and to thank you for arranging a very enjoyable walk.

It follows some comments on a few different points:

1. In spite of my initial prevention regarding vertigo I did not experienced in any moment or particular point of the path any difficulty or discomfort.I liked the Cornish coast and I will always consider between my future plans to explore other sections of this fantastic long path.

2. I did not have many problems finding and following the path as generally it follows the coast line and is well marked.The segment that I found less clear was the Gannel river crossing ( Map 31), as there are so many different possibilities and the books and maps tray to describe all of them so that sometimes it becomes a little confusing.I arrived at that area in the low tide and decided to follow the river along the beach, and I can imagine that the same land appears with a very different aspect depending on the tide.

3. I was lucky with the weather: some sunny days, other clouded but with good temperature for walking, and only some rain on Saturday 6th but bot heavy.My worst climatic moment was on Thursday 5th while doing the sections between Godrevy Point and Portreath when I had very strong head and side winds.¡That afternoon I regretted not walking the normal direct way!

4. Everything worked at perfection on luggage transport.

5 Regarding accommodation I enjoyed very much the Rick Stein experience at Padstow.All the other places were according with my expectations with perhaps two exceptions.

That's all. Again many thanks for helping me with a very nice and enjoyable walking holiday.

great walks: very diferent in nature, b.e. the hills and valleys in Dartmoor vs the seaside in Westward Ho!. weather was great and that really helped: just 2 days of some rain. kind people along the whole track: my partner caught a bad cold and everyone tried to cure it. two remarks regarding to the South West Coast Path: 1) the path does not go into Barnstaple anymore so no refreshmenst there 2) we (and other couples) got lost on the Saunton golf courses - signs should be improved.

Thanks Gerda - Just for future reference the path does still go into Barnstaple but there is an alternative option to cross Taw bridge as you come into the town rather than go right into the centre of Barnstaple which reduces the distance by 1.25 miles but you then do miss the centre of town and the shops.

I've just got back from another incredible solo hike along a 200 mile stretch of the SWCP over 15 days . The landscape for the majority of this the path is stunning, with some fairly remote stretches and some tough but rewarding hiking. Encounter once again organised things so that everything was taken care of, including luggage transfers, with no dramas throughout the trip. I'll be using them again for my next walk; having covered Minehead to Coverack in two stints, I'm just trying to decide whether to hike the last half of the path in one go...

We had a wonderfull walking holiday. Sure worthwhile to do such a walk oncemore. The combination to do first a walk through the country (the St Michaels Way ) and then the SW Coast Path was a good choice.

Finding our way on the St Michaels Way was no problem.

In your information of this route you gave a note at the point of Trembethow farm because of added buildings. Just follow the original way signs and not the black and white temporary signs. The route there is easy to follow.

On the SWC path we had one confusing point after the crossing of the Helford River. In the part between Polgwidden Cove and Durgan two trails are there with a hight difference of about 10 meters. Not on the map. We followed the top one and at Dungan we went uphill to Trebah farm instead going along the coast to Mawnan. We should have followed the bottum trail.

All the accommodations were very good close the trail, some on the trail! All the information from you was very good and usefull. Luggage transport has been very good.

Highlights: St Ives was very beautiful  and the St Michaels Way showed us a very nice countrysite. The SWC path was very beautiful because the coastline and the special light. We can understand that a lot of artists are in Cornwall. The two parts of the SWC path between Mullion- Cadgwith and Porthallow - Mawnan Smith were the highlights of the trail.

For us we have some points of attention:

- more attention to hight differences of the trail

- an extra day of rest after a hard day.(long and many hight differences)

1. More than anything, we really enjoyed our walk and magnificent sea views, being fortunate in our case with the weather.

2. The accommodation and pubs recommended to us were good and friendly, notably the Village Inn at Westward Ho!, the Hartland Quay Hotel, and the Bush Inn.

3. On a practical note, we would stress the need for walkers to take a good supply of water with them. Obvious I know, but multiple ascents and descents really do stimulate a good thirst.

4. Two delightful pit stops included the Hartland Point cafe in the car park, and earlier in the walk - and for the life of me I cannot be specific here - the tiny window in the house by quay that was open to sell drinks and ice cream. But only pointed out to us by a local walking her dog.

5. To possibly help with future publications:

- a clearer distinction in your notes regarding the difference between 'strenous' and 'severe' would be helpful.

- as naive as it may sound, greater clarity on the length (and multiple small bridges, not shown on any map) of the walk-in on the Hobby Road to Clovelly. There were a few moments, based on experience in Scotland's Highlands, when I wondered if we were actually heading the wrong way though I guess this was accentuated by not fully appreciating the nature of the final, amazing descent down to Clovelly.

But in summary a great trip characterised by very helpful information and tips alongside superb views and delightful landscapes.

We greatly enjoyed our recent walk on The Saints Way. Warm sunny weather in late April was a bonus! We did the walk over 3 days, with an extra day at the start to explore Padstow. The distances were not too taxing (we are an older couple) and the varying terrain made for challenge and interest. The panoramic scenery at several points was magnificent. We found we could handle navigation with the help of the route notes and maps, although not without the occasional mistake. Mostly we could get back on track quite quickly. However near Pawton Mine we failed to take a right turn. We thought we were further along than in fact we were. Then a local farmer told us that the post with the waymark had rotted away and not been replaced, despite local request.

We missed several features mentioned on the notes – standing stones and crosses. Maybe locations of these could be better detailed in the notes. We found the accommodation in Padstow (Cyntwell B&B), St Wenn (Tregolls Farm), Lanlivery (Crown Inn) and Fowey (King of Prussia) all excellent. We appreciated the opportunity to have the evening meal at the somewhat isolated Tregolls Farm. From Fowey we went on to Charlestown, where Tall Ships B&B, also arranged by Encounter Holidays, was brilliant. Transfers of our luggage all took place without a hitch.

Very well organized walk, helpful materials that were detailed and timely. The driver (Mike Perry)who took us to our starting points and hotels etc was just excellent . He had lots of advice for us, knew the walks we were doing and made some suggestions as to how we could modify the walks to suit our immediate change in needs. Hotel bookings and luggage transfers worked smoothly. Just great scenery complimented by the brilliant yellow Gorse and the fields of bright yellow rapeseed. Just enough up and down for us, all around 70... Would use Encounter Walking again!

We are still in UK but finished our walk after a delightful time with superb weather. Thank you for arranging THAT for us!

It was a magnificent experience. We did find day 5 much shorter & day 4 much longer than expected. A taxi from the pub at Helford Passage day 4 and then backtracking day 5 helped balance it out a bit but a surprise after the first 3 days feeling accurate. Happy with the  accommodations chosen, really not sure where to suggest a day 4 change!

Again thank you, we are truly happy with our arrangements.

A few days ago we returned from our walk at the Jurassic Coast.

We had the most wonderful holiday. The landscape is beautiful and although we had to go up and down the cliffs we never regretted walking there. The preparation for this walk was perfect. The accommodation was selected with good knowledge. We liked each hotel and b&b, much so as they were so different in style but alike in the friendliness of the hosts. The transportation of the luggage was precise and the taxi for the detour to Corfe Castle was in time and with an excellent and friendly driver. Thank you very much for all you did for us. The maps and descriptions of our route were absolutely accurate.

We are sure to visit the South of England again, the path is not completed yet since it continues to the West. We will happily contact you again when we are ready for a new adventure. Thank you again for assuring us a holiday with no worry about luggage and accommodation. We enjoyed it very much.

Just one thing: You prepared us for some rainy days, but we only had sunshine – not one day with rain or fog or lightning. ;-)

Only a few overall comments really.

Everyone spoke highly of the company and the way you dealt with them.

Everywhere had the booking ready for me, only twice did I get an accommodation bill and both times I think it was the operator unfamiliar with the system not a genuine request.

Only one place offered to do washing - I could have asked but an offer would have been nicer, especially on such a long trip.

Everyone cheerfully gave me fresh milk to use instead of the UHT cartons.

Make sure they are not allergic to dogs - they were EVERYWHERE.

I was very lucky with weather but a much wetter trip may have caused problems getting stuff dried - especially footwear, not all seemed clued up about walkers.

Advise to carry some cash - Lyme Regis, for example, had no bank and the cash machine was broken - only source was cash back.

There is  no escape on many parts of the path and usually no phone contact either.

Kevin the taxi man was lovely - he told me of the late walkers in case I couldn't get over to the Sloop, to save me looking for my own taxi.

We walked for 21 days (with only one day "off" to travel between Falmouth and Exmouth, and had an absolutely excellent time.  We are not young (I am 63, my husband 75) ; we generally walked at the "relaxed pace" and had no difficulties whatsoever, including over the challenging sections (such as between St Ives and Zennor and Sidmouth and Beer).

Other than two long days (Porthcurno to Marazion and Coverack to Mawnan Smith) we walked five to six hours per day, which we found pleasantly challenging but not exhausting.  This was our first visit to Cornwall and Devon, and we wanted to ensure we could "see the sights" as well as walk, and visited the Geevor Tin Mine in Pendeen, the Minack Theatre in Porthcurno and the Quarry Caves in Beer (all interesting and worth the time).  We used hiking poles which we found helped with balance on the narrow and tricky-footing sections. 

The support provided by Encounter Walking Holidays, both before and during our walk, was superb, as was the Luggage Transfer service.  Both highly recommended.  We found the OS maps were useful to get the 'big picture' of the day's walk, but depended on the Trailblazer Guide (referencing it multiple times a day) to ensure we had not missed a SWCP acorn sign. 

We were blessed with the weather (only two days of rain) and though the locals were unhappy with the cool temperatures (6-15C), cool days were excellent for walking.  Other than over Easter Weekend, the path was quiet in April and May - we often walked for several hours without meeting anyone else - and the blooming wildflowers were lovely.    We had never attempted a walk such as this before, and regret we have waited so long!  We will definitely be back to walk more of the SWCP (or perhaps the Pennine Way, or Coast to Coast Path, or the Pembrokeshire Coast Path - so many choices!) and will definitely work with Encounter Walking Holidays again.   

I am a very satisfied customer! I thought the work done by Encounter Walking Holidays was superb. Thank you all very much. Everything went smoothly with the luggage transfers and the accommodation you booked was very varied and of high quality. I particularly enjoyed the converted chapel in St Dogmaels. Overall I had a great walk!

Obviously the universe is dynamic and some things change. There is a shop in Dale - the big shop that sells marine kit also has a small grocery in the back and in the front it sells cakes and sandwiches. (At least it did in late April, I don't know about winter.

I understand the view that the northern part of the walk is grander and wilder, but every experience is totally individual. I had superb light and sunny weather in the south and the walk from Broad Haven to Solva was magical, with the sea like glass. When I walked the northern stretch the weather was more overcast and the last day, from Newport to St Dogmaels, there were a lot of people on the path, some of them competing in an insane overnight race which had started in Dale. Walking with all these people with numbers on their backs took the edge off the wildness! But c'est la vie, I'm not complaining.

A beautiful area and a magnificent varied route, including river walks, wild moorland, old bridleways, disused railway lines and woodland paths. We were lucky to enjoy 7 sunny clear days, enabling easy walking, fantastic clear views and everywhere dry underfoot. The Dartmoor Way is not marked too clearly, and many fingerposts are very weathered and unclear or even missing, so care is needed to avoid straying from the correct route. With care and attention and a good map it provides a stunning walk, lovely villages, old pubs, plenty of history and comfortable accommodation each evening. The maps, information and luggage transfers were very helpful, and the route provides plenty of opportunity to visit other attractions, sites and places of interest. We thoroughly enjoyed the week as did George our labrador! Thanks for all your help.

We arrived home safely on Friday evening. The walk from Falmouth to Plymouth was lovely helped by the fact that there was no rain at all for the whole fortnight. The coastal scenery and villages such as Polperro . Charlestown and Megavissey were lovely but there were still lots ups and downs which keeps the legs moving. The accommodation was all very good and the route was easy to find all the way. The flowers were lovely again with the may blossom full out this time as well as bluebells . primroses and gorse- quite a splash of colour. We saw  lots of birds and one dolphin but no other marine life.

The extra days to the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Eden Project were well worth the slight detours. We are looking forward to doing the final leg ( for us) in about three weeks time. Many thanks again for organising everything for us.

As always Encounter Walking never let us down with their organisation. This is our 6th trip with them, this time walking Port Gaverne to Newquay over 5 days. Parked in Newquay and were picked up by Mike, our taxi driver from past holidays, who makes you feel relaxed and that you have arrived!

Our favourite accommodation on the walk was at Polzeath staying at Seaways Guesthouse. Pauline & Ken were excellent hosts and made us feel very welcome. At the end of the walk we drove down to St. Ives and stayed at the Seaforth B & B run by Debbie and Carl. This must be the 4th time we have stayed here and we just love it! Still a reasonably rugged coast line with spectacular scenery and not many people about away from the ports. We saw grey seals which was a highlight. Looking forward to next year and, alas, our final Cornish Coastal Path stretch, Fowey to Plymouth.

Hi there I just wanted to say we had a brilliant time on our recent St Ives to Penzance walk.  A thoroughly relaxing break thanks not just to fabulous weather, but to excellent planning which meant that everything worked so smoothly.  We really did have nothing to worry about!

Accommodation was all excellent and we particularly appreciated your advice on planning the length of each segment - just long enough to feel we'd had a good walk each day without being too taxing for novices.  The only grumbling came on the last section into Pendeen from Zennor.  We thought we were nearly there for a good hour before we actually arrived!  

We also took a wrong turning as we crossed fields between Zennor and Pendeen but I cant remember quite where that was - to correct ourselves we would have had to go through a small paddock of ponies if we hadn't turned back to find the correct style. 

Many thanks once again. Cant wait for the next trip

Dear Encounter-Walking-Team,  thanks very much for the organisation of this lovely holiday. I enjoyed the walks and the hospitality of the bandbs very much. Everything was perfect. Also the weather: Booking with encounter walking means always sunshine

Best wishes Gabriele

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you and thank you for all the work you put into my holiday. The walking notes for the Smugglers' Way and the instructions for finding the accommodation were spot on. There were bits of water-logged ground on the Smugglers' Way, but no more than what is to be expected of moorland after rain - certainly nothing I haven't coped with before.

Fabulous, end of November, 7 day walk from Place to Plymouth. Not a drop of rain all week and even walking in T-shirts on some of the days. Excellent organisation provided by Encounter Walking with bnbs all booked and luggage transfers all operating like clockwork, taking any stress and worry out of the equation. Had the path to ourselves for most of the time, making it a wonderful escape and delightful experience. I would definitely recommend this glorious route and booking through Encounter Walking.

To say this walk was a challenge is putting it mildly. Partly due to storm Angus yes but also being November. We did enjoy but felt a bit pushed to get finished by dark after setting out by 10 each day. We did appreciate the daily weather updates from Damon. The accommodations booked were A1! We also found the iTunes app for the maps a lifesaver as sometimes you weren't entirely sure you were on the proper track. Love to do it again perhaps in Sept or Oct. Thanks again!

• Hi Damon and team - Fabulous walking holiday. The weather was incredible for the three days we were walking, couldn't have had better. Thank you for your gift (my slip up) for Abbey House, it was absolutely wonderful! We certainly would use Encounter Walking again. And I've already recommended EW to others we met on our trip and friends at home.
• EW the best so far.
• Best Regards to you all  X
•  

• Having returned back home, I am writing to you to thank you for the perfect organisation of our trip.... it was our first time walking the SWCP, but we'll definitely be back. Your carefully composed and precise information helped us prepare for, plan and enjoy the walking, find our way around and sleep in great B&Bs/Inns with welcoming hosts.
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• We had a tough time on the second day, with new shoes (bought in Porlock) that didn't fit as they should have.. and it took us 7 hours to get to Lynmouth.. exhausted! The next day we thought our feet wouldn't carry us anymore... but we just decided to walk to the Valley of Rocks, from there we walked a bit further... and a bit further.. and managed half the walk to end at the Hunter's Inn in Hendon, from where we called a cab. So I guess that's where we need to start next time we come back. It was great!

Dear Damon, we really enjoyed our trip!

The trail was beautiful, the weather more than pleasant and the accomodations oké.The luggage transfers where outstanding! Next time for me the accomodations can be a bit more upscale, with for exemple a spa.

But the reason for the walk, a boys trip away, was more than succesful!

Thank you very much for the arrangements and next time when we Will go walking I will definatelly book with your company again.

It was our first experience with an organised walk company and we were thrilled with Encounter Walking. Without exception, all the B and B hosts were warm and helpful, accomodation was first rate and the breakfasts were excellent. The itinerary and maps provided excellent detailed information for planning our days. Luggage transfers worked very smoothly. We would definitely recommmend Encounter Walking to our firends.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. All arrangements without a hitch, only 1 significant error in route finding at the ambiguous sign in Mansley Combe where, despite your comments, I managed to make the wrong choice and we ended up on Dunkery Beacon, but, we didn't mind, we had the wind at our backs, blue skies alternating with ferocious roiling clouds, and showers that came and went in 60 seconds every 15 minutes or so.

Loved the holloways, the ancient walls, but above all, the trees - it's a paradise for tree-huggers! The last few miles into Lynmouth, in the company of the East Lyn River, absolutely stunning. Maybe we drank and ate a little too much sitting in comfortable and friendly pubs every night and didn't return quite as fit and wiry as we would have liked, but it would have to be a very miserable person to complain about that. Many thanks Encounter, for your work in making our trip so enjoyable.

Hi Damon - Just to say our trip was excellent and to thank you all for making it so. No problems encountered at all. We were lucky with the weather, the views were stunning, the trees showing beautiful autumn and all the stopovers and meals spot on! It is indeed a quiet and maybe unnoticed part of the country - I shall be passing on how good it all is. What a trip to remember thanks to all your arrangements.  Kind regards Jill

• What a great walk
• Everything was just right. The accommodation was perfect. The most beautiful paths ever. Just one problem we got lost twice. Section 57 Road water in the woods and Section 92 93 Dunkley to the river. But still we loved it and we ended in the right place If I come down to the south I will definitely use you again We really had a great time Thank you Elizabeth and Carol

Hello Damon, Thanks for all the arrangements you made for us on the Coleridge Way (Oct 2016).  The accommodation was first class with all hosts very welcoming.  The signage was very good throught the walk and along with the route description kept us on the right track (except when we were not paying attention). 

Had no problem accessing the walk via public transport, though we understand the bus from Bridgewater to Nether Stowey is being discontinued, so could cause a problem in the future.  We loved the variety of scenery offered on this walk which made the steep uphill sections worthwhile.  Can thoroughly recommend the walk in this quiet part of England (we didn't meet any other walkers).

• We had a terrific weekend walking thank you! Absolutely glorious and a wonderful stretch of coastline. Thank you so much for all your detailed guidance notes which were a great help to Nadine in particular. I think we only had a couple of comments:
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• The walking time on Saturday was out by about two hours having allowed for an hour for lunch at the Plume of Feathers to Portloe (?) We were able to rebook the taxi for 7pm (from booked 5pm) and all was well. Great lunch, lovely taxi driver (Dave), no problems!
•  
• We learnt that some taxi drivers stop working in October so we were apparently lucky to get ones when we needed. No sandwich lunch offered at the Mevagissey Bay Hotel but there are cafes open on Sunday morning for delicious crab sarnies!
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• Cafes on the route were closing early, about 3-4pm, to we missed out a couple of times. I think the closing times entirely depend on the weather, how many people are about, how the owners feel! Luckily we had plenty of snacks with us…!
•  
• So thank you, once again a lovely weekend. We’ve been incredibly lucky with the weather once again. Gorgeous.
• Very best wishes, Eva

We are on our way back to London and I wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our vacation. Everything just went perfectly, all the overnight stays were comfortable, and logistics were perfect. I have already recommended your company to someone else

The stay at St. George's was delightful- renovated house is lovely, hosts were delightful. IT was on of our favorite stays!

First organised walk I have done, took my small Jack Russell and we were both very well looked after at stop. Coleridge's cottage worth a visit, The pub in Nether Stowey had a quiz which added to the fun. Walk across the Quantocks interesting and demanding, and the trail over Exmoor gave wonderful views. Cold and sunny but did not take light weight clothing to put on at stops, therefore stiffened up when we stopped for tea, a pac a mac and similar trousers would have been a good idea.

Pubs all comfortable and friendly with good food. Breakfasts were good for the cooked part although a whole tomato would have been good, but fresh fruit and yogurt and better cereal would be good, The pub at wheddon cross went to the shop early to cater for us, also we needed to eat earlier than offered and the pub at Monksilver although very friendly did not cater well for an earlier start. very good information excellent organisation, thank you

We had a very good holiday the walking was excellent and the weather was perfect. The luggage transfer went without a hitch, the accommodation was adequate, the best B&B was The Rest and Be Welcome at Wheddon Cross.

Dear Damon, Everything has worked out fine. The weather conditions were perfect. We pretty much enjoyed discovering south Cornwall. In every accommodation there was gluten free bread and the rooms were confortable. We both thank you very much for state of the art organisation of our Journey. Thanks again,  Ariane and François

• Hi Damon & Team,
• All the arrangements went precisely to plan including the shuttle from Worth Maltravers to the Limes and back. The pick up from the Chain ferry and drop off at Poole station went without a hitch. Excel taxis were punctual for all journeys. We also liked the three overnight stays you booked for us; very different but all good. 
•  

We were blessed with excellent weather apart from a cloudburst on Saturday morning. Just as well as the severe ascents and descents would have been much trickier if slippery.  The only time we had to resort to GPS was when we left the Path to go to Worth Maltravers on the Sunday. Also there have been a couple of small cliff falls at Lulworth Cove, but there are sufficient alternative paths.

We had three days of excellent and enjoyable walking.  Thanks and regards,

•  I would like to say thanks -- I had a great holiday, accommodation and food absolutely fine, luggage transfers worked smoothly etc.  I did struggle a bit with the printed walk guide, which wasn't always easy to follow in terms of map locations and sometimes seemed positively misleading (maybe it's a bit out of date?), but that's not your fault: your suggestions all felt like improvements, and in fact I'd say the highlight of the whole walk for me was the East Okemont River valley, so thanks specially for that. 
•  
• I enjoyed Lydford Gorge too, but on the 4th day (Okehampton to Lydford) rather than the 5th as you suggest: even after some spectacularly inept map-reading I reached Lydford by 2.30, which left plenty of time for sightseeing, and as the gorge doesn't open till 10.00 I think you're in danger of making that 5th day awkwardly long if you try to include Brentor -- as of course you should!  I did one on each day, which equalled them out a bit (14.5 and 13.75 miles) and seemed to work well.  But this is a very small point.  Overall I had a brilliant week: thanks again.

A very varied and challenging walk, beautiful vistas but quite long walking days.

Day 1. to Monksilver. 15miles plus. No.7 be careful to spot this track, we didn't spot the sign. No.21 saw the layby but not the track running along the lower edge of the deer park. West Quantoxhead, the Windmill Inn was shut. This section is a little too long for the first day!

Day 2 to Wheddon Cross. 14miles. No. 59 a way marker would have been useful here in the field. The blue markings sometimes confusing!

Day 3 to Porlock Weir. 14 miles. If staying at Exmoor House walk along the A396 and be very careful to spot the really low waymark No.88 to Raleigh Manor. No.100 missed the sign and came out of the woods at Higher Brockwell very confusing. Webbers Post area is very beautiful.

Porlock a very pretty town, forestry commission works in the wood No.126 made for very muddy walking to Porlock Weir.

Day 4 to Lynmouth. 15miles. My favourite days walking with the sea on our right and then the Brendon Hills and lastly a beautiful riverside walk to Lynmouth. At Ash Bridge there is a diversion to the other side of the river, with Watersmeet House closed for refurbishment for 6months. Recross to the route at Countisbury bridge. A great challenge with super memories. Thank you team.

I was going to email you sooner but we're still on vacation.  We had a wonderful trip walking the Pembrokeshire coast path for 5 days.  The inns and hosts were great and our luggage was always delivered on time. You made our vacation stress free.  We had some wind and rain the first two days but after that it was sunny and warm. 

This was our fourth holiday arranged with Encounter and, once again, many thanks to Damon, Ellie and the rest of the team for organising everything so brilliantly. The luggage transfers and taxi back to Nether Stowey at the end of the holiday all worked smoothly and we enjoyed the B&B accommodation. Our favourite was Woodadvent Farm where we received a very warm welcome from Diana and the dogs, had a lovely big room and enjoyed a beautifully cooked evening meal served in the candlelit dining room. Other special mentions go to Exmoor House at Wheddon Cross (for the welcome and the food), Staghunters Inn at Brendon (for a wonderful venison casserole) and the Lyn Valley Hotel in Lynmouth (for a very friendly welcome and a bathroom with the best shower we’ve ever come across!)

We really enjoyed the mix of countryside on the walk – in particular the green lanes, ancient bridleways and the far reaching views of the Quantocks and Exmoor. We had been looking forward to diverting over Dunkery Beacon but, unfortunately, low cloud and pouring rain meant that we decided to stay on the Coleridge Way instead. From Porlock to Porlock Weir we did divert off the CW by walking down Sparkhayes Lane and then along the Coast Path. We were in Lynmouth by lunchtime on the last day so added on the extra extension round to Poets Corner – well worth doing for the trip on the cliff railway, excellent coastal views and a close up view of the wild goats. Thanks again, Damon, and we’re already thinking about walk number five!

The walk was magnificent with only two Cornish days of mizzle and four of glorious sunshine - I got a bit burnt the first day! Dropping car at Penzance and walking to Marazion was a great gentle start and the Marazion accomm was very nice with views of the bay.  We visited the Mount before the tide came in and enjoyed a great meal at the Kings Arms where I was introduced to rum & shrub.  I'd never heard of it before - possibly the smallest pub dining room ever - they didn't charge for the shrub apparently because our meals had taken so long to arrive.  We're not in a hurry!

Have to say the next day was a hard one for me. All those stiles and scrambly bits of path. But we got to Praa Sands feeling pretty great and had a ploughman's before hitting the final 7kms (I can't think in miles, sorry) and it knocked me about a bit.  Clearly 17 kms for me needs to be a little less rugged! Utterly due to my overestimating my ageing bones. 

The Old Vicarage in Mullion was beautiful with a very informative landlady. The Old Inn is fantastic with it's community library in the dining room - 'The pub's the hub' as it says. We took the bus from there to Lizard for a look around before walking to Cadgwith. The new owners (2012) it seems had an idea of closing over winter but the locals told them they had a civic duty to stay open for them and now they do. I love that kind of good sense in the Cornish. The barman was quite indignant that someone had written on Tripadvisor that the place has "good food, nice rooms - pity it's run by emmetts!"

Gallen Treath guest house is run by an unlikely looking sort of gentle bikie bloke and his wife. They were really helpful and did a full load of muddy, sweaty washing for us and refused payment, just asked for a donation to the RNLI collection tin. Another lovely stop.

Gold Martin B&B was a great finishing spot - they picked us up from the pub as we were absolutely saturated (by the persistent 'mizzle'!) and then drove us to Mawnan churchyard to resume the next morning after I'd visited my friend's grave there. Their breakfast offering was also welcome after a week of full Englishes - croissants with melted Brie and ham and an egg on top.  They told us that Encounter Walking is far and away the best company to deal with, replying promptly to emails, always keeping them informed of what they need to know and paying promptly.  I thought that was good for you to know. (And it echoes our own experience). I think being Cornwall-based really helps.

So Damon - thank you for a great trip. We passed your name onto a couple of different people we met who are interested in planning a coastal walk and also the saint's way from North Cornwall to the Mount - not sure if you do that one?

Hi everyone, Firstly, all the arrangements were fine and well organised. The accommodation was in both Guest Houses and pubs, and in all cases they were friendly and expecting me at the appropriate times. Breakfasts were always well cooked and with a choice of cereals and fruit. The walking was fantastic and exhilarating.

The maps and guidebooks were invaluable, although I should have read the notes more carefully which described Day 1 as moderate to strenuous, and the last part was certainly strenuous. I was unable to locate the path at one point after the quarry at Godfrey Cove. It was raining hard and with no-one else in sight and no mobile signal, had to retrace my steps and detour to St. Keverne. I later learned from other walkers the path was not well marked and went through very marshy and boggy land which had become saturated due to the rain. Otherwise the maps and instructions were accurate in all respects.

Also, whilst walking alone, it was good to see a number of other walkers on various occasions who were following the same route. Not sure if these other groups were with Encounter, but they were staying at the same accommodation by and large. Perhaps Encounter could advise walkers if other groups were following the same route at the same time. Overall a very enjoyable holiday with magnificent views around the coast, interspersed with wonderful Cornish villages and pubs of real character. Harder walking than anticipated, but well worth the effort. Mike from Sheffield

We are two couples who recently walked two segments of the South West Coast Path. We had a wonderful experience and thought these tips might be useful to other walkers:

• On the stretch between Minehead and Porlock Weir, the Trailblazer book and Encounter's notes describe the "main route" and the "rugged alternative route." The trail signage, however, is the reverse of what is indicated in the notes, and designates the route closer to the sea as the "main route," which we took and which we highly recommend.

• We found the signage generally clear and useful, although we got off track a few times in towns and urban areas, where the signage was sometimes non-existent or harder to spot.

• We found that the mileage indicated on our two GPS units was consistently about 8 to 10% higher than what was indicated in the notes, possibly the result of our wandering off the prescribed route or measuring from portal to portal of our B&Bs.

• Two of us are vegetarians and one of us is lactose intolerant, so we had some concerns about whether we would find suitable meal choices. Not to worry! Encounters advised our B&Bs in advance and every restaurant or pub we visited was well prepared to deal with dietary restrictions and intolerances. An EU regulation requires restaurants to maintain information about fourteen common allergens. One restaurant showed us the book it maintained with this information for all its menu items.

• A note about breakfast: most B&Bs offered the included cooked breakfast between 8 and 9 a.m., which meant a fairly late start for the trail each day. Sometimes we were able to negotiate an earlier meal time or an earlier uncooked breakfast (cold cereal, fruit, juice). Other times we were able to substitute a packed lunch for the cooked breakfast and hit the trail on our own schedule.

The Route: We found the route was of outstanding beauty and some parts remote.To hear and follow the Atlantic crashing against the rocks watching the waves gives you a calm and sometimes mystic feeling. Looking behind you after climbing the valleys and steps going up and down great views. Always anticipating what`s around the corner a good feeling.

The accommodation: well planned and our bags always waiting for us on arrival. Would love to give special regards to Mark and Marcelline who gave us a warm welcome and lots of tips for our rest day at Westward Ho!before starting our walk. Also Keith and Julie at Tintagel who served us tea and freshly baked chocolate and banane cake at our arrival the best thing after such a walk. It was here we had one of the best breakfasts healthy eating.

The weather: We started off with great weather for hikers not too cloudy enough sunkissing for our souls. Lots of winds but we were very careful along the cliffs. Only one day of rain turning some parts of the track into a little stream und muddy we had a slippy time but also a unique experience has something mystical the coast by rain and fog.

The Encounter Team: Really lots of information and good books to help us on our way. We will definetly be back next year for the next part of the path which has infected us. Thanks a lot I`ve now recommended you to friends of ours here in Germany, telling them about our hiking with you, they asked for details so who knows I`m sure you`ll be hearing from them.

We had a great time on Saints Way followed by the Padstow to Tintagel coast section.

• Walkers need to go through the village of Retire to avoid the flooded road on the regular path toward Tregoll Farm (but it's easy to get lost finding your way back to the path when going in the direction towards Padstow).
• Watch out for the horse that is aggressive and tries to bite in the uphill field immediately outside Padstow
• the Halfway House Inn is worth the detour for lunch on that stretch of the Saints Way
• Do not miss calling at St Petroc's church at Little Petherick  on the way into Padstow - beautifully decorated and easily the most impressive church we visited despite being very small. (Be warned that the sign just outside the church gate that says 2 miles to Padstow is wrong -- it's further than that and took us almost 2 hours to get to the Metropole from there.)
• We enjoyed all the accommodations, except we found the Bosayne Guest House in Tintagel pretty ordinary compared to the other excellent places.
•  

Hi, We had a great time. Thanks. Everything went smoothly.

First thanks to you. We booked late and I appreciate that you still went ahead and tried to book things for us. I also appreciated the facility to have a  choice and upgrade before we booked on individual night stops.

The accommodation was generally very high standard. We've done part of the coastal path before and think the accommodation this time was much better than what we have encountered before. I would single out three where it was exceptional. Fernleigh at Coverack. The host was extremely welcoming and the breakfast was delicious. She even checked and gave us advice about the upcoming ferry service on our walk (which was disrupted by an especially low tide that day). Very thoughtful. The views were great from the house and we had the run of several rooms at our disposal to relax in.  Also extremely good was our first night's accommodation in Penzance (Treventan) which offered delicious breakfast. And the Lerryn at Falmouth - wonderful seaview room with balcony.

Thanks again

Damon and the Team did a great job in arranging my walk and luggage transfer, as well as getting me some additional information. Thank you! In most accommodations my suitcase was already waiting in my room when I arrived. Not having to carry luggage up the narrow English stairs after a long day of walking, was particularly nice. The weather was mostly great for walking. Not too warm, not too cold, not too wet. I skipped 1 day (Clovelly to Hartland Quay) and took a bus to Hartland Village (from where it was only about 1 hour of walking to Hartland Quay), as it was very stormy and raining cats and dogs. It was nice having a rest day and I would recommend scheduling one after 5-7 days. I will definitely be back! :)

First of all I want to thank Damon and his team for organizing everything so quickly!! We booked the tour only 2 weeks in advance which was possible thanks to the flexibility of Encounter Walking. We had such a great time! The weather was perfect, the landscape was like a painting, the people we met were so kind, the food was great. We had a little bit of trouble in the beginning of the walk. We missed the sign for the Coastal Path when we walked from Mousehole to Lamorna. Instead of the Coastal Path, we walked through the country site which was also beautiful. We even saw a show at the Minnack theatre. What an exceptional place to build a theatre. We definitely want to come back to Cornwall to do other walks and of course we will book our trip with Encounter Walking next time.

We are so thankful we used Encounter Walking to book our trip and move our bags. There were so many hikers that had to take valuable time out of each day to look for a place to stay the next night. The B and B's that were suggested were perfect. The owners were lovely and so eager to please us. All the other suggestions that Encounter Walking made were helpful as well. Thanks so much!!

My wife and I had a wonderful time on our recent walk. As we flew back to the US, we found ourselves discussing our next trip(!) It's difficult to describe to Americans just how unique it is to walk in the UK. There is simply no experience like it in our country. The British tradition of free access (property owners along public footpaths must, by law, permit hikers to cross their land) is quite foreign to Americans.

We met a lot of friendly sheep, horses, chickens - and, to our surprise, an ostrich - on farms along the way. Interestingly, we met just one person working outside: a boy who was feeding the chickens. Otherwise, we had free and sole access to gorgeous expanses of land.

To Damon and his teammates at Encounter Walking Holidays, I'd like to say "Thank you so much" for guiding us through the selection process. We appreciate your patience and help - especially during the (now) amusing failure of the Great Western Railway web-based reservation system. For a few days, the GWR was unable to book reservations for customers outside the UK. Damon reached out to his contact there, confirmed the problem and gave us some alternatives. Luckily, GWR fixed the problem in time and we made it to Taunton just fine. Damon and crew were also responsive to our lodging requests - e.g., distances to walk and services provided (main requirement: good pubs)

The Coleridge Way is a relatively new pathway and that may explain why we met only 2 other groups during our 7 days of walking. That was an unexpected delight. We found, though, that we were spoiled: as we drew within a mile of Lynmouth and we started to encounter walkers out of that town, we knew our vacation was drawing to a close. Being in our 60's and not in tip-top shape, we were a bit nervous about the distances. But it really wasn't much of an issue - though, when we do it again, which we surely will, we'll eliminate the 11+ mile days. Walking poles turned out to be a terrific idea, as were the Gore-Tex clothes for the one rainy day. I'll post some pics of the walk (interesting fact: my iPhone 6S Plus took better pictures than my $500 Canon S120). All in all, a wonderful experience. Thanks again.

Very varied walking on this section - farmland, clifftop, beach - and with some tough descents in places. SWCP not as clearly signed within the Lulworth ranges as elsewhere and easy to miss a sign (as I did!). Enjoyed the Portland circuit more than I expected to. Sculptures at Tout Quarry particularly fascinating and excellent accommodation at Fortuneswell, possibly the best of any I encountered this time though Lulworth ran it close. Pleased that all accommodation was close to the Path and of high standard; not everyone I met was so fortunate. The benefit of booking with Encounter Walking.

Damon, thanks so much. We had a fabulous time. The accommodations were excellent and the directions you provided kept us on course at every turn. We had good weather for all three days hiking .....Charleston to Fowey on day one, then Fowey to Polperro on day two and Polperro to Looe on day three.  The trek from Fowey to Polperro was the highlight in that we had perfect weather and spectacular views from the coast. The scene as we arrived in Polperro was picture perfect as the tide was in and the harbor was in perfect light for photographs.  We had dinner and drinks at the Blue Peter and talked with fellow travelers who hiked the trail that day. All in all it was a fabulous time. Thanks again. Stan and Barb Snow, Seattle Washington - Sept 2016 - Please feel free to post on your website. 

We really enjoyed this walk and found Encounter much more flexible, responsive, thorough and helpful than other companies we have used that arrange walking holidays along the South West Coast Path. We were glad that we chose to walk from pub to pub because the rooms are always available earlier than those in B & Bs and if we were tired we did not need to go anywhere else for dinner. The only change we would ask for please is that the luggage labels be made waterproof - ours fell to bits well before the end of the trip because of the rain.

What a beautiful place. We had a great time walking from St Ives to Penzance. The landscape is absolutely stunning and we had perfect weather in September. Walking along the coast, not knowing what comes next and getting a warm welcome at our next B&B/Inn was lovely. Thank you for the the perfect organisation and all supporting mats, which include so many good tips. Our luggage was always delivered on time. We enjoyed the variety of accommodation. Zennor with it's Chapel Guesthouse and a pub with awesome food has been one of our highlights. We loved staying at the Treventon Guesthouse in Penzance, Steve and Diane did everything to bring us a memorable time with delicious breakfast and cosy rooms. We will definitely come back to Cornwall and/or discover other parts of the SW Coast Path. Visiting Cornwall was a great experience, even because of the people we met there. Thank you! Linda & Gero

Dear Damon - I owe you a feedback from our walk in Wales. I’m so sorry, but we had a lovely autumn with good weather, so we made several day walkings in the surroundings of our home. Now it is colder and it’s raining. In the Alps they have got a lot of snow so it is almost time for snowshoe walkings.

Our walking holiday in Pembrokeshire was fabulous and once again, I would totally recommend Encounter Walking Holidays without hesitation. This was our sixth walking holiday with the Encounters (I think) and, as ever, Damon and Ellie made everything so easy for us and really looked after us well – from planning our walks, arranging our accommodations, transporting our luggage, and even looking for a transport from the Bus Stop in Kilgetty to the accommodation in Amroth. (That was the only rainy day, so we were very lucky to be picked up).

We really enjoyed our holiday, walking through wonderful Welsh scenery (really magnificent Coastwalking) knowing that we had lovely accommodations waiting for us at the end of each walk. Even the not so great sceneries around Milford Haven we found very special and interesting. The weather was also very good. (do you plan it too?)

Thank you so much for ensuring we have such great experiences. It was really a perfect holiday!!!

I wish you a very good time and hope to hear from you again!

If my knees allow we surely will book again!

Dear Damon What a terrific holiday! We had a wonderful time, even the weather was just perfect. The accomodation wast first rate. We especially enjoyed the farmhouses. Thanks a lot for the perfect organisation. We'll come back !

The trip was all that I hoped for and more -- especially in terms of the scenery. The walks along the cliffs were amazing. I love the rolling and rural landscape. At 70 years old, the lengths of the walks were a bit ambitious for us. Twice we took a bus to avoid the city of Weymouth and the causeway in and out of Portland Island. The only day we had rain was when we were on Portland Island and we were able to just explore without circumnavigating the whole island. Encounter Walking was incredibly good with their support for the trip and thorough information. The book was invaluable. We got lost twice but were able to figure it out with the book. The accommodations were excellent and the luggage transfer perfect. I definitely would recommend this walk and this tour company.

Dear Damon and Team Thank you for the perfect organisation of the walk! I had a wonderful time in Cornwall with most of the time sunny and warm weather. The B&B's and Inns I stayed were all very nice and I felt like coming home. There was everywhere a very warm welcome. The luggage transfer was really magical and my suitcase was always in my room when I arrived! I enjoyed all the walking, the landscape, the scenery, the weather, and the spirit of Cornwall. I'll be back again!

We had a fabulous trip! Everything about it surpassed our expectations. The walks were beautiful- a bit more difficult than we anticipated but we managed the challenge. But the secluded coves, the sea cliffs, the lovely villages, the green pastures- all were exactly what we had dreamed of Cornwall being. The hotels were great- a variety from luxurious to slightly rustic. The details provided by Encounter Walking were perfect. We can't recommend them more highly. All the people were met along the way were warm and helpful. We ate delicious food- a bit too much and too often perhaps but it was a holiday! We have become fans of Tarquins Gin- will miss not be able to get it back in the USA. The walking notes provided were well done and we really appreciated the suggestions for eating and exploring. Thank you for a very memorable experience.

Thank you Damon and company for putting together a wonderful walking holiday and especially thank you for the support you provided due to our delayed arrival caused by Hurricane Hermine. We hate that we missed the first leg of the journey from St Ives to Zennor, but once we got started the entire trip went like clockwork.

Our luggage was always waiting for us and the B&Bs / Pubs and such we stayed at were expecting us and had our rooms ready. You could not have done a better job. I especially liked that we were able to select and review our accommodations before hand and there were no surprise taxi rides to lodging out in the boonies like we have experienced with other tour operators. Should we walk in some area you don’t cover in the future I shall demand that they be as forthcoming with the accommodations before booking as you are.

Of course, when we walk in SW England again, Encounter Walking Holidays will be our choice. Regarding the trail, we have walked 2 other sections of the SW Coast Path and this was by far the most challenging but also the most stunning. Fortunately, we chose the relaxed walkers itinerary, so distances were fairly short, but strenuous as advertised. The boulder strewn paths were different than the other sort of sheep trail paths we had encountered on the SW Coast Path previously. All of this was as expected based on your detailed descriptions of each days hike and we had a great sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.

One suggestion I would make to other hikers walking this or any section of the Coast Path. Get a hiking app for you phone that will let you download a map and a track of the path. I used Back Country Navigator Pro on my Android phone as was able to download the OS map of the area we walked as well as a track of the Coast Path. Whenever we came to a confusing intersection, we could consult the phone and see which way to go. While the sketch maps in the book you provided were useful, seeing our position and heading on the phone worked better for us, especially since the path is not perfectly marked.

I might also mention that we had dinner at 2 restaurants that were as good as any we’ve ever had in New York or London. The Shore in Penzance and Kota in Porthleven. They were both culinary treats. Booking way in advance is highly recommended. Again, thank you for putting together a wonderful walking holiday for us. We can’t wait to walk with you again.

Hi Damon and others,  We have just finished our itinerary today in Dartmouth. We have been going for 16days and have walked almost 200mls on the coast track with several diversions to places where I lived, was evacuated and grew up along the way. The trip has far surpassed my expectations. The weather has been excellent -if somewhat stimulating at times:)Only 1 hour of rain all the time. The scenery is unbelievable...still unspoilt and much of it as I remember it from over 70 years ago. The villages and accommodation were so excellent and interesting and we met some lovely and eccentric locals in all the pubs!

The walk is the best that I have ever done....varied at every turn and historically interesting.

we are now staying a few days with my brother in a beautiful converted church in N Cornwall. We will spend a couple of days on Dartmoor too, using your info supplied to us earlier.

We would not hesitate to recommend this to others. We were most impressed with the help and efficient service that your company supplied...and especially the luggage support service. No problems to report. We had a few diversions which were tricky when the Coast Path gave choices, but did not indicate why (eg tidal routes etc) but nothing major.We would love to return and do another area some time, Thanks for all your help in planning and supporting us ,

Overall, a GREAT walk. The first day (the hardest day) it rained the entire 3.5 hours. Luckily we were both in great spirits, and made it safely from St. Ives to Zennor. All the other days walks we had marvelous weather. Even got a bit sunburnt in September! All of the accommodations were lovely, the breakfasts delicious, and the luggage transfers were smooth. We highly recommend this walk and this company! The Cornish were extremely nice, and we will be returning to Cornwall for sure.

A stunning walk despite some heavy rain on the first day. Great views across the cliffs. A few concerns; there were a few spots where we were required to walk on the road, and the traffic made it rather daunting. The posted distance and times seemed rather less than what we experienced. All the accommodations were very nice and welcoming and the luggage transport was flawless. Overall, very pleased with the experience.

Sorry not to have sent our comments before but we have only just found your email in Spam! We did enjoy our walk although the first day was extremely wet and windy - we were very glad to find instructions on the front door of our B&B on how to find our room as our hosts were out when we arrived at about 3.30. We didn't have any problems navigating the route and managed to avoid the flooded track by taking the alternative across a field. We met a Canadian family at the second night's stay and were able to tell them about this as they were doing the route the opposite way. All the arrangements worked very well and than you for organising our trip.

We walked 90 miles in eight days, plus two days in St. Ives at the start to recover from jet lag, and a second day in Marazion to have enough time to see St. Michael's Mount (highly recommended). We had a literal "baptism" the first day, walking from St. Ives to Zennor in a driving rain and fierce winds. But for the rest of the walk the weather was mild, sometimes sunny.

We have taken many long-distance walks in the UK and I would rate the SW Coastal Path among the top two (together with the Coast-to-Coast). It combines some challenging stretches with dramatic coastal scenery and a sense of walking through history from prehistoric barrows to the ruins of tin mining operations. We enjoyed all our accommodations, particularly the B&Bs where we spent two nights: Cornerways in St. Ives and St. Michaels in Marazion.

As a general comment, we noticed that the accommodations en route were not as well set up for walkers as places we have stayed in along the Offa's Dyke and Coast-to-Coast paths: no mud rooms for boots and wet clothes; the heated towel bars that we use for quick drying clothes were often turned off. I suspect that this is because most of their guests arrive by car. All the arrangements by Encounter Walking were terrific--the smooth baggage transfers, the detailed itinerary and maps. We had a terrific time and I highly recommend Encounter to anyone considering a long-distance walk.

This is our third holiday with Encounter and I really want to thank Damon and the team for their attention to detail, care and personal service and their enthusiasm! We did this walk in 6 days - with one of the days being a day at Sennen to go surfing. We had a taster lesson and really enjoyed it. Some of the days walking were shorter than the standard walkers itinerary, but this worked well for us as we could enjoy the beaches more - swimming or paddling is a great way to finish a day out on the coastal path. All the days seemed different - stunning coastal views, the atmospheric tin mines, the Minack theatre, Cape Cornwall and great beaches. We managed fine finding veggie options to eat even in the smaller places. There was also a great community feel among the walkers along the path - catching up with each other along the way and meeting people from all over the world. I'd highly recommend this walk.

The Coleridge Way was brilliant and everything went very well, even the weather was nearly all wonderful!  The only part where we encountered any problem was coming down through the woods on the St. Audries estate. Finding the path was not easy from the description, but we worked it out eventually. Otherwise the trail was ok, indeed bracken had been fairly recently cut back, which was good as we were conscious of the risk of ticks and Lymes disease.

Accommodation was good, the Sundial House B and B at Wheddon Cross deserves special mention, they were delightful. Margaret and Stephen went the extra mile. Tea and cake in the garden when we arrived and Steve dried our boots overnight....without being asked! Also, there is a very comfortable sitting room for the evening and a super breakfast.

On the Porlock to Lynmouth stretch, it is definitely worth going to the Lorna Doone Farm in Malmesmead....a drink and a bowl of chips was a great Sunday lunch and fueled us ready for the walk to the NT cafe at Watersmeet.

All the luggage transfers were good and the taxi people in Lynmouth were great. We actually did Coombe Martin to Lynmouth on our extra day.....the weather was not good enough to do Simonsbath to Lynmouth. We started in low cloud, but we ended in sunshine and the Hunters Inn  was most welcome en route.

Thanks so much for all you did to make it possible, you worked very hard in a short space of time  to make it happen. It is something we will remember....indeed we got our certificate from the Exmoor National Park Office near the harbour to prove it!

 

Now back in Sydney after a wonderful six weeks holiday in England & Spain. We are finding it hard to settle down & are already starting to plan when we can walk more of the SWCP. 

We loved our walk organised by Encounter Walking from Padstow to Penzance & were very impressed how well it all worked out...from the start, when we made our first enquiry with you, until we departed Penzance - you did an excellent job for us. 

We had a wonderful time, were lucky with the weather and covered the steep ascents, descents, stairs & stiles with not toooo much trouble......as long as we didn't have too many cream teas, pasties or apple cider!!!?? 

Accommodation was generally very good & there was only one B & B which wasn't really 'up to scratch' even though the proprietors tried hard. Thank you to you & your team & hope we will be in touch with you again soon.

This is a lovely stretch of the coast path with spectacular views back towards the Lizard. The stages from Fowey to Polperro & Looe to Crafthole were quite hard in places but by pacing ourselves and stopping regularly we were able to cope without any problems. Great accommodation at all the stops with very friendly hosts especially Anne at Sea Breezes in Plymouth. We had excellent meals, particularly at the House on the Props and the Liscawn Hotel, and a very good value carvery athe Portbyhan in Looe. There are good snack stops at Whitsand Bay, Seaton and also at Portwrinkle. We had no problem finding the path except for the last 400 yards (sorry metres!) in Plymouth where we missed the path around the West Hoe headland. The other tricky part was just after Millendreath where the path has been diverted. However following Damon's instructions we found the path o.k. Thanks Damon, Ellie and the rest of the crew for yet another great holiday - possibly the best yet.

Some seven months after our walking tour of Cornwall, we have finally dug back through the e-mails to express to you are sincere thanks for putting together such a wonderful trip for us!

Kim contacted at least 3 tour companies last summer, concerning a walking tour on the SW Coast Trail.  Of those, only Encounter immediately took us up on the proposal and went to work finding us places to kip on very short notice.

Kim wore a pair of well-broken-in hiking boots, but she still managed to get a bad blister on the walk from Marazion to St. Ives.  It was plimsoles for her after that, and we decided to mix coast days with days walking the old right-or-ways through farmers' fields, etc.  The ordnance map made that possible.  All the routes we did were great.

When we got home I put in positive Trip Advisor comments on all the accommodation. The room at the Ship Inn, was very 'compact', but we knew that was coming.  The luggage was always waiting for us at every stop.

We would not hesitate to recommend Encounter, or to use your services again, if we are walking again in the UK.  (Now i better mention you on Trip Advisor.....)

It was a wonderful trip and a magnificent walk. The weather was nice, the guesthouses, pubs and B&Bs were friendly and comfortable, and the landscape was stunning. Although the walk was strenuous in some parts, we enjoyed every day.

Just for your information:
There were two places where we missed the way, because it wasn’t marked as good as usual:
Shortly after Percella Point there are some unmarked public footpaths and it is not clear which is coast path resp. which is footpath. We met other walkers who missed the way at this point as well.

Secondly, we couldn’t find the descent at Gew Grace, shortly before Kynance Cliff. But it was probably our inattention. The way through the grassland guided us inland at the gorge.

But we always found the right way after a short detour - so it didn't matter.

Thank you very much for your friendly help and for the perfect organisation.
We’ll come back if at all possible!

Having just completed the Coleridge Way I would like to say how impressed I was with your superb organisation. The laminated maps and route details were great and we only got a little bit lost twice, mainly my fault at Mansley Coombe. All the overnight stops were fine, the baggage transfers were fine and the taxi back to the start was great. - I shall recommend your organisation if I have the chance.
 

Our walking holiday was indeed a success! Everything went well, the accomodation you booked were very good, the luggage was transferred on time and very reliable.
We especially liked the stay at the Riverside Cottage in Lynmouth at the end of our walk: We had a cosy room on the 2nd floor with a balkony directly looking over the river Lyn and the harbour - a wonderful place to relax. And our host Debbie was very friendly and helpful in every way.

The weather was not perfectly kind. The first day out of Ivybridge we had strong wind (luckyly from behind!) and later on mist, rain and partly sleet until Scorrington - kind of an initiation. The second day was better, on the third day we started in mist and slight drizzle, but after we had reached Grimspound it turned better. The next days it was mixed, and we only had rain on the final day around Hoar Oak valley, but finally we arrived in Lynmouth in sunshine.

Now for the itinary:
On the first day we lost the way after the end of the trackway. It is vital to pass the hill on the left side (we followed a good visible track to the right and uphill, which was wrong!). Please make a remark for other walkers.

On our 4th stage from Drewsteignton to Morchard Road there is heavy road walking (>50 percent), and we were not aware of that before. Please mention it so other walkers will be prepared.

On the last stage you  warn people with vertigo or scared of heights walking along the cleaves - but the way is very safe indeed, there is no exposure like for instance on the actual Coast Path. Anybody should be able to walk it and experience the looks of Lynmouth and the Sea - so some encouragement would help.

Our highlights:
Walking the moor in any weather condition - a wonderful experience. Grimspound is very impressive. The Hoar Oak valley. The walks along the many rivers. The final stage looking down on Lynmouth.

So thank you once again for preparing an excellent walking holiday for us.
 

Well what a fantastic walk we had! I would like to thank you for organising lovely accommodation with great food and for transporting our bags onto each location with ease. The route itself is not marked out very well along the way, and maybe this is the only feedback that should be passed onto Dartmoor National Park. However, the route was absolutely stunning and breathtaking in parts. It was incredibly quiet along the route and some days we never saw another walker??!! The park is underutilised compared to other national parks, however, this is nice in a way!!!

Our 10 year old and 14 year old also did the walk with us and loved it all too....although they are glad to be home for the rest! I will definitely be back to Encounter to book the next walking holiday....the detailed itinerary was invaluable and gave us so much additional information and your choice of stopovers were fantastic. Thank you so much for organising such a great family and wonderful memories to cherish forever. Thank you again.xx

First we say "thank you" to Damon and his team for making this walk possible last minute. Everything was well organized and we enjoyed every day; accommodation, recommended restaurants, even the weather was fine. The first day was quite a challenge , long and sometimes uncomfortable to walk (for beginners on the path), so the second day we took a bus for the first half of the way. No stress! But at the end we walked another extra stage (to Praa Sands). I loved the restaurant in Sennen Cove (The Old Success Inn) and the strong wind at Lands End. We had a great time and will come back.

Firstly, the EncounterWalking team was truly excellent - always pleasant and helpful, and highly efficient in making our bookings and dealing with queries. Hotels/inns/B&Bs along our path were good/acceptable, and the diversity made for daily interest. We particularly liked the Café at Porlock Weir and the Rocks at Woolacombe; the Rising Sun at Lynmouth also has great character, and the newly renovated George Hotel at Braunton lovely rooms.

We loved our 7 days walking. Some of these sections of the coastal trail - particularly along the north of Exmoor - were a bit challenging, and we had to work at some of them to get them done in a day (but we are in our mid-60's, so I think some allowance is due!). 15 miles a day is fine if it is flat, but with hundreds/thousands of added vertical feet during the course of a day, our pace was probably slower than we expected. If we were to do it again, I think we might add a rest day, or a lower mileage day, in the middle of the week. That said, the hilly sections of the walk were beautiful and remote, with wonderful flora and fauna, and we would not have missed them for the world. In the latter part of our week, in contrast, we found ourselves walking some very flat paths around some very long estuaries. One estuary is fine for diversity, but I think we'd cut out any more of them than that if we were to do this walk again. Again, a lovely week's walking. Thank you, EncounterWalking!

I had a great trip from St. Ives to Penzance. Mostly gorgeous weather and stunning views. Just magical. All the information was perfect, bags always arrived well before I did and mostly the trail was well marked. I did feel that maybe the end of the St Just to Porthcurno route might have merited ‘strenuous’ as there seemed to be a LOT of climbing in and out of cloves in the last couple of hours, but it was the end of a long day so I might have been just tired. 

The single room I had in Penzance was VERY small, although very pretty and very well appointed. Warwick House was the nicest place I stayed and overall it was fantastic—proper sized bathroom with a full sink, which was great for washing things out--but requesting a slightly bigger single if they have it might be useful for walkers. There wasn’t enough floor space to open my suitcase anywhere but the bed. 

Everything else was really fantastic. The people who run the b&b in St Ives were especially great—I had a hard time getting there because of the St Erth fire, had to train to Penzance and then take a 2 hour bus ride in standstill traffic (apparently it usually takes half an hour??) from Penzance to St Ives, and they kept in close touch via phone to make sure I’d be able to get in when I did arrive and sat me down with a glass of prosecco to decompress! 

Really really great breakfasts everywhere I stayed!

I’ve been telling everyone what a fantastic trip I had and have recommended your company to many. Ellie has been SO helpful about planning the trip with my parents, in particular. It’s so great to have a knowledgeable person to help figure out what walk will best suit and when. 

We enjoyed each of the 5 hiking days and the extra days in Penzance and Falmouth too. We had a little drizzle one morning, the rest was sunshine all day long. Thank you Damon and Ellie for perfectly meeting our wishes and answering all our questions.

Big thanks to Damon and Encounter for excellent organisation and communication during the planning stages. The walk was wonderful - scenery stunning. Bag transfers all went like clockwork. Accommodation was fine throughout. Standout accommodation and meal was at the Lugger Hotel in Portloe. Also Sea Breeze in Plymouth was excellent. Only down was the very long and very boring walk to the hotel in Par at the end of that day - wonder if there could be an alternative? Thanks again and we will definitely recommend this organisation.

The saints way, we have walked 3 day s the wether was good . the Luggage transfers between accommodations was perfect. the b&b s where we stayed where perfect. specialy Tregolls farm many thanks for the evening meal top super!! and she gave tips for walking . rein & nies

Sorry for the delayed replie, it's a little difficult settling back into normal life after my fabulous adventure on the south west coast path. Thank you for the afternoon tea it was a pleasant surprise.

i have to commended you on your organisation, all my accommodation was wonderful, my bag arrived before me everyday but one! Because of your wonderful organisation, I had a worry free adventure.

i promoted your company when people asked how I had organised my walk and told people because everything was so well organised my only worrie for the day was what times breakfast, where's the acorn! And where's the pub for my midisonal G&T! 

Thank you and keep up the good work of assisting people to enjoy the extrodanary south west coast path.

Thank you very much for your support during our walking along the Jurassic Coast. It was a wonderful path and very interesting from the geology point of view. The lugagge transfer was absolutely perfect as well. We want to point out that our revers directions was successful for us because of the itinerary up and downs were in favour and also Lyme Regis was a splendid end.

Some details:

* First day, between Poole and Worth Matravers, as the weather was foggy, windy and rainy, when we arrived to Swanage we decided to give up and finish the stage by taxi. Oops!

The accomodation at Ann and Dave's home was perfect and they prepared dinner quite good. 

* The second day dawned foggy and rainy and Dave recommended us an alternative way  taking us to the start of that way by car. 

* The rest of the days were sunny and brilliants and we had no problem to do the stages.

* As for the accommodations, except the one in West Bay, that was a bit far from the village centre, they were well located and in well conditions, except the one of Lulworth Cove which we think it needs some improvement and changes.

* The whole of the hosts were really kind and friendly.

* To finish say that the explanation about the itinerary, diversions, highlights and so on were very helpful as well as the book and maps. Great! 

We are very pleased to have known you, pity not in person, and be ready for the queue of walkers you'll receive from either Catalunya or Basque Country!

 

We finished our Dartmoor Way on 6th August. Everything was perfect and very very beautiful the way on the Moor. The GPS helped us a lot to follow the way and we think that without it to get lost is very easy.

Thanks very much - Carmen

We were very happy with our entire experience. Encounter Walking were excellent to work with. They did a great job helping us plan our hike. Everything worked like clockwork. Thank you, Damon! The website is well organized, and user friendly. It really helped us figure out where we wanted to walk. Damon, and his team were very responsive to questions, and helped us custom build an excellent itinerary.

The hike was spectacular. We were constantly in awe of the natural beauty of this area. Our chosen walk took us through all kinds of terrain. We found every day exhilarating. We were left feeling like we accomplished something every day. If you are planning on hiking this section of the path, try to catch a performance at the Minack Theatre. The venue is spectacular. You can bring in your own wine. And, there is a kiosk in the parking lot where you can purchase a meal to carry into the theatre. We were very satisfied with all of the accommodations we chose.

We stayed at Cornerways in St. Ives, which was very cozy. It's a little difficult to find, but worth the search. The next night was the Gurnard's Head Hotel, our favorite of the trip. They have an excellent chef. Dinner was outstanding, as was the service. The next night was the Old Manse in Pendeen. This is a very quiet little town, only two restaurants, I believe. The Old Manse was clean comfortable and quiet. A great place to dry out, and relax from the previous day's walk through a gale. (We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the gale too.). At Sennen Cove, we stayed at the Old Success Inn. It was fine, nothing fancy, but met our needs. In Porthcurno, we stayed at Rockridge House. It was very homey. We were very comfortable. Our room, in the front of the house, on the second floor, had a great view of the sea off in the distance. The last night, in Penzance, we stayed at Torwood House. Again, nothing fancy, but met our needs just fine.

We flew into, and out of Newquay. The only mistake we made was booking the 7:40 flight out of Newquay. It is an hour cab ride from Penzance, so we had to get up super-early. All in all it was a fantastic experience. I can highly recommend Encounter Walking. I will definitely work with them again in the future.

Herewith some feedback as requested.

1. The arrangements and documentation were excellent. Everything went like clockwork and the only glitches were of our own making.

2. The best accommodation was at Millers and Staghunters the rest were much of a muchness.

3 .The food was generally good pub quality with high points in Williton and Wheddon Cross. Millers food was in a different category but we felt it was not quite up to the prices charged.

4. No problems finding the route as we use viewranger tracker but signage on Exmoor was worse than in the Quantocks. Some green lanes on Exmoor were rather overgrown but it was possible to walk through fields alongside. Cow/bull issues only once!

5.Due to bad weather we omitted the Wheddon Cross to Porlock sector so cannot comment on that stretch.

We did find the first walking day a bit tiring as we measured it at 13.5 miles and would probably have preferred to stay in Bicknoller.

All in all a very good week and thanks for such excellent arrangements.

Great walk and very well organised by your team. It was more strenuous than we anticipated and we wont be underestimating English hills again. Abbotsbury is an absolute gem!

11 days walking from Wembury to Lynmouth. Great walk, we all enjoyed it very much. The route marked by Ordnance Survey across the moors is not exact so one should just use it as a guide not as the exact line to follow. In a couple of places we had to cut across the moors as we couldn't see a path where shown on the map. Even with this, route finding was straightforward with the OS 25k maps (using the AZ Adventure series books for Dartmoor and Exmoor) and two good hiking GPS. On the final day we had to backtrack at an impassable ford about 500 metres south of the suggested high water route. We returned to Exe Head then east to the road which we followed all the way to the A39. Looking at maps and Google Earth at home in the dry, it looks as though it would have been possible to go over Exe Plain to the east of Hoaroak Water and join the suggested high water route thus avoiding both crossings of the swollen stream. It would be useful if this could be added to the detailed itinerary.

An interesting and varied walk through beautiful country with lots of panoramic views - which enabled us to see which showers had missed us and which were still to get us. These walks always seem more uphill than downhill - is that possible? Some ambiguous signage, some a bit overgrown, but the main signs on roads were clear and easy to follow. Overnight stops were comfortable, friendly, and helpful - and always with good food, Cyntwell b&b in Padstow (outstanding in the choice of eating places), the ancient pub in Lanlivery, and The Old Exchange b&b in Fowey. Luggage transfer worked well, and our two taxi drivers, Michael, from Padstow, and the lady from Fowey, were friendly, helpful, and informative. A wonderful three days.

Hello! Thank you for all the detailed work you did to help us plan our walking holiday in Cornwall. 

The trail was well marked almost everywhere, and your directions were really helpful. There was one place: Near Pendeen you pass a lighthouse and are on a road. It is not clear where to turn right to get back on the trail and off of the road. There's a trail marked "public pathway" and another marked mysteriously just "P". The correct trail is the one NOT with the P. The correct trail is directly across the road from a big white house with a blue gate and an address on the gate -- the address contains the word Enys. (I forget the number.) After you get onto this trail and off the road, pretty soon you see the acorn marker -- but there's no acorn marker at the road. At this location, the guidebook (not your instructions) said that Pendeen Farm offers cream teas in summer. We walked to Pendeen Farm and disturbed some holiday makers -- the farm no longer serves cream teas. There are signs on the road saying "Cream Tea two fields away," etc but the signs are incorrect. Otherwise the guidebook was very accurate and helpful.

Loved eating at The Loft in St Ives. The newer St Ives Brewery up by the high car park was pretty good and it got you out of those crowded, shoulder-to-shoulder streets. And there's a bus up and down to the car park from the waterfront, which we took down after having lunch up there. We did laundry in St Ives, up near the town hall, it was very convenient because we were able to drop off and pick it up later for nine pounds for one large load. This saved time for us.

The Red Lion in Newlyn was fun. We heard there's a little place in Newlyn, right by the bridge over the creek and next to a fish restaurant, with homemade ice cream that is supposed to be great! But we missed this. We saw the shop but didn't hear until later how great it is, and at that point we hadn't yet had lunch.

The telegraph museum in Porthcurno is fascinating.

Walking back across from Penzance to St Ives was really fun and beautiful, but of course we were really hungry near the end. So we thought Carbis Bay was closer and would have lots of places to eat. It turned out to be more of a posh suburb with limited options for food -- so we went to the fancy Carbis Bay Hotel for a cream tea. It was expensive but it felt good to sit in a beautiful place with a view and celebrate our walk. Then we walked on into St Ives and back to Cornerways.

Favorite thing or highlight: 

I love England in general! I love how everything's made of stone. And my favorite thing(s) were the old parish churches and their graveyards, particularly in Zennor and in Ludgvan. We spent a lot of time in these graveyards and the churches were open to go in. It was really moving to see the care taken in the building and maintenance of these places, and in the epitaphs on the stones, and the handmade "everything" inside each one. I wish we could have gone into St Ives church, but it was closed, then open only for a funeral and another service. I also loved seeing some standing stones and some mysterious stone circles. I didn't like the mine area, but my husband would like to go back and take the mine tour!

We loved the Barbara Hepworth museum AND the indoor/outdoor "art tour" of St Ives, led by a Tate employee named Andrew. He gave us lots of cool facts about the art history of St Ives, including facts about the church. It seems they're doing this because the Tate is closed. It was about 90 minutes and very worthwhile for anyone who likes to walk around and look at things.

If we do this again, we will make more overnight stops, to shorten the walk each day so that we can linger more.

As far as accommodation goes, each one was unique and excellent. We were really happy with them all. It was especially fun chatting with Tim at Cornerways because we had a little more time there (our rest day).

I want to do this again next year! Realistically I am not sure that will happen. But we loved it. Thank you for everything. Feel free to use anything I've said. Photos are attached that you can use with or without attribution.

thank you Damon and others. the route was beautifull and perfectly orginized. the luggage transfer worked perfectly the accomodation was good (Port Gaverne Hotel was the best with a superb restorant) and we found the information and advices on our itinerary supplied by encounter walking holidays very helpfull. will be glad to come again for another part of this wonderfull trail yuval, avi, eli, & ziv from israel

Wonderful service! Really helpful for my first time planning something like this from across the pond. Encounter was was very patient with me in the booking process answering my multitude of questions and very accommodating while I tweaked my plans. From the directions for the hikes to the bus locations and taxi numbers, this service made the hike worry free and flexible. We planned each day individually from the info supplied to accommodate the weather or just how we felt after each days walk. One note: the miles shown in the info may have been stated a bit shorter than what my walking app showed. The Wales Coastal Path was so beautiful and so worth the walk! We even got to know the luggage transfer guy (taxi service) who was very helpful and personable. 

The accommodations were great! So charming! Each one had something special to offer. Thoroughly enjoyed our stays!  I would highly recommend Encounter particularly for those not familiar with the coastal walk!

We would like to say how much we enjoyed our holiday and also thank you for your efforts in booking everything for us and organising our last-minute changes. We liked all of our accommodation especially The Tinners Arms and Cornerways B&B. We were very impressed with the luggage transfer, we had absolutely no problems whatsoever, luggage was in our next location before we were every day. The walk was great, our GPS told us it was a bit longer than your notes, but the views were fantastic and your notes on St Michaels Way were very helpful. Thanks again and we hope to be back next year to do another part of the Coastal path, fingers crossed for more great weather.

We had a FABULOUS experience. Everything was organized as promised. The distances walked were just right for our girls (6 and 13). The hotels were clean, comfortable, and friendly. The maps were easy to read and the weather cooperated for us. The only thing I would change would be to have some contact with Encounter on arrival at the first hotel, either by email, phone, or a message left at check-in. Thanks for a GREAT holiday!

We very much enjoyed our Coleridge way walk, thursday 14 -tuesday 19 july. The old cider house, nether stowey, nice genial hosts, good man is Ian, good beds, good english breakfast. A good start of our route.

Stilegate b&b, west Quantoxhead, very luxurious room and luxurious breakfast, Heidi really took care of us. Her husband even drove us to our dinner at the Bicknoller Inn and arranged with the landlord to call us a taxi back. We understood that the Windmill Inn is seen as a roadhouse and not a holiday-ish place. It certainly looked forbidding when we passed it just before walking up to Stilegate.

Trinity cottage , Roadwater, nice and quiet, Abigail as nice and quiet, good beds and breakfast. Lunch at the Notley arms was wonderfull. The host makes you feel welcome and serves good food and a nice pint of Pleasant Pheasant to go with it. On the way we visited the church at Sampford Brett, managed by a spruce elderly couple who told us that the village of 200 mostly elderly were welcome a new young inhabitant. Of 65 years...

The rest and be thankful, wheddon cross, is exactly how you feel when you arrive. Had a good night's rest there, evening meal adequate, busy restaurant with correct service. The Royal Oak in Luxborough served a nice lunch outside on their small front terrace halfway our walk.

Route: at number 70, the big post bearing the feather has rotted down and lies ond the ground. Leaving the woods it is not immediately clear which way you need to go. Using the map you can' t go wrong as it is straight ahead up the field.  In general it seemed to us that the first half of the route is better kept than the second. Feathers are less weather worn. Of the path between 72 and 73, the last half was overgrown with nettles and brambles, so we had to take to the field itself.

Millers at the anchor was a very memorable stay. Drinks outside with a view of the rapidly ebbing harbour and a very good restaurant. We took a packed lunch from The Rest and be thankfull which wasn't very good, just an expensive sandwich. Enjoyed a tea and scones in Porlock before walking via Sparkhayes lane to the seaside and following the coastal path to the Weir in stead of taking the official route which is yet another shady lane without much of a view. The C way has many of such lanes we found. We came to understand why people prefer to walk the route in spring. Foliage is 't blocking views as much as in summer. The same goes for the sometimes shouderhigh ferns out on the moors.

More route feedback: you warned us to take a different path after point 95. We did so quite clearly but found that after that, going up on the moors to point 100 at Brockwell, the route signs weren't as clear nor as numerous as before so we relied on the compass to keep a path generally in the direction of Brockwell. The post bearing the roadsign to Spangate grove, somewhere between 97 and 99, was lying flat on the ground too.

The Staghunters Inn, Brendon. Very agreeable stay. Nice room, in the back a big and quiet,very well kept garden, beer and cider on the grass beside the river in front. Dinner was an adequate pub meal, all hosted genially.

Rock house, Lynmouth. Busy people, at once you are in a busy tourist village where service is somewhat less personable. The location and the views however we very much enjoyed, as we did the restfull afternoon on the lawn next to the minigolf, with a view of the sea.

On the next morning the owner of Riverside Taxis brought us back to Nether Stowey. A nice talkative man who fled from a too hectic life with hasty people around Oxford to a financially less nly more rewarding life in Lynmouth.

We had a happy holiday, not,in the least thanks to your careful and detailed planning. I'll send you some pictures separately. Thanks!

We had a great walk from Newquay to St. Ives! Thanks to Damon and Encounter for organizing this! Planning, preparation and payments: Excellent! Worked out a suitable route four us together with Damon, who also promptly followed up our emails with answer to our "stupid" questions. Safe and easy payments with credit card. Route: Newquay - Perranporth - Portreath - Hayle - St.Ives. Accomodation: Great, and we used the budget options. Rooms were clean, hosts were very welcoming. Nice breakfasts all over. Luggage transfer; Worked smoothly with no problems whatsoever. The luggage had arrived at the destination before us, even on the short 4th day when we arrived pretty early. Walking: Walked the route almost on the average walking time suggested in the itinerary. Easy to find the way along the path. We can definitely recommend Encounter Walking to organize *your* trip, they did an excellent job! Regards The Stølsnes family...

We had a truly fantastic walk - thank you!

The weather was amazing (almost too hot at times, but I won't complain!!)

We really enjoyed every bit of it (except maybe the dead sheep!)

Navigation was easy - although occasionally well meaning locals tried to tell us we were going the wrong way - clearly we weren't but maybe some parts of the route have changed / moved ? We took all the optional diversions / additions (including Dunkery Beacon - in a heat wave - this was about the only place we saw any other walkers on the whole route) and ended up with a total walk of 68 miles.

A really fabulous walk which deserves its high position in long distance walking circles. Can't wait for the next one!

We’ve had a most enjoyable walk from St. Ives to Lizard. Great thanks to all of the Encounter-staff – their bookings (B&Bs, luggage transfer) and recommendations (break day, route) fit perfectly! The daily distances matched our fitness ideally – how did you know? Amazing scenery, stunning views, the trail just beautiful, thus in parts demanding – and the drop of clotted cream on top of it was the perfect weather: not too hot, but sunny all day long. So we recommend: book via encounter, bring walking boots and sufficient sunscreen, and enjoy perfect walking holidays! Communication with Encounter was very helpful – quick, very personal and always accurate. Thank you for this great walking experience! Nele & Peer

The walk was a success! Dartmoor was beautiful, the weather was good, and the people we met were very friendly and helpful. This includes all the landlords and –ladies at the pubs, hotel and B&B. Thank you for all the useful information, suggested detours etc! We really enjoyed the extra walk on the moor by Belstone and going down Lydford gorge.

We had a few minor problems, however.

We lost our way a little between Water and Moretonhampstead. I think we chose the wrong path at Horsham and somehow ended up in Manaton. We walked on with the help of the OS map and by looking at the landscape around us, and came on the right track again near Neadon.

After North Bovey (as described on page 6 paragraph 2) it was a bit unclear which gates we should go through/over, what field we were supposed to go over, and in what direction. We went in what we knew was the right general direction and found the right path after a while. 

We were a bit confused before Belstone, regarding how many footbridges we were supposed to cross (3?) and what paths to follow. With the help of the OS map and my tablet with GPS we eventually managed to find our way to Belstone.

On Sunday we went to Lydford Gorge and then planned to catch the bus to Tavistock from Lydford or Mary Tavy. The only problem was that there were no buses on Sundays! We had to change our plans and get a taxi instead.

The information in the Dartmoor Way generally seemed rather old and sometimes out of date.  Several gates had changed and were no longer stiles or kissing gates. One example: the kissing gate described in paragraph 1, page 12 is no longer in use, but still stands by the path as an object of interest. Apart from these minor problems, we had a wonderful time walking on and around Dartmoor!

Thanks Karin thats really helpful and we have left the information above on the site in case its of use for others this year. The good news however is in the previous review - we are hoping for some improvements shortly on the ground that will tackle these issues for 2017 season.

Like last year we enjoyed a perfect organization, beautiful sceneries and nice accomodation. Weather was fine and we had no difficulties finding the path. With two of our rooms we were not so lucky, because they were located next to noisy kitchen ventilators. This was at the Harbour Inn in Portleven and at the Paris Hotel in Coverack. At least they were switched off after midnight. Otherwise it was just brilliant and we will come again.

Our memories are not just good but unforgetable.

The thing is that everything worked perfectly. All transfers of both luggage and people were perfect. The weather was ideal for walking. The accomodations were excellent. Exactly the right level and very well located. Lars would especially like to thank you for all your efforts and concerns. I must say that we are very impressed with your work. It couldn’t have been better. Some of the walkers were not familiar with this very beatiful part of the world. But now they are and they are very happy for that.

The only thing that the walkers were a bit unhappy with were basically themselves. As we had no experience in walking these distances for several days in a row (we usually do one-day walks), about half the group found the walks a bit too long. They felt they needed either shorter walks (maximum 15 km) or maybe a day for some rest somewhere in the middle. Life is a learning experience.

Thanks again for an incredible holiday/walk.

Dear Damon and others, We enjoyed our walk along The Saints Way very much, 9 – 17 july. The first walk from Padstow and the last part to Fowey we found most beautiful.Lodgings were very good, people friendly! Thank you for all informations on bus etc. We had no trouble finding our way.

However, we had two very scary moments, crossing/passing busy roads. We were not prepared for this by the description.  These locations:

1. Walking (on the Saintsway) a short piece of the A389 in Litte Petherick, the bridge and a piece of bending road. You see nothing coming and lots of cars come along this small road. When we looked back we saw a sign that walkers should not walk on this way. So the cars do not expect walkers. Very dangerous!

2. Walking along the A 390, near Lostwithiel. We were prepared by looking on the map. But yet, the road was crowded, cars, caravans, this holiday saturday. The trees were not cut, so for safety we walked bending our heads and schoulders between de branches, to walk on the grass.

Maybe you can put in a warning for these locations. Or even better: is there an alternative route possible?

Met vriendelijke groet,

Hi, we would like to say thanks for all your help in making our walk so enjoyable and stress free. Everything went as planned with no problems of any kind. The b & b's were all great with really friendly hosts and great breakfasts - we would definitely recommend all of the b&b's for future visits. We have carried our own bags on past occasions but this time we had our bags moved on each day and this helped in making our week's walking a very pleasurable experience. Once again many thanks and we look forward to booking with you again soon for the next stage of the South West coast path!!

We want to thank you for organising our amazing walk in Wales. It all worked so perfectly.  Apart from one day - the official first day of walking, the weather was almost perfect too.  Will come back to that day in a minute.

As we arrived early on the day before the walk was to begin, we re-arranged the taxi to drop us at Amroth (thanks to your included phone numbers) and then walked backed to Tenby.  It was lucky we did as the following day the weather was blowing a gale and was very wet as well with visibility almost zero.  We decided to catch the bus to Manorbier and then walk back along the track if the weather cleared. It did sufficiently for us to walk for about 2 hours.  Naturally we were disappointed we did not walk the whole way from Tenby, but at least we saw some of that part of the coast.  The rest of the walk was terrific and we were able to follow your detailed instructions easily.

The accommodation was all very good and the rooms were clean and the food fine.  The Manorbier  hotel room was a touch small. We would probably have preferred to pay a little more to have had a larger room in their hotel.

The books you supplied were informative and helpful and well used throughout our journey. We enjoyed our three nights in Pembroke spending one of the day's walking and at their castle and the second on a day trip to St David's by local bus which was great too.  The Angle B&B was superb and the owners most hospitable.  Please let them know at some stage how much we enjoyed our stay with them.

And yes, whilst parts of the walk were challenging, especially from Freshwater West to Angle, we could still manage it comfortably at our stage of life.

Scenery was spectacular. One sunny day with crashing waves and playful seals. One foggy day for atmosphere. Some mist. Hike was a work out. The outdoor Minnack Theater over the sea is a must stop. We watched part of a rehearsal for the Winter's Tale. Met some friendly hikers including a family staying at a family home in Porthcurno. They invited us to supper. Accommodations were very nice with one exception. Enjoyed particularly The Old Manse in Pendeen and the Ship's Inn in Mousehole.

We had a successful and enjoyable walk from Plymouth to Torquay, thank you. The itinerary information was fine, and all the B&B accommodation was very good.

The only problem we encountered was with some of the way-marking, where it wasn't obvious which way we needed to go. Two In particular were: over the fields between Strete and Matthew's Point, and from the Torquay Marina to Daddyhole Plain then Cove.

I've got to tell you that the walk was just really really enjoyable. Therewas nothing that was a problem, all the places I stayed at for a night or two where very different and worth the experience. The itinerary was well composed (meaning the distances were perfect and all the little pieces of information were very interesting). So I'd like to say thank you for a wonderful holiday!! 

Dartmoor itself is lovely. We walked the Way in 7 days. The first 3-4 days were not on the Moor itself, but through lovely forests and by lots of streams. Days 5-7 include much more time on the Moor. What I did like were Encounter's additional notes which helped. The accommodations, while not fancy, were very pleasant. If anyone is staying in Okehampton, we happened on an Indian restaurant on Fore Street called Ma'ida - it was absolutely excellent and you should try it.

For the down side, the Dartmoor Way I think is not yet an official national trail, and I don't remember seeing any waymarkers that referred to it. Generally, many of the footpaths did not have waymarkers, and we relied a lot on our GPS. The Way is therefore not heavily walked, and we had a number of places where paths were seriously overgrown with nettles & brambles (this being July and it has been wet and warm). In one place, a path about a quarter of a mile long took us almost 45 minutes to get through. Also, when the weather was wet and we were walking through fields of grass that were knee high, because the path hadn't been walked much, we ended up soaked. So I wouldn't particularly recommend the Dartmoor Way itself, or not in the growing season, but I would recommend Encounter wholeheartedly.

As well as the notes being helpful, everything arrived on time, and when even on a Sunday morning there was an issue with payment at one hotel (the hotel's mistake) someone at Encounter picked up my call, sorted it out and then also rang the next hotels to make sure there would be no recurrence of the problem. I will certainly use Encounter again for another walking holiday.

Encounter Walking Note - Positive note from us we have just heard (July 2016) that the route has applied for grant development money for 2017 season which will include a new section, full signage and path improvement (finally)  so we hope to be looking forward to better conditions on the trail for next season and furthermore will hope to be involved in that work - get in touch if you want to know the latest  There are plans for an extended section to the South of The Moor linking Tavistock to Buckfastleigh via Ivybridge as an option - anyway improvements to this trail look like they are coming and we are delighted to see this after working on this route for many years !

We enjoyed this walk and it was interesting to walk st Michael's way and see both coastlines from Trencrom hill. We felt it was a bonus to return to our car via this circular walk. Our luggage was delivered every day before we arrived and everything went to plan. We would definitely use encounter walking again. The walk was quite strenuous at times, being very up and down but we had taken the easy option - more overnight stops, and often felt we could have walked further.

We had a lovely hike over 2 days from Amroth to Manobier. Encounter Walking perfectly arranged all the details. Our B and B's were excellent with amiable hosts, good food, and quiet, comfortable rooms. I was a bit worried that my daughter who hates to hike might not fare well on the more strenuous sections of the trails. But she did fine and found out that she can enjoy hiking in the cooler weather of Wales. The scenery was beautiful beyond my imagination. I hope to return.

First of all, I would like to say a big THANK YOU for the excellent planning and assistance provided through your office yet again. Absolutely everything was perfect including the weather. We still cannot believe how lucky we were. We had sunshine throughout the walk except for the last morning. It was incredible. This actually was the best out of the three walks we did. I am not sure whether  this is because we allowed more time this year, whether we were fitter or if it was because of the weather. I suppose it probably was a combination of all three. We knew what to expect, brought the right clothing and were rewarded accordingly.

From our point of view we would recommend you continue to use all of the locations we stayed at. They are all different and sometimes it is difficult to compare hotels with private BandBs. We like the mixture!

The information on the trail, the highlights mentioned and the directions given were outstanding and a big thank you for all the recommended places/sites to visit and hard work you put into the detailed preparation. We had no problem following the trail at all. The views are stunning (especially in the good weather we had). The daily distances were  just about right. In order to be able to enjoy the location you walk to in the evening and not feel too exhausted, a distance of up to 20 km is well within our comfort zone. Anything above that, especially if the trail has a description of being severe and you walk for hours on very rocky ground, is outside of that comfort zone and we just feel too tired to wanting to explore the village / town you walk to. Which is a shame. Every place we have been to has its own charme and it is a pity not to take the time to explore it.

As you know, we stopped after the first five days of walking and went to the Scilly Islands for a short break. I would highly recommend this to anyone walking through Penzance and having the time to do so. We definitely enjoyed it. St Mary is wonderful to explore and we spent the Sunday walking around the Island. It is a walk of about 6 hours, moderate level and just as enjoyable as the SWCP.

A very big thank you also to the staff from the luggage transfer. Everything was perfect.

One recommendation for those who wish to visit the Minack Theater and perhaps enjoy a show there - the distance St Just to Porthcurno may just be a bit too long to arrive on time - unless you set of early enough in the morning, especially as there is lots to see on the way.

The ferry crossings at Gillan Creek are well worth an experience and I leave it to everyone to explore and enjoy!

Just finally, we have met a number of people on the path who have been talking very highly of encounter walking holidays, how well you are organised! This was confirmed by comments of BandB owners / hotel staff who obviously have the possibility of comparison. WELL DONE! And continue the good work.

Overall, we had a wonderful time on our walk. Except for occasional showers, the weather cooperated allowing us to enjoy the splendid scenery. The accommodations were excellent and the hosts at the smaller establishments friendly and engaging. All breakfasts were hearty and well prepared. The luggage transfer system also worked well. We have nothing but praise for the Encounter Walking staff, as they delivered what they promised. Because our journey from the US to Padstow took well over thirty hours, our decision to build in a rest day at the beginning of the trip was a wise one. Padstow is a lovely small town, we enjoyed seeing the sights and reducing the effects of jet lag. We also took another rest day, after four days walking, at St. Agnes. This is a fascinating town with a small museum that helped put the physical remains of the former mining industry around us into their historical context. The highlight of our final day in St. Ives was a visit to the famous Leach Pottery. Thanks again, Encounter Walking folks. Your care in designing an itinerary to meet our needs was greatly appreciated. Hal & Michelle

Excellent walk that I really enjoyed. Information from Encounter on route good. Because I booked so late the long day was just that bit too long but knew that and will book sooner for next legs. There is a cafe open Tues-Sun called The Waterside not on your info with good views, if nice enough to sit outside, of the estuary on the right about .5 of a mile before The Braunton Inn on The Tarka trail. All B&B's lovely but evening meal at Blair Lodge absolutely fantastic. Only negative comment I did not feel the packed lunch from The Bath Hotel was good value for money compared to elsewhere where such was needed due to the route. Thanks for organizing my hol - it was all I hoped for and expected.

Had high winds to beautiful sunshine & all between. Enjoyed every bit of it except the walk into Newquay. Please insist on taking a bus as it is horrible to hit the hurly burley of the town after such beautiful country walking! Also got a bit lost through Hayle as we interpreted the causeway wrongly & walked out on a nature trail across the water & when we realised it wasn't going to the other side, we paddled across to a railway siding. Unfortunately a very long day! Also need to be aware of the pastie & icecream eating seagulls- they were vicious! All the accomm was first rate & we seemed to have the best room in the pub every time. Directions re meal spots were spot on & we advise to obey them. Went to Minack Theatre to a matinee & nearly cooked. Half a Shakespeare was enough, but the experience was well worth it & the swim at the nearby beach refreshed us(it was freezing). It was fun running into some of the same people each day & we felt like we'd made some good, though transient freindships . Cant wait to do another one in a year or two. Pip & Chris Williams

Fantastic walk. Plenty of up's and down's - don't under estimate the difficulty. All accommodation very good - Bush Inn at Morwenstow worth a special mention. Good meal at Olive Tree in Bude. Cool,wet and very windy at start of week but soon calmed down and then perfect. Very well organised and path easy go follow- Trailblazers books - excellent. Will certainly use encounter again........thanks

I must give you and your staff a 10+++ out of 10 for the administration of the walk.  Not only did everything go smoothly, but I very much appreciated your doing everything possible to make things the way I wanted them, for example:  no taxi transfers!!  How wonderful it was, each day, to arrive at THE destination.  I have thanked you many times before, but cannot thank you enough for arranging the best walk I ever had.  I know whatever else I do, the South West Coast Path will remain the ne plus ultra.

Problems finding the trail:  The only bad (stupid?) mistake I made was coming down from Mawnan Smith.  I neglected to go through the gate to the beach and walked almost all the way back up in a U.  A lady walking her dog set me straight!

I found having a GPS extremely useful to verify, on occasion, many occasions, that I was on the path and sometimes to help find it when there were tricky on-agains after reaching a parking lot or something.  

South Dorset Ridgeway:  The first part of it out of Abbotsbury is very pretty, but a lot of it is rather dull and you have to be VERY VIGILANT following the signage, which is quite good.  I would not choose the SDR over Portland and Weymouth had I not already done the former, but it was fine….you have it all to yourself!  

I might suggest a rest day in Abbotsbury for people who would like to visit the swannery and the subtropical gardens.  You can’t do both on the day you arrive.  Even I, who started out at 7:00 a.m. could barely manage, and I would have preferred more time in both places.  Those gardens were my absolute favorite of all the gardens I visited.  If one took a rest day in Abbotsbury, then one could walk to the Hardy Monument, thus taking in the best part of the SDR, and have time for, say, the gardens.  

Overall favorite sections were the first ones down from Minehead, but some were a bit scary, I have to say!  Around Hartland Quay with ferocious wind and rain on those steep cliffs….yeah, I had my moments!

Perhaps I did not need so many rest days, but there were interesting things to do in all the places I stopped.  In Dartmouth, managed Coleton Fishacre on the day I arrived (took a taxi in Kinsgwear—there is only one.  The lady at the Tourist Information was helpful with her advice to call before taking the ferry over to make sure the driver was available.) and visited Greenway the next day…ferry there and walked back.  Museum in Dartmouth is also very interesting.  Back to Coleton Fishacre…a walker can enter from the path, see the gardens before 10:00, even if not exactly legal, and then see the house and proceed, but I would not recommend it.  Too much for one day, but then I am not 25!

You can easily do both Greever and the Levant Tin Mines in Pendeen.  (It was Pendeen, right?)  The tours are quite different.

Hei, We are very satisfied with our trip on Saints way. We were well prepared for this walking with your
arrangement maps and information etc. Your helpful attitude to answer questians and try to make a it a good experience for the walkers is important. I was a little exited to take a walking trip in a another country ,read maps etc., but it worked well.

The wheather on our 3 days walk was not bad.1 day with no rain. 
The accomodation was very good,all 4 places.The English breakfast is very good to start with before walking. It was nice people with good service. I will mention spesially Tresgollsfarm. The food and service was incredible. It was good that it is possible to eat lunch in Lanivet,so we did not bring  packed lunch
that day.

We loved all the nice views on the route. It is interesting to know something about the history(trough the guidebooks) of the route.Some places it was a little difficult to see the signposts,but most places it was good signed. It was good to have the map in combination and the information about the route.Just before Blable house it was a signpost which was fallen down. The field below whith 10 bulls , before Blable house was a little scary, if the path is ment to go trew. We walked a little detour.  We walked down to Breney farm instead of walk path,maybe we did not see signposts (maybe we was not obeservant enough).It was difficult to get out of the farm with fences with barbed wire all over. But we managed to go trough the farm.

The luggage transport worked well. 

We loved  these days with walking in Cornwell and will recomend it for everyone.

Thank you Damon for your help in our planning.

I am proud of myself for completing the walk from St Ives to Penzance in late June as the weather was a challenge – just the one day without waterproofs! My favourite accommodation was the Old Success Inn in Sennen. It is modern with wonderful food. Sennen is such a beautiful place and after five hours walking there in very heavy wind and rain, the sun came out, dried me and I relaxed on the most beautiful beach. I preferred the Inns to the hotels as having a pint and dinner in the bar was more cozy and sociable.

We had plenty of time to walk through Padstow, which we (again) found one of the nicest places we have been in England. In Mawgan Porth, we had dinner in a restaurant named Catch, which was good and pleasant. To us Newquay seems a city not worth a long visit.

We didn’t pass the river Gannel near the ferry, but at the footbridge more upstreams (the tidal information we had got from you was very helpfull). We spent the evening in The Bowgie Inn at about 10 min walk, which was very pleasant, with good food.

Crantock to Perranporth - Unfortunateally this was a rainy/ misty day, with poor visibility. Until the dunes upon Perranporth Sands, the path was not very difficult to walk. But these dunes walked very unpleasant. Not only because they are very steep by time, but also because everything (sand and gras) ware very wet because of the rain. When we were at the Perranporth Sands, the tide was low, so we decided to walk on the beach, by which we could reach Perranporth.

Portreath -  We had a nice dinner in The Waterfront Inn, which is quite close at Cliff House.

At Mutton Cove we saw several seals with youngsters. Very beautifull. Later this day we saw several seals again.

The walk across the Towans was nice and very well marked (the stoned used to mark the path, were very beautifull).  Here we did not go across the beach, but passed through the dunes. They were much easier to walk as the dunes we passed through some day ago.

Didn’t like the walk across the holiday homes before entering Hayle. The quay before entering Hayle was nice and new indeed. But the walk through Hayle and from Hayle to Lelant was not very attractive.

St Ives to Zennor -  Here and during the first few kilometers west of St. Ives, the walk went over an easy path.

Later on, the walk became more and more strenuous, over a difficult and very rocky path, which went up and down constantly.It was severe indeed ! Today the weather was nice, so that we had good views over the rough and beatifull landscapes we walked through. We also saw some seals today. The Tinners Arms is a nice place to sleep, with good food and a pleasant atmosphere. It made us think more or less at the manned huts wich you can find in the Alps.

Walking across the (remainings) of the buildings of the Geevor and the Lelant mines is a special opportunity. During the last few days it already had become clear to us, that , mining had been very important in this area. But is is also clear, that the people, who have had their job in the mines, had a hard and unhealty job.

Most of the day, the walk stayed special, because of the old mining buildings we passed. The stretch was not that difficult as the parts we walked yeasterday and the day before. The nature was beautifull and rough again.

Today we passed Land’s End. Because the distance from Sennen Cove to Lands End is not to big, we were there pretty early and it wasn’t yet to busy. It is in some way a remarcable place to visit and we spent here some time. We were so lucky again to have beautifull weather with fantastic views.Except for the views and some time in the little shop, with very pleasant people, Land’s End is not a place for a long stay.

Also this day, nature was rough and beautifull, with splendid rocks. Around the Minack Theatre is was quite crowded.

In Penzance we stayed in the Dolphin Tavern. Shortly before we started our holiday, we heard from friends that this is a nice place to be. We can say the same now: it is a very nice Inn.St Michael’s Mt is surely worth a visit. It is a beautiful castle. And because the weather was fine again, with very fine views. We had a nice day there.

We went by train from Penzance to London Paddington and with The Heathrow Express to London Heathrow.

From there we took the plane back to Holland.

This is a pretty long, but easy journey.

Some parts of this stretch were very busy, this were the places were there are beaches and where is a lot of surfing and other water sports. Other parts were remote and beatifull to walk.

What surprised us, is that we had seen very few cattle. Where we, on our other walks in England and the South West Coast Path, have seen thousands of sheeps and  lots of cows, we now just saw of both just a few dozens.

Everything was arranged well again.

We enjoyed the contacts we had with Encounter Walking Holiday to compose our holiday.

The itinerary is clear and very complete. Erverything at the places we slept was ok. And we found our lugage with no problems at the places we stayed.

We have enjoyed England, the English food and the English hospitality very much again.

We really enjoyed the final leg of a brilliant walk. It all went very smoothly and we really enjoy having everything arranged for us.  The accomodation was very good and all our hosts were very helpful. The only weak link was the Webley Hotel in St Dogmails. The owner was lovely and he worked incredibly hard but the rooms were a bit 'tired'. Saying that the food was very good and the hotel is in a brilliant location for dramatic sunsets and walking on the estuary.

All our hosts provided really good packed lunches.

We really appreciate the hard work that went into finding such good locations for the overnight stops. It was really worth the extra mile to the Old Vicarage at Moylgrove !

Well we didn't pick the best of weeks, only one dry day, 3 showery and 3 heavy persistent rain, so bad that we didn't walk from Angle to Pembroke after a thorough soaking and getting caught in a squall the previous day. Hopefully we can go back to do that section next time.

so feedback:-

1. The Trail. Generally the path is good and mostly well waymarked. At Broad Haven it isn't very clear which way to go from the cliff top to pick up the lily pond path. Also on the path out of Broad Haven the waymarked path through the dunes is virtually impassable due to overgrown vegetation. It is best to walk along the beach and then up the steps to the car park (where there is a very good mobile café).

2. Tips. Nothing new, there aren't many cafés. The Old Point House at Angle only does food at weekends.

3. Highlight. the Church Doors rock at Skrinkle Haven, and having the beach there to ourselves

4. Accommodation. Good throughout. We were made very welcome by the lovely people at at Angle Bay B & B  despite turning up completely drenched. Our boots and socks were put by the Aga and all our wet things hung in a utility room. So good not to have them hanging around the room.

Thanks for pre-booked specific rooms at Jameston and Milford Haven, both were large and exceeded expectations. Jameston particularly good.

This is a really great walk. We had a group of 5 friends, plus another joining part way through. All arrangements made by Encounter Walking Holidays worked like clockwork. The coastpath is spectacular and rugged, with lots of wild flowers and birds, plus seals on the rocks and a pod of dolphins. The weather was bad for two days but we still managed to walk and the accommodations were all very helpful and friendly. (Especially Vivienne at Hampton House in Trefin - she has a wonderful boot drying machine!) We have now completed the whole of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and highly recommend the walk.

The whole holiday was beautifully managed and was a brilliant experience.  Each place we stayed was very welcoming and gave a high level of comfort, luggage always preceded us smoothly, food delicious, landscape breathtaking, weather perfect for walking, not a single fly in the ointment so many thanks for organising it so efficiently

I walked the 110 miles from Perranporth to Coverack as a solo walker and it was everything I hoped for and more. I will definitely be returning to walk the rest of the SWCP. The landscape is incredible from the wild, rocky stretches on the North Coast to sub-tropical, lush vegetation on the South Coast. On some days I walked for hours without meeting another person, making it feel as though I had the whole path to myself. Overall I found it straightforward to navigate my way from place to place; I had very few problems route finding aside from the occasional wrong turn, making for a slightly alternative route over a few stretches, but I never found myself straying far from the path. The Trailblazer Guide was incredibly useful for a solo walker, the maps for each section giving you confidence in where you are and what’s coming next, as well as signposting the next opportunity for tea and cake! One of the many highlights for me was the wide mix of people I met along the way, including walkers from Australia, South Africa, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden, as well as from all over the UK. Everyone I met was really friendly whether local or tourist and it was great to meet people along the way and share stories; I also found it useful to ask people I met what to expect along the next stretch. Tips: - The South coast sub-tropical sections are very lush, long trousers help! - A walking pole is really useful for some of the more rocky stretches - Ask the people you meet for recommendations on where to eat and drink the next day - Luggage transfers mean you can walk further each day - Staying in pubs is great! Overall my walk was very well organised without any issues; I will definitely use Encounter again when I return to walk the rest of the path.

What an excellent experience for the 3 of us. Each day provided a reasonable walking challenge, rewarded with a clotted cream tea break during the walk and an ale at the end of the day. The time guides were accurate and the information in the guide book gave a good indication of what to expect and the path was easy to find and well marked. We would recommend taking the steam train from Bishops Linyeard to Minehead or vice versa. It was a pretty addition to the journey. We had some mizzle and only really one episode of transient rain, making the summer weather pretty well perfect for us. The seamless transfers of luggage and suitable accommodation made a welcome relief to tired walkers. All up a rewarding experience thoroughly recommended. THankyou.

What a wonderful experience! We took the relaxed option (5 days walking) and stopped at Nether Stowey, Williton, Roadwater, Wheddon Cross, Porlock Weir, and Minehead, which is easier to get back from than Lynmouth. Ian and Lynne (and Ozy!) have some sort of magical alchemy going on at Old Cider House at Nether Stowey, definitely the best overall accommodation. When I booked I was concerned we wouldn't be able to make Monksilver the first night -- however if we do it again I would push on because the vibe at Notley Arms was great and so was the barkeep and his dog. Highly recommend Wood Advent Farm, too -- gorgeous setting, wonderful hosts, and the dogs are a big plus. Exmoor House and the Cafe at Porlock Weir had the best cooking, though all meals were delicious. Many inns offered alternatives to the full English breakfast, which I appreciated.

Luggage transfers were completely reliable. I recommend bringing carry-on sized bags even when booking luggage service, sometimes floor space is at a premium. We got lost a couple times navigating through pastures but the sheep helped us out (https://www.instagram.com/p/BHCVfpsj32M). Even getting lost we were able to average 1.5-2 miles/hour including stopping for pictures and lunch. A compass is a must, as is carefully identifying the fence lines when walking through tall grass (marked in black on the OS maps). The notes in the Coleridge Companion were a useful addition to the official directions. My favorites were the many green lanes, perfect for shelter from sun or rain. I also enjoyed the last day on SWCP, beautiful change of scenery and wildlife.

Damon and Ellie did a wonderful job organizing the trip, which allowed us to relax and enjoy our walk without worrying about accommodations or transfers. The only thing I would change would be to book the incoming transfer a little later than the train arrival, our train was delayed and our taxi had to come back to the station. I hope we can do another trip soon!

Everything went very well, except for some smaller injuries. It rained a couple of days, but we were rather well equipped for all kind of weather . The sceneries were amazing. We felt very welcome at all B&B and with a nice full English breakfast or excellent porridge we could walk several hours before enjoying a cider or an ale. The luggage were smoothly transfered from place to place. So, thanks for a well arranged walk! It is a pity that you will leave the EU, but that will not keep us from returning again!

I went 'off piste' with this walk to try and get the whole Jurassic Coast completed in the six walking days at my disposal. Encounter Walking were happy to oblige and sorted all the accommodation at each of the locations I'd selected along my route. I knew the area quite well already but it was great to have the accommodation sorted and bags transferred. Everything worked without a hitch so all I had to do was walk each day.

I stayed in a mixture of private guest houses, B&Bs and hotels and all were fine and met my needs. Worth Matravers is a lovely village but with limited facilities so I followed Damon's advice and ate at the guest house and also reserved a packed lunch for my next day. At every other stage there were options en route for lunch and in the evenings. I enjoyed staying at The Manor Hotel in West Bexington and at Duke's in Sidmouth. I got soaked a couple of times and it was hard to get kit dry as most places did not have drying facilities. As I had plenty of spare clothes my focus was drying out my boots by any means possible.

I knew what I had let myself in for with long daily distances - over 95 miles in six walking days. I found the estimated walking times accurate to plan my days. I completed most walks between 30 mins to an hour quicker than suggested. I am relatively fit and walked a steady pace with no long breaks or lunches. I think the important advice here would be to know your capabilities and limits. The full coast is doable in a week and is a great walk to complete but it is challenging when there is no rest day built in.

Having your itinerary planned, bags transferred and accommodation sorted makes a huge difference. The SW Coast Path in Dorset and Devon is very well trodden and signposted. On a clear day you can see your route for miles. That said, I read each section's daily itinerary carefully and was always in contact with my map. I would advise anyone to make sure they can read one. One day I walked in total disorientating fog (even in June) and at times the sign posts can be hidden by vegetation. Knowing what you are looking for and where you are on a map, how to read contours and other features, etc. means you don't make mistakes and add unnecessary distance to you walk.

Other advice to walkers would be to always wear long trousers. Vegetation is often overgrown with lots of nettle and bramble. In addition, the horse flies were out in force along certain sections. I saw lots of people walking in fashion trainers and even flip flops. I wore sturdy boots and needed them on certain sections. The terrain can be rough and the Undercliffs between Lyme Regis and Seaton a real quagmire in some sections. In all this was a great walk and a wonderful experience. I'm pleased I chose Encounter Walking to help plan and arrange it for me and would heartily recommend their services.

Everything was very well planned and fulfilled my expectations. All hosts were friendly and helpful. And the route is easy to follow - very well marked - you only need a map to follow your progress, not to find the way. Although it is a challenge to get to and from especially St Dogmaels, once you are there, local transport with walkers shuttle busses (al least in the summer) makes it very easy to shorten some of the days, or to stay in the same place two or three days, and take the shuttle to or from the walking.

This was my second time on PCP. I last walked the route in 2009 and always wanted to return. I found it easier this time. Most of the styles have been replaced by gates. It may sound like a small thing, but it really makes a difference on some of the very long and challenging days. The views, especially on the northern half of the route are magnificent. Compared to SWCP, the walking is easier, the views just as beautiful, but there is a lot more overgrowth to battle, I think due to the more humid conditions. I probably will return again, but next time I will skip at least the part before Milford/Sandy Haven - walking is beautiful, interesting, and diverse, even in the more industrial parts of the trail, but too many horseflies to my taste on this section.

First of all, I just want to thank you for arranging everything so nicely. We had a great adventure and everything went very smoothly.  All the luggage transfers and accommodations did exactly what they were supposed to do, so we didn't have to worry about anything other than our own feet! 

We definitely found hiking poles useful.  There are enough steep places where using your arms to help pull up or catch yourself coming down was a good idea.  Also in slippery or uneven spots we saved ourselves from falling many times.

For 60-year-old Americans, who don't take regular long walks, the estimated times were too short.  We were happy knowing that the daylight would last until 10pm, and we never needed that long, but every section took longer than expected.  The first day, Exmouth to Sidmouth, which was supposed to be the longest, ended up being fairly easy, perhaps because the weather was perfect, but also because the path was so varied in addition to being well marked. There were a few places where we were uncertain about which way to go.  There are so many public footpaths and in the foggy places it's hard to see a landmark to help locate yourself.

Americans don't know that breakfast is always included, so you might say that, just so no one has to wonder.  It was wonderful trying the various versions of the Full English Breakfast and feeling well fortified for the day.

Exmouth was a fun and easy place to walk around, find something to eat, buy snacks and get ready for our adventure. We loved the little place for coffee and sandwiches on the beach at Budleigh Salterton. Excellent lattes. Also, Sidmouth has a lot of nice shops.  I had to replace my hat which had blown over a cliff and there was a very nice outdoor adventure store. The walk to Sidmouth was, indeed, severe at times, with many flights of steep stairs cut into the hillsides. And we had a drizzly day with many low-lying clouds that we walked through on the tops of the cliffs. So we didn't have the full benefit of the views from the altitudes we had reached.  But the farmland and natural areas were lovely and we enjoyed seeing cows and horses.

If there is any way to clarify how to get on the public path to Branscombe before you get down to the beach, We ended up at the fine old mill in the National Trust area.  The very helpful man directed us to the old bakery for wonderful crab sandwiches and Devon Cream Tea.

Beer is absolutely delightful and the Dolphin Hotel was a good choice, as we were able to stay out of the rain and get a good dinner and local beer. There are many bakeries and shops where you can get a lunch, in addition to asking the very helpful staff to pack a lunch.  We opted for pasties and fresh fruit from the shop next door.

Interestingly, the newly reopened Undercliff Path was our least favorite bit.  It's too much like our lush, tangled American woods to feel very special, and the path was so slippery and wet that we had a hard time staying on our feet.  It seemed like a place that would never dry out and we felt like we would never see the end of it. Lyme Regis was a great reward, and the sky had cleared by the time we got there.  The first thing we did was wash off our boots and trouser legs in the sea. 

We loved poking around Lyme Regis the next day and would recommend that people build a day into their schedule to enjoy it. The cab to the train station in Axminster was only 14 pounds and well worth it.

Overall, it was a delightful trip and we are grateful for everything you did for us.

Thanks again.  Rebecca

What to say - another brilliant walk thanks to the organization and help of the Encounter team. This was our 4th walk and most ambitious in terms of total length of trail tackled but not being marathon marchers we had it split up into most days being less than 10 miles. That allowed us leisurely starts in the morning and arrivals at next stop well before dinner and time to explore if we liked. Took us more days of course but well worth the time spent. Although truth be told exploring usually meant finding the nearest pint at the end of the walk. We realized this trip that we like these walks because they are just big long pub crawls for us.

Hardest day was St Ives to Gunnards Head only because it was our first day plus it rained all day long with some nice gusty winds when on the headlands. The Gunnards Head was a welcome end to the day to say the least and maybe because of that remained at the top of our list for our favorite spot out of all our stays - food is incredible and the atmosphere and rooms were just right. Biggest disappointment was our next day which was suppose to be The Ancient Stones moor walk from Gunnards Head - but we woke to dense fog - i.e. couldn't even see the other side of the road from the inn so we cancelled the walk (we are able to 'lose' our way on the moors on a sunny day so certainly wasn't going to risk fog) and just pottered around the Inn and once the fog lifted late afternoon strolled out to the head to try and puzzle out the promontory fort there.

All in all this section of the coast path was the easiest we've walked yet in terms of strenuous up and downs and longs slogs although there was scrambling amongst rock and boulder that tested our path picking skills - that was fun - when not raining. Trail was very muddy and slippery in places throughout our days and a few bruises ensued due to that; but nothing serious. Just take your time and have good shoes. Some highlights for us - Sennen Cove was a pleasant stop and we enjoyed watching the surfers. Porthleven was a great little harbor town.

Inadvertently arriving in Penzance during the Golowan Festival on Mazey Day which gave us a great little interlude as the pub we had found to escape the crowds from was invaded by the roving troop of musicians for a private concert of old cornish fiddle, flute and drum music as we were the only patrons in the pub. fun.

While Gunnards Head Inn topped the list of all our accommodations they all were good finds for us and we'd return to every single one of them. To be fair to the B&B stops; it's hard to compare a B&B to an Inn - so of the B&B St Michaels in Marazion was the top of the B&B stops. GoldMartin in Mawnan Smith was up there too for the warm welcome and great conversation.

Walking notes as always were spot on; the recommendations for refreshments along the way worked great during the day and we found places to stop on nearly every day with only a couple that we needed to take food with us. All diversions noted were easy to follow (Trebah diversion is still in force). We've not followed the advise in the past to book tables for dinner but did this time and were glad we did - places were pretty busy and we felt that we were in not quite high season yet. Even just popping into wherever you might want to eat as you hit town can be helpful but if you really have your heart set on a place call a day or two earlier.

Outstanding meals had at Gunnards Head as noted, 2 Fore Street in Mousehole. The Square at Porthleven. In Porthcurno do not be put off by having to walk across the fields to Logan Rock Inn - even at end of day the walk was easy, not tiring and the food/atmosphere well worth it. For something different in Falmouth there is a Jamaican restaurant, Cribbs, with pretty authentic and good food and good cocktails. So as always - a big thanks to Encounter for their organizational skills and in depth knowledge and of course as always - we'll be back for the next section (once you start its hard to turn your back on it til it's all done I've found).

Just a quick note that we arrived safely in Fowey. Everything worked perfectly well, apart from the weather, it was quite wet at times. Nevertheless, we had a great time and lots of fun. Thanks for everything.
 

We have some feedback from our four days from Amroth to Pembroke. We really enjoyed it and do feel a fair bit of accomplishment at having made it. We thought we were pretty fit, but at the end of that first day…! Suffice it to say we pushed on and were surprised at our overnight recovery after each day.

State of the path during the walk – we were continually remarking on the terrific state of the walking track. It was just about always clearly defined and obviously well maintained. The wildflowers at this time of the year were a highlight. The signage with the acorn symbol and yellow arrow were almost always there when you needed them.

A final section on the walk-in to Tenby from Amroth was confusing and did have us making a 20 minute walk in the wrong direction. It’s on page 79 of the Jim Mathorpe guide book where the path to Waterwynch Bay is marked. A sign by the path referred to the beach only being accessible at low tide and had a reference to private property. We didn’t go past this sign but proceeded up the road almost to the main road taking traffic into Tenby. We turned around and walked back past the sign, finding the coastal path directions about 100m past this. Maybe this first sign needs clarifying.

Generally though the directions and maps were terrific and all three of: your notes, booklets and maps were used every day. Thanks for the opportunity to do the walk. We will be recommending it to all our friends who we think are up to it!

Damon,

Oh my gosh! The vacation you arranged for Eeva, Pat, my daughter Clara and me was the BEST EVER! I have traveled a fair amount in my lifetime, and never have I experienced such astounding beauty-we were amazed that around every corner there was something new and breathtaking!-such heartfelt kindness from the locals, not to mention the best B&B's and FOOD on earth!! Your choices and advice, your directions, luggage transferring-everything!!-was pure perfection! I, personally, had a smile glued to my face the entire trip because of my extreme good fortune at having experienced my own little piece of Heaven! I even loved the snails, which my 16 year old daughter lovingly picked up off the path and placed in the safety of nearby bushes, and the fact that I didn't see one adder!

I shall not, however, share my experience with anyone, as I wish to keep your coastline just as it is, not ravaged by more tourists!! Just kidding!... I will tell everyone to contact Damon for the trip of a lifetime!!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart! It is so apparent that you, yourself, have walked every step, hand-picked every B&B, tasted every Full English Breakfast, and placed every acorn guidepost to keep us on the right path! Pure perfection. As I unpack today, and go over and over the precious details of my adventure in my mind, I am gobbling up all the nickels and dimes and quarters from the laundry room, out of my husband's pockets, etc. to stash away for the next leg of the journey with you!!

Forever Grateful in Washington, USA!!

Great organisation by Encounter. THANK YOU. Luggage transfers were smoothly done. All stop overs were great with good breakfasts to start the day. Particular mention of Tregolls Farm where the owner was very hospitable and helped dry out boots! The Crown Inn was also a great place to stay. The route was well marked on Coastal Path and the views wonderful with plenty of options to enjoy our cornish pasties. On the Saints Way there were one or two places where we had to navigate main roads which were tricky and a couple of places where we could have done with a machete! The information sheets you provided were very informative and helped us to decide where to linger. The maps were very easy to follow and we didn't get lost! We would definitely recommend Encounter Walking and hope to do another one soon.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our walk, although we were not able to see and enjoy a lot of the sights as the weather was not ideal - we had two days where we were completely drenched through but our hosts on both days helped us get our things dry so that we could start the next day in dry clothes and shoes. The luggage transfers were fantastic, the documentation you provided was brilliant and we even were able to enjoy walking along the extensive beach at Perranporth in sunshine, wading through the sea.  We met some wonderful people in the accommodations, who helped us and made us feel very much at home.  

The only critique was that my husband really didn't enjoy the long walk to find Nanterrow Farm after having walked all day; fortunately, we were the only guests so that we didn't have to share the bathroom with other guests but a shower was not available and my husband only showers; my husband isn't so much a fan of old English houses either.  I didn't mind it very much, but I'm used to the English way of things!  We did enjoy ourselves and everything went according to plan and your wonderful itinerary.  So MANY, MANY THANKS.

In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we want to walk a different part next year but I will fill you in with the details in a second message so as not to mess up the system - finish one trip and then start with arranging another! All the very best and will send you the details of our next walk soon.

Overall we enjoyed our 3 days of walking although only on one day did we escape the rain - the last day Abbotsbury to Weymouth was the least fun as the scenery is ordinary - The Fleet & Chesil Beach are interesting but not particularly scenic, especially in the rain, and much of the coast path here is through fields away from the coast. This was compensated by the scenery & walking on the first two days from Lyme Regis to West Bay & W.B. to Abbotsbury. We were very happy with the B&Bs chosen by Encounter, although the " industrial scale " B&B in Weymouth was a surprise - fortunately this was our last night so we didn't need help drying out gear for the next day ( which the other more homely B&Bs were happy to help with) The maps provided by Encounter also worked out well, although we found the timings given for the stages were pretty optimistic - perhaps we were unusually slow but we added at least 1 hour extra for walking + another hour for stops ( Thus a 4 hour stage ended up as 6 hours). In terms of evening meals we found the small " Pizza & Steak" restaurant in Lyme Regis, tasty, good value,& friendly. In Abbotsbury we chose The Swan Inn over the more pricey Illchester Arms and were not disappointed. In Weymouth we chose The Ship , a shortish walk from the B&B and again were pleased with the simple pub grub, good bottle of wine and friendly service. Thanks to Encounter for helpful and friendly communication while arranging our walk.

now we are back and we had wonderful holiday, more than we expected.

The daily walks brought us to our limits but we did them!

Each of accomodation we had good time and enjoyed our stay.

All hosts have been very friendly,  especially Tim of Cornerways (St. Ives) and Louise of Chy-an-Mor (Penzance).

Luggage transfer was perfect.

Your information and the guide-book are very helpful.

Following guide-book maps and description  word by word and step by step  you can’t go wrong.

Each day walk differs to the other. New sights and aspects every day.

Very hard for me was the part of the coast path from Minnack Theatre down to Porthcurno at the end of day 4 because I was tired from the day walk.

As I hurt my knee on Day 5 we couldn’t do the St. Michaels Way.

But we talked about next year holiday and - may be -  we’ll come back and then we try it again.

bye-bye, perhaps until next year?

Despite the somewhat unseasonal weather we had a very enjoyable 3 days walking the Saints Way.  We thank you for the excellent organisation of the walk, together with the very good walking guides, maps and individual notes which you provided. The three overnight B and B's were also very good with particular praise for Marilyn at Tregolls.  The care and attention to detail which was provided by you and your staff was very much appreciated as was the courteous and efficient way in which any telephone enquiry was treated.  We would certainly recommend ENCOUNTER to anyone who wishes to do a walking holiday in the South West. 

This is a beautiful walk along a spectacular coastline but we think the descriptions in the guide book were a little misleading at times. We almost always took longer than described and it would have been helpful if the long stretches of uphill steps had been forewarned! There would have been times - in really bad weather - when we might have thought twice about undertaking those stretches. We enjoyed the variety of places to stay but the Newquay hotel was not up to the standard of the rest (will be emailing separately about this). Your instructions on how to reach the accommodation were impeccable.

Thanks for an excellent experience! Everything worked perfectly. The guide and maps were great and we had no difficulty finding our way. The accommodations were perfect, and baggage transfer went without a hitch. You did a great job organizing this for us. I would recommend your service to anyone. Just try to improve the weather a bit next time!

Excellent organisation of the walk by encounterwalking. We had no problems at all. Good information material and very good communication and informations before the walk. The B & Bs/guest houses/hotels were between very good and excellent with one exception which will be taken care of by encounterwalking.

The Pembrokeshire coast is beautiful and overwhelming and so was the walk. The scenery is dramatic and changes every minute. As we walked on the South West Coast Path (St. Ives to Mousehole) last year we have a good comparison and we can recommend both very much. The scenery in Cornwall is in parts perhaps even more dramatic whereas the views of long parts of the coast in Wales are unique. The level of difficulty of both trails is comparable, they are both strenous. In fact 2 of us found the Wales trail more difficult: the path is in parts overgrown with grass, fern and other plants up the the breast and the trail is in parts so narrow that we had to perform kind of a catwalk which is tiring in the long run. The other 2 found Cornwall more difficult: the trail is in long parts covered with rocks and stones which makes it strenous to walk. But the beautiful landscape overcompensates every strain and we had no problems (we are in our sixties/early seventies and in normal shape).

By the way: we spent some days in London after our walks and we were never so exhausted on the trails as we had been after one day walking in London. We found out that 15 km or a bit more walking was enough for us. So on two days we made use of the bus which connects many places along the coast and which is a very good thing. We had a lot of fun with the (lady) driver of the Strumble Shuttle whom we met several times as she drives six days a week and who was very friendly and helpful. Time tables of all bus routes are in the buses but it may be a good idea for encounterwalking to enclose a timetable in the information material. To sum it up: we spent a wonderful and unforgettable week in Wales. Thank you for the perfect organisation, Damon.

Well we did it ! 

And I need to thank you do very much . Everything went so well, our bags we waiting for us at every stop .  The path was well marked - well,   outside  of towns . We did struggle in towns , especially Weymouth. Your written instructions gave us the impression that the hotel was a stones through from the road joining Weymouth to Portland, but I fact it was about 2.5 hours more of walking ! This was partly our fault, because when we got there we then looked at our map and it was quite a distance . Thanks Carol useful feedback we could see the confusion was around the comments on "crossing the harbour into Weymouth" (we meant the harbour at Weymouth and you took it to be the Causeway to the Isle of Portland) - we've added something to the direction notes now to clarify that for everyone - EW

How we worked the paper side of things was : the night before we read from the book, so we had an idea of what to expect . Then we used your information sheet to guide us out and in to our hotel, but during the actual walk we used the map . I appreciate there was lots of information to hand, but when using walking poles you need your hands free . 

The accommodation you selected for us were super , thank you . Just the very first one in Lyme Regis wasn't there despite your information saying arrive after 4 pm. But I phoned her and she arrived in 5 mins. 

We enjoyed the different varieties of resting places, b&b / pubs . All were perfectly adequate. 

So all in all a very enjoyable trip . Would definitely recommend you to anyone .

Thank you so much once again  Carol and Kaye

Hello Damon! - We had the vacation of a lifetime! Everything went smoothly. We had only one day of ‘real’ rain, so we consider ourselves quite fortunate. The daily amount of walking was just right for us, the path well marked, and the scenery spectacular. Our bags were always waiting, and the accommodations were wonderful. Thank you so much for arranging all this for us so professionally. 

Thank you very much for all you did to help us have a wonderful walking holiday! -Highly recommend Encounter Walking and the South West Coast Path - Write up about the walk and accommodation for each day was very helpful as were the maps. - Luggage pick up and delivery was flawless and made this type of vacation very enjoyable. - Accommodation was nearly always spotless and very welcoming. - Trail was quite well marked. Possible improvement in getting through Newquay and the sand dunes. - The walk was beautiful! Areas where the grass was cut along the trail were especially good. - Daily distances were good for us. The trail was quite demanding day after day but we really liked it and the rest day location choices that you made for us were excellent. - We come from a very flat part of Canada. Having walking sticks saved our knees on the steep ascents and descents. - The Cornish people, without exception, were very friendly, welcoming, helpful and courteous!

A massive thankyou to Encounter walking! Having not done anything like this before it was made easy and went without a hitch. The weather was good most of the time but you dont walk the Cornish coast for the weather! Its a bonus if the sun shines.the scenery was stunning, the people, the places all very freindly and excellent full Cornish every day to get me on my way, averaged 15 miles a day and that was enough! The guide book and map were a great help, you can miss so much if you just march on by, once again thanks to the guys at Encounter I will be organising another trip for 2017.

I found this walk a great experience. The coastal scenery and wildflower displays were spectacular and all the arrangements made by Encounter Walking worked like clockwork. On my two rest days, I walked to The Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project and would particularly recommend the latter. I have a poor sense of direction and was walking on my own but found that the guidebook and OS maps generally kept me on track. The fog was very thick on the day I walked from Portwinckle to Plymouth and I became disoriented while on the firing range; even the sea had become invisible and the usual gaps in a hedge or other markers of the path were not in view. In these sorts of conditions it may be advisable to follow the alternative path alongside the road. Thanks for your wonderful organization and support - I have no hesitation in recommending Encounter Walking to anyone considering a walk in this area.

Thank you Damon for your the organizing. It was perfect. We had a great walk! Wunderfull views, superb landscape, lovely flowers and birds... The transport of luggage was going smoothly. All in all the accomodations were pleasant apart from the one in Penzance which was not of the same standard.

We had a lovely trip and were blessed with some amazing weather (almost too hot!). The scenery was amazing. We did find that our walking time was significantly longer than the estimate provided - although it was likely more due to the time spent gazing at the scenery. There were sections that were quite demanding but we were in pretty good shape and survived! We could have used an extra day (5 instead of 4 hiking the same route) to be able further explore some of the museums, tin mines, beaches. What we appreciated most was Encounter Walking making all the arrangements AND moving our bags each morning. there was never a problem and all of the bed and breakfasts were unique, clean and quite adequate (breakfasts were all amazing!)

In Swedish: Fantastiska vandringar i Cornwall, något för alla som ledsnat på att bära tunga ryggsäckar, sova i tält och äta frystorkad mat. Här bor man på jättefina B & B, oftast mycket bättre än hotell, får superb frukost, förfriskning på vägen och god middag på kvällen. Sträckan vi gick i år var från Padstow till Fowey (The Saints Way), därefter buss och tåg till Falmouth och från Falmouth vandrade vi The Coastal Path till Marazion. Vackert scenery var det i stort sett hela tiden - engelskt landskap med kullar och åkerlappar, mysiga små vägar som slingrade sig fram som gröna tunnlar genom landskapet osv. Byarna är små, ofta väldigt gamla med vackra stenhus. Pubarna, där man ibland övernattar, kan vara så gamla som flera hundra år, delar byggda kanske redan på 1200-talet. Gott öl och ale och maten är god, mycket bättre än sitt rykte. Och så är det dessa engelsmän! Trevliga, vänliga och hjälpsamma! Synd bara att det är så få svenskar som hittat till denna vrå av världen - det är det ultimata vandringsmålet. Vandringen efter The Coastal Path går i stort sett hela tiden längs med havet - Atlanten. Ibland högt uppe på klipporna med bara en meter till klippkanten med allt från några meter till några hundra meter ovanför den klippiga stranden! Häftigt! Det är mycket upp och ner men inte värre än att man klarar av det. På de brantaste ställen finns för det mesta enkla trappsteg. Stavar är ett bra hjälpmedel. Stora chanser att se tretåig mås, stormfågel, skarvar, sälar och har man tur kan man också få syn på alpkråka som är väldigt sällsynt. Samma gäller basking shark, en jätte som äter plankon, delfiner osv. Encounter Walking Holidays hjälper till med allt som behövs men gå får man göra själv. De bokar B & B, kör bagaget mellan övernattningsställen, föreslår vandringsetapper, hjälper till med tåg- och busstider, telefonnr till taxi, ja allt som man har behov av. Ett otroligt trevligt och hjälpsamt företag! Vi är supernöjda och har anlitat dem 5 gånger de senaste åren. Stort tack till Damon och hans vänner!

We had a wonderful trip last week and we were so lucky with the weather. How absolutely beautiful to walk along the coast path and local people were so friendly.

Thank you for organizing our trip

Amazing trip, my first walking holiday and it exceeded my expectations. Life changing. I am hooked. While planning our trip Damon and the Encounter Walking team consistently answered every and all queries in 24 hours clearly and a few times even answered questions before I had time to ask them. Brilliant.

Encounter's written directions were our bible every morning over our too large English breakfast and for the most part proved very clear. A couple of points for better clarity: 1) Sand dunes on Perran Sands ("strenuous") may be avoided completely by simply walking the beach instead above the beach on the dunes - given the right tide. we were grateful for a lower tide that day. 2) Directions to St Georges Country House Perranporth were not clear, references to "short gorges" and "small cliffs" were vague and not helpful. We ended up standing in some field feeling rather lost, tired and hungry until we got back on the trail and asked a local for directions.

Regarding refreshments, as we got our rhythm, we found packed lunches were the best bet over planning to stop along the way. That way we had options to stop at a café or not - besides, a picnic over-looking the stupendous cliff top views were priceless in everyway. When we did stop, we found the National Trust Café at Bedruthan Steps served the best Ploughmans. The Fish House Café in Newquay was amazing; small, family run, extraordinary food. Reservations a must. Thank you Damon and encounter team. We will be back!

Excellent customer service from Encounter Holidays who were able to accommodate our desired walking distances (no more than 13 miles per day) and also accommodate the dog. They responded very quickly when we emailed them to confirm that the dog could sleep in our room at the Plume Of Feathers in Princetown when the pub's website explicitly forbids it! The accommodation and food was generally very good in all the places we stayed.

One point I would make about walking with a dog is that some of the stiles on the Dartmoor way, especially but not exclusively between Lydford and Tavistock, are very hard to get a dog through. There are some near-vertical 5 foot tall ladder stiles with no feasible bypass; I would advise that you do not attempt this walk if you are unable to lift your mutt that far! It's a shame the waymarking is poor on the Dartmoor way, we saw not one sign anywhere that mentions "Dartmoor Way". The walker's guide to the route is OK but is annoyingly imprecise about distances: it uses terms like "after some time you get to..", "eventually you reach..." and "in a while the track narrows" rather than what you really need to know which is whether it is 100m or 1km later. Most walkers might consider that this adds to the interest but not, I suspect, when you are trying to find your way through a Dartmoor fog.

We had very wet weather for our trip which made some parts of the walk more tough than we were expecting. Always the beautiful coast, the wildflowers and the bird life compensated. Do pause at the NT seasonal cafe to see the rock pipits scrounging for crumbs as if they were sparrows on the way from St Agnes to Porthtowan. We got confused by the choice of bridges on the Red River estuary as our ordnance survey map didn't show the low tide bridge - we understood why when we saw it, being more of a quay than a bridge. So best to follow signs to the ferry at low tide as you don't know you are also walking towards the low tide bridge til you are almost upon it. There were times with our Cornwall Coast Path book when we felt an age difference between the writers and ourselves (!) and less choice or greater clarity about choice of route at certain points would have made the book easier to follow. Nevertheless we were very glad of its many helpful comments and information. We appreciated the directions off the path to our accommodation too. A pity about the weather but still a wonderful path to take.

The scenery was spectacular, exceeding our expectations, the flowers and color of the water are really amazing. The path between St. Ives and St. Just was more difficult than we expected, and we probably should have taken 3 days, rather than 2, or scheduled a rest day, which other walkers we met had done. Lands End could easily have been skipped, but the Lizard was truly beautiful, maybe the best spot of the entire stretch, although St. Ives to Gurnard's Head is also great, pretty hard to choose. The Coast Path was generally easy to follow, but going through the old mining areas before St. Just was very confusing, too many paths that wander off without markings. For those going that way, the Telegraph Museum and Minack Theater in Porthcurno were a real treat, and worth going out of your way to see if you have time. All the arrangements made by Encounter went like clockwork, we didn't have to think about anything except walking and taking photos, and what ale to try each evening!

Encounter Walking did a great job! From advising us on trivial details as we planned the holiday to the very important details, they had everything covered. The shorter first days allowed us to improve our fitness initially, the luggage was always where we needed it to be, the accommodations were delightful (each place had its own special touch--from cold water at the end of a hot day to great dinner suggestions). Physically, the trail was a bit more difficult than I had expected, but the preparation that Encounter had done made each day fun and worth the effort!

First of all, the accommodations and luggage transfers were very well organised. Sleeping in places where also dinner is being served is an advantage, then there is no need to go out again in the evening. Also good to have a supermarket nearby or on route to buy the necessities for the day, this was the case almost every day. The walk was good and the moors were beautiful. The route was easy to find, but off course we made mistakes and had to walk back a few times. In this case our navigator on the phone was a good help, we compared the route we had walked with the shape on the map and could easily find where we went wrong ;-) Often stiles were replaced by gates, or had disappeared, but the map always showed us we were still on track. The thing we didn't like so much was the fact we had to follow roads quite often. Even a very busy one for a few kilometres, that was kind of scary because the cars drove fast. Also lots of roads were very very narrow with high hedges on both sides, so there was nothing to see at all and we felt trapped and a bit claustrofobic. Any tractor and there would be no way to pass each other. The beautiful fields and views on the other side of the hedges remained invisible for us on these paths. It would be a good thing to address the locals about it to maybe replace these huge hedges for something else that offers views, just a thought, also for safety. But we were satisfied. The weather was perfect (no rain at all), the people were kind, we enjoyed being outside and looking over the fields, walking among the sheep and cows (and sometimes even horses). So yes, it indeed was a good walk and vacation and thank you for that! A personal thing: people who are afraid of heights would like to be informed which parts of a walk are a bit tricky f/e no wall or gate next to a steep slope down....

First and foremost we all thank you for the wonderful arrangements and care you gave us on planning our trip which was FABULOUS.  We had incomparable weather, only 10 minutes of rain the entire time and most of the days were incredibly gorgeous with just a windy day early on. Wildflowers were beyond anything we ever expected and the ocean surprised us, we never expected the water to be so beautifully blue and clear.  

And now for a couple of points that could be helpful for other hikers:  Those two photos above were taken in Coverack, about two miles from town.  Unfortunately, on the other end coming from Cadgwith the sign which tells you to take the Inland route for easier going is NOT there and we stuck to the Coast and it was indeed challenging to say the least.  Someone needs to get this same sign up on BOTH ends so folks could make the choice of the easier route and maybe be advised its a darn good idea to take it. 

We are really glad we went to the Eden Project, a special place and well worth the visit.  The train was a lovely opportunity to see more of the countryside as well.  I am going to send another email with a few more photos you might enjoy.  Your company is just exemplary and we are so grateful to have found you.  With warm regards   Deborah

We arrived home safely on Monday evening after a superb walk. The weather was very kind to us - the only rain we had was on the last Sunday but compared to the south coast we got off very lightly even then as we were generally sheltered down by the estuary and the thunder and lightning only started after we got to the Queens Hotel. As always the accommodation was excellent - very varied but everyone was very friendly and helpful. The luggage arrived safely each day.

This section involved a lot of ups and downs but doing it at the leisurely pace meant that it was still very enjoyable. The scenery was absolutely stunning and round every headland there was a different and exciting view. We had 7/8 days of wall - to- wall sunshine which meant that we took loads of photos of tremendous cliffs and blue seas.  The spring tides meant that beaches like Perranporth were absolutely vast and we walked on the bottom of the harbour in Newquay. On the other hand the high tides had the waves crashing into the bottom of the cliffs. The first couple of days were very muddy underfoot after all the rain over the easter weekend but we soon got past the worse areas. We've really looking forward to going back to do the next section ( St Ives to Falmouth) in May although I'm not sure how we can better the last two weeks for scenery and weather.

We arrived home safely late on Monday evening after another superb holiday. The weather was very kind to us (again) with no rain at all this time. We thoroughly enjoyed this section of the walk - the accommodation was varied but as usual very good. We even met the Luggage Transfer guy one morning this time. There were no problems with the route at all because it was very dry underfoot. The flowers were absolutely superb with carpets of thrift , bluebells , campion etc. We think it was the best holiday for flowers that we have ever experienced even comparing it to the hay meadows in Switzerland. It was a lot more gentle section of coastline than the section from Bude to St Ives but the vegetation was luxuriant - as the chef Tom Kerridge would say - it was 'proper lush'. We also saw some choughs but no basking sharks even though they had been sighted off the coast at Porthcurno.

The only thing I would mention is that the museum in Zennor is now closed - the owner has retired and the exhibits have been moved to other museums in Cornwall.  Thank you Doreen we have removed the info from the route notes (Encounter W).  However we were lucky to fit in a tour around Levant mine, listened to a dress rehearsal of the musical South Pacific at the Minack Theatre and took a guided tour around Pendennis Castle in Falmouth. The extra day in St Ives was interesting particularly the Barbara Hepworth Garden ( the Tate is closed until next year but we knew that before we left).

All the places we stopped at were good but we particularly liked the Five Pilchards , the two St Austell pubs at Sennen Cove and Porthleven and the Mount Haven Hotel  at Marazion. The food was very good in all the places we stayed and we love the local beers and cider!!! We went to the Cable Station Inn in Porthcurno and even though it is an unusual building the food was very good and the lads behind the bar were very friendly.

Thank you so much for organising the trip. We now have two sections left to walk which, health permitting,  we hope to do next year so we will be in touch at the back end of the year to see what we can sort out.

We recommend your company to lots of people as we go along and we are always pleasantly surprised at the lovely places you find for accommodation which are generally close to the path itself which is a real bonus.

Thanks again for all your hard work in arranging these trips for us  and feel free to use these comments on your web site.

Overall a great 8 day walk with a good variety of conditions, views and places to see. For those our age, effective speed at times was not much better than 1 mph when lots of steps involved. Suggest not be too ambitious as to distance covered each day, 8 miles max unless it is easy going. Accommodation fine and bag transfers 100%. Need to refer both to Coast Path guide book and the OS map while walking. Directions leaving Par around Polmear were specially problematic with some direction arrows hard to interpret and a few posts missing. Most of the walk, the path markers were sufficient with only occasional checks of the maps needed.

We had a quite memorable holiday. Firstly the walk is quite stunningly beautiful and exhausting; we walked from 6 to 8 hours a day and collapsed into bed in the evenings. (actually from Hartland to Bude we actually walked 9.5 hours !!) Secondly we met a number of fellow walkers who were great fun, and we would keep bumping into them along the route or at the bed and breakfasts for the latest bit of gossip or update.

The organisation ie the collection and delivery of our bags from place to place worked like clockwork. The bed and breakfasts were variable but generally good. All the way from Clovelly I was hoping to eat fresh fish as we were on the sea but scampi and whitebait was all I could get til we made it to Port Isaac. In conclusion it was an absolutely brilliant week away; I would definitely do it again and I would definitely use encounters again. Highly recommended.

This was the most scenic walk (the ocean, cliffs, wildflowers, birds, beaches) my wife and I have ever done. And Encounter Walking was the most responsive and effective travel company that we have ever dealt with. Some of the hotels were better than others, of course, but they were all perfectly fine and the service everywhere was good. The written itinerary that Encounter gave us was absolutely complete, with all the information that we could possibly need for each stage of the walk. We are 100% satisfied. We hope to have Encounter arrange another walk for us next year.

We enjoied great weather, ideal for walking and admiring the beautiful landscape we walked through. The organisation of the accomodations was great, the transport of our luggage too, many thanks. Everybody was very welcoming in the acomodations. Some part of the path were little marked and we missed it twice the first 2 days. But we got used to it (in our country, Switzerland, they put much more marques with more informations). We liked it so much that we hope to be able to come again for another part of the path. Best regards, Liliane and Nathalie

We found the terrain and distances fine, although by the end of the 13 mile and the 11 mile days (day 4, Sidmouth to Exmouth and Day 6 Teignmouth to Torquay) we had definitely had enough, especially as we live in Berkshire and aren’t used to the very steep climbs on the Coast Path. We didn’t have time to look at any of the interesting attractions which were mentioned.  We just walked with breaks for refreshments etc. (which was fine)

All the hotels were friendly and welcoming The instructions re how to find the hotels were really good (we loved the plastic swans in the directions to the Royal Beacon Hotel.)

Every day we came upon somewhere to have coffee/snacks/afternoon tea etc (obviously only one of these per day as otherwise we’d never have arrived)There was somewhere to buy the day's lunch every morning, and the sandwiches & pasties that we bought were of a really high standard. 

All the ferries were working as planned.The Luggage Transfer worked perfectly.The taxi back to Lyme Regis to collect our car was very good - punctual and a very comfortable journey. The long term car parking worked well (Martin will probably comment on this).  We did it daily and when the system was not undergoing maintenance it was very quick.  You do need to be friends with modern technology though to make it work easily  

Day 2  Lyme Regis to Beer

The Undercliff was quite muddy slippery and narrow in places; in fact just as we were starting it we met 4 people coming back who said it was dangerous and they’d turned back.  Honestly though it wasn’t that bad for anyone who is a regular walker and you did flag up in your itinerary that it can be like that.

Exceptionally nice afternoon tea at the cafe on the seafront in Seaton (sorry, can’t remember name)

Day 3 Beer to Sidmouth

No walking problems except that just as we arrived at the streets of Sidmouth we lost the route, i.e. there weren’t any signs that we could see.  Obviously we found our way down to the sea so that was fine.

Day 5 Exmouth to Teignmouth

The Thatched Tavern en route at Maidencombe was brilliant.  An exceptional pub.

We went out for a fantastic meal at ‘Fresco’ - an Italian Restaurant very near the hotel.  One of our star evenings of the holiday.    

Day 6 Teignmouth to Torquay

Nothing special to note re walking

The Torcroft Hotel was a lovely hotel.  It was more like a very up market guest-house in that Phil and Sharon were very hands-on and always around to offer help and advice.  When we arrived we were invited down to the terrace for a complimentary glass of Prosecco - which obviously made a great start to our stay

Day 7 Torquay to Brixham

Ferry trip was very enjoyable.I took the ferry back, but the other 3 walked and I think the route maybe wasn’t very well marked on that section?

We all thought that the holiday was superbly organised, and had an all-round great time.  Thank you Encounter Walking.

Aloha Damon and everyone, We have completed our Pembrokeshire walk and had a wonderful time.

Your detailed itinerary was great.  In particular, we did the two tidal estuaries at the lowest of tides and in the brightest of sun. In fact we had no rain on our walking and often very nice sun.  Your notes ensured we hit all the key highlights. We especially enjoyed our day walking among the Puffins on Skomer Island.  And also the wonderful flowers along coast. Mahalo for your arrangements. We look forward to working with you on our next long walk. We are now in London and leave Sat to walk day hikes with HF in Slovenia.

Our walk went without any problems. All the rooms were booked and the luggage was always there. We really enjoyed the first three days of our walk, St. Ives to Sennon Cove. We would not do the Sennon Cove to Porthcurno section again. It was not as interesting and there were so many people. Porthcurno is also where we had the worst lodging and dinner. Porthcurno was only interesting to us for the telegraph museum, but then we are not into English theater. The Seaview B & B was the least pleasant accommodation on our trip, which included 11 different places. We supposedly had the largest room, which was a bed with a bit of space around it. Cramped is the theme here. I would arrange your walk so you do not stay in Porthcurno. We had a car and should have not started in St. Ives.

Thanks to the instructions we got to the hotel, but it was a hassle. Parking the car in St. Ives was expensive. If we were to do this again with a car, we would start up the coast from St. Ives and end in Sennon Cove. My only concern was the cost of Encounter Walking. I could not find an itemized bill. I have no idea what the costs of the lodging were or the luggage forwarding costs. And of course was the maps and books and personalized directions which are hard to put a price on. Our bill was about $250 a day or 175 pounds a day. Arranging this would have been very difficult for us to do ourselves from the U.S. and we had this organization to back us up if something went wrong.

So in the end, we would probably use this service again for our next walk which my wife says we might do in two years time. Once we paid our entire bill we did not hear from Encounter Walking again until they wanted our opinion on our holiday. We thought this was a bit odd. Perhaps an email or text to ask how it is going or if we had arrived?

Encounter Walking Holidays Response  - Thanks for the feedback Patrick with some useful points for other walkers there - to clarify we don't plan to call walkers once you are on the trail and its not something we have been asked/expected to do up to now -  BUT if anyone would like a call we are here right through your walk and so would be very happy to do so if you want a call.... so please just ask next time. We are always in contact after your final payment by sending on your final detailed itinerary and we ask anyone with any further questions to get in touch at that point - a lot do and we always respond if asked to.  We are always happy to make as much or as little contact as you would like as long as you tell us.  Price wise we do provide very clear individual quotes for every enquiry and we won't arrange any bookings for anyone until you have seen a quote, seen the price, what is included and decided you are happy with it.  We are lucky to have a high number of returning walkers so it makes sense for us to provide the best value we can and that is how we price your walks. That said please be aware that we are always happy to give free advice if you prefer to try and arrange it yourselves so do email us and ask - and we never charge for advice.

We had a lovely holiday thanks - and the weather in Pemrokeshire last week was mainly fantastic! We were very fortunate.

Some comments:

- Itinerary and route comments provided by you were all very helpful, and - in conjunction with the Trailblazer book - meant we didn't get lost once!

- Couldn't fault the luggage transfer company; both bags ended up where they should be every day! Plus, taxi transfers prompt and driver friendly

- Mellieha Guest House in Amroth provided cake and tea on our arrival which was much appreciated and got our holiday off to a special start. The quality of the guest house was fantastic; both in terms of accommodation, food, and friendliness. We felt very taken care of : )

- The Lighthouse Restaurant in Tenby is lovely for a good quality evening meal (popular though, so book)

- The Wavecrest Cafe next to the beach at Angle is a nice place for lunch / cake 

- The food cooked by Lorna in the restaurant at Castlemead Hotel in Manorbier is delicious! She knows how to cook, and is sensitive to any intolerances, allergies folk might have.

 - Don't miss St Govan's Chapel; it is amazing! Punches above its small stature in terms of impact...

 -  we were very impressed with the number of hotels/B&Bs which had one; a perfect end to a walking day : )

 - Pembroke Castle definitely worth a visit (as is Manorbier). 

 - The Cornstore Cafe in Pembroke did delicious large bowls of soup, plus cakes to die for (which we didn't get to sample because we were so full from our big bowls of soup!)

 - Very friendly volunteers in the Flying Boat Centre in Pembroke Dock

I haven't said much about the walk / walking directions, and this is because it all worked so well : ). The acorn sign was a reassuring presence throughout the walk, and left us in no doubt that we were going the right way! The walking itself was wonderful, and descriptions both in your instructions and the Trailblazer book, very accurate as regards strenuousness and gradients. First visit to Pembrokeshire, and we are left feeling that it has the most beautiful coastline, and some of the happiest dogs we have ever seen (cliff tops and beaches - what's not to love?!).

Thanks for your help with organising our holiday.

So were are already back in Switzerland again! We once again had a wonderful time in the UK.

We saw no other walkers on the Coleridge Way, which is very pity. It is a beautiful way and it has everything: Moorland, coasts, woodland, streams, lovely villages, farmland and greens. May is also a wonderful time with all the flowers.

The accommodations were superb. Fabulous houses with nice rooms, all very clean. The breakfasts were outstanding, all made fresh and absolutely delicious. All people were very friendly. The descriptions and markers were very good and we had no problems to find the way. Point 7 is not difficult to find anymore. There is a new signpost standing there just beside the route.

From Williton back to the Way we took the Public Way to Aller Cottage and then further on to Aller Farm (blue 08 at the OS-map) It is not so dull as the road to Sampford Brett and very beautiful. Every day I saw Bluebells. Beyond Monksilver as we climbed Birds Hill it was millions of them. Very beautiful!  The Valley of Rocks was wonderful.

The weather was very good and dry. On Saturday we had some rain, but it was no heavy rain, otherwise it was sunny. I don't know why people always complain about the english weather. Since we are back in Switzerland it rains night and day!

One more time I want to thank you and your team for a perfect organized Walking Holiday!

Another great walk on the Cornish coast path made even better by the profusion of spring flowers. The weather was mixed and we missed the views from Dodman due to the low cloud and rain but got spectacular views from Gribbin Head in the sunshine. The accommodation was excellent with an outstanding stay at the Lugger Hotel in Portloe. It's worth noting that the Mevagissey Bay Hotel does not provide evening meals even though their website suggests they do. Also if you intend to get a taxi back from Portscatho to Trewithian Farm, we recommend booking it in advance. We had no major problems finding the path although we had minor difficulties just after the Caerhays car park (need to head up hill and turn right behind the clump of trees) and again feeding the path out of Mevagissey from the quay (Trailblazer guide not too accurate here).

The path from Porthbean beach was not easy to find. You have to walk along the concrete walkway past the seasonal shop and then turn left up some steps into the woods. The steps are well hidden and not obvious until you are quite close to them. (When we comment about problems finding with the path we then think it's probably due to our own stupidity!). As a general comment we did find a few inaccuracies in the Trailblazer book particularly in the location, steepness and direction of some of the ups and downs. The luggage transfer worked very efficiently with our bags appearing as if by magic at our next stop. Once again Damon and the Encounter team for another (fifth or sixth?) excellent and enjoyable walking holiday.

Just to let you know that we had a great trip, although some better weather would have made it perfect.! 

We had a lunch break at Porth en route to Newquay, and would recommend the Coast Cafe at the end of Porth beach where we reconnected to the trail, it was very good value and worth adding to your list.

In Portreath ate at the Bassett arms , and had an excellent meal, great value.

En route to Lelant, we were very impressed with the National Trust cafe at Godrevey Point , and would recommend walkers take away  or eat their lunch there.  Overall we thought we had a good mix of accommodation, and generally good value for money. Mike from Ocean Taxis was also very helpful, and spot on time for both our pick ups.

Finally, we thought the package provided by Encounter was 5* , impressed by the attention to detail , and also good communication, website , itinerary etc. Will definitely come to you again in the future!

We just loved our holiday. We received all the information needed, the luggage transfer worked at the perfection, the weathear was very kind with us. The path was feasible almost all the time, just a bit hard at some points, but the view worth it. We're looking forward to walk one more section.

Encounter provided excellent accommodation planning and advice on alternatives. Their experience with local accommodation was very useful and accurate. All of the B&Bs and hotels were great. No issues with luggage transfers. They were faultless. Encounter also provided my wife with details on how to use public transport between each of our stops. The advice was great and very useful!! The only unexpected cost was the taxi from Clovelly to Hartland Quay on a Sunday (GBP 80). The trail was very well marked so the maps and the guidebooks were only occasionally used. Weather was very good with only one day of rain. The trip exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend Encounter.

Thanks Neil and Mai and yes that taxi fare sounds very expensive - I will contact you directly to find out who you used and make sure we don't recommend them to anyone - damon

Hi, Sorry I can't be of anymore help than this, but I had 5 days of walking from Penzance to Falmouth. I found that your planned holiday for me was very easy to follow and all the hotels were great. Some of the walk for me was sometimes a bit hard going but that was only what I had expected as I am 73. I found the detours of which you told me about all easy to follow. I am sure that you will be hearing from me again t give me a route to follow from Falmouth. I have now walked from Padstow to Falmouth. Thanks for all your help. Ivan

Excellently organised trip. From the first night in Clovelly everything went like clockwork, accommodation spot on, luggage transfers on time and a warm welcome each night. Considering we were a party of 8 blokes requiring twin/single rooms and you managed to accommodate us in the same hotel/B&B every night that was a superb logistical coup. All communication, right from the first enquiry to completing the walk was first rate. Our one and only minor issue on the walk was resolved quickly and we were kept informed at all times. Would recommend Encounter (in fact I already have) to anyone interested in tackling this type of walking trip.

The first thing to say is that all aspects of administration and organisation were excellent, faultless. Response times to any emails were quick and replies always helpful. The notes, guide book and map were all really helpful too.

Simlarly, all the accommodation - everywhere we stayed seemed to be run by 'people people' - helpful, friendly and welcoming.  It all added hugely to the enjoyment of the walk.

The route was all we'd hoped and just as described.  The only part that we felt was a in need of some upgrade was Abbotsbury to Isle of Portland. Some signage was badly weathered and some of the stiles could do with maintenance. There is one specific part where signage could definitely be improved. As you leave Littlesea Holiday Park at Lynch Cove, there is a large grass area. On the map, it  is clear that you should take the upper path but the entrance to the lower path (which is pretty well impassable) is actually quite far up on that grassy slope. The entrance to the upper path is only a few metres above it but is not immediately obvious. On the day we passed there was actually a large family having a picnic at the entrance to the upper path which hid the entrance and didn't help!  But a clearer sign would definitely have been useful.

As you point out, eating places are a bit off track on this section but it might be worth emphasing that the Crab House Cafe towards the end of the walk is bookings only - or was the day we arrived!  However, just over the bridge and just before the causeway Billy Winters Diner is a quirky but excellent place to get a light meal, snack, drink - plus great views of all the water- based activities going on outside.  The next day we found the cafe in Portland Castle a great place for lunch and very handily placed at the end of the walk round Portland Island.

All in all, it was a great week. If we decide to head down to this area again to do anothe part of the coastal trail, we won't look beyond Encounter Walking  for the booking.

Walk started 10/5/16 finished 12/05/16. Walked East route North to South. Many thanks to Damon and Richard in particular for accommodating my walking buddie and I especially as we only gave them a week's notice. Good instructions and all information received in time despite short lead in time. B&Bs were all good. Thoroughly enjoyed the walk with such history and interest. Great views along the way. Walking in May was good as a result of catching all the spring flowers along the way. Hope to be back to you to perhaps do the walk South to North / West route one day.

Hello - I had a wonderful time in Pembrokeshire.  Even though one day was disgustingly wet (but not cold).

The scenery was magnificent.  I loved the wildflowers especially.  And the castles.  And the villages.  And the sea vistas.  Some stormy seas would have been the icing on the cake.  The sea was dead flat.

My accommodation was wonderful.  Especially at Broad Haven.  Neil and Helen were so good at remembering guests names.  It seemed that every time I sat down I was offered a pot of tea.  And a lovely place to sit too, out the front people watching in the sun.

Everything was clean, well provisioned, and incredibly handy for me.  Great breakfasts meant a great start to the day.  My feiends were starting to accuse me of eating my way around Wales!

Coming into Dale, I had to take the high tide route and I happened upon a garden centre with a cafe.  This was not in the guide notes but was a welcome place to dry out, warm up, and use the facilities, and have a pot of tea and a Welsh cake!

I found the running good.  Distance wise was about right.  I shortened the final day into St Davids because my knee was being a pain.  Or should I say giving me pain!  And as I have a big race in two weeks (gulp) thought I should not push it.  It was great having my bag transported and there was no problems there.  It meant I could run with just the necessities of the day.

I would certainly do similar again.  It was a great way to see the country and to meet people from all countries.  Not just other walkers but people in the villages along the way.

Thank you - Robyn

This was the most wonderful holiday I have had. The trail is beautiful, well-marked and varied. The only stretch that wasn't so pleasant was Abbotsbury to Weymouth, round Fleet Lagoon. It was very hot, humid and misty so the flies were a problem, not helped by the path being in a terrible condition around the (many) campsites. However, this did not detract from what was a fantastic 4 days walking and the maps, notes, accommodation and luxury of having my bag transferred each day were perfect. I cannot recommend this holiday highly enough.

We had a fantastic walk and it only rained for half a day during the whole walk. We sent pictures to friends here in China and they loved the look of it so who knows, maybe next time we bring a bunch of friends with us. 

Everything on the walk regarding luggage transfer was as smooth as can be expected, bag was always at our next destination when we arrived.  All the places we stayed in was very good, service and friendliness was spot on.

I have a few tips to other walkers, well first ones like us I should say. When deciding on the walk, how far to walk each day is an important one. Although I enjoyed the 20 or so km everyday the problem is that you don't get a chance to do anything else but walk. Having a rest day as we did in Fowey was perfect and could probably have one more in Looe. So if other walkers is doing the walk just as a exercise then fine, by all means do 20 km every day. If you want to see more of the surrounding area, besides the track, I suggest longer stopovers and/or shorter day walks.

Next walk we do in your areas we will surely use Encounter again!

Thank you Damon and the whole Encounter team!

Yes, the walk was a great success but unfortunately the weather did not play ball! Still, that can't be helped. All the accommodation you selected was first class and easy to find. Drinks and meals along the way were varied and plentiful and we met some very enjoyable company. If we do this type of thing again we'll definitely use you.

Many thanks, Craig

Would highly recommend Encounter walking for arranging a holiday. Excellent accommodation and baggage transfers. Found Ilfracombe directions a bit confusing. Great meals in Woolacombe and Braunton(SQ's) Altogether fully enjoyed our week. We'll be back to continue this coastal path.

Just back from another memorable walk on the SWCP – do I get a certificate!

Weather was very kind and last four days spent in glorious sunshine even the days which started a bit drizzly soon brightened up and waterproofs off.  Only got caught once in some fairly heavy rain and even that didn’t last for long.

The whole path was just fantastic and I cant thank you enough all your encouragement and meticulous planning.  I found all waymarking to be good and realised pretty quickly if I had gone wrong – as you had told me I would.

This walk was one of the highlights of our trip. We are in our 60s and were able to walk the route without much difficulty in 2 days. We were lucky enough to do it whilst all the bluebells, primroses and wild garlic was in flower. Some of the woodland stretches were the most beautiful walks any of us had done. The countryside was constantly diverse. We didn't get lost at all, but occasionally feared that we had taken a wrong turn. Especially when we were walking across fields. We used the map to check out contour lines. We also found the cards in the Saints Way booklet helpful. Many of the wooden Saints Way signs have become darkened with age, and would be very hard to see in a mist. We suggest tacking a coloured plastic disk to them.

Leaving from Padstow, and passing by Dennis Farm (with a side trip to Queen Victoria's obelisk), there was some indecision about the direction to go when crossing diagonally through the paddocks sloping down to the creek. We needed to consult the compass before proceeding (correctly) over the crest of the hill, bearing right, and down to the stile on the far side, in order to take the steep track down to the creek. Better sign-posting would have been good. We have been inspired to undertake further walks in the future.

Wonderful week on the North Devon Coast Walk, very lucky with the weather..one wet morning otherwise perfect for walking and a clear blue sky ( plus a little mist now and then, heat haze). Nothing negative to report, all went to plan, accommodation fine, luggage transfer on the dot, our train/bus down was good as was the return.

Tips for other walkers, well…

As the weather was so good we decided on the high route on day 1 for the views of Exmoor, we were not disappointed, plus wild ponies and lots of bird life in the gorse. Nice paths using old sunken farm tracks. Recommend cream tea at Bossington.For the same reason we took the high path again on day 2 from Culbone Church, nice walking at elevation.

Day 3, Highlight.. Valley of the Rocks, splendid.

We are getting on a bit and although we are used to fell walking in the lakes we were certainly glad we split day 3 at Heddon’s mouth.  We arrived at the Hunter’s Inn just after lunch which meant we had time to enjoy the surroundings (and the same for the following day to Combe Martin) without pushing on. Had the weather not been so good it would have been even more so. It meant that we had time to visit the interesting little museum at Combe Martin.

It also meant that we had recovered fully for the next day, Combe Martin to Woolacombe, which we thought was by far our toughest day, with an avoidable tour of Ilfracombe back streets but mainly because of the last stretch after Lee Bay which involved multiple climbs up steps designed for a giant. Where possible, we noticed that walkers had walked up the side of the steps, not on them, note to the NT or whoever built them.

Enjoyed the excellent walk from Woolacombe to Croyde Bay around Baggy Point although no good pics of spectacular cliff formations, almost nil visibility  in rain, our only wet morning.

Braunton to Instow, nice lunch stop at Fremington Quay, 

Plus, recommend Hocking’s Ice cream, available from vans at all stops between Barnstaple and Westward Ho!, and Sharp’s Pilsner, new to us, very nice on a hot afternoon.

WE HAD AN AMAZING AND MARVELOUS WALK IN CORNWALL!! 1 000 THANKS FOR ARRANGING IT!

Everything worked perfectly. Coming from Sweden we expected at least train delays - not even that happened! The most outstanding B&B’s were Sennan Cove (Old Success Inn) - where we got the most beautiful room and almost hesitated to walk into it with our hiking boots on - and of course Chy-An-Mor Guest House - such a treat! The room was absolutely beautiful and I can still dream about the wonderful breakfasts we enjoyed in the mornings…

The luggage transfer worked perfectly and our suitcases were always waiting for us upon arrival.

The walks were beautiful and very enjoyable even if it was a bit more up-and-down than we expected. At one point we actually did go the wrong way, but out of nowhere a dog and his owner appeared and led us right back on the trail. He said he met people every day who made the same mistake as we had done and was going to make a signpost that day :). We should have used the map more than we did, I think, instead of only using the book. But this was the only time we missed a turn (at least that we know about).

Even the weather was nice! We had one rainy day but it was our resting day in Sennan Cove. In the morning we went to Land’s End and back again and that’s when the rain really hit us. It poured down all afternoon and we spent it reading and listening to the rainfall outside in our beautiful room. 

A bonus was the nice people we met on the trail. Some of them we met multiple times as we had the same itinerary And, yes, we are telling every one that if they are going to Cornwall, they should contact Encounter Walking Holidays!

Glorious weather for walking the Saints Way (too hot really, one or two blisters!!) Accommodation at Tregolls Farm nr Withiel superb, Marilyn is a wonderful host. Note for first time walkers, this is no walk in the park, my husband (62) and I (50) are regular gym users and reasonably fit, but still found some parts of the walk (should this be described as a hike?)a bit of a slog, admittedly the unusually high temperatures and strong sunshine probably added to the challenge, but hugely grateful that it was not raining, as there were still some pretty muddy bits to negotiate.

We had a good laugh, especially as my husband somehow managed to lose several items from his back pack along the way. If anyone finds some spectacles and a large orange water bottle - let us know! Don't be tempted to save a few pounds and carry your own luggage on your back, it's a long way with such weight and even with my military training, it is something I would never do again.Our walking poles were the best buy, would recommend them to every walker. Sign posts are good, but study the map closely, additional notes provided by encounter were excellent and came in very handy - we had no problems following the route.

Wonderful churches along the way and magnificent scenery. If you want excellent fish and chips in Padstow at local prices visit Chip Ahoy and eat them overlooking the harbour - perfect! So glad we did this, thank you Encounter for giving us everything we needed.

The first part from Minehead to Bude was exquisite organized by Encounter. This part I did with my husband René. Then I went alone and I organized the accomodations to Falmouth by myself. This took me to much time, so I asked Encounter to arrange the last part to South Haven Point and this they have done really great. Within a few days it was all about. All this at the last minute and therefore the accomodations where sometimes further from the path, I am very satisfied with how everything in no time was controlled by Damon and Ellie from Encounter.

The path itself, I can only speak in superlatives, really very very beautiful. If you doubt whether you can walk this path alone: just do it. It always felt very safe to me. It is very well to do and if you take minimal luggage you do not need luggage transport (my backpack weight just 8 kg). The distances to be covered were sometimes tough but doable. I often required more time than was indicated. I really liked the rivercrossings by foot or ferry. Getting lost on the trail is impossible. If I was wrong it came mostly because I did not pay enough attention and usually I could find quickly the right way. And if not, there usually was a local with dog to show you the right path. I found it a great experience and I am very happy I have walked this beautiful path. I will definitely recommend Encounter with others because of their good organization, service and knowledge of the area.

Our first trip in Wales, definitely not the last. Terrific conditioning for warm-weather hiking. Everything worked, the hotels/inns were well-located, the breakfasts good and filling, the luggage where it was supposed to be, the maps led properly and the picnic lunches purchased from the inns were more than adequate - one lunch would work for two people. The walk was terrific. The least interesting part was from Milford Haven to Sandy Haven Pill. We took a taxi based on recommendation from EncounterWalking and did not regret. Thanks for offering this walk.

My walk was from Plymouth to Poole. It was for the charity Motor Neurone Disease Association. I needed the help of encounter to plan my walk to suite my abilities. Without their help I could not have completed the 266 mile walk. The location of accomadation was perfect and the planned route worked. I was aware of all diversion on the way, I got lost a few times mainly down to myself. The scenery and views are stunning. It's a perfect way to enjoy a few days away. I finished by walking from Poole to Lymington a 26 mile walk to help the sufferers and families of this terrible disease. With out the help of Encounter Walking Hoildays and their professional approach I could not have finished this walk. Thank you

As I already wrote, we were very contend with your organisation! Your description at the everydays schedule was very useful and our setbook every evening, or morning. You really thougt at everything which could happen and gave us manny telefonnumbers to help ourself, just in case! This gave us a secure feeling!

The hotels were very fancy and cosy and the host were so hospitable and gentel! These nice old houses we loved very much!!!

Althought the weather on the first two days was a bit cold and windy, even rainy one afternoon, we enjoyed the amazing landscape and rejoiced ourselfs as the sun came througt all the next days! We were really lucky and happy with that! Sometimes we surched a bit for the way, when there were more possibilities, and for example the old way at the beginning of the jungle seemed to be more attractiv than the totally new made path. But at least we got not lost! In the beginning, every day had his own different character, and we were astonished about it! 

Sole exception was the part of the West Bexington Nature Reserve. It was a boring path, difficult to walk because of the rolling stones, and the enviroment was so dirty like nowhere else! We were happy about the possibility to change to the South Dorset Ridgway Diversion!

The track on the last two days wasn´t really worth the way. It was too long, and my friends had big problems to find the right way out of Abbotsbury, because they had not expected to pass the swanery so near. This would perhaps be a good note. The last day was to much, so they desided to take the bus for visiting the lighthouse!

Conclusion:

+ very good organisation (everything was prepared when we arrived)

+ good support for our special wishes (taxi, businformations...)

+ very nice accomodations

+ absolut amazing landscape!

- to long and boring tracks for the last 2,5 days

- not clear Indication of the way in Abbotsbury

- BnB signature in Fortuneswell

Thank you very much for all your support! I already passed your name to some friends, some are very interested...

every thing was just perfect, even the weather ! Thank you for all. Kind regards, Hilda

Hi Damon - We got the most amazing weather last week – actually got a bit burned on a couple of the days.

You did a fantastic job looking after us – the feat of managing to book us a bath in every accommodation was quite something!   Thanks for the tip to go and see Geevor mine, what a great museum, will never forget it

We will be back next year to start in Mullion and do the next section. You are very good at what you do!

just to let you know that we had the most wonderful weekend walking the Saints Way - the weather was on our side and the card that I purchased to guide the route were helpful - although in some areas the actual description/ instruction is not very clear and having a map as back up would be helpful - but we managed it without!  Encounter Walking "please note we provide all our walkers with the highest scale OS maps!"

There are certainly some areas with rather sketchy markers and other areas that are really well signed but we managed it all and found the whole journey wonderful.

Thanks for your help - the buses that we needed  from Lanivet to Padstow all turned up - on time!

In was a risky decision to book the full tour since there were some open questions as: Are we able to do it with little training? Do we really want to walk every day? What's about the english weather? Do we still like english food after 30 days? No all these questions are answered. Every thing went well and we miss the daily walks...

A big share in this success was the prepartion and execution done by Encounter Walking Holidays, especially Damon. The length of the daily walks were good and not too long, the Accommodation selection met our expectations, the Luggage Transfer worked perfectly and when we had a question, Damon sent feedback in no time. Many thanks for this and you will hear from us again

We had a really great trip and much enjoyed seeing Cornwall and the superb coastline with the rocky bays and the spring flowers en route, and had absolutely no problems.  We covered 84 miles in all, and interestingly our total elevation was just over 5500 metres, so there was quite a bit of climbing up and down on each day.  We averaged about 2 mph moving which is fairly slow by most standards, but we do have 148 years between us!  We were also very fortunate with the weather, some high winds midweek but virtually no rain at all.

Firstly, many thanks indeed for all your excellent organisation and the very detailed itinerary with maps which made everything so easy and completely stress free.  Your planning and attention to detail were exemplary, and you provide a first class service.  A few comments follow:

The Route.  This was easy to follow being well marked and pretty obvious. Just occasionally there were minor variations, but nothing that use of a GPS and map could not solve.  We were particularly impressed by the complete lack of litter which other parts of the country including up here could do well to follow.  The various cafes you recommended en route were very pleasant and made very good pit and fuel stops.

Accommodation.  All the places you found for us were very satisfactory.  Our favourite was the Cadgewith Cove Inn which was very high standard indeed, but the good quality inns where we could eat in the evenings were just right for us.  The Lerrin Hotel in Falmouth made an excellent start and finish point and we were able to park the car on the street outside the hotel for the week with no problem. 

Luggage Transfers.    Worked perfectly.

Dog.  He thoroughly enjoyed the trip with us and was made very welcome by everyone.  He is pretty well trained and very phlegmatic and biddable, but anyone taking a dog on the path should be aware that there are dangers for a less well trained and controlled dog, and that the larger beaches forbid dogs from 1 May to 30 September.

Summary.  As said, your organisation and attention to detail was faultless and made our trip completely stress free and therefore a thoroughly enjoyable holiday for both of us.   We loved our time in Cornwall - a beautiful place and a great contrast to our more rugged mountain territory here in Scotland - and we very much look forward to coming back.

Throughly enjoyed walking this route. There were places, especially between St. Ives and Zennor, that were particularly difficult, even to us seasoned hikers. The accommodations were good, although some were a little small. All the hosts were very cordial and two transported us to our next destination after we could walk no longer. I had to stop at Mullion and Stuart stooped in Marazion. But we still had fun! Such a different culture from the USA. Loved the pubs, the food and the locals! Would like to come back at some point and start walking from Mullion. Encounters Walking, you did an excellent job with our itinerary and will definitely use you again when I return. Thanks for all your planning information, trains buses, etc.!!!!!

I found that the accommodation arranged by Encounterwalking extremely good and the baggage transfer faultless. The trail can be muddy in places but passable with caution. The pub at Golant doesn't open on Monday's and there is no shop, so carry food and drink when walking this section (No problem other days). All in all this was a well organised holiday and I would recommend Encounterwalking to people considering this walk.

Our group had a wonderful time walking the Saints Way from Fowey to Padstow from April 6-8th 2016. The accommodations were first rate, the food was delicious, the scenery breathtaking, and the people the most friendly we have ever encountered. The only negative I can report is lack of a warning to look out for guard geese.......those we encountered outside of Saint Blazey were vicious! (We were lucky to escape with our lives!????) Thank you, Encounter Walking Tours, for planning such a lovely time!

Parts of this stretch of Coast Path are very challenging with steep ascents and descents, and sheer drops to the sea below. The weather was mostly perfect walking weather, no rain but 2 days of very strong on shore winds. All of the information supplied by Encounter Walking was perfect. The accommodation was comfortable and convenient to the path with very welcoming owners; the transfer of luggage went smoothly(always a welcome sight at the end of a day hiking). Thank you to all at Encounter who looked after me so well!

Thank you so much, Damon! We had a fantastic time at the walk and would repeat it anytime!

Having returned from our wonderful trip through Exmoor I would like to thank you very much for your great support along the whole journey. We had a perfect time! Walking was great and we were blessed with nice weather- it seemed that the sky opened up for us just these four days!

Our favorite place to spent the night was the Ship Inn (room no 2!), people were totally friendly, the food was delicious, the whole atmosphere was just terrific and the Blair Lodge in Combe Martin of course was perfect as well! Walking on the SWC is a great experience – and we will definitely explore another part of this trail with your support!

Fantastic walking holiday. Very well organised. I found the walk from Tintagel to Port Issac challenging lots of steps. I would certainly use Encounterwalking again.

Thanks very much for the (like allways) super organisation. Even the weahter was fine - sometimes the light was so dramatic and the sky was so beautiful  with rainbows over the seaside. I didn't get wet. It rained only, when I just was in the pub.  I walked a stretch on the Coleridge-Way - it's so gorcious! There is such a wunderfull quietness in the nature - you only listen to birds, sheep and  water - Time seems so be stopped there, the enviroument is still like described in Lorna Doone!

Decided on 'relaxed' 6 day option plus 2 days at the end on the Coastal Path back to Minehead from Lynmouth. The organisation of our 8 day walk, overnight stays, route notes plus general help could not have been bettered. Well done to Damon and his team. We will definitely use you again. Thank you.

we enjoyed the saints Way very much. 3 x 10 mile per day is very manageable and not a slog. Route is undulating and very varied, with woodland,hill, coastal and inland aspects. toughest section is the middle three miles on day 1 out of Padstow-elevated plateau with limited protection from the wind ( an issues as we were walking over a stormy March weekend.)

Route has avery powerful sense of history, especially days 2 and 3. follows a neolithich droving path later used by Irish pilgrims crossing to mainland Europe. route is characterised on day 2 by historic churches, holy wells and (original) Celtic crosses at the junctions. Path is well marked.

Tips would be 1. interior of Cornwall is quite thinly populated-take some sandwiches 2. be aware of the weather forecast-hedgerows can provide some cover from any wind and allow you to walk parrallel to the path if necessary. 3. nb some signs came down in high winds on day 1 route.

highlights 1. historical route, ancient churches, wells, standing stones, crosses etc-take time to look at these things 2 variety of scenery 3. a manageable walk for most abilities 4 . very good cornish beers and ciders , especially the 'Proper Job'hopped ale 5.finish and start are at fashionable Fowey and Padstow respectively. ample chance for a bit of shopping or gourmet eating at either end- went to rick Stein's for my 50th birthday treat. accommodation was good in all cases- Fowey Hotel is a good thing to treat yourself to at the end for a wee bit more expense. overall interesting, varied and memorable.

Another great walking weekend organised by Encounter. We walked over 3 days, 9 miles the first, 13 the 2nd and another 10 on the final day with a range of difficulty from gentle paths towards the end to near vertical (well it felt like it!) climbs in the middle. The second day was the most spectacular, from East Lulworth to Worth Maltravers across beautiful cliffs. Several parts of this stretch were classed as severe, which felt fairly accurate, but the views made every step worthwhile. In addition to superb walking we ate extremely well, at the Bishops in East Lulworth, The Canteen in Swanage and also the newly opened Java cafe in Swanage (we were the first customers!). Although it was cold there was no rain and it wasn't windy, which could have been scary on those cliffs! A very enjoyable weekend overall, made all the better by the smooth arrangements.

Fantastic organisation by Damon at Encounter. Completed the first 5 days of the Cornish Coastal Path starting at Welcome Mouth. Really tough walking but spectacular scenery. We had 5 days of clear blue skies in March! Some parts of the route should not be tried in wet and windy weather unless experienced walkers. Walking poles are a real advantage over this part of the route.

Day 1 Welcome Mouth to Bude (10 miles) of very steep ascents & descents. Stayed at Brendan Arms, Bude. Excellent with amazing home-cooked food & superb breakfasts. Really friendly staff.

Day 2 Bude to Crackington Haven (10 miles), first 7 miles easy last 3 miles tough. Stayed at Coombe Barton Inn. Best food of the whole trip. Outstanding!

Day 3 Crackington Haven to Boscastle (7 miles) slightly easier than previous days. Stayed at the Wellington - full of character, amazing comfy beds. Dining room too formal so ate at the Cobweb Inn full of character but indifferent food & minimal wine selection.

Day 4 Boscastle to Trebarwith Strand (7 miles). Stayed at the Port William very friendly, OK food. Trebarwith Strand to Port Isaac (7 miles)- vertical ascent from the Port William to start the walk! Welcome arrival at the Schoolhouse, Port Isaac. Ate at Nathan Outlaws Fish Kitchen - outstanding and a reward for 5 days of challenging but amazing walking. Cant wait for the next part of the path.

It was a challenge on Thursday because the stepping stones at Welcombe Bay were covered by a torrent of water. I decided to try a footpath between the road and the river and found a bridge about half a mile along. And on the Saturday it was very windy so I had to sit down for a while, half a dozen times when atop the high cliffs, for fear of being blown down the sheer sides. Luckily it wasn't particularly cold and I had allowed plenty of time. But I took photos and sent regular instagrams so people could track my progress and I was safe. Yes there was lots of mud, particularly just before Boscastle, which was a shame, because my boots had nearly become clean beforehand.

Accommodation amazing. I'm phoning today to make another booking. Thanks for phoning the Bush Inn. I felt cared for. Best wishes, Fiona

Thank you for organising a wonderful weekend for us.  You are right about the weather, it was so lovely we were walking in t-shirts a lot of the time.  Very lucky for the last weekend in October!
 
We were happy with both B & B's and the hotel in Penzance, comfortable beds and great breakfasts in all of them.  We had been a little concerned that we might be cold and had even brought a hot water bottle, but if anything we were a little too warm - not really something to complain about.  We had very good evening meals at the Old Success in Sennen Cove and the Logan's Rock Inn when staying in Portcurno.  Chris at the B & B gave us directions for a short cut across the fields so we had a bit of an adventure getting there in the dark.
 
The walking, especially from Portcurno to Mousehole was tough at times.  We are both small so found some of the steep steps uphill from the coves en route quite a struggle - they were obviously built for tall people with long legs.  And the sections into and out of Lamorna Cove were a bit of a challenge too, there was a lot of picking your way around, through and over rocks and boulders.  It was not so bad in the fine and dry weather we had but I would not have wanted to do it in the wind and rain.
 
We will definitely do some more of the south-west coast walk another time, it was really beautiful.  And we will definitely use your company again so once more thanks very much.
 

Well organised trip by Encounter, thankyou. Day was was pretty strenuous, not helped by lots of mud which made the ups and downs interesting. Goodness only knows what the path is like after rain, probably treacherous. Absolutely beautiful scenery across the moors though. Day 2 was OK although we cut it short at Ilfracombe when we found the pub! Day 3 Woolacombe - Saunton Sands was easy walking,only about 10 miles. Beautiful scenery and gorgeous weather! We can highly recommend a Sunday lunch at the Saunton Sands hotel, exactly what a hungry walker needs!

The walk had many highlights, wonderful views, little fishing villages and some pleasant downs after some rugged ups. The first and last days were challenging lengths but the fine and sunny weather when the rest of southern England was grey and miserable compensated. Some of the signage was intermittent, so we saw a bit more of Cornwall than planned especially around the Ropehaven cliffs. Otherwise the accommodation was excellent, particularly the B&Bs and the friendly and helpful hosts and luggage transfers went without a hitch. Finding the evening accommodation was easy using the walk notes from encounterwalking.

As usual, everything worked like clockwork. Accommodation all expecting me, bags always transferred and in my room on arrival. First long day completed in overcast but warm conditions, followed by two rainy days. Missed (mist!) out on Golden Cap section, will go back and do it again when it's visible! Rest of days mix of overcast and sun, and walked the final three mile beach in glorious sunshine to catch the ferry at South Haven point - the finish! Quality of accommodation was fine and I enjoyed this section very much even though some days the hills (mountains!) seemed endless! I did the whole SWCP with Damon and Encounter and each section was organised to perfection. I intend to re-walk a few particularly nice sections and I would not look further than Encounter for their great organisational ability and local knowledge.

Thanks to Damon and Encounter walking holidays for a very well organised holiday. Damon even managed to give us an Indian Summer for the first few days with enough warmth and sunshine to go swimming. Our group had 3 different subgroups of friends/ family with varying starts and finishes and every permutation was seemlessly managed. We loved visiting The Lost Gardens of Heligan on the morning walk out of Mevagissey and would recommend that as an add on to the walk from there to Charlestown. The accommodation was welcoming and the trail notes excellent. All we had to do was walk, enjoy the stunning scenery and wildlife, and look forward to a good evening meal and comfortable bed. A perfect holiday.

Walked this over 4 days. Spectacular scenery - would thoroughly recommend it and we had the most wonderful weather - sunny all the way. Not sure the Bergundy Chapel just out of Minehead is worth the visit as there is a very steep climb afterwards but Culbone Chuch after Porlock Weir definitely is. Great hotels booked by Damon and team and would thoroughly recommend the Rising Sun in Lynmouth for a delicious meal. Heddons Gate Hotel excellent and meal very reasonable. Thanks to Encounter Walking for a great holiday.

Hi Damon, as I write I am overlooking the sea from our room at Honeycombe House in Mevagissey. Our Saints Way walking holiday organised by you has been a great success. All the accommodation was wonderful; the trip notes very detailed & helpful, & the weather of course, has been magnificent!  Generally we found the way fairly well signposted with a few areas where signs had been "souvenired" or were just plain not there but I regret to say we didn't take specific note of locations hoping we would remember at the end - not so, except for yesterday when we had difficulty getting out of Golant & then again further up the track. A few spots on day 1 & 2 were very brambly too, but the muddy parts weren't too bad. We will certainly recommend you to any of our friends who come this way. You made the whole adventure very easy & enjoyable.

We had amazingly beautiful weather, rain only at night or while at lunch one day.  Some mud, well quite a lot in places, as a result.  We loved our walk!!!  All transport went smoothly.  All accommodations were lovely and hospitable.  The food at the Crowne Inn was particularly excellent.  

Signage was mostly good.  But we did get lost, several times.  We got better at understanding the map and where to go when there was no sign, but the first day was particularly difficult and we lost our way below Dennis Hill as the trail enters the woods.  It looked like the arrow headed right, but in fact, it headed straight.  Animal trails and others who obviously lost their way confused the issue.  Entering fields was often confusing and I would suggest small binoculars to try to find the exit.  It was often very confusing.  Sometimes we thought it was a miracle we were actually on the "way".

But really, our experience was very positive and we were delighted to have accomplished our goal.

Thanks for all you arrangements.

Our feedback is as follows:  Reliable, dependable. Luggage moved perfectly. Hotels were great, especially the Commercial at St Just, and the Treventon was excellent.The walking guides were good. A suggestion would be to supply walking maps and notes of just the few pages of the actual walk. This means that the whole book does not have to be carried, and accessed. A few pages could be easily carried and be accessible easily especially in wind and rain.

The Telegraph museum at Pothcurno is fantastic and it would be worthwhile telling people about it and allowing a few hours for it in the walk.

For us, the walk from St Just to Porthcurno was very long (8 hours) and we were tired at the end when we reached the very steep descent at the Minack and then the walk back up,the hill again to the Sea View. It would be helpful to put in the notes that that there is the option to walk down the road to the Sea View if you are tired and want to avoid the steep sections.Thanks Damon. Your help with the train tickets and general advice was much appreciated. Also you turned on fabulous weather!

Walk easy!

Like 2 years before on the Southwest Coast Path ... the organisation of the walks (with maps and informations) and the accomodations were great. Thanks you Encouter Walking team.

Thanks to Damon and the team for another really enjoyable, well organised holiday (our third with Encounter). Damon went out of his way to tailor the itinerary to our preferred overnight stops and gave us some excellent options for upgrading the accommodation. Baggage transfers worked very smoothly and the accommodation was generally very good. We particularly enjoyed the Polurrian Hotel, the Five Pilchards at Porthallow and Gold Martin B&B at Mawnan Smith. Most enjoyable evening meals of the week were at the Five Pilchards (great steak) and Giuseppe’s in Mawnan Smith (fantastic turbot). We would also recommend the Brew House at Porthleven for great coffee, friendly staff and views of the harbour (the cakes looked great too!). The weather was rather mixed at the beginning of the holiday with intermittent heavy rain and strong winds but steadily improved as the week went on and we had lots of sunshine and fantastic views. Some sections of the path were extremely muddy – especially around Coverack. We were amused to be stopped on the coast path near Gunwalloe Cove while a scene for Poldark 2 was being filmed. The ferries at both Gillan Creek and the Helford River worked perfectly for us and added interest towards the end of the week. Thanks again Damon and we hope to be back walking with Encounter in the near future.

An excellent and memorable holiday. Accommodation bookings and luggage transfers no problems and the dog friendly rooms where absolutely fine (but then our collie was very well behaved and usually ready for a rest at the end of the day). Weather was pretty good for the week not too hot or cold although one pretty damp day and ground was muddy under foot but never impassable. We had two long walking days of 22 miles each and with hindsight the second of them was 'tough'. Muddy ground slowed our progress, it was not easy to get an early start from the accommodation and that meant we finished in the dark crossing muddy fields (thankfully with a torch I had packed) arriving in Witheridge at 9.30pm. But the next day was only 7.5miles, so we had a lie in! Summer months and lighter evenings would make that easier.

Never lost our way but you could not do this walk and rely on the footpath signs all the time. We had to follow compass bearings on some stretches. (But I would say 80% of it is well marked overall) I would certainly recommend Ordnance survey maps for the whole route. The Harvey map supplied was okay but I would have preferred the bigger scale of OS for some of the Exmoor sections. I bought the Cicerone guide for the walk but have to say the local Devon Two Moors guide was much better and I referred to that every day for their route guidance. The cicerone was not that user friendly for the walk. Excellent time overall, and well organised by Encounter.

It was really great, the scenery extremely impressing, and well, we were also more than lucky with the weather, only half a day some showers, otherwise pure sunshine with some white clouds. Organisation was perfect, in all guest houses, inns and hotels we were always expected and warmly welcomed. The luggage was always at the places where it should be. Quality of accomodation was fine in general, but two inns (the Harbour Inn in Porthleven and the Old Inn in Mullion) should spend some money in the refurbishment of their lodging, particularly in the bath rooms. Breakfast was in general fine, reaching from the standard cooked breakfast (and toast and marmelade and cereals) to more interesting variations around smoked salmon. The coastpath was so fairly wayposted that one could not really get lost (together with the Trailblazer Cornwall Coast Path Book and the AZ Adventure South West Coast Path Map), with the exception from Coverack to Porthallow, where the former official route was abandoned, the path now going inland, with no sign post of this change (at least we did not find it), fortunately we met some locals knowing the place. Not much more to say - it was just great (I'm not sure if I would come to the same conclusion if we would have had one week of rainy weather, but this may not happen in Cornwall ?)

The Saints Way tuned out to be a great walk for us (both age 64). We did a coastal walk in Padstow before we left and the Hall Walk in Fowey after our three days on the Saints Way. All the logistics went perfectly and our accommodations were good. The weather was perfect which made our walks even better. We had very few problems. We got a little lost a few times but recovered pretty easily. We did run into one flooded path that required walking in a hedgerow (thank heavens we had gloves!), but all in all a wonderful time.

Trip very well organised by Encounter. We liked the fact that everything was very detailed in the itinerary so you knew exactly what was what each day. This was much appreciated. They also took the trouble to provide different options for each day as we were not sure exactly what we could fit in. The luggage transfers were brilliant and our cases were always at our accommodation when we arrived.

As for accommodation - the rooms in Buckingham House B&B were lovely, so bright and airy. People running it were very nice and helpful and breakfast delicious! Rooms in the Pier House Hotel were a bit small and warm! Food was good though and they had a nice cosy lounge where you could sit in the evening and watch the Rugby (if so inclined!). In Fowey we stayed in the King of Prussia and had a lovely large room with lots of goodies provided which was a nice touch. Nice view overlooking the harbour too. All the accommodation was very central though and close to everything. At Polperro we had difficulties finding the coastal path to Fowey - it wasn't easy to find and we had to ask for directions - not well signposted. We also visited the St Austell Brewery which is highly recommended - good beers and good food, also very friendly service. All in all a lovely walking trip - Cornwall is an amazing place to walk, especially if the weather is good, as it was for us. We'll be back and would definitely book with Encounter again.

We very much enjoyed our walk on the Coastal Path from St Ives to Marazion and back overland. While it was not always sunny, almost all the rain fell overnight so we were lucky.

We have done several long distance walking holidays now and I was very impressed with the service given by Encounter. You were very helpful and knowledgeable and the quality of the guidance notes you provided was the best we have come across.

The way marking on the coastal path was not great – a bit tired – and we did take the wrong path once, but can’t remember where. The marking on St Michael’s Way was fine, and a lot of new gates have been installed on one stretch.

We were very impressed by the quality of the accommodation. Obviously a lot of money has been invested in Cornish hotels and B&Bs. The exception to this was the Seaview B&B in Portcurno which was not to the same high standard. The room we had (room 6 at the top), was very small and lacked a lot of the basic necessities such as bedside lights and toothmug. The sink was so small that it was impossible to fill the kettle and the bathroom light was controlled by an automatic sensor which meant it went off when I was in the shower and came on when I turned over in bed – very annoying. Although not high season, there were still lots of visitors around, so it was not always straightforward to find eating places. You could stress the advisability of booking in advance.

We loved the Cornish scenery and I’m sure we will return soon to try out another section of the path.

Dear Aidan,  At last a few lines of feedback from us Norwegian ladies that you prepared so well for. 

Encounter Walking Holidays (and you!) did not fail us once, we felt all the time that we were in good hands. The hotels and guesthouses you picked for us suited us perfectly, the transport of our suitcases went smoothly every day, and all your advice on things to see and do (or avoid) were carefully read and followed. We used the (excellent!) map and book you sent us beforehand all the time. Even the weather was good! The only rain we had was on the night before we left Cornwall.

You asked us to mention the highlights of our trip. They were many, but I’ll pick some: After our first day’s walk (15th Sept) we came to Zennor: a wonderful little place with lovely guesthouse rooms, a beautiful church and good food&atmosphere at the Tinner’s Arms Pub. The day after we had a long walk to St.Just, but took time to have a guided tour in the Geevor Tin & Copper Mine. Very interesting, and a good preparation for Poldark, which is now running on Norwegian TV… On the 18th we had tickets for Much Ado About Nothing at Minack Theatre. A fantastic theatre created by one devoted woman (we spent the morning there also) & a wonderful performance. Our last day in Cornwall was on Sunday in Penzance. We discovered quickly that all the museums and art galleries were closed there on Sundays (St Michael was available, but all of us had been in Mont St. Michele in Normandy before…). We therefore took the train back to charming St.Ives, where we spent the day in interesting museums & galleries and had a good meal.  

We will not hesitate to contact you next time!

Best regards from 

Four in Cornwall (by one of them)*

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_in_Norway_(by_two_of_them)

all good, no problems, luggage arrived on time, accomodmation all ok.

We had an excellent time and could not have asked for more, other than all 7 days to be sunny rather than the 5 that we had. What worked the best for us was the organization by Damon and the team. The details for each day's walk, what to expect, places to stop, turns to take, made us feel safe and well looked after. We found our accommodations easily and appreciated that each was close to the coast path.

The vistas and scenery throughout our walking were stunning, the beaches beautiful and other than the steps up and down to portreath, everything was manageable. We were very pleased with ourselves for all that we accomplished with no injuries or blisters at all! We met many friendly people and very happy dogs! We think someone should set up a business to rent a dog for a week!

Most of our stays were very pleasant. Special mention goes to the Fairbanks inn at Crantock. Sadly they are leaving and hopefully the new owners will be as helpful and engaging as Elaine and Paul. The Harlyn Inn needs some work and although clean enough, the rooms were small and the beds too soft. The double room at the driftwood spars in St. Agnes was fine but the single room felt remote and not comfortable. The old quay inn at Hayle was very nice and the staff seemed to care. This was not the case with the hotel in St. Ives. They were kind enough to allow us to take a blanket to the Minack theatre that evening, but forgot to inform the night person that we would be arriving late. It just shows some lack of communication among their staff.

The luggage transfers were excellent and our bags always arrived far in advance of us. Our trip was a huge success because of how well it was organized and we knew help was always available if we should have ever needed it. Thank you to Damon and the group. Special mention also goes to Jason who drove us from portreath back to St. Agnes. He texted us in the afternoon to let us know he could pick us up anytime- this was a much appreciated extra step and contributed to our sense of being looked after well. We hope to return and will be sure to recommend Encounter Walking to all of our Canadian friends waiting to hear about our experience.

We enjoyed the walk along the SW Coast Path. The accomodations were very pleasant, providing good food and drinks. We included a walk around Loo Lake, which provided a pleasant diversion from the coastal landscapes. Parts of the path we (being 65+ and 70+)found rather strenuous. We were very lucky with the weather. The first days, walking in our T-shirts. The daily weatherforecast promised more rain than we actually experienced. We had only one day of walking with our raingear on; and yet the rain was intermittant, not continuous. Thank you for the well organized vacation.

Coleridge Way completed to Porlock! Great walk - charmed by villages, green lanes, ancient bridle paths, woodland and moors.  Accommodation worked out very well - all walker friendly. Cider house best, followed by Porlock (best breakfast as there were alternatives to"full English"!) Pub food recommended was all good - favourite was masons arms in williton. Directions and maps were great and only two cow incidents.

Thank you for once again organising a glorious walking trip for me.  The weather – despite the very inaccurate and gloomy forecasts – was fantastic for walking – even the supposedly awful Wednesday did not materialise.  I only had my waterproof trousers on for two brief periods and the wind was kind. Crossing the Erme was quite an adventure but with the advice from the lovely Jackie at Worsall Barton I was armed with walking sandals and a towel and made it.  Thank you so much for organising the walk to correspond with the tides – it was fun.  

Arrived at Starcross Ferry at 2.50 ferry at 3.10 so pretty perfect.  Few worrying moments waiting for the ferry at Bigbury but eventually someone waved from the other side and ferried us across.

The walking was fabulous right up there with the first section despite the urban bits.  Badly signed I felt from Torquay and I missed Anstys Cove.All accomodation was up to the usual good standard.  I loved Dukes in Sidmouth.
All in all I had a fabulous time.

The Dartmoor Way is fantastic. One of the most exciting walks I have ever done. And I have done many walks in Great Britain and Ireland. The endless moors with the Tors, the gorse, the heather, the grass and the wild ponies are an explosion of colors in the autumn. The open wide landscape, the forgotten villages and the River Vallyes and Gorges. Just great! There are not very good waymarkets, so you must be able to use a map and compass. But it is a interesting challenge. The accommodations were excellent, clean, calm and comfortable.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable walk and cannot thank Damon and his colleagues enough for their attention to detail from the initial planning of our walk to immediately resolving a problem we experienced on the first day. The scenery was stunning and varied, the route mainly easy to follow, the main exception being rejoining the coastal path after Par. We too, found the path a little too close to the cliff edge approx 1.5 miles from Polperro.

All the accommodation was very good, although breakfast at the Rashleigh Arms was very limited compared to all the others. We had some excellent evening meals in both pubs and restaurants which were generally not too far from our accommodation (the owner of one establishment even offered to pick us up!). We walked 8-12 miles daily and whilst we felt that we could have comfortably managed more, it was nice to be able to spend some time looking around the villages where we stayed. We were very lucky with the weather which was an unexpected bonus! Once again, many thanks to The Encounter Team for organising a great trip.

The joy of our walk began with Encounter's excellent notes that answered all questions. Accommodation arranged for each night was good to excellent. The luggage transfers were spot on! We found the walking to be quite strenuous but rewarding and enjoyed fine weather throughout. Our most enjoyable meal was at a small Italian restaurant in Looe. The more expansive views towards the end of the walk were our favourites. Overall, a delightful experience for a pair of older Aussies.

We walked in a group of nine and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The scenery is magnificent. We were very fortunate in having great weather, except for some light showers during our day in Pembroke itself and heavy rain on the day of the walk from Broad Haven to Solva, when we caught the bus part of the way (from Newgale) after getting pretty wet.

The path is generally easy to follow although there are a couple of ambiguous markings when other paths join from the side. The route guidance from Encounter and the guidebooks was helpful, particularly for the first and last 1/4 mile to and from the accommodation each day. There is quite a lot of elevation change on some sections as you descend to beaches and climb back to the headlands and cliff tops. The path itself is generally in good condition but there are some muddy patches and, after the heavy rain, some of the streams were a challenge to ford.

The longer days (12 miles or more) were tiring but we recovered after a good dinner and a night's sleep. The accommodation arrangements worked out despite having to be split up on one night due to the large size of our group, and our luggage always showed up on time and in the right place. The breakfasts at our lodging places were sumptuous and appreciated before each days walk. For lunches we generally bought sandwiches or prepared food and ate by the path at a suitable spot. In a couple of the smaller towns, we ate in the evening at our lodging place but went out to restaurants in the larger places.

Options for buying food and dining were very limited in Dale and Marloes as some places had closed for the season. Generally, the food was good and there were choices for most tastes. We all felt a great sense of accomplishment as we reached the headland just before St Justinians on a perfect afternoon and looked back over the broad sweep of St Brides Bay to the shoreline around which we had walked over the previous three days. It was a great walk.

Many thanks to Damon and Encounter Walking Holidays for a very memorable, enjoyable hiking holiday! We were very pleased with all our accommodations and breakfasts, but some stood out for us as extra special: The Well House (Fowey), The Bungalow (Crafthole), Honeycombe House (Mevagissey), and the Falmouth Hotel. Luggage transfers all worked well, with our bags always waiting for us when we arrived at our B & B. Although I was a little worried about the length and difficulty of the trail (ups and downs) on some days, it turned out that some of the most strenuous days were our favourites. Favourite sections included Mevagissey to Charlestown, Fowey to Looe, and Crafthole to Plymouth. We had a few issues finding our way between Portloe and Gorran Haven, in the field just after Caerhay's Castle; in Par; at the far end of Par Beach in the car park area; and after Looe, near and just after the monkey sanctuary. Enjoyable stops and meals included The Ship Inn in Portloe, the waterfront pub in Charlestown, the Liscawn Inn in Crafthole for dinner, and cream tea at The Old Bakery in Cawsand. We were very lucky with the weather, having only about an hour of serious rain as we arrived in Looe, and light showers on and off the last day. We were extremely happy with the local knowledge offered by Encounter, and have already recommended them to our fellow hikers and our friends at home.

The walk was a wonderful week of fabulous views both inland and coastal, interesting history, old green lanes, good food and wine and sunshine all week!

Boscastle to Port Isaac – very hard walking! – great views but the last 6 miles were brutal!

We ate at the Mote(?) restaurant – excellent food – best meal of the week

Port Isaac to Padstow – lovely walking (more gentle up and down!) we swam in the sea at Polzeath – which was a highlight – fun ferry ride

Supper was at Rick’s fish and chip café – an experience – great puddings! (tartare sauce - £1.30!)

Padstow to Lanivet – (my favourite day!) – lovely day

Hotel – great place – very comfortable and very convivial host with after dinner drinks in the hotel bar with 3 other guests from Canada – very nice breakfast

Eat at the pub in the village – very friendly but quite slow – but they were very busy

Lanivet to Fowey – again lovely day

Ate in a very nice Italian restaurant just across from the hotel after a very welcome drink sitting looking over the harbour – pizzas were massive and delicous

Fowey to Looe – quite a hard day – more ups and downs – again lovely views

Ate at a basic pub in East Looe – couldn’t really find anywhere to eat - Looe was the place we liked the least

Looe to Jamaica Inn – long and hard day – quite boring – road walking – our least favourite day

Hotel was great – the rooms were the best of the whole week –

Jamaica Inn to Boscastle – again a lovely day walking

We had a great week – helped by all the sunshine – the transfers worked perfectly and we all very much enjoyed the Cornish countryside and coast – 100 miles is a long way – we didn’t seem to have time for a cream tea!

Thank you for all your help - a great week was had by us all

The walk was very well organised with good maps and helpful information supplied. We left our car at the public car park at Fowey and took the train and bus to Padstow to start the walk. This worked out ok but be warned that you pay for the parking with your mobile phone and reception isn't great. It took us a while to get a good enough connection. The weather wasn't the greatest - it was quite a muddy walk! That made it heavier going than it might have been. We managed ok but glad we took the option of 3 days and not 2. The B&Bs were pretty good overall. Tregoll's Farm in particular is lovely, as is the hostess Marilyn. We did get lost near Dennis Farm - right at the start of the walk! The signage wasn't clear and we took the left one of 3 paths instead of the middle one and ended up on the Camel Trail. Some nice people from Dennis Farm set us straight - apparently it isn't an unusual mistake. There was one track on the second day, just before Tremorebridge, that was completely awash. We managed to navigate a detour around it but got covered in mud to our knees. Just part of the fun. Overall, a really nice, interesting walk with lots to see along the way.

My wife and I had a wonderful time. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is scenic and challenging. It is very well laid out and easy to follow once on it. Our weather we nearly perfect with sunshine most days and light winds which kept us from overheating. We heard tails from others about how bad the weather can be but for us it was simple delightful. We took five days to cover the 55 miles, however, we were told that some younger folks have done this same stretch in three days and possibly less. I highly recommend this walk if you like exercise and appreciate the beauty of the Atlantic and its rocky coastline.

Thanks Damon for another great holiday with your company- the third so far, and as before everything went very smoothly- the luggage transfers, the accommodation was all of a good quality. We had no problems following the path, and the weather was glorious for September. In fact a couple of days we were too hot! It was good this time to see more unfamiliar areas of coastline further south from our usual haunts. We particularly liked Crantock and Perran sands. The only part of the walk we really didn't enjoy was along the busy road in Hayle.

We hope it won't be long before we walk another stretch of the South West Coast Path with your company, probably starting from St Ives. Until then, thanks again.

Pembrokeshire must be Wales Best Kept Secret. The trail is easy to follow. It was challenging both mentally and physically, but around every corner or the top of every climb, the views were wonderful. Encounter Walking had us booked into the best B&Bs, the luggage was always waiting for us and Damon answered all of our questions (every single one of the million) quickly and cheerfully. It was the trip of our dreams but much better.

We have had a fantastic walk , our bags have been at our accommodation on time every day a big thank you to the taxi service ( we know what the roads are like) , the accomodation has been first rate with excellent breakfasts ( of coarse some are better than others ) and the trip notes have been excellent . Once. again thanks Ian + Jo

The planning advice and guidance notes were excellent and helped a lot with the trip. Best we have seen. The section we walked from St Ives to Porthleven was fabulous. We did it in short stages as we are slow walkers. In one or two places it looked to us as if there was a better accommodation option available, and we wondered why they were not identified to us at the planning stage. But with the exception of the accommodation at Porthcurno all the accommodation was fine, some excellent. The Sea View B&B at Porthcurno was poor - the bed was only OK, the bathroom had a curious motion sensing light that shone into the bedroom after the bathroom was used at night, the walls were not soundproof and the breakfast was basic. As a warning, if staying at The Old Coastguard Hotel at Mousehole, and you want dinner be sure to book well ahead. Even though we were staying two nights we could not get a table for dinner on Sunday night when we checked in on Saturday afternoon. Indeed they seemed reluctant to serve us lunch on Sunday without a prior booking. The booking service and luggage transfers went off without a hitch. We would have no hesitation in using Encounter again.

The walking holiday was a success because it was perfectly organised. My congratulations. Ten days of walking between Falmouth and Plymouth, and a day’s rest in the middle in Fowey was just the right thing for us (65’ers who walk 25 kilometers on a flat course once a month). More would have been too strenuous. And the weather was very kind, only 2 hours of rain during the ten days of our walk. Who says it rains that much in England?

The first, long diversion between Looe and Portwrinkle is already marked, you have just to follow the signs. (You mentioned the diversion, you didn’t mention it was marked on the ground, as you did for the second short diversion). The sleeping accommodation was all right. As we don’t know the prize for each accommodation, we can’t compare prize and quality. The poorest was T’Gallants Guest House in Charlestown. I couldn’t shave (or I didn’t find where I could plug in my shaver) and the waiters and waitresses in the Rashleigh Arms didn’t take their time to answer our questions (understaffed?).

We want to say a HUGE "Thank you" to Damon and Encounter Walking Holidays. This was our first trip to Cornwall, and first time using Encounter and the whole trip was phenomenal. We booked our trip a little late in the game and, of course, scheduled it next to the late August Bank Holiday, unbeknownst to us. So lodging was scarce. Damon gave us some great suggestions on the itinerary and came up with mostly fantastic lodging.

The weather looked to be a challenge with rain forecast the entire week. But fortunately the forecasters were wrong and we had great weather until the last walking day. We stayed in Newquay the first night due to a late arrival, then took the bus to Portreath to start our hike. It was raining when we arrived to Portreath so, being flexible, we stayed on the bus for another half hour until Hell's Mouth Cafe. We got off the bus, had some soup and a bun in the cafe, the rain stopped and we were on our way. Though it rained on occasion throughout the week, never when we were on the trail until Porthcurno. The last hiking day from Porthcurno to Penzance look to be a wet one so we caught the bus that day and unfortunately missed Mousehole. Oh well, I guess we'll have to go back so we can see Mousehole.

Our original goal was Newquay to Penzance in six days, but Damon wisely cut out the Newquay to Portreath legs for the allotted time. As it was, we had only one light day, Hayle to St. Ives. We had great lodging except for the beginning and end nights in Newquay which were okay, but just not great. The whole week was a fabulous adventure with fun villages and vistas, great food, met some nice people along the way. The hiking and views were awesome. My wife wants to move there. I just want to visit, and often. We will definitely go again soon. Here are some of our thoughts for the next visit. We will go for two weeks instead of one. Plan more down time between hikes to explore towns, visit gardens and points of interest, or just hang out in little villages, and maybe do a little surfing. So we will still get a week of hiking in, but spread out over two weeks. And maybe drink more beer. Thanks Damon, for the extra effort and for the great trip.

We had an excellent holiday enjoyed by us all (2 adults plus 2 teenagers). The range in the weather produced a wonderful variety of colours from the heather to the sea so each day had it's own beauty. The instructions from Encounter Walking holidays were informative and interesting and provided everything we needed to know. We followed their advice almost entirely although tagged Cape Cornwall onto the end of Day 2 instead of the start of Day 3. The route was mainly well marked except there were a number of paths from the Levant Mine on Day 2 (heading south) which were confusing. It should have been an excellent opportunity to chat to our children, but they were always 100 m ahead of us!

Excellent experience, very well organized and thoroughly enjoyable. A couple of tips: You may want to think about laundrettes along the way. There's one right next door to The Commercial Hotel in St Just, the hotel manager can explain it all to you. Very convenient. We faffed around in St Ives two nights earlier and wished we'd waited for St Just. If you stay in Zennor at the Chapel Guest House (which is lovely by the way) you should make reservations at the pub (Tinners Arms) -- we didn't realize it would be so busy and almost got no dinner. I hope we'll be back to hike the rest of the Cornish part of the path some day.

An enjoyable holiday where, despite the rain on a couple of the days, we had a great time. Muddy conditions at times but with this adding a fun extra challenge to what was a reasonably demanding walk. Whilst the path was described as 'severe' between Treen and St Ives we didn't find this to be too bad as long as you watched where you were going. Well organised, we enjoyed all the accommodation along the walk (6 nights) with a warm welcome wherever we stayed; all immaculately clean and comfortable. A particular mention however for the Gurnards Head Hotel in Treen which had excellent food - both evening meal and breakfast - and a really comfortable bed! All the instructions provided were clear with the only problem we encountered being on the St Michaels Way just outside of St Ives where, along a narrow very wet and muddy stretch of the path, we were faced with two large horses and riders coming the other way! Thanks to Damon and all the team at Encounter for making the holiday so enjoyable.

Everything was so well organised and it was lovely not to have to worry about luggage and accommodation. The hotels/B&Bs were all pretty good. I can hardly blame Encounter Walking for the weather, but it certainly did put a damper on things - three out of five days had pretty heavy rain and I got drenched a lot. I have some balance issues so because of high winds on a couple of days took slightly alternative routes, but think that was wise under the circumstances!

In spite of 3 days of rain out of the 5 days walking, we loved the walk - a variety of landscapes, various points of historic interest and, when not raining, spectacular views across land and sea. We were very happy with the length we chose allowing us to pause and reflect whenever we chose.

Day 1: Nether Stowey to Williton - it was a beautiful sunny day so, backed up by the OS map, we decided to leave the recommended route (which followed the contour of the Quantocks) just after Alfoxton and head up and over the top. One surprise was the number of tracks on the moors, but with compass, map and advice from an entomologist, our walk was straight forward. Would only take this option on clear sunny days, never in cloud and rain.

Day 2: weather forecast of 30mph winds and rain was daunting but the route through green lanes protected us from the worst of the weather and created some wonderful memories. In spite of our wet and bedraggled appearance for lunch at The Notley Arms, Monksilver, we were greeted with kindness and warmth. The owner very interested and knowledgeable about the area - could not recommend this pub highly enough - as well as very good food and beverages. The best day overall for constant changes of landscape, vistas and interest.

Day 3: Roadwater to Wheddon Cross - if you have bad weather, suggest a diversion to a pub lunch because the Coleridge Way is more exposed than any other day and finding a protected spot out of wind and rain is difficult.

Day 4: Wheddon Cross to Porlock - the Coleridge Way comes out at Webber's Post at a small car park, ignore this one, the large car park over the two roads is what you need (#104); the contour traverse along the Dunster Path (#101) to Webber's post was rocky and pitted underfoot due to high rain and subsequent washout.

Day 5: Porlock to Minehead, South East Coastal path: we chose a mixture of the normal track and the 'rugged' track - if you have any problems with heights, the 'rugged' track is not recommend. We chatted to some seasoned walkers who noted that the 'rugged' walk does not have the open sweeping views of the coast lines, and on a hot and humid day, there is more breeze on top.

The Coleridge Way notes were excellent and essential; some Quill markers are getting somewhat weathered but by using both the notes and the OS map the Way is clear. All logistics, accommodation, recommendations etc worked like a dream - thank you to Damon and everyone at Encounter Walking. We have recommended you to others, and will continue to do so. Thank you everyone involved in the Coleridge Way.

For way: Like all long-distance footpaths, the label is partly good and partly bad. Especially bad is the mark of Coverack by Porthallow. To evaluate the Section it would be good if the altitude would indicated. If the Section has a lot of steps, this information would also be good. To Orgarnisation: the Orgarnisation was excellent. The Lodging is always close on the way. The description of the way the property very well. the Lodging: -Sea View House- the room is very small and not very clean. There is no wardrobe. We had to take off your shoes, although they were not wet or dirty. -House of Props- the arrival to 4 clock or after 6 clock is bad for walking. The furniture of the room was a bit uneven. The food and the breakfast was very good. -Nantarrow farm- the information that the Farmer guests for a small fee drives to the pub and pick up again would be good. We noticed that people are very friendly in Cornwall. "Encounterwalking" we would recommend it to anyone with a good conscience.

All nicely organised: fairly decent distance each day, good accommodation. Whilst the OS maps were (as they should be) exceedingly easy to read / navigate, the holiday narrative describing detours throughout the walk was a welcome icing on the top and made life just that little bit easier. Would definitely walk in this area again.

We had a glorious time! This was the perfect way to experience Dartmoor, the land and the villages. We're back home now and have already been contacted by several friends who wish to plan their own walking holidays next year. Encounter Walking took care of all the arrangements, as they said they would, so all we had to do was walk and enjoy the scenery.

Our accommodations were just perfect, comfortable, clean, cozy and everyone was so friendly and helpful. The food was fantastic. Hearty, delicious meals every evening after a long day of walking. On this vacation, we weren't just tourists standing off at a distance taking pictures and reading brochures. We got to meet some of the people of Devon and share stories with them. This alone makes the rain worthwhile... oh yes, there was rain. But the moors are something to behold in the rain, so beautiful! And the ponies! There were lots of ponies! We can't wait to come back! Thank you to everyone!--Arlitia and Dan

Damon did a lovely job organising our walk, all at rather short notice. Although we live in Cornwall, the far north coast was utterly unknown to us. The ups and downs are far more frequent and higher than the ones we are accustomed to down here on the Lizard! The Bush Inn at Morwenstow was a complete delight - try the cloudy cider yum yum! Make sure you pack your swimming gear if you do this route. The beach at Crackington Haven is small, but sheltered and perfectly formed, and there are numerous other opportunities for a cheeky dip. The wild ponies on some of the steeper cliffs just north of Boscastle were beautiful, and no trouble at all. I am generally nervous of cows too, but all those we encountered were gentle and untroubled by our presence.

We thoroughly enjoyed the walking holiday. From the coastal views to the lovely villages we passed through. The people we met at the accommodation places and the taxi lady were all helpful and friendly. Everything worked just fine as per the itinerary and the weather was on our side. We will seriously consider another section in the future and recommend Encounter to friends etc.

The organisation was perfect, our accomodations good up to very good, very friendly B&B-hosts. We were a group of 13 friends, some walking faster, some more slowly. It would have been helpful to have more samples/copies of the way to share, but that's surely a question of prizes. Ilfracome - in our eyes - isn't worth stopping at, Lee was much nicer. The last day (stay in Woolacombe, suggestion from encounterwalking was taking the bus to Brampton and walking back) we shortend the walk (Croyde - Woolacombe) to have a bit more time in Woolacombe - fantastic beach, great weather. Especially the hosts of "The Rocks Hotel" were extremely helpful. At the first day short before Blossington all of our sub-groups probably missed a sign and reached the village somehow, but not via Hurlstone Point like the guide recommends. Highlight was the trip between Combe Martin and Woolacombe. For some of us (nearly all over 50) the distance was a little bit too long - walking such a trail more than 20 km is a little bit too much, but nobodyneeded a taxi and we were all in a good mood.

A lovely walk with great accommodation. Encounter's assessment of our route was fine e.g moderate, strenuous in parts. The A-Z map was good. The Trailblazer book is probably the best to use, but has some annoying/out of date inconsistencies e.g going through Hayle. Comments on the route: - Perranporth - St Georges Country Hotel - we agree that it is best not to approach it by road (dangerous), but still don't understand Encounter's instructions for approaching from the coast path. We met another walker who gave us instructions; - St Loys Cove - where the path runs at the back of the beach, as we were told there loads of boulders but they cover more than 50 metres. Once over the boulders, there is a scary climb up crumbling steps in the small cliff. The coast path sign indicates this route, but other walkers told us that they used a much better path immediately behind the beach. Anyway we had a great time and a very good service from Encounter.

Path descriptions and maps were very well, good was that the time prognose for the day mostly was right and very exact.

Only at one point - at the end between Minehead and Porlock Weir -, down to Bossington, all uf us went wrong and took another way down to Bossington, not the South Coast Path Way, but this was not important.

The hotels overall were okay, Millers at the Anchor in Porlock is great, Bath in Lynmouth was very okay, Combe Martin and Minehead okay, and The Rocks in Woolacomb really great, especially very very kind and helpful persons!

Helpful would be a list of shops with opening hours where to buy water and bread etc.

The whole organisation went very well, no problems with the transport of luggages.

I hoped to go swimming every evening, but that was difficult because of the coastline (except Woolacomb of course).

Overall a nice week and a very good hike, with excellent organisation from your side.

Many thanks! - Best wishes  from Hamburg

The planning and information given from encounter walking holidays was superb. There are a couple of points that I would like to make which didn't spoil our experience but e think heed addressing. 1. The accommodation in Charlestown is niw run by the local public house which is a stroll away up a hill...After waking all day we had to ho there and check in then take our luggage down the hill to the accommodation and up flights of stairs...my husband didn't have wheels on his and it was a problem. 2. The accommodation in Fowey was very quaint and lovely hosts...The bed was very small and my husband is 6"3 also the nesting seagulls on the roof ment we didn't sleep even with ear plugs. The walks were wonderful and the views exceptional tge food and drink along the way we're good. Upon hindsight we would of walked two days and rest a day etc but I would definitely use this company again a brilliant holiday. Roll on the next one!!!

Our walking holiday was very nice.We loved it!!!! You got a beautiful country

We had to take the Diversion in St Ives since we started walking on a Monday.
The weather was very nice exept for one day, and lucky for it was the short day to Sennen Cove
Take care, and thank you once again for helping us planning our holiday.
 

We had a great time walking, the weather was fine. All the bed and breakfasts were great exept the one in fowey, the galjoen inn. IT was not clean ! The services of encounter walking Holidays was great. If we are gone walk in england again we certainly Will do iT with you. Thank you for everything! Allaart en ietje ter Haar.

The holiday was wonderfull. We met very friendly people, were allways being offered help or a pleasant talk.

The B&Bs and the hotels were very comftable and we liked nearly everywhere the food.

Luggage transfer was perfect. And of course, the landscape was splendit, we saw a lot of animals, romantic rivers and wild open fields.

At first it was difficult for us to find the way over the open moorland, we got lost, especially since there are no signs and the description is some years old, some places have changed (grown trees, no bird nursery any more, ...). As we do not know how the naturally landmarks look like, the names in the description sometimes were not helpful for us. But that is probably because we do not understand enough English. And we did a little bit too much, we thought we could manage more miles than we did. But we took taxis or public transport or skipped one walk.

Alltogher we had a very nice stay, which we will like to remember!

We had great 10 days, everything was perfectly organized. B&B were good - range from absolutely ok to great, but nothing less than really ok. All hosts were very nice and the rooms clean. Luggage transfer was absolutely perfect - thanks to Sue and Ben. People in England are very polite and open, we had lots of "small talks" - very interesting. The maps are very good - we lost the signs between Minehead and Porlock Weir somewhere before Bossington Hill, but maybe that was our falt. Only one thing we would have done different if we had known - the walk along River Taw was a bit boaring, for us it would have been better to take a bus between Croyde and Westward Ho! because this part of the walk is not what someone expects from "coast path". But that is to blad on a very high stage - we were very content with the walk and the perfect organization - thanks to all people involved. I´m looking forward to walking the next part next year and I will do it again with Encounter Walking Holidays.

We arrived in St Ives with the sun shining and it shone the whole of our holiday. I suggest you come early to get a car parking space, as it can get very busy. We had trouble with the Ring Go as it wouldn't work for us at Trenwith Car Park, so we used Phone and Pay, downloaded the app. This worked very well. We had to use the diversion to walk out of St Ives, the notes from Damon where easy to follow and we had no problems.

The itinerary was good with enough information to support us along the way. We did prepare ourselves for the severe grades, they weren't that bad as we thought, we just took our time and stopped to take in the stunning scener, we did double the time it said on the itinerary, and loved every minute. The Trailblazer Guide was an essential item in the rucksack.

Accommodation was great throughout our travels, Debbie and Carl at the Seaforth B & B were lovely welcoming people and gave some useful information, breakfast was delicious. We would recommend The Ship Inn, Mousehole for evening meal, really nice atmosphere and great food.. Luggage transfers were no problem, it was there when we arrived at our accommodation every time. We saw stunning scenery, St Loys cove with the boulders was amazing. We also met some nice people on our travels as well. Big thankyou to Damon and fhe team at Encounter for making our holiday so special and enjoyable, we can't wait to plan the next one.

This has been a fantastic walk!! Except walking the golf course and behandling the old factory in Par, the whole trip was absolutely wonderful. The best part was from Fowey to Polperro where we walked alone in beautiful weather. In Ropeheaven we had problem finding the path - no sign telling is to turn left, so we walked almost down to the sea. The accomodations where ok - except for Schooner in Looe which is great - we love this B&B! Coming back to Norway, we will sure tell our friends about this - and I'm sure we will contact Encounter Walking again. Great service - thank you all! Rudi & Knut

Hi Damon

Not a huge amount to feedback this time. All the accommodation was really good, particularly liked Kimmeridge Farmhouse and Queen Anne House.

Couple of things around Portland. The Blue Fish Restaurant at Fortuneswell has closed, though it looks like they still open the occasional weekend. Refreshments are scarce apart from Portland Bill. However we did find another place at Fancy's Family Farm which is just after the prison on the way back to Fortuneswell. It is free entry and they have a shop which sells drinks and snacks. There are picnic tables and you can look at the animals too! Couldn't work out how they make their money, but we were glad of the break.

At South Haven Point you can get the 50 bus before the ferry (bus stop outside Shell Bay Café) and thus avoid the separate ferry fare!

Just a minor point on directions at Kimmeridge, you don't need to go down to the Marine Reserve buildings before turning left up to the village. Would suggest the directions say turn left on the minor road after the public toilets, saves a few yards.

Excellent walk, weather was kind and probably best waymarked section of all.

Thanks for all your help in getting us around. We have loved it and will be back next year for Pembrokeshire (you don't get rid of us that easily!!)

Congratulations Maggie and Pat from us all at Encounter Walking for finishing all 630 miles of the full path over the last few years - well done !

yesterday we came back from our walking week on the South West Coast Path between Marazion and Falmouth. I just wanted to let you know that everything went well and we very much appreciate the perfect organization of the trip.

We were very lucky with the weather: Only one hour of rain, a day of heavy winds and other than that lots and lots of sunshine. We have enjoyed all the accommodations with wonderful hospitality everywhere, very nice people, excellent breakfast, good food and even better beer so what else could we have wished for. 

The luggage transfer worked out simply perfect with no hick up at all. 

And since we had received very good information from you we never got lost.

So all in all it was a perfect trip. I promise we will tell lots of people about it and we we will certainly recommend Encounter Walking Holidays as the partner to choose. And I hope we will do it again ourselves in the near future.

Thank you very much for your support.

The Map was good, the trailblazer guidebook was not very helpfull and not necessary. The accomodation in Zennor Chapel at Zennor and Treventon Guest House in Penzance were great. Commercial hotel in St Just was OK. Sea View House in Porthcurno was the least off all accomodations. We did not walk st Michels way instead of that we walked our own route, this because we ended at our campingplace near St Ives and the michels way was to far from our destination. The total costs of the journey we found it to high for what we got. The correspondation through email and the organisation were very good. We had a nice trip. Greetings Eric

It was a great holiday. Hunters Inn was a great place to be ill ... And then the people of the luggage transfer were very friendly (they took me to Ilfracombe on day 5). I think I cought a cold and had been eating too much (4 times creamed tea in a week...).Fortunately I could make it to Lundy next day, so I still had a nice sea/seawind/birds etc. experience.

I will defenitely come back to do another part of the SW Coast path! Or the Coleridge Way.

I really have no remarks. All the B&B were so carefully selected by you! Maybe just a few general 'tourist' tips:  

- Taunton: the big Roman Dido and Aeneas-mosaic in the Somerset museum is very impressive. It's just next to the busstation, so great to hop in when you walk from the trainstation to the bus station. 

- The beautiful Exeter Cathedral is only a 10 minutes walk from Exeter Central (connecting station to London Waterloo).

- River Heddon (near Hunters Inn): you can spot dippers here.

We had a fantastic holiday arranged by Damon at Encounter Walking, they were super helpful and everything was arranged as planned. I would highly recommend using them, they were very accommodating and we will use them again next time we come to Cornwall!

A beautiful and extremely well organised holiday. We appreciated particularly your choice of accommodations: a good variety of places, excellent locations, nice breakfasts... The provided documentation was more than adequate for navigation dummies like us. We also appreciated the efforts of the owner of the Avalon BandB in Tintagel in trying to get our clothes dried after a very wet day. Only the last morning in Port Isaac the rain was pouring down so hard that we were tempted to take the bus, but luckily the sun came through just in time to make us change our mind. One possible advice we can think of: if you have gaiters, you'd better take them with you!

An interesting walk in sunshine and rain. Waking up in a misty Porthleven was a kind of surprise after the sunny previous day. No view of St Michaels mount and even the view of the sea was blurred but everything cleared after visiting St Winwaloe church. Kynance Cove and Lizard point would have been more enjoyable with fewer 'day tourists'. Cadgwith harbour was very attractive. Heavy rain and wind held us away from the coast between Porthallow and Helston. Instead we explored alternative paths inland and reached the Helston ferry after a nice lunch in Manaccan. A day off at Mawnan Smith with a visit of Trebah Gardens was a splendid idea, so was the extra day in Falmouth with Pendennis castle and the Maritime Museum.

All accomodations were excellent, with often remarkably large rooms. We very much liked the more personal touch of "Gold Martin" in Mawnan Smith. All walks had their strenuous parts, especially where staircases with huge steps were inserted... and for us, as walkers of a certain age who also take time to enjoy the beautifull vegetation, the longer walks such as Cadgwith-Porthallow were somewhat exhausting. Signposting could be improved a lot, certainly in the neighbourhood of beaches. Of course, as a coastal path is supposed to stick to the shore, walking it is most times not really difficult and we were provided with excellent trail documentation: The OS map in book-version was extremely handy. We preferred this to the trailblazer which, however, was informative for smaller (but necessary) details such as the location of toilets... Thank you for this much enjoyed walking trip, and also for the pleasantly efficient and well timed way the foregoing communication was handled.

Our walk was amazing and we enjoyed every minute even if the weather was not always sunny.

The walk itself is spectacular and every day is different.

The distances we walked was  perfect for us as experienced long distance walkers but also gave us time for lovely coffee stops!We were so impressed with all our accomodation especially the B and B s as they all had a personal touch it was only the larger accomodation places that did not do soya milk which we found interesting! But that was only about 3 places.

The diversion was in place in St Ives but caused no probs, Biggest problem for walkers is on day arriving into St Ives when you have to walk on a very narrow busy road! Not pleasant.

The luggage transfer was first class and was always at destination and often in our room which was really nice"

Overall I would highly recommend the walk and the all the places we stayed.

thank you for your vey well planned holiday and we recommended your company to numerous people while on the walk. We look forward to booking our next trip with you soon.

thanks for the well done preparations of our walking holiday in Cornwall. Basically we had a very pleasing time and the two days rain were really no hindrance having a very good time in this lovely place. The daily transport of our suitcases and the arrangement and length of our tours were nearly perfect. For even making your service better for the forthcoming people we'd like to give a few tipps or suggestions, which might be helpful:

- We have learned, that our plan to  take rests for two days each at the end of our stay (Mevagissey and Fowey) was not necessary. We should have gone on, which we really did by taking tours round the town. We should have lengthened our way on the coastal path.

- the B & B's in Penzance, Coverack and - most of all - Mevagissey were very goot, the others were ok exept the night and breakfast in the Harbour Inn in Porthleven.

- Concerning the route: The ferrie from Mevagissey to Fowey didn't drive because of the bad weather. The tour by bus was ok, but as an alternative it would have been nice to take a walk or - if too long for a daytrip - a combined suggest for a walk and bus tour.

- In parts the south coast path, as far as we have gone it, was not at all places clearly signed. Definitely on the days with bad weather the orientation was sometimes difficult and the combination of coastal-path signs and the local round paths had been desorientating, so that we missed our way for two times.

- Looking back we were both sorry, that we didn't combine trips on coast with ways through the heartland.

But these suggestions are not thought to really criticize the stay in Cornwall. It's a really nice place, we really enjoyed it, you did really good work and we are very confident, it was not our last time to come to "Kernow".

Thanks for everything you have done for us up to now,

Our 4th walk with Encounter and another great holiday. We started the walk with a certain amount of trepidation as some stages were described as severe! However, because of the dry weather the boggy bits were not very wet, the rocky parts were not too difficult and the ups and downs not as punishing as we feared. The hardest and most frightening part was the path down by the side of the Minack theatre going to Porthcurno - an easier option is the road. In general signage was good although we did miss the path above Porthgwarra were the path split three ways and there was no marker. All the accommodation was very good and the luggage transfer worked very smoothly. Thank you Damon and crew for another excellent holiday.

We did the Minehead to Combe Martin part and luckily we had fairly good weather the 1st 3 days (forget day 4...). It was a phantastic experience to walk at the Exmoor coast. Great nature. The accomodation was perfect as well as the luggage transfer. Everything was absolutely well organized by Damon and met our expectations perfectly. Everything matched with our briefing given when we had the first contact. Thank you for the great 4 days of our vacation

We had a wonderful hike. The “relaxed” pace was just right for us and it left us with time to visit a number of fascinating attractions in the afternoons after we had reached our destinations. The uphill work really wasn’t too bad, and the twelve or thirteen mile longest days weren’t too hard. We did take the bus from Mousehole to Penzance but walked the three miles on to Marazion. The mid July weather was pretty good: we had three days of sun and several half days too. We saw plenty of mist, but were really rained on only one day.

Must say we didn’t run into any other Americans in eleven days of walking! Our favorite sections of the walk were St. Ives to Zennor, Zennor to Pendeen, Prussia and Bessie’s Cove are, the Loe Bar and especially Gillan’s creek where, in mid July, we had no trouble in hailing the “ferry” to St Anthony’s at high tide. Cadgwith was the prettiest village. We learned a lot about Cornwall at the following stops, and we strongly advise those unfamiliar with the area to take time for a visit: Wayside Museum in Zennor; Geever Mine in Pendeen; Telegraph Museum in Porthcurno; St. Michael’s Mount in Marazion and the Maritime Museum in Falmouth.

In general all the accommodations were fine, but several stand out. Best B&B, hands down: St. Michaels B&B, Marazion, felt more like a boutique hotel; the caveat being that they generally accept only two night stays, which worked well for us because we were taking a rest day there. We appreciated the route planning that got us there. Best meal, hands down: Ben’s Cornish Kitchen, Marazion. Exceptional food, but you must book ahead and they are closed two days a week. Other good or fun meals at Logan Rock Inn, Treen, near Porthcurno, Kota In Porthleven; Kynance Café, Kynance Cove; Cove Restaurant, Maenporth. We also stayed at some really nice places that had only a few rooms (Tinner’s Arms in Zennor) and think that we were able to stay only because we booked early (last October). Finding our way was pretty easy and the directions along with the maps and Trailblazer guide meant we never had any trouble. For what it’s worth the boulders on the beach at St. Loy were not any trouble at all (in dry weather). All in all a terrific walk.

We have had a wonderful time although as you said, the weather was a bit mixed, but we were prepared for that.  This may be too much detail for you but we wanted you to know how good things were, so please take what you want for your website feedback.  

First of all, many thanks for the excellent organisation of our walk. We are not novice walkers but not very experienced either, with this walking daily with luggage transfer new to us, and we found it brilliant. We are recently retired (so not spring chickens anymore!) and felt that the itinerary you set up for us was just right in terms of distance and difficulty.  We wanted to stop, take pictures, eat our lunch etc. without doing a forced march all day.

The taxi transfer from Bodmin-Padstow went very smoothly. The luggage transfers were great – bags always waiting for us.

The accommodation was fine all the way.

Our main tip for others would be at some of the bigger places, Padstow, St Ives especially – in the height of the season  (and even early July) if you wanted to eat in a restaurant in the evenings (and we don’t mean only the celebrity ones) it would pay to book several days ahead as even small places get full.

Our hardest day was Tues 14th Portreath to Lelant (you might remember that it was VERY wet!). We were expecting this to be hard as the weather was awful and we had read that the dunes/Towans were not well marked, which is true. In some places the stone markers are clear and then they just disappear! (we did find one that had fallen over due to sand erosion). We were torn between staying in the shelter of the dunes from the rain and going down onto the beach, which would have been our intention in better weather.  We did get down onto the beach after a while but high tide was approaching with the wind bringing it in further, so the RNLI people advised us not to walk in some parts. Coming off Hayle Towans past some holiday chalets and into a car park was not well marked but we found the right road in the end and although the walk through and out of Hayle along the road is not pleasant, the Old Quay house was a very welcome sight and the binoculars and bird book in the room was a lovely touch. Overall the signposting along the path for our trip was adequate – we never really got lost apart from on the 14th but even then not for too long!

Best bits for us were walking the length of Perran beach in the sunshine to Perranporth, seeing grey seals near Godrevy lighthouse and just the fact that we did the whole walk without a hitch (proving that there is life in the old dogs yet!).

Thanks to Encounter Holidays for doing such a great job organising the walk we wanted.  We are already thinking about which part of the trail we would like to do next.

We really enjoyed our walk from St Ives to Penzance. Warm enough, windy enough and not as difficult as we had anticipated.Baggage allways waiting for us at the places we stayed for the night. Good information and maps, before we started and even underway when things had changed (Path closed,with alternative route,Train strike). Selected B and B's / hotels were comfortable with good breakfasts. Will recomend you to any one thinking of doing the same as we did. Watch out for the seagulls in St Ives, they are quite adept at stealing food from People.

Although the weather wasn't as good as it could have been, we had a great week walking the South West Coast Path! Thank you very much for perfect support and organisation. Everything worked very well, all the hotels were nice, the people so kind and the transfers just in time without any problems!

We have had a really fantastic holiday and have been very fortunate with the weather.  The walking was challenging at times (in a good way!) and the scenery was wonderful.  We both really enjoyed ourselves and found your guidance notes useful and the Trailblazer guides to be invaluable.

It's hard to know where to start for giving you feedback...but here are a few comments which spring to mind:-

Best day's walking - from Padstow to Porthcothan because of a combination of the gorgeous scenery, beautiful weather and stunning beaches;
Hardest stretch of the entire walk - the walk between Port Isaac and Port Quinn (followed closely by the wallking on the Hartland Peninsula in the few miles both before and after Morwenstow);
Best cream tea (we sampled many!) - the National Trust Cafe at Bedruthan Steps;
Best restaurant - The Fish House in Newquay;
Scariest thing - being followed by persistent cows in a field close to Hartland Point;
Most problematic thing - being unable to get into a field close to the approach to Crackington Haven as there was a herd of cattle gathered round the stile at the entry point.  After trying unsuccessfully to shift them for some time, we gave up and waited for reinforcements in the form of a group of walkers who had been walking some way behind us.  We were very grateful to be escorted through the field by them and were left wondering why the cows moved for them but wouldn't move for us!
Highlight of holiday - paddling on various beaches but in particular on Mother Ivey Beach and Constantine Beach (between Padstow and Porthcothan)...it was a really warm day and the sea was almost turquoise in colour...and the waves on Constantine Bay were a delight.

I would like to thank you for all of your help in planning our holiday.  It has been a very positive and enjoyable experience for us and we're already looking forward to tackling the next stage of the Path.

Now we are back, already one week from the south coast path in Cornwall.

We had a wunderful time. all was running so perfect, I almost can`t believe it. the very nice accomodations, the very nice people everywhere and the good food all over the places.

I thank you very much for the chooses of the accomodations. there were very different and very clean, well-kept and friendly poeple. And also good breakfast, what we are not used to eat. Also the places where  the accomodation were situated  was very practical.

And we did get nice lunches everywhere.

the laggage was always on the place. we never had to wait. perfect.

Path: I think we have chosen to long distances. I would rather choose shorter walks and have more time for watching the sea. the path was good, very variabel. We had to get used to the wind, the showers, lets say the very changing of the weather. but we got used to all that, it was a nice experiencing.

The only part we didn't walk, was from mousewhole to penzance and from penzance to the michael mont.

Taxi: we didnt had to take it. so there is nothing to say about.

Dear Damon, I thank you that you let us pass a very nice time in Cornwall. all the best.

Liebe Grüsse

Dear Damon, Our troupe definitely enjoyed our walking vacation with the exception of one very bad storm that drenched everything, including our boots, and gave us much misery that day. We’d pay extra to avoid that weather if we could! We never gave our luggage transfer a second thought because it worked perfectly. The same with our accommodations, though there were some places we enjoyed more than others. Our goal was to find a nice place to walk from town to town and not be too far from civilization, and chose the Falmouth to Plymouth leg of the Coastal Path. It seemed as though it would be fine, but WOW! was it ever a spectacular place to hike! We had never known that the Cornwall coast was so scenic and so utterly unspoiled and wonderful. A group of friends (and then even more friends came for a long weekend) joined us for a hike from Falmouth to Plymouth which was an incredible experience. We met many other hikers, some just out walking dogs close to home, some out for a full day's hike, some just for a picnic and others who were tackling even longer stretches than we were. However you do it, we all gave this particular 77 miles a hearty thumbs up. For the most part, the trail was well marked so that way-finding was not a problem.

There were some places, though, when we truly were clueless about which way to go and had to wander about before we figured it out. In several places there were no signs at very essential crossroads or tees and, in several other places the wooden signposts had completely rotted and had fallen to the ground. (these were easier to figure out, as we could deduce the correct directions from the confluence of the paths and the arrows.) The ordinance survey maps sometimes were not that much help, either, but at least we had them! We did badly lose our way at some point after the Gribbin Daymark tower going toward Fowey which nearly doubled the length of our walk; we are still trying to figure out why... suffice it to say that, if there were signs there, we did not see them.

In some places the path led through towns or near pubs or beach concession stands and one could purchase food and drink. In other places, the path was more remote and we'd made provisions to carry food with us, either prearranging sandwiches from our inn or purchasing something from a shop on our way through town. We had made careful note of this and planned. I also carried protein bars and apples in my backpack along with plenty of water. (water is extremely heavy as 1 Liter = 2.2 pounds) I was the one who walks most regularly and the one who knew how difficult the terrain would be. I am not sure my husband and friends would have come if they could have foreseen it! PLEASE NOTE: I DID WARN THEM. (and, in their defense, they DID train.)

This section of the coast path was very scenic and very varied, woodlands, sandy paths, beaches, hayfields, cows, dartmoor ponies and on and on. We loved the rugged paths and the variety and the views. The great views were paid for, of course, by very steep climbing and many, many stair steps. We all came to dread looking ahead across a headland to see another hundred steps cut into the other side! Whenever I came to steps built into a cliff, I silently thanked whomever it was who lugged stone or lumber or cement to build these vertical passes. Aloud, however, I am sorry to admit that I may have cursed! Maybe not on the first thousand steps... but certainly after that! Down and up, up and down, both... both are hard! The steep ascents and descents made for longer walks than we were used to. I'd recently covered 15.5 miles in 6-ish hours, including breaks, but found that that same distance took us nearly 9 hours in Cornwall. More difficult terrain along with frequent photographic stops accounted for this... and our crew was dead tired by the time each day's walk ended.

The most impressive thing was looking backward and being able to see headland beyond headland... all of which we had just traversed! It was amazing. Bathrooms were an interesting aspect of walking here, some towns had public facilities that were permanently closed due to lack of funding. In some places, townspeople fought to keep them open and, either by collecting donations or by recruiting volunteers, they somehow managed to do it. Some loos requested donations from users, which we all gladly paid, since a public bathroom is a wonderful thing when you need one. SUGGESTION! add extra nights! We also added a few extra nights in places where we wanted to sightsee but we should have added even more because there was never enough time to see everything that looked interesting. I'd suggest spending a second night in Falmouth because it is large and scenic. We added a sightseeing day both in Mevagissey and Fowey and were happy not to have missed Lanhydrock and Restormel Castle there!

We wished we had added a night to stay in Polperro Beach but, because we were walking through it from Fowey to Looe, we had to keep on going. Who knew that Polperro would have been a great place to stay!? Not to mention that the walk TO there was enough to exhaust us! We didn't need to push on to Looe at that point because we'd already had a strenuous walk. If you can, walk from Fowey to Polperro; the mileage may seem short but it is strenuous. I'd also have liked to spend much longer in Looe, as well. The shops and restaurants were wonderful and I didn't get to browse in the two bookstores that looked so nice!

Encounter Walking describes an extra day as a "rest day for tired walkers" which makes it sound like you are too tired to get out of bed! Or, worse, that you are weaklings! Even if that is true, we looked on those extra days as an opportunity to visit manor houses, museums and gardens, etc. Just think of them as sightseeing days. Because, even on those days, we put in plenty of miles walking around... just not on the official coast path! If you add extra days for sightseeing, you will be happy that you did.

To sum it up: We'd all recommend this section from Falmouth to Plymouth for its beauty, relative ease and access to towns, inns, pubs, other sights and comforts. Thank you for planning such a great trip for us! What a wonderful hike we had!

Actually I did quite well on the walk, as I made use of your alternative suggestions. The landscape is just awesome and all accommodation was great! The luggage transport worked out perfectly, there is absolutely nothing we could complain about. British friends who joined us during the trip, walked the complete distances, and, it won't be a surprise to you, found it quite challenging. Especially the route section to Crackington Haven was difficult for them, as it was raining and the path (especially the steps) was wet and slippery.

One of the highlights was the stay at the Bears and Boxes, whose the owner invited us to join her on a visit to the pub in Boscastle, where locals meet for an 'evening of singing' during the summer months (every Wednesday). That was a very special evening! Fran is an original, a woman dedicated to everything she does -.. I take my hat off to her. By the way, she told us that not all travel businesses treat their contracting BandBs as fair as you do.

Another highlight is the walk from Boscastle to Tintagel. The scenery on that part is absolutely magnificent, we enjoyed every second of the walk! Port Isaac is a lovely place to visit. We didn't know anything about its fame as the 'Doc Martin' location and found out from some citizens that they are quite happy about it, since it attracts additional guests. Still, the place wasn't overcrowded and has a very special atmosphere. 

Wadebridge and Padstow are both nice places to visit (unfortunately I didn't get there early enough to go on the Camel trail - something to do next time). The stay at the 'Golden Lion' was very nice and the owner is a very (!) good cook and very nice and friendly person.

All information I got from you was geared up to all needs and very informative. 

I hope I can return in better conditions, I would definitely recommend Encounter Walking Holidays as THE travel organizers to book with!

I spoke to someone early on Tuesday morning.  You were unable to book accommodation etc. for us because of your work commitments and the short time available. However you gave valuable advice about logistics, direction and accommodation.  Thanks to that I was able to book the 3 days (though we had to move it back a day because of the Ironman in Wheddon Cross on 27 June!). I really appreciate your help and will have no hesitation in contacting you again, -with more notice!  I will also recommend you to other walking friends.

We great appreciated the informations provided and the careful choice of accommodations. The indications on the path are very clear and, together with the 1:25'000 map provided, allow for alternate routes when necessary. We were blessed with a splendid western aller way long and decidedly will be back for the rest of this enthralling SWCP under your expert guidance. Many thanks, Jean-Luc

Not as interesting or strenuous as the section from Westward Ho to Padstow, but still very enjoyable especially with good weather. The information given by Encounter was first class and on a damp 'free day' at St Agnes we followed the suggestion to go into Truro, which we enjoyed. The sand dunes at Gwithian were a little tricky and the stretch around the estuary after Hayle was not very well marked or pleasant. Accommodation was generally OK, but a bit disconcerting to arrive at the Harlyn Inn. Harlyn Bay and be shown to our room overlooking a performance area with a live singer about to set up a few feet from our window! Fortunately it was only a late afternoon performance.....

Fantastic walk. Route well signposted & didn't get lost! Accommodation excellent. Some steep climbs but if I can manage them anyone can. Would recommend this walk as interesting places & stunning scenery.

We are a couple in our early 70s and experienced walkers/trekkers. We had a "life experience" 8 days on the Saints Way (Fowey to Padstow - 2 days) and then Padstow to Bude on the South West Coast Path (6 days). The advance information and preparation from the Encounter Walking team was extremely helpful - prompt, responsive to our questions, complete - both by email and in the material- detailed itinerary, guidebooks and maps - sent in advance of our walk. Encounter also responded immediately to questions that arose during our trip, and that responsiveness contributed significantly to our enjoyment of our walk. The advance information is essential to preparing for a South West Coast Path Walk.

The SWCP is not an easy walk. Thus our principal advice to those planning a Saints Way or South West Coast Path walk is to read the information provided by Encounter Walking carefully, pay close attention to the distances and estimated walking times, which are based on steady walking without stops) and plan your days consistent with your walking speed, level of fitness and endurance, over terrain that has very steep elevation gains and descents, and consistent with your personal desired experience. Know your walking speed based on how steady you like to walk and how often you like to stop and look and watch for birds and wildlife and take side trips to historic sites etc.

The opportunities for gawking as well as walking on the Saints Way and SWCP are without limit. Encounter Walking provides all this information and the formulas for estimating your walking time and distance covered. Our advice is to pay close attention to Encounters advice and to ask questions. Encounters will help you design a trip that works for you. All of the accommodations - hotels and B&Bs - met or exceeded our expectations. Again, Encounters was very responsive to our preferences and standards. Our hosts were a very positive part of the trip. All of our logistics and baggage transfers worked perfectly. Thanks for a wonderful experience!! Ed and Ann

For the second year in a row, we had a great time walking some of the coast path in Cornwall. Accommodation stops were all good and offered a variety of rooms/styles/outlooks/personalities. This leg was less rugged that the land's end leg that we walked last year, but no less enjoyable for that. Well organised and a holiday that we will long remember.

The walk went really well. The fog at The Lizard was a bit eerie.wWe enjoyed the track and all the accommodation places were really welcoming and friendly. Great bird life and scenery.

Everything was perfect: transfers, accomodation, food from local pubs, and of course the walks. We enjoyed the diversity of the places where we stayed. In addition, I should like to give a special mentionto Encounter for the easy interactions and patience. We found a few things had changed (improved) since you wrote some details of the walk. Would you like a detailed feedback on this ?  YES PLEASE CORINNE !

We had an excellent week's walking. All worked as planned by Encounter Walking - accommodation, luggage transfer and instructions all meeting our expectations. Really impressed with how much Cornwall has risen to the challenge of looking after tourists so well - everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

We had a wonderful week walking along Devons north coast with our dog. Especially the first four stages from Minehead via Porlock Weir, Lynmoth and Combe Martin to Woolacombe were outstanding. Fantastic landscapes! After that it becomes flat and physically less demanding, but quite beautiful still. Everything worked perfectly - thank you Damon and coworkers for organizing it so well.

From Australia it was a little difficult to find practical trip planning information on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Walk. We contacted Encounter Walking and, after some email discussion on what type of walk we were interested in, we received a great deal of background information on the walk, accommodation options and advice on an itinerary that allowed for time to enjoy the scenery. Having completed the walk between Dale and St Davids we wish to thank Damon and co. for their advice and assistance in setting up the walk. The scenery was spectacular, the suggested accommodation spot on and all arrangements worked smoothly. We will be back and would absolutely recommend Encounter to anyone thinking of the coastal walk.

A brilliant walk, rugged coastline, huge, beautiful sandy beaches. Lots of bird life and the wild flowers at this time of the year are stunning. The walking is great, some slightly strenuous sections but nothing too bad and with spectacular scenery all the way and very few people around. Good variety of accommodation and some exceptionally good food, notably The Clock House at Marloes and The Coach House at St Davids. Allenbrook in Dale, is a fabulous house, full of interesting artifacts, with peacocks and chickens wandering around the gardens and vintage cars in the garage. Some slight confusion with keys and rooms at Felingog (Solva) but otherwise everything ran like clockwork. Well worth spending a day in St Davids at the end of the walk. Looking forward to doing the next section next year!

All arrangements went well. Using map and book the path was quite easy to find!. Plenty of good coffee, cream teas and pasties en route! Accommodation all great even the sun shone! St. Michaels Mount, Lizard light house and Glenduggan Gardens all worthy of visiting.

Just a quick email.

The trip was terrific. The maps and notes were most helpful – we did not get lost.

Accommodation was splendid. The hosts were extremely pleasant and helpful.

Thanks so much

Barbara

This was the second time we had booked with Encounter and again everything was perfectly well organised. We were pleased with all the varied types of B&Bs and can especially recommend good food in The Kings Arms in Marazion (reservation beforehand necessary) and The Mounts Bay Inn in Mullion. We took the bridal path to reach Mullion from the coastal path, which was easy walking and a pleasant way. The next day when walking from Mullion to The Lizard make sure you allow enough time to have a Cornish cream tea at Kynance Cove, a beautiful spot. The walk from Coverack to Mawnan Smith is 13 miles. We shortened this 2-3 miles by taking the bus from Coverack (departs 9.45am) to St.Keverne, a 7min bus ride. From there we took the public footpath through the church graveyard along a lovely river valley to Trendwith Mill. Trenance is only a few minutes walk up the road where we joined the coastal path and walked on to Porthhallow.

Sometimes the footpaths make a nice change to the coastal path. This is all clearly marked on OS map. When we reached Gillan Creek the tide was going out so we were able to wade through shallow water - watch out for the crabs! When we arrived at Helford Passage it was still low tide, but this is no problem as we had a welcomed rest and drink in the beer garden at the Shipwright Arms. If you are staying at Gold Martin it's nice to walk from Porth Saxon to Mawnan Smith along the Woodland Trail. This is not strenuous at all. What made this a fantastic holiday was the weather - 8 days sunshine and pleasant temperatures for walking. Thanks Damon for arranging everything and we hope to be walking again with you.

Thanks a lot for your perfect organization.

We had a really great time on the SWCP.

Five days of sunshine, one with fog. NO RAIN!

Wonderful accommodations (four times with twin beds..),

Very friendly hosts. Great food.

From Clovelly to Heartland Quay and from Bude to Trevigue Farm,

we shortened our journey for about 2 miles by a taxi-drive.

We obviously underestimated the many, many Ups and Downs (I am 72 years of age!).

We shall recommend you to all our friends who are interested in a SWCP-Adventure.

Sadly back home.  Each trip we make gets harder and harder to say goodbye to.

We had a WONDERFUL walk this year.

Accommodations were all on target and all solidly excellent  – not an issue to be found anywhere;  great hosts/hostesses; lovely rooms; good locations; good food;  nice service from the commercial establishments we stayed in.  Kimmeridge with the shared room was just fine – it was a nice big room and so comfortable it didn’t matter we were all together.  And as always we like the mix of B&B/guest houses and Inns.

In terms of our ability to route-find and the walking pace I think it was our best walk yet.  Of course it being a coast path that definitely helped the route-finding;  but it just was a really good pace for us too;  with all the ups and downs 7-9 miles was more than plenty each day! 

Walking notes were spot on and were helpful to make sure we didn’t miss any worthwhile diversions.  Clueless Americans – it wasn’t until we got to Tyneham and read some of the information posted there that we realized we were seeing our two countries shared history by walking through the Ranges and their association with WW2 and D-day training. 

Lyme Regis as a starting base was super fun.  We got over the disappointment of the Undercliff Path being closed by spending that day fossil hunting between L.R. and Charmouth.  Found a few treasures at least from our view.

Lunch at Hive Beach Café at Burton Bradstock was a very tasty spot – although it was very very busy when we showed up at right before noon but well worth the wait. 

The number of holiday parks along that whole stretch was amusing-annoying to us – from our point of view they spoiled the scenery although we get that people want to be in the midst of the scenery….  I just don’t recall them being so much a part of the view when we walked the coast between Boscastle and Padstow on our first walk – maybe in Cornwall they are just hidden better – or not allowed to flourish as much.

Hope the rest of the summer is good to you all!  As always – I am so very happy to have found Encounter so early on in our cycle of walking!

We finished our coastal walk yesterday, which we have both enjoyed very much.  Your advice and accommodation arrangements have been spot on.  Thanks for your assistance - it has been a holiday we will recommend to everyone.

We had a wonderful walking holiday. Encounter helped us to custom make our itinerary (very patiently when we kept changing things). All of the accommodations were clean, friendly and comfortable. The luggage transfer was smooth. Everything was hassle free. The hiking was spectacular. Even the weather cooperated. We hiked the lower part, Amroth to Bosherton, then skipped up to St. David's and hiked from Justinians to Dogmael. The wildflowers were stunning. The path was in good condition. Thank you Encounter.

Our walking-tour started at Looe. We walked over the Bodmin Moor to Bodcastle and along the coast path down to Padstow. Highlights were the moor sections from Minions to Jamaica Inn passing Cheesewring Stone, Sharp Tor, Kilmar Tor and Trewortha Tor. From Jamaica Inn we walked to Brown Willy and Rough Tor and reached Bodcastle in a good time. For the walks over the moor we had marked the tors with crosses and drawn lines between them. In this way we could lay down our compass along the lines during the walk and determine the right directions. With the authority of the compass in the background we were more able to enjoy the amazing landscape of the Bodmin Moor. Back at home I am wondering about the different beauties of the coast and moor walks in South-West England. The Bodmin Moor has given me the same feeling as walking in our Swiss mountains. On the coast you walk along the sea, but in the moor you are going into the power of nature. If you are getting into something powerful, you have to be respectful towards the beauty, because it can be although deceptive and dangerous. Holding this in mind you will be rewarded with the peace of your heart, as in my case. Thanks to the people of Encounterwalking who made this precious experience possible.

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! This was a fantastic journey. I took 10 days to do 100 miles plus 4 days to relax and be a tourist. I used muscles I didn't know I had and even with the training I did, it was nothing compared to the steep climbs and descents that went on and on! Loved every minute of it. It poured on my longest day - and with getting lost a few times, 15 miles turned into 20 with the end walking in mud and water up to our ankles - laughed our way through it- turned out to be alot of fun! I'd say when doing the Saints Way look carefully for signposts cause some are easy to miss. On one of my walks I took a wrong pasture and as I got closer to the end, a group of cows spotted me and started trotting toward me with two being the leaders. I knew it was wrong since usually the cows and sheep don't pay any attention to passing them. I eyed the gate and distance and hoped I'd make it over the fence before they reached me. Since I do animal communication, I hoped they got my message of what I was doing and to not hurt me. Then some turned away and a few walked with me to the gate as I climbed over. PHEW!

All the hamlets, towns, villages were beautiful. Great time of year since it was just the perfect temperature for walking. I live in the desert and am used to extreme heat, so I had to ask for heaters in some of the rooms. I loved having fruit in the morning along with a hearty breakfast. The Avalon in Tintangel has the best porridge - creme brulee. Great food places everywhere, especially Falmouth! Except for a couple of places, all accommodations were wonderful. I hated it to end. I was quite impressed I was able to challenge myself with this many miles (a year ago I couldn't walk a block without hurting - thanks to a great doctor who helped me heal) Be sure to have rain gear (NO poncho!) and two walking poles. I miss it already and if it wasn't for the US dollar exchange being so bad right now,

I'd plan another trip with Encounter Walking - Damon was fantastic with setting up my itinerary and answering my thousand questions and the services he used for luggage are wonderful. I did pass up a couple of the strenuous walks since I was alone but found my way with walking through towns on footpaths or took transportation - even still - walked many miles on those days too. Thank you, Damon, for a wonderful, exciting trip I will always remember!

First time we walked with Encounter Walking. Wonderful holidays. We did the relaxed way but some days it was quite tough however. But we enjoyed each day! Accomodations very friendly and luggage transfer perfect.

We had a wonderful week. Got the pace about right by doing homework in advance in distances and times, it would be easy to be over ambitious on this route, the distances may be reasonable, but some stretches are very hilly. Organisation by Encounter and Damon was excellent. Not a hitch. Best way to see Cornwall in my view, many of the villages are small and not car friendly, walking in is perfect as you are always delighted to fall into ice cream stall or tea shop (ok the pub too) and watch the world go by. Time to see the UK at its best. It did help that we had the most wonderful weather of course, the sea was turquoise and blue. Fab. Highly recommend the route and also Encounter.

All information we get were very good. We alway find our way. The B&B were all very good and friendly. Only with the bus from Combe Martin to Minehead was a problem, because they didn´t go, because there was a building site on the road, so we had to take a taxi, and this was realy expansive. But all the other things was very good, and we enjoy the 4 days in devon. Thank you very much for your help.

We came back from Cornwall on Tuesday . The holiday was very nice and everything worked super good . Fortunately for us, seemed the sun . I enjoyed the holiday very much , my husband, however, not so much . He is blind and it was for him but very tiring . The roads are so narrow and so we was slow , making him very angry , because he wanted to make it in the specified time . Sure, that 's just not . But now he is happy to have managed this challenge . He has for the evenings in the pub enjoyed more than I do. The variety of accommodation we also found very good. My husband has two favorites : The " Trewithian " and " Schooner Point " . All in all - thank you for the excellent planning .
 

My wife and I walked the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in a total of 18 days starting on the 4th June 2015 from Amroth to St. Dogmaels. We built in a day off in the middle - at Marloes. As it happened our day off was the only wet one of the entire walk except for two hours of rain early on. Otherwise the weather was near perfect for walking - mainly sunny but not too hot and usually with a cooling breeze with on odd days was just a shade strong. The walk itself was superb with wonderful scenery every bit of the way, flowers at their best and birdlife wonderful with about 100 choughs all told! We definitely felt we were walking it in the right direction as the first half was relatively easy going compared with the remainder. The final day from Newport to St Dogmaels was 16 miles and billed as arduous and this was confirmed by numerous walkers we met going in the opposite direction. However, for them it occurred at the beginning whereas for me (my wife, because of the comments sadly omitted it) having had over two weeks to become "trail hardened" it was much easier than I expected. Unlike many people we met we chose to walk the so called boring bits through Pembroke and Milford Haven and found them very interesting and in fact anything but boring. Accommodation along the route was excellent and luggage transfer, taxis and buses all worked exactly as Encounter arranged. Our daily average distance of about 11 miles was correct for us and we would not have enjoyed the walk as much had we been doing it in less time as we had lots of time to stop, admire the scenery and take photographs. On odd occasions the signage on the ground left a bit to be desired and was often obscured by foliage and therefore easily missed if not paying attention but by and large it was fine as were the notes. We would definitely recommend this walk as one, if not the best we have even undertaken.

We had a fabulous walk-and except for a little rain on Thursday morning (which helped us appreciate even more-if that was possible the glorious sun) the weather was perfect.  It was truly a memorable trip for the three of us.  Incredible landscape, perfect amount moderate and strenuous walking (though we were a little freaked out at the closeness of the path to the high cliff edge about 45 minutes before Polperro) and gorgeous seaside towns. Thanks for all your advice (i.e. not to stay overnight in Par-for one.) 

We really enjoyed all the accommodation and my only negative comment would be the King of Prussia-where they have earplugs by the bed because of the loud music that comes out of the pub at night. That might disqualify it as an upgrade option. Or at least a warning might be helpful when making a choice between it and the other accommodation.  T Gallant and the Mevagissey Bay Hotel were the highlights.

All this said, I cannot express adequately what an amazing three days we had. We have travelled far and wide, and the Cornwall coast is one of the most magical places we've ever been. And to walk along it was an extraordinary experience!

Thanks again for all your help!

5 days of walking over varied terrain which was both invigorating and physically quite challenging but also very enjoyable. I had various OS maps but mainly relied on Roland Tarr's SWCP book which I found very informative and quite detailed. I am a strong and experienced walker but found the two days walking from Porlock Weir to Heddons Mouth and then Heddons Mouth to Woolacombe extremely demanding.

For my next section of the SWCP I will reduce the daily distances. That said the walking was at times a joy with some fantastic views from the paths cut into the side of the cliffs. I particularly enjoyed the walking through Culbone and Embelle Woods. A complete contrast but equally enjoyable was the two days walking over more "flattish" terrain from Woolacombe to Westward Ho. The itinery supplied by Encounter was very detailed and thorough giving lots of relevant information. The accommodation was adequate but as I was walking quite long daily distances I would have preferred breakfast times to be a lot earlier to be able to start walking before 08:30. Overall a great walking experience which has wetted my appetite for the next section of the SWCP, hopefully in spring 2016.

We had a wonderful week in cornwall and britain. Everything worked as organised. Even the wheather, which was not organised ;), was better than expected. Half a day rain is not much for a week, I guess...

The accomodations fitted very well. The chapel in zennor was wonderful quiet and large. (In contrast was the breakfast the smallest..) The Queens Hotel in St. Ives and the Commercial in St. Just were good places to be. In Porthcurno everyone on the way seemed to get packed in the Sea View Guest House. It was more a place to sleep than to be, but in the small village didn't look like having a lot of alternatives.

Map, guide book and itinerary were more than we expected and needed. But in case of a problem we were glad to have all informations available. We had them with us and consulted them on occasions. We wanted a week away from daily work, which would liberate the head and give the body something to do and a healthy tiredness. We got that all and a wonderful coast with flowers, coves, cottages, birds and good people.

Thank you very much!

a terrific walk, everything planned by Encounterwalking was well thought out and went smoothly. lots of useful info: alternative routes/taxi numbers/places to eat etc. and smashing accommodation! not knowing the area I was a little apprehensive about the walk and I particularly appreciated all the helpful, supportive emails during the planning stages. due to circumstances out of our control we finalised our booking rather late in the day but Encounter pulled out all the stops and managed to find places for us to stay. Thank you!!

Thank you, Damon and Encounter. We had a wonderful time on our walk. The lodgings where all fine with Chy an Albany, Guernads Head Hotel and Artist Residence as the best. We also really liked Rock Ridge B&B in Portcurno. The rooms where big and really clean, maybe it was a bit noisy. Chris who owns the B&B took care of us in the best way and the breakfast with fellow walkers was fun. At The North Inn everyone was extremely friendly and the Optic Broadband something extra but unfortunately the beds both narrow and much to short for my husband who is 1.87. He had to sleep diagonally in the bed to fit between the head- and footboard. It was sometimes hard to find the path, but mostly easy.

Going between Pendeen to Sennen Cove we once took the wrong way and got very close to the cliffs. As the wind was strong and galy it was scaring. One thing we thought is that the grading of the Path must be made from different people. Sometimes the Strenghous bits where quite easy, and sometimes the moderate ones really hard. The best day was between Pendeen and Sennen Cove, the old mines really interesting. The nature and Cape Cornwall also fantastic. Also Sennen Cove to Portcurno was nice. We had a rest day at Sennen Cove and stayed at the Old Sucess Inn. A very nice hotel but the food was so so. Somehow the last days walk was the toughest.

Hiking to Lamorna Cove was first fantastic with the lush forest and then to the beach with the boulders. But then it got tough, really really tough. It was as if the path was destroyed and we had to be very careful where we put our feet. Sometimes we had to jump to the next stone and the path was also meandering not only sideways but also up and down. Then we thought it would get easier going to Mousehole and I folded my walking sticks and put them in my backpack. After a few minutes I took them out again, as it could only be called easy if you think that walking up up up and over rocks is the normal way of walking. For us usually the last hour was tough and we where quite tirad when we came to our lodgings. The transfer of the luggage run perfectly, but in the beginning we didn´t know that the luggage should be ready 9.15, that is something you maybe should mention. The Trailblazer Guide was a must, we where very happy that we had it. All in all, we had the best time ever!

This is to thank you again for any organization you did for us. You did a great job. We loved the trail along the cliffs very much. Thanks also for the accommodation we enjoyed at any time (unrivalled  Tim’s fruit  for breakfast/Cornerways St Ives; Chris’ “Minnack-pack” to stay warm for the evening play in the theatre/Rockridge House, Porthcurno; the warmth and kindness of any host we stayed with). We can recommend your company and have already done so.

Fabulous walking. Stunning countryside and lovely villages, I highly recommend this. The organisation was faultless. The hotels were reasonable, 3-4 * type accommodation, although we found the beds quite small. If you are used to sleeping in a big bed, you may need to request this at the time of booking. Great week. Thanks.

This was the second year of walking the SWCP organised by Encourter Walking Holidays and it won't be the last! Everything was perfect (despite relatively short notice). We had a brilliant walk, superb accommodations and using the trailblazer made walking easy. Thank you Damon for the perfect Organisation! We will definitely continue next year!

We had a great walk on the SWC path. At times we had a little difficulty finding the correct path and some places were not marked very well. We really enjoyed the beautiful scenery and villages we passed through and/or stayed at. All accommodation was quite good, we especially enjoyed a fabulous rest day at Coverack and Ann, owner of the lovely Fernleigh B&B even provided a Birthday Cake for me on our arrival. The Caerthillian Guest House at The Lizard was also particularly lovely. The owner there Austin was a fabulously friendly guy and nothing too much bother. I will recommend a very good restaurant at The Lizard called Coast; quite near the Top Pub but much better standard of food & wine and service. We had a really top dinner there. The lighthouse tour was also very good at The Lizard.

the hike was a fantastic vacation for the four of us. Damon did a gret job setting it up, arranging our lodging and luggage transfers. the B&Bs were all fine, good restrurant suggestions. We found the extra notes on each day very helpful. HOsts were friendly and helpful, especially our Marlos stay! We did take a day and went to Skomer Island, it was great! We never got rained on until we left our hiking. thanks for the super plans.

Thank you again for organising our holiday so efficiently, the holiday was great for us and the instructions you provided were great. I’ve already fed back on the recent additional lunch stop at West Angle bay. The walking distances were great for us as we wanted a relaxed holiday to allow time for catching up and socialising with each other, rather than being on a frog march and racing against the clock. Since it was a holiday and not a mission, the day we skipped when the MOD closed the coastal option, turned out to be a very enjoyable as we walked back through the NT Lilly Pond to Broad Haven and were able to spend some time down around St Govans chapel and headland, then we headed back through the Lilly Pond to the NT walled garden and tea shop at Stackpole.

Transport

We ended up leaving the cars at Tenby rail station car park as advised by the B&B owner. The cars were fine, there were spaces (and lots of other cars parked up with Sat-Sat weekly tickets), handy for the Tenby B&B address, perfect for our return train journey a week later, and there cameras in the car park. A mere £3 for the car for the week (still winter charges!) and £4.40 ea for the train ticket back from Pembroke. The taxi arrangements with Penally taxis worked well and were timely. using the info that you provided, All went smoothly with the baggage transport, the bags just appeared to move themselves along the route!

Lunch stops which we enjoyed:

Manorbier – Bosherston: Fab stop at the NT Boat House at Stackpole Quay, although well into our days walk, but worth the wait

Freshwater West – Angle: We found Wavecrest Cafe at West Angle bay a good stop, even though again well into our days walk

Amroth – Tenby: a great cake / pasty shop “Sue’s Pantry, I think at Saundersfoot – but various options around there.

We had a most enjoyable trip in Cornwall. The walking is not difficult, very good paths, although for those who like to know exactly where you are at any time, use the most detailed map you can find :-). If you are used to mountain hiking, the coast path of Cornwall is an easy path, however, there are a lot of uphill and downhill,(usually with the luxury of steps!) so for persons with difficult knees it will be best if the walks are not longer than 4-5 hrs. Many beautiful views along the path and all the wild flowers made for a lot of photo-stops. Even on a foggy day the landscapes are really something to see. As for the best view...that is possibly Cape Cornwall, as this is mostly nature and not a shopping mall as on Lands End.... The detailed descriptions received just before the trip were very useful, as we had to use the taxi-option on the last day to reach our pick-up in time the last day of walking. We have met so many kind - and fun - persons during the trip, and we will surely recommend others to use the experience from Encounter Walking to plan future trips.

this was a spectacular walk! I can't say enough wonderful things about the scenery-around every peninsula was another amazing view. I don't know if it's typical for late May-early June but the wildflowers all seemed to be in bloom at the same time. I know count bluebells as my favorite flower. I consider myself to be a moderately fit person so the 6-8 mile average walk was perfect (I took a LOT of pictures!). The only long day was Porthcurno to Marazion but I discovered that the bus service was perfect for cutting out the "boring" beach walk around Mounts Bay. For all trip planning I credit "Encounter Walking" for perfect advice and patient responses to my random questions from this non-Brit about rail and bus service. Accommodations were likewise spot on. I am already plotting how to return to Cornwall asap and I will definitely be working with "Encounter" again. This was the best vacation I ever had. Thanks, Damon, for helping to make it a reality.

We were a party of elderly walkers, and had a great time,the planning notes received were spot on and helped us a lot.Our weather was not great but we are used to that. Our last days walk from Princetown to Buckfastleigh as explained in the notes is a long days walk, with the Swincombe Bridge still not back in place (work is in progress)adding further distance.

One of our walkers who had picked up an injury had a hard job to arrange a taxi from Dartmeet and relied on a good samaritan to get him back to Buckfastleigh We have been with other walking companies but this was the best accommodation we have ever had. I detail corrections you might like to include for future clients. When you mention the diversion at Swincombe bridge you mention the bridleway running from left to right there is a marker post here.The blue indicators mentioned in the guide have faded over the moor from Princetown. On day one at Goodstone woods, major felling has taken place and the bridleway resembles an assault course,and these trees looks as though they have been felled for some time, it is also heavy with mud due to heavy machinery. Thanks for a well organised holiday.

We really enjoyed our trip round Cornwall. We thought the accommodation was of a very high standard on the whole, but was least keen on the b&b in Porthcurno, which was comfortable, but not lovely.
The Garrck was very good -a high standard, welcoming and friendly. The food was good there too.
I think the signs on St Michael's Way are being improved as there seemed quite a few new ones.
Our only problem was when it went along a narrow road after Trencrom. We were passed by about a dozen vehicles, including a builders truck that did not give us time to move to a wider part of the road and passed us with very little clearance at a scary speed. That part of the route seemed dangerous in view of the combination of pedestrians on a very narrow road with inconsiderate driving. Perhaps a very low speed limit would help.
The rest of the walking was fantastic and we enjoyed the flowers and wildlife, including choughs.

This was our first experience of a walking holiday and we were impressed by the efficient service provided by Damon / Encounters Walking. Everything went smoothy and all 5 of the places we stayed at on the trip were of a good standard and the owners were friendly and helpful. We particularly liked Cornerways St Ives where Tim provided us with an excellent breakfast (the best of our trip!) and also the Treventon Penzance which was very tastefully decorated and a lovely building.

We probably 'bit off more than we could chew' with regard to the daily walk distances with the stretch from Zennor to St Just being particularly challenging for novice walkers such as ourselves given the pretty much constant ascents and decents. It is well worth adding a couple of hours onto the walking times shown in the guide book to allow for refreshments etc. The maps shown in the Trailblazers guide book are really useful and a good tip would be take photocopies of the relevant map pages with you on the walk rather than the whole book itself. The only places where the lack of signage for the Coast Path caused us slight problems were at Pendeen Watch near the lighthouse and near the Coast Watch tower between Lands End and Porthgwarra. Otherwise the signage was pretty clear and so long as you keep the sea to your right you cannot really go too far wrong - my brand new compass was not needed at all!

We would strongly recommend stopping off for a pasty and a well earned cup of tea at the lovely tiny cafe in Porthgwarra before you reach Porthcurno. Another nice spot for a break was Sennen as the tourist trap at Land End is best avoided! All in all we enjoyed a very beautiful (if a little tiring trip) but one we will allways remember! Piers & Claire

We have just completed our walk.  It was a wonderful experience.  Thank you for all the arrangements and suggestions.  We are pleased to report that we had no rain.  We had rather fine weather--sunny and bright on most of the north coast, overcast or sunny on the southern coast.  One day of fascinating coastal fog which cleared off the next day.    We enjoyed seeing the RAF helo flyover and a wonderful under the stars performance at the Minack.  

The Saints Way was just right first us as first time walkers. Damon at Encounter was so helpful and his recommendations were spot on. We found closely following the OS map together with guidance from the walking directions was the best. The weather was good and mostly dry and we loved the accommodation booked for us - very hospitable hosts with good standard of accommodation with the bonus of being historic places as well. Very happy to do more Encounter walks - the difficulty is what to pick!

Hi all at EncounterwalkingHolidays - First of all we want to thank you for the well organized Walking holidays we passend. We had only one day with a bit rain when we left Abbotsbury and in the evening my shoes were allready dry again. So we enjoyed these days a lot.

But now to our comments on the walking days, which is more interesting for you:

No problems in Lyme Regis (beautiful place by the way) and Eypes mouth. Also in Abbotsbury, where the Abbey House is very charming with a great hospitality and very kind people. The Queen Anne House in Fortuneswell we also enjoyed a lot. For dinner we took the bus to Easton, where we ate at the New Inn, which we can recommend to everybody! The CheckIn time at Queen Anne House is from 5 p.m. after our experience.

Again in Lulworth Cove we had a very nice room with the very friendly host family Justin and Amanda. So it was perfect for our rest day. From Lulworth Cove to Worth Matravers it was a yery strong but beautiful day. Unfortunately we missed the Taxi at 5 p.m. because we are slow walkers and were not able to phone him when we recognised that we will be late. But there is a phone in the pub and they have a lot of Taxi phone numbers there so we easely could get another one for the transfer to Swanage. So this is a good hint for other walkers if they have some coins (20p. or 40p.).

The Pines Hotel is well kept with good food and even local ales so we passed two good nights there.

As the last times we walked with you, we can say that we will recommend EncounterWalkingHolidays to everybody asking us for advice in walking holidays! Thank you very much for your help and we are looking forward to our next walking holidays with you.

We are now in London and will be heading home tomorrow. We had a great week and did not have to give in to the weather (except for an hours delay in starting one day while we waited for the rain to stop). We practically got blown off our feet as we walked from Polurrian Bay to Lizard Point but it was quite  exhiliarating! The flowers were amazing all the way. 

Our accommodarion was excellent all the way and the baggage handling was perfect. We used both the OS map and the guide book all the time as well as your notes so we had no problems with the trail. We managed to catch the ferry across Gillan Creek but we just missed the one at Helford and had to wait 2 1/2 hours for the tide to turn. The forced rest was actually a good break that we enjoyed in the end. Oh yes, the trail to go around Gillan Creek was unclear. We thought we would walk around but ended up on the wrong road, asked directions, got a bit lost but then ended up under the calling board for the ferry, which came and got us right away!

Thanks for everything. We will not hesitate to recommend Encounter Walking to others.

I had a wonderful holiday. Although the weather forecast often was far from good, on several days it turned out okay. I even went home with a tan.The hotels and B&B’s were all to my liking. Two very nice B&B’s were The Caerthillian Guesthouse in Coverack and Goldmartin in Mawnan Smith. The luggage transfer service was excellent. Every time I reached one of my sleeping accommodations, my suitcase had already arrived. 

The travel documentation I received from you (I mean the map and the Trailblazer’s guide) was excellent. But I hardly used them, because I navigated with my iPhone. I found gpx-files of all my walks on the Wandermap site I used an iPhone app called Topo GPS (about GBP 3 (!)), but I’m not sure that app is available in the United Kingdom. Without any doubt there are British equivalents though. The advantage of navigation is threefold: 

a) you know exactly where you are (navigation via satellites also works when your mobile phone is out of reach) and notice very quickly when you have taken a wrong turning

b) you know exactly how many more miles you have to walk and can decide to speed up if you are progressing too slow.

c) on one of my walking days there were gusts of wind of about 60 miles per hour. Under those circumstance holding a phone is easier than holding a map or a guide. 

I bought expensive new walking shoes (A/B) for my holiday. However, the soles of those shoes were probably too thin for the terrain, because the soles of my feet got quite painful during the last two days. Maybe it is a good thing to advise people to use shoes with a thick sole that fit the walking conditions. Hopefully some people in the area could give you advice about what kind of shoes one should use for particular walks. I could sometimes feel the stones and the rocks, although the soles of my shoes appear quite thick.

I was able to cross Gillian Creek via the stepping stones, so this is again possible.

The contact with you, as a representative of EWH, was both friendly and professional. That is the ideal combination. I thought the quotation was very clear and I appreciated the links to the places where I stayed. Your website is very good as well.

We had a great walk. The weather was perfect and all the accommodation and luggage transfer were great. Special mention to Warwick House and the Trelawne Hotel. Both were superb! Anyway thanks for the great job on all the accommodation.

The transfers that you arranged around St Just worked out well. Of course we forgot that cell phone coverage is spotty in the valleys  but we found a pub that had a pay phone. ( we had arrived earlier than planned ). Very entertaining driver! We had no problems on the walk itself . No sign of a ferry at the Helford River but a pleasant walk around. ( its entirely possible that this is related to the time of year ).We’ll be back again next year to do another segment. Thanks again for all your help. You make it all work so well.

Hi Damon - Thanks for the organisation of our holiday, everything went very well, as usual.

Despite some reservations about going to The Hunters Inn rather than Heddon Gate, in fact we had a wonderful time there & thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

After our trip to Lundy we didn't want to stop walking the coastal path, so continued on to go round Morte Point - a real highlight of this section with strong winds whipping up the sea. Once again thanks for getting the weather correct.

Just got back from Wales - all the arrangements and accommodation were very good - we particularly liked castlemead hotel - the food at the St Govans Inn was ok but not as good. The taxi drivers were all prompt and chatty and baggage pick ups went fine.

We were very lucky with the weather - I would not have wanted to do the second day in wind and rain as it is so 'near to the edge' the rain would  have made it very slippery!  The scenery was breathtaking and exceeded my expectations.  On the rainy Thursday the army range was active so we came across fields - spoke to a few cows - but didn't get too wet.  

Yet another excellent holiday. The accommodation was all very good or excellent. The luggage transfer was , as ever, faultless. You even got the weather in good order. Thank you again. We will be back next year

This was the first but maybe not the last time we spend a holiday like this, it was fantastic. Everything worked out perfect, luggage transfer, accommodation, breakfast and even the weather was perfect, a first walking day with some rain but after that no more rain and lots of sunshine, a lovely tan on the right side of our bodies. And it is so good to now that after a day of walking there is a room whit a soft bed waiting for you, but first a well-earned dinner and some pints of Cornish beer.

All of our accommodation was super, of course some of them felt a little bit better but it could depend on our physical condition at that time. The path was very easy to follow and we just went wrong only one time at the Tregantle fort. The contact whit Encounter Walking was friendly and very helpful, thank you Damon.

I would like to give a huge thank you from all 7 of us who took part on the holiday.  On the whole all of us were very satisfied with the route, accommodation and food, even the weather. Your itinerary was very good and we found all the accommodation from your directions without any problems.  We even managed to catch the Steam Train from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead to get our holiday off to a good start and some even managed a cream tea! 

The SWCP route was very well sign posted and the maps supplied were very good.  I, myself, particularly liked the Exmoor and North Devon CP Book (as I am not a good map reader) and found the sketch maps really good in detailing the route and terrain.  We also found the many points of interest to sightsee and possible alternative paths very good and useful information.  Other members of the group used all the maps and one member also had a GPS.  There were a couple of small route diversions because of landslides, but all were signposted.

The weather was very kind to us and we only had one morning of showers, otherwise we had dry, even sunny weather sometimes, with good visibility.  This did make all the difference to the enjoyment of the route.

The Exmoor walk on the 2-Moor Way was beautiful and yes we did have good weather.  We saw the Exmoor ponies and one even had a foul.  Lovely!

Our walk was fantastic--absolutely fantastic!  And you needn't apologize because of the weather--that's not something in your control, after all.  It was indeed very windy on Tuesday and Wednesday, but we took it in stride.  It added quite a lot to the wild beauty of the coast--tremendous waves crashing and foaming on the rocks, whitecaps out to the horizon, all very spectacular.  Of course we had to brace ourselves and take extra care when coming around the more exposed headlands into the teeth of the gale, but it was exciting and kind of fun, actually.  It helped that we both had very snug, compact backpacks--at Pendeen we met a woman who was camping and therefore had a very bulky backpack, and she'd had to abandon the trail that day because she felt endangered by the high winds; we were fine.  I might also mention that despite the stormy conditions (and the weather forecasts calling for lots of rain), we encountered no more than a few minutes of drizzle in the whole three days--never had to pull out our serious rain gear at all.  We'll take wind over rain anytime!

We were very happy with all the arrangements--the amount of walking each day was exactly right, the accommodations were all delightful and we found the Trailblazers guide book extremely helpful, especially in those occasional places where the signposts on the trail itself are not ideally clear.  We found one point in the itinerary document you sent us a bit misleading, namely the mention of the need for special caution approaching and leaving Lamorna Cove.  We were a bit on edge after reading that--how scary is it going to be?--but then found it was nothing special, no more (nor less) challenging than many other parts of the walk.  

Hard to pick a highlight: we loved it all!  Thanks and best wishes,

My friend and I made the 2nd hiking tour on the South to West Coast Path. We have already done 2014 from the Exmouth to Poole the Jurrasic Trail. Very interesting. This yea: From Padstow to Penzance. We had very good weather. However, two days of storm. This is strenuous. As usual, everything has fitted perfectly. The first overnight stay in Padstow with Poppies B&B was a very nice start. The last obernight in Penzance was also a nice end. All overnight stays had passed verry nice and quite well. All owners were very friendly and helpful. Also our stay in Saint. Ives in the Tregony Gusthouse was very comfortable. It is better, however, with sea look to book. The town with the bustle, was not so pretty for us. To much people and noice. Sea View House - Porthcurno area very friendly. The Boswednack Manor earned only one star. Ifen the biscuits were absent to the tea. Usually in general, it was a happy tour. Franz and Wolfgang, from Saarbruecken & Freiburg both from Germany

Another fabulous walk.    We encountered some fierce winds at the start, but the Spring flowers were just stunning - a magnificent display all the way round.   

Thank you for recommending such great accommodation; a good selection and absolutely no complaints.  The Gurnards Head Hotel was the top of my list, friendly welcome, comfortable beds, amazing breakfast and what a wine list! A most enjoyable experience thanks for your local knowledge.

Two more sections to go!!!

I wanted to send you a quick thank you for the terrific job you did arranging my South West Coast Path walking trip. Everything went so smoothly! I could really relax and enjoy the hiking knowing that everything had been so well arranged, The distances were comfortable and the information provided made finding my way around easy. I got lost once or twice for a short time but have no one to blame but myself for that. The luggage transfer worked amazingly well also - please pass on my appreciate to them as well. I am very impressed with everything,

I am already looking at other hiking trips to take. Maybe stringing some shorter ones together? I discovered unexpectedly that the lonelier and more rugged sections were my favourites.

The holiday was indeed a success, I very much enjoyed my 4 days walking on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, it’s such a beautiful unspoilt coastline.  It was VERY windy on the last day, Wednesday, & I had to be careful on some of the more exposed parts of the route.  But walking south-to-north meant the wind was usually at my back. 

I found the walking itself fairly strenuous with all the ups & downs, but I managed it within the times you indicated in the itinerary. All the arrangements worked like clockwork, thank you very much.  And I was happy with all the accommodation & everyone gave me a warm welcome. I would certainly be happy to come back to you for another holiday in the future.

We had a great trip! Everything worked as you had planned for us, so nice and easy!  

Weather was, well, lots of all kinds of it. But we never got really wet and really cold, by our standards, so happy enough about that J . Walking was fine, conditions on paths and routes were really good all the way. Due to some knee problem the others took a short taxi ride and a bus ride the last day, but enjoyed that too! All accommodation was good, with T Gallants in lovely Charlestown and the Portloe Ship Inn as the clear winners! Great places, both!

Bags transfer worked like magic every day! All in all we are so happy with the whole trip. Hope to do another section some time!. Thank you very much!

An excellent holiday! Route finding was very easy and accommodation was interestingly varied and, without exception, of a good standard AND our cases were always there at the right place. On the whole the weather was good. We had very little rain,lots of sunshine and two days of fierce wind when we had to revert to walking on the road for a couple of miles. We were lucky with the tides and walked on beaches whenever we could.The section from Harlyn Bay to Mawgen Porth we calculated as being 11 miles,not 9 as on the itinerary. The flowers at this time of the year were absolutely superb! It's too difficult to pick out one highlight, there were so many.So much of the scenery was a feast for the eyes. Thank you so much Damon and the team for your very efficient organisation. Everything went according to plan. We love Cornwall!!Jean

We were amazed at how changeable the weather was. It reminded me of an old Montana saying - if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes! Any day it didn't rain we counted as a good day. By that measure we had twice as many good days as bad days, so we were happy.

The bag transfers and accommodation bookings were flawless. After a hard day hiking, we were always pleased to be welcomed at a cozy inn or b&b and see our bags there. We enjoyed the variety of lodgings as each provided a slightly different experience. Our absolute favorite was the Abbey Inn with its great location, excellent food, and friendly staff. It was the perfect place to start and end the Dartmoor Walk.

We were able to hop across the stepping stones at Swincombe as the water was low. Some helpful hikers pointed out the loose stones for us. Glad to hear that the footbridge is in place.

We took all your diversions and appreciated your clear, concise directions. We wished you had written the Dartmoor guide! Its quality was very uneven; some sections were crystal clear and others left you hanging. At Water we had everyone at the Kestor Inn trying to help us get back on track. The OS maps are outstanding and really helped on Dartmoor. (I write hiking guidebooks for Hawaii, so am particularly interested in guides and maps.)

Twice we took taxis on rainy days with long mileage. The first was from Chagford to Finch Foundry. We spent a couple of hours at the foundry, hiked to Belstone and had a nice lunch at the pub there and then the rain stopped and the clouds lifted, so we did the high moor diversion into Okehampton. The Okemont River and falls were raging - very exciting.

The second taxi ride was from Tavistock to Stamford Spiney. (The cab driver had to call dispatch for directions on that one.) We then had plenty of time to see the quarries and Merrivale on the way to Princetown. During the day we enjoyed high winds, rain, sun and even some hail. We arrived and departed from Princetown in the sun. Even the prison looked cheery.

We hiked the final 14 miles on an absolutely spectacular day. This last day had everything - desolate moors, lush farms, tiny villages, high ridges, and deep, dark rivers. As we approached Buckfastleigh, we took a shortcut straight to the church and Abbey Inn where we had started 13 days earlier.

It's hard to say which trip we liked better, as the two were so different. We very much enjoyed the contrast between the Cornwall coast and Dartmoor. We loved the ruggedness of the coast and the changing colors of the ocean. We loved the variety of Dartmoor, both in the weather and in the scenery. Between towns we hardly saw anyone and had the illusion we were the only ones hiking the way. Visiting London afterwards was a real shock after spending so much time in the country.

Thanks again for a great trip. The Two Moors Way looks awfully good, and I hear the coastal path is great around the Lizard toward Fowey, so we may be back.

Wonderful trip. Damon was great at organizing the distances and terrain. I didn't want to turn a 'walking holiday' into an oxymoron like 'airplane food'. Damon was fantastic at making that possible. The B&B's were all excellent, the luggage transfers perfect. I made some good friends along the way. The Coastal walk was spectacular. Thank you so much for arranging a walk that made such lovely memories.

A great experience and up to expectations. The highlight was the Pendeen area with the heritage mining sites and the museum. The coast was harsh and awesome and spectacularly beautiful.

Thank you for organizing a great vacation. We had amazing weather -- thanks for arranging that, too! The hiking lengths were perfect and the routes easy to find using the guide. All accommodations were better than anticipated. We especially liked the Queen Anne House in Portland. The folks at The Gloucester House in Weymouth were super -- they gave us a view room upgrade at no cost because the weekend was slow. The luggage transfers were perfect. Thanks for arranging a last minute change to our taxi pickup from Weymouth. Everything meshed smoothly.

Thanks for organising everything for us. Yes, great weather!   It all worked brilliantly.  All places very welcoming to the dog, which we appreciated of course.  Withypool was lovely, as was the Bath Hotel.  Eating at The Rising Sun in Lynmouth was great. We thought that if people didn’t have compass skills they might have had a lot of directional problems on Exmoor between Simonsbath and Lynmouth.  I think that might be worth emphasising.  We didn’t see a single soul, vehicle or anything…..and of course there is no signal there. We enjoyed it all hugely and appreciated all the luggage transfers by Michelle and all general friendliness and welcome.Thank you very much for all your help and for taking such trouble with all the arrangements.

I have arranged a party of 8 to walk the SWCP this year. Encounter walking has helped us with 5 weekends (from Minehead to Newquay) The arrangements have been faultless and I cannot speak highly enough of this organisation. Give them a try and maybe we will meet on the Coastal path next year

Accommodation only a few minutes from Falmouth Town station made for an easy start, and the first of four sea views from the five rooms of my holiday. A lovely walk round Pendennis Point on the first evening set things up nicely. The weather on the first full day was wet and windy throughout, and I was therefore the only person on the St Mawes ferry (whose timetable advertised on the quayside bore little resemblance to the one on their website or that in the SWCP Assocation book). But still some lovely walking in the rain to Portloe (small but lovely), and then better weather for day two to Mevagissey (a little bigger and busier, but a wonderful place) and day three to Par. Mevagissey as far as Charlestown and its gorgeous harbour and tall ships is almost all up and down (though the ups and downs aren't as big as some on the north coast), after which the walking becomes much easier but the scenery deteriorates for the last section - Par is perhaps not the ideal end to a multi-day walk as it may feel anticlimactic. For me the final day was Par to Polperro in unbroken sunshine. As far as Fowey is beautiful (Polkerris is lovely both from high above and up close) but fairly easy; although the information from Encounter warned that the second section of the walk is challenging, the hard work gradually builds from Lantic Bay onwards with two big ascents saved till last - this really is a day that gets harder from start to finish, but it is an extremely rewarding one with stunning coastal scenery and a wonderful climax at the really delightful Polperro (especially with my bedroom overlooking the harbour). In the morning a bus easily took me to Looe to catch a train home. No problems at any stage - info was helpful, directions perfect, accommodation great, luggage transfers smooth.

We walked at a leisurely pace for five days. Brilliant walk with some stunning views. The weather forecast had been poor but we only had a little rain on the final day. All the accommodation was fine, with the Heddon's Gate Hotel as the stand-out location. It also had the best breakfast. The food otherwise was disappointing except at the Hunter's Inn at Heddon's Mouth, but the beer and cider were excellent. All in all, it was a great trip and we intend to carry on next year and do another week, starting in Woolacombe.

We arrived back home late last night having had a superb trip. As you indicated it was a very varied walk with a great contrast between the days walking round the estuary and the section from Westward Ho! Taking the extra days to do the walk meant that we had plenty of time to look round places and none of the days were too much for either of us.  The only day it rained was on the first Sunday when we were just riding on the trains!!! Over Easter weekend it was shorts and teeshirts.

It was a bit blowy for the first couple of days - it actually blew me over at one stage and then I had to hang on to G  as we came round the Foreland as I couldn't stand up in the wind. Still we made it without any mishaps. The accommodation was all very good and we are always pleasantly surprised how you manage to find these  lovely pubs and B&B's etc. We really want to do the next stages in due course so hopefully we will be coming back to you at the end of the year to book something for next Easter - health permitting!!!

Thank you again for arranging everything so well.

This was the first time Jenny and I walked the coastal path with our 2 dogs a working cocker and a border carin cross we did three days walking with four nights, all the accommodation was great, the weather was kind and we walked approx 38/40 miles overall. On the second day Porlock to lynton if you feel fit enough or have enough time detour from the official route and come down the valley via Watersmeet it is a stunning walk into Lynton and a great way to finish the day. Walking poles were a big help for the up & downs the dogs slept like logs as did we. luggage transfer etc went like clockwork We have no hesitation recommending these guys & we will use them again.

Just returned from 4 days walking along the coast path from Bude - Padstow. We had very mild weather for the entire trip with virtually no rain. Without doubt some of the most stunning scenery we have ever seen and has left us definitely wanting to come back to do another section soon. As novice walkers, we definitely found the going tough in places and some of the ascents and descents quite challenging but the route is well signposted all the way along and easy to follow. A few things worth looking out for or considering:- If you are intending to eat at the overnight accommodation that has been reserved for you, it is definitely best to call ahead and reserve a table. Most of our stops were able to accommodate us but some were full by the time we arrived. The walk from Port Isaac to Port Quinn is a tough one ( about 3 miles ) and took us longer than we expected, partly due to some quite slippery paths in places. The tea van at Port Quinn was a very welcome sight! It isn't always open though apparently so take provisions on this stretch. On the route from Crackington Haven to Boscastle, there is an excellent farm shop and café just outside Boscastle itself. Its easily found just off the path at the top of the steep section immediately above Pentargon waterfall ( and therefore a very welcome sight! ) a final observation - the SWCP obviously gets eroded by the elements and we came across sections that have had diversions set up around them ( close to Delabole, a set of steps abruptly ended up in fresh air! ). we never needed to make our own detour but it clearly pays to keep aware of whats around generally and adjust your route if necessary! All in all, we had a fantastic trip. Luggage transfer arrangements and return taxi to collect our car all worked perfectly and the sight of our luggage already put in our rooms at the end of a long day was just perfect! Jim and Nikki

This was my first big walk and I had no clue how to plan one, but Encounter Walking recommended the perfect route and ensured that everything went smoothly for me. The views were stunning, the walk itself just the right balance of challenging and relaxed. My luggage was transferred every day without a hitch and the accommodation was unfailingly clean and welcoming, with fantastic breakfasts. I've already decided to do the Lands End route next :)

My wife & I completed the Coleridge Way from Nether Stowey to Lynmouth in early October. Walk itself was very good; interesting & varied - weather was brilliant! Route info was excellent although I may not be the best person to judge as I've been hill walking for 60 years, love maps and can usually find my way without additional instructions. All the ancillary info was also very useful except that Luxborough Tea Gardens have been closed for some time, or so we were told. All the accommodation was either very good or excellent.

Thank-you for your efforts

We had a very good time and overall the weather was great -one of our number went swimming twice -yup in the sea at Sennen and St Ives!

Route

We walked with the map and the itinerary sent by you choosing to leave the heavier Trailblazer book in our luggage. The itinerary largely let us to our own devices -though instructions to accommodation were detailed and we were warned e.g. of mine shafts and the boulders at Loy -we had a little trouble indemnifying Cape Cornwall and the route into St Just from there and from St Just. The St Michael's Way instructions were excellent for the most part. There was some variation around a farm before Trencom Hill, but that was highlighted as a possible.  The route around the holiday park was different and that is where we got a bit confused. The mileage per day was about right -it was sometimes quite strenuous with the ups and downs but such spectacular scenery all the was along.

Accommodation

The Chy An Albany and The Commercial were perfectly fine and welcoming  -good cream tea at the former- and The Tinners’ Arms and Treventon were both delightful with excellent dinner at the Tinners. However we would not recommend the Sea View House - 4 stars but down at heel and scruffy and not as clean as we would expect. Luggage transfers all went very smoothly.

Food

ST IVES - Sea food Cafe and the Tea Rooms -both very good especially the Tea Rooms -not cheap

ZENNOR -Tinners -great meal

ST JUST -Commercial -was OK-some menu choices better than others -very good service

PORTHCURNO -Logan Inn -very welcoming and cosy but food not so good

PENZANCE -Navy Inn -very good fish here but is changing hands

Stops

The White Hart in Ludgvan -very friendly -good coffee

Beach Cafe at Sennen Cove -food was very good -service a bit haphazard

Lamorna Beach Cafe very cosy and welcoming -huge portions.

Taxi

Ace did the station runs and restaurant pick ups on a rainy last night in St Ives and were friendly and prompt..

Thank you for the perfect organisation, I have had a great holiday. I really appreciated all the information you gave me, the itinerary and the guide book with map were among the best I've seen so far. The walking was fabulous, although quite taxing. Talking about the mileage I guess I forgot to ask about the altitude differences to be climbed... I think the indication of these would be more helpful than the descriptions as 'moderate' or 'strenous' as obviously these depend on your individual fitness. Other than that, I had no problems at all on the way, if I did miss one or two signposts on the way it was purely because I was either lost in thoughts or simply looking the wrong way. Maps and guide booked always helped me find my way again and the few alterations and detours were just as good. One note: On my way to Braunton I did walk all the way on the Saunton beach, there is no limitation because of the army on the beach itself as the book suggests. 

The weather was indeed quite horrible at first, but it was dry from Thursday and for the rest I bought a plastic poncho to protect my overpriced and very leaky gore tex hiking gear from the rain...:-) Accommodation was fine, some of it great (The Rising Sun), and I did have the nicest hosts at the Channel Vista Guest House. 

I hope to come back soon and continue on to Cornwall!

Everything was great thank you - all worked like clockwork and arrangements perfect.  Particular high point: Notley Inn - great accommodation and food.  Also - taxi was dead on time!

We really enjoyed the contrast of each day, covering over the 4 days woodland, moors, heathland and the coast - fabulous scenery.  The signage on the Day 2 route wasn't quite as good as elsewhere but your notes guided us perfectly. 

Also, on the coastal path there were 2/3 broken (looked vandalised?) signs so we missed taking the longer route and ended up staying on the main path - actually worked out better for us as it happens but you may want to report the signs.

We were a group of 3 ladies in our mid fifties. The first 3 days were very challenging with the ascent and descent but it did get easier towards the end of the walk. Thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the accommodation recommended by Encounter walking. Our thanks to all the staff at Encounter for the organising this walk so professionally. Looking forward to next years challenge. Julie Hodge

A stunning walk;   a very close rival to the Cornish coastal path and in fact I am loathe to say it, perhaps it is even better!!   Fantastic scenery and of course the geology around there is so interesting.   Highlight was a bay (just after the deerpark) where we say lots of grey seal pups lying on the beach - some quite young.  You have often pointed out that we might see them in Cornwall but we never have - perhaps we were just at the right time of the year this time.  We all did the 12 mile walk on the Thursday and as you said, it would have been a shame to miss it - absolutely amazing.  We experienced one short shower on the first day but on the whole the weather was good.
 
Accommodation was mostly good - the first house at Dale was a bit quirky but we were all fine with it.   Fabulous food all the way round - mainly fish.   I did find it very expensive compared with Cornwall where I had just returned from a week's holiday but  I suppose they have to make up for times when tourists are not around.    St. David's fabulous and a very nice B&B - I would go there again.   The first night we took the taxi over to Porthgain to  a restaurant called "The Shed".   Wonderful.  And we all attended  service in the Cathedral before we left.
 
Only downside was the extremely slow and long rail journey home.   But it was a Sunday.   Remind me never to travel home on Sunday again!

Our third walk with Encounter Walking and all arrangements went smoothly. We had perfect weather to enjoy both the walking and the coastal scenery. Accommodation was very good: we enjoyed our stay at Gold Martin in Mawnan Smith where Clare delighted us with her flower paintings. We walked down to the Helford River through Glendurgan Gardens (NT) - note that these are now open Tuesday-Sunday, with access to the coastal path. Special mention must be made of Barbara and John at Carradale in Portloe: when they realised that the Ship Inn was not providing an evening meal, they not only reserved a table at the pub in Veryan but provided a taxi service there and back. Highlights included the access to the little coves along the walk, the many birds (though some of them remain, for us, LBJs!) and the richness of the wild flowers. The view from the top of Nare Head is superb, well worth the climb. Sadly an underlying health problem meant that we had to curtail our walk at Portloe. Thank you to Damon and the team.

We had an absolutely wonderful time. The scenery was superbly gorgeous and the weather was sunny, cool, and we got sunburnt (who knew?) The directions provided, both the book and OS map were very helpful.

Just a few minor corrections to the book- one important one is on the way to Boscastle...there is an "alternate path" that traverses ground higher than the real path for a way- it was full of gorse and we got a bit scratched up. Also, one comment about the path and dogs - there is alot of dog waste on the trail, and it was quite a distraction to keep from stepping in it- please folks, bag up your dog poop! (I have nothing against cow, horse, sheep poop, but dog is pretty nasty). Other than that, the path was FANTASTIC! Our accommodation in Bude was fine (we ate at the Olive Garden, highly recommended, best food we had all week); in Crackington Haven, the innkeeper upgraded us to their balcony room that overlooked the harbor and where we sat with a glass of wine after dinner and watched the stars..so nice of them to do that! We had time to wander around Boscastle a bit- it is very beautiful there - had a wonderful stay at the Avalon BnB in Tintagel (beautiful updated house and very nice innkeepers).

Tintagel to Port Gaverne's only downside was that the path follows a barbed wire fence very closely, and you had to be very careful (I snagged my arm on the barbed wire- good thing you told us to have a first aid kit, the anti bacterial and bandages came in handy). The last bit of directions to the Inn in Port Gaverne were a little hard to understand - I recommend adding "just keep following the path signs and you'll pass the Inn on your left" - or maybe we were just a little too tired? Anyway, wonderful time was had in Port Isaac, great drinks in the Golden Lion (nice location for view of the harbor) and very nice dinner at The Edge- highly recommend them!

The last day to Padstow was tiring but very interesting with it's changing terrain- we just took our time and had plenty of gorp and water to keep us going. We got the last ferry! The estimated walk times in the book were invaluable and we used it alot to plan our day as we went. Our only real complaints come from Padstow. The Treann House BnB was very lovely, but the innkeeper has a very noisy 3 year old that curtailed our sleeping in the morning and nixed any possibility of a nap in the afternoon. We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary at Rick Stein's seafood restaurant, which was a big disappointment- the food is really not that good. But, we were celebrating our anniversary and a fantastic week of walking, so we brushed it off.

While in Padstow we bicycled the Camel Trail to the end at Wenfordbridge (a bit past Poley's Bridge) - an absolutely beautiful wooded trail, and at the end, we enjoyed cream teas at the Snails Pace Cafe - the proprietor is so nice, and the cafe is highly recommended! In all, our experience was great, and we will recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to all our friends! Thanks for being so helpful with answering questions and setting everything up. We look forward to exploring with you again someday!

This was an excellent walk with perfect weather making the scenery even more stunning. We did not find the strenuous parts of the route as difficult as we expected and we arrived at both Portreath and Gwithian earlier than we planned. We should have spent more time watching the seals at Godrevy Point or longer over our coffee at Hell's Mouth Cafe! However the last few miles between Carbis Bay and St Ives did prove quite tiring. The accommodation was satisfactory but as it was a late booking we were not expecting the best rooms. The recommended eating places were very good. We did have a minor problem finding the way across the dunes between Gwithian and Hayle. The Trailblazer book mentions acorn posts with yellow arrows but the way was marked mainly with large upright slabs of carved stone that initially were difficult to identify. Also be careful walking into Hayle as there is a new walkway alongside the harbour and the waymarks are scarce. We would certainly recommend taking the quieter suburban route through Lelant. We had a great stop eating our Philp's pasties on the platform of Lelant station overlooking the estuary. Thank you Damon and the team for organising another excellent walk and we look forward to next years expedition.

The weather was excellent for our walk as was the accommodation you recommended and booked for our party of four. We found that in some cases the packed lunches could be purchased more cheaply from places where there was a village store available (we were a little disappointed at the cost/value of the packed lunch from Nether Stowey). At all stop-overs the luggage carriers were very helpful and efficient. We suggest that beyond Roadwater, where your instructions refer to 'initial path options on the left' that the two misleading signs are removed. From our initially booking the holiday through your company we have been impressed by the way you have supplied all information and updates throughout, and would not hesitate to recommend you to others or book again ourselves. Many thanks Bob and Rosemary. PS. upon our return my wife celebrated her 80th birthday in style!

I have often walked short stretches of the coast path whilst on holiday in Cornwall & Devon and have always wanted to do a longer stretch so when the opportunity came, how could I resist. I chose the stretch from Crackington Haven to Padstow as we have been to the area a number of times, so many of the places are familiar and as a walk it worked well as it gives you Boscastle one day and Polzeath on another day for lunch stops. This means you don’t have to carry lunch on these days. On the middle day (Tintagel to Port Gaverne), Trebarwith Strand is a little early for lunch (but still great for a coffee), so I picked up a Cornish Pasty in Tintagel before I left.

The route does have many strenuous sections with lots of steep downs and ups (Crackington Haven to Boscastle, Trebarwith Strand to Port Gaverne, Port Isaac to Port Quin, but just take your time and enjoy the views. It’s only a problem if you are in a rush. I could not pick any particular place out for the perfect view as this whole stretch is just stunning. The distances covered each day allowed plenty of time to stop and admire the views along the way as well as time to refresh yourself with a beer at the end of the walk. I had planned the trip as a solo traveller as my wife is not such a keen walker, but when I told her where I planned to go she decided to join me and make her own way from place to place on public transport. Each place we visited gave her lots to do. This worked well for both of us and this stretch of the coast is well served with buses.

Whilst walking in September, we were very fortunate to have some fantastic weather. Sunny, good visibility, but just enough breeze to be not too hot walking. The accommodation Encounter Walking booked for us was all good, but special mention must be made of the two B&Bs we stayed at in Tintagel and Padstow. Already thinking where to go next time...

I thouroughly enjoyed the stunning scenery on this section of the SW coastal path. My luggage was moved each day and this worked perfectly. The route notes provided by Encounter for St Michaels Way (the section inland from Penzance to St Ives) were excellent and I had no route finding problems, although care needs to be taken as waymarks are not always obvious. On the SW coast path there are really no navigational problems, keep the sea on your right, although it sometimes does divert inland at times and occasionally markers dont exist where they would be useful. The section from St Ives to Pendeen is long (25km) and quite strenuous with lots of ups and downs. The section from Sennen Cove to Purthcurno is short and even with a visit to the Minak Theatre I arrived too early at the Seaview House to check in (they don't do check in until 4.00pm). As a solo traveller it's difficult to get single accommodation and you end up paying extra for single occupancy of a double room.

We have walked quite a bit of the Cornish section of the South West coast path so decided to tackle 30 miles in Devon this time. There were some serious up and downs which tested the heart and legs but the view at the top was always worth it. Encounter don't provide the scenery, cliffs, wildlife and pubs, all of which were great. What they do provide is expert knowledge, brilliant organizational skills and a huge desire to make your walking holiday work for you! We will definitely return next year to walk another 30 miles of the SW Coast Path with the help of Encounter.

This was a wonderful experience for us. The route, accommodations, and luggage transfer were all good. The help Damon provided in planning was invaluable. The scenery was stunning, and even the weather cooperated.

Weather was hot and sunny throughout the 9 days we were walking. Accommodations were all excellent. Avalon B&B was outstanding. Route finding was quite good, the guide had more than enough advice to get us wherever we were going. On average the rating of the difficulty of the sections of trail were fairly accurate and the suggested walking times were consistent. The section from Crackington Haven to Boscastle seemed more difficult than the guidebook suggested but some of the "more strenuous" sections weren't as formidable as we thought they would be. All in all an excellent holiday and all arrangements worked out very well!

I just did a 3 day walk as recommended by encounter walking. It was one of the BEST experiences of my life. It was challenging physically , which I totally enjoy. The views were breathtaking and I often found myself with a big smile of pure joy of the nature surrounding me. The rocks, cliffs, hidden beaches, lovely flora and the trail itself were all wonderful aspects that contributed to my thrill of this trek. The accommodation recommend was always just right. The reading material was very helpful and for the most part the trail was quite well marked. U can say I was pretty grateful to have my luggage in my room as I arrived at each destination as I thoroughly enjoyed a shower, clean clothes and a pint. I did not remember to bring a walking stick or a hat. While I managed, both would have been an asset.

We had a really enjoyable 4 days walking. The weather was fantastic and the scenery just breathtaking in places. The accommodation was variable but finished on a high in Lulworth Cove which was very comfortable and clean, with great attention to detail. The B&B in Lyme Regis was a bit 'tired'. For lunch along the way the Anchor pub was excellent as was the Hive Beach Cafe. We definitely recommend those.

We did have a few issues with the distances quoted which seem to be shorter than our various gps gadgets indicated, even taking into account the various detours and we found the steepness of the final few miles into Lulworth quite challenging as there is not much purchase or grip underfoot on those slopes. However we did have a great sense of satisfaction and achievement on finishing unscathed!

We had the good fortune to meet a Coastal Path Ranger called Dave as we were leaving the Smugglers at Osmington Mills and he accompanied us along the path to Whitenothe. He pointed out lots of interesting features and historical information along the way and added greatly to our enjoyment of the day.

So thank you to your team for a successful trip!

Just got back from a really great walking holiday. Many thanks, it just went like clockwork.

A wonderful range of landscapes.  Rain only on one day, and our trip up Dunkery Beacon was in low cloud so we could only see 100m - A bit of adversity creates some variety! Excellent places to stay, where we really felt comfortable and welcome.

Highlights for us were The Gables, The Notley Arms and the Millers at the Anchor. The Bath Hotel at Lynmouth was the least impressive - a bit dated and faded.  Probably not much choice in Lynmouth, though we wondered if some of the B and B’s on the way in would be keen on business. Very good suggestion to leave Culborne Church to the trip back along the SWCP.

Thanks again for your help and organisation.

I had a wonderful time, great weather and great places to stay. The only direction problem I had was finding Worth Matraverrs off the path. I am guessing I left the trail too early and missed the appropriate signs. The ratings of the day's walks were very helpful. The rating of the Lulworth range section was probably too severe but that just made it seem a bit easier

Wow!  Was I ever a lucky bunny sunshine all the way! Walk was fantastic tho I do prefer the rugged coastline of the north to the surfing beaches of the south.

Highlights probably St Ives to Zennor – Porthcurno beach where I swam in crystal cxlear water on a hot afternoon – walk from Perranporth when I set off early in the fog and it was just magical – Cape Cornwall another early morning when I was the only person there.

All the stopovers were good – definitely prefer B and Bs to hotels. Nanterrow farm was amazing and the lovely Linda took me swimming at Godrevy Point where we swam with seals she also upgraded me to the nicest room  in the house as I was the only one there what an amazing place.  Tinners Arms at Zennor was special also loved Carden Cottage at Crantock.  Low point was probably the B&B in Portreath – v sterile and a poor breakfast.  Much prefer staying in small places than towns – St Ives and Padstow all a bit much but I did love Port Isaac.

All in all it as just wonderful and the weather made the whole thing a complete indulgence – loved it. So next section May 2015 when you have time to put something together.

So thank you for putting such a wonderful package together again for me and am looking forward to next time.

 

First time for a walking holiday with friend and it was fantastic organised to perfection. All instructions and recommendations given did not fail from luggage transfers to transport information and all the accommodation was perfect and chosen well, not forgetting the coastal walk which was wonderful. I have already recommended Encounter Walking to others and can't wait to do again. Thank you Nichola Hammett & Janet Ling - Wiltshire

First of all can I thank you and Encounter Walking Holidays for arranging what turned out to be an excellent holiday walking from Minehead to Westward Ho! Although I have done four other long distance walks in the last four years in other parts of the country, this was my first walk with Jasper (my two year old Border Collie). It turned out to be the best walk yet, and I thought that some of the others would take some beating! The weather couldn’t have been better - walking in T Shirts everyday, no rain and glorious sun on four of the seven days! The coastal scenery was brilliant and varied with cliffs, sea vistas, woodland (especially between Porlock Weir and Lynmouth) and estuary. Jasper behaved himself impeccably all week - on the walk itself (off the lead about 75% of the time), as well as in the overnight accomodation and in the pubs during the evenings.

So onto feedback:

I found the walking straight forward, if a little strenuous at times, but for me it was ideal. The distances walked each day were fine, and route finding was never a problem. I used two guidebooks - the one you supplied, Trailblazer “Exmoor & North Devon Coast Path”, and my own Aurum/OS “South West Coast Path Minehead to Padstow”. Both complemented each other and were very good.

The general standard of accomodation was fine. The Bath Hotel in Lynmouth, Channel Vista Guest House in Combe Martin and The Wayfarer Inn in Instow were the pick of them. The Old Ship Aground in Minehead and The Smugglers Rest in Mortehoe were OK too. The Bottom Ship in Porlock Weir and The Laurels in Braunton were OK for one night only, but I wouldn’t have wanted to stay at these two for more than one night each - they being a bit basic. I ate my evening meal at all of these establishments, except the Braunton one, and found them all to offer good food. At Braunton I had my evening meal at The Black Horse pub, a few doors down from The Laurels, and had a superb meal. Breakfasts in general at all of them were fine, although some were better than others.

The luggage transfers seemed to work well, in that my luggage never failed to be waiting for me at each destination when I arrived! As regards being dog friendly, all were very good, with in this respect The Old Ship Aground in Minehead being the very best. So thanks again, and I’ll certainly use Encounter Walking Holidays again to arrange my annual walking holiday at some time in the near future.

Brilliant organisation (you did that)

Beautiful weather and views and walks

Path generally well marked (the dunes approaching Hayle were a little troublesome, but we were warned about that, and it wasn't that difficult because the location of the sea was a good clue)

Newquay and Hayle rather less scenic (but I guess you have to go through them to get to the other side)

I suggest that you advise future walkers to RUN through them as fast as possible,  but maybe they just aren’t our sort of places)

Accommodation excellent throughout

Special mention to Janet at Padstow and Mary at Porthcothan – very friendly and welcoming and helpful

Extra special mention to Linda at Nanterrow Farm, Gwithian – exceptional welcome, truly tasty breakfast, and a lovely farmhouse atmosphere. At all our stops, everyone  seemed to go out of their way to be helpful and friendly -  these three went even further. Lovely “attic room” at Cornerways in St Ives – brilliant view across the harbour. A delightful place to stop walking !

Bassett Arms, Portreath also deserves a mention – there was some sort of private function on-going when we arrived for an evening meal. Despite  being very busy, the staff were quick to welcome us, friendly, and attentive. Excellent service and a pleasant meal. And the (busy but excellent) cafe at Hells Mouth en route into Gwithian – never was a cafe so well-located !!

Baggage transfers faultless

Itinerary and information provided by you was everything we needed, detailed and accurate.

It left us free to ‘walk’ not ‘think about anything’

Seriously – it was part of the holiday to be able to just walk and eat and sleep.........................nothing else needed doing

One thing we did (and nobody minded – hope I wasn’t being a nuisance)  was to ask all our overnight stops to freeze a couple of small ice packs in their freezers. In hot weather (we were lucky),  it was good to carry a small cool bag in my rucksack so every day we had a couple of cold drinks with us.

Cant think of anything that was a problem or negative. Sorry – this isn't much of a feedback, more of a commentary !! We had a really enjoyable week.  Memorable, relaxed and stress-free.

Thank You again

Being unfamiliar with Cornwall, I appreciated the expert advice on where to walk and the detailed itinerary to follow on a daily basis. The juxtaposition of the Saints Way walk and the coastal path was nice, and while the experiences differed, they were both great. After the happy absence of people on the Saints Way, the relative busyness of the coastal path was a little disappointing. There's no obvious way to avoid this, but I'd imagine that in high summer it's crawling with people. I might recommend including a suggestion of departing earlier in the day to avoid the crowds.

I would thoroughly recommend the Coleridge Way, a wonderfully varied few days taking in the Quantocks, Brendon Hills, Exmoor and the coast at magical Porlock Weir. My only comment was that I did it too fast, if I did it again - and I well might!- I would take a day longer, in order to enjoy and explore more of the villages and just sit and enjoy the surroundings. The organisation was caring and efficient. Just be aware that with the extension to the Path the 'walking notes' need rechecking, some of the direction posts have obviously been renewed as the Path was rethought and some are different from that stated. But with the help of the OS maps I only overshot the mark once (just after the viewpoint at the top of the hill out of Monksilver) Most of the accommodation was excellent, luggage transfer went well, favourite resting places: Bottom Ship at Porlock Weir for kindness, location and a BATH, and Penny and John at Mellstock House in Combe Martin - spot on! Thank you, Damon, for also providing wonderful Indian summer weather and many memories to take me through the winter months.

Three of us walked this during the first week of September over 7 days. The weather was perfect and the holiday couldn't have gone any better. The luggage transfers worked faultlessly. We had an absolute blast and the walking was straightforward. I've put accommodation reviews on Trip Advisor. The Sportsman in Ivybridge was a little tired and in need of refurbishment but the food was fine. Other places were great. Tip for day 2. Eat at the Rugglestone Inn! It's only a 5 minute walk from Manor Cottage. The landlord at the Tradesman Arms in Scorriton phoned ahead and booked us a table. The steak and stilton pie is highly recommended. The burgers at Sandy Park on day 3 also come highly recommended. The Devonshire Dumpling was fine, but sufferred with a lot of road traffic from the adjacent A road. The hosts were great though.

Lunches:- we bought food at Ivybridge for day 1. Day 2 was short so wasn't required. Packed lunches were ordered for days 3, 6 and 7. We bought hot pasties from the village shop at Drewsteignton on day 4 and Morchard Bishop on day 5. The path was well way-marked in the central sections but not so in the National Parks, which we were expecting. Use of a compass and GPS helps the stretch from Crossways to Chalk Ford on day 1 and over Exe Head on day 7. We heard tales of two Australian ladies having to be airlifted off the moor the week before due to getting lost on this stretch in bad weather. All in all, a fantastic week. Thank you. We all wanted to just turn around and do it again!

Overall we thought everything was very good. All the organisation worked: great to have such in-depth info on refreshments en route, getting to and from the area, and concern to make sure the route was followed. Instructions on the first day: the issues with the route that you highlighted may have been fixed. Clearer advice on how to find the trail at Padstow would be welcome and maybe confirmation of where it ends? There was no signage to indicate at Fowey to indicate start/finish. The bit around Pen Poll Pill was a bit confusing so some guidance/more signs would have been welcome there.

We walked quite slowly and took longer than you estimated each day. This isn't a criticism, just you might find this useful to know. However, we felt all three days were of a similar difficulty level (ie, a perfectly acceptable one) although we recognise that people walking in bad weather might feel differently about this! Overall we found the accommodation arrangements worked very well: everyone was welcoming and friendly and our luggage was transported perfectly. At Tregolls Farm we were told that packed lunches were not an option so perhaps this should be amended in your information. Her evening meal was excellent -- we couldn't eat it all! At the Crown Inn we were accommodated in the medieval building at the back. The electricity flickered from time to time and the hot water ran out quickly in the shower, also there were some stains on the sheets. Encounter Walking Note !  Thank you and sorry ...we have been in touch with the Crown to ask that a new set is bought rather than reusing !

The Well House was a wonderful treat for the end of the walk -- with a BATH, so welcome to have a long soak! Other walkers should perhaps be aware that non-pub food options in Padstow will probably be all booked up, so they have little chance of sampling those cool bistros, let alone the Stein establishments! We got packed lunches from the Golden Lion and the Crown Inn which (especially on the first day) were much appreciated. For the first time in 7 years of walking, we decided to bring thermos flasks which we filled with coffee at breakfast (all hosts were happy to do this) and brought flapjack from home. This was a great success so we offer it to others!

Best thing: We had wonderful weather and the countryside is breathtaking. It was well worth takinh the time on the last morning to cross over to Bodinnick on the ferry and walking the first (waterside) section of the Hall Walk, it is spectacular.

Worst thing: On two occasions the route takes you along an orange/red road without a pavement or verge. Some drivers really seemed to object to walkers and we flung ourselves flat against the hedgerows time and again. If people were walking with children or a dog this would be quite challenging. We would also stress that you do need to be able to read an Ordnance Survey map for this walk -- if you weren't used to reading field boundaries and contour lines it could be difficult. Overall a great experience and we will certainly recommend your company to others without hesitation.

This was a rewarding walk with a large variety of differing scenery and history. The services of Encounter Walking Holiday and their nominated luggage carrier were first class and everything worked like clockwork. Navigation is relatively straight forward, although close attention to the guide book is required at times, as the quality of signage varies considerably. Special attention is needed in two sections on Dartmoor where it is easy to go off course. The first of these is north of Ivybridge when leaving the old tramway just below Red Lake Mire going towards Petre's Cross, as the correct path is easy to miss and the second is after Ponsworthy when you need to make sure that you turn left at the road junction in Jordan, as the guide book is a little unclear here. As mentioned on Encounter's web site, the final day across Exmoor and down into Lynmouth is just a stunning finish to a great walk.

After a short stay in London and enjoying some groovy pieces of Art I'm back home again.

Some comments on the walk:

 -To stop walking when you enjoy it just so much is the most difficult aspect of the whole jouney.

- Accomodation was really cool, enjoyable that they were so different! There was honestly no one in which the people were not at least very!!  friendly.

- Lost my way completely between Saunton Sands and Braunton. It was raining heavily, I wanted to walk across the dunes, was in the part used by army vehicles (which were not around at that time) and didn't know which path might lead out of that area. Problem was that I couldn't look at any map because they were not covered in plastic...I managed anyway because it was any path I could take, I just had to walk straight on and not in circles.

- Your comments for every day are very precise and helpful. Together with the Guidebook I could improve and learn to read the map. Hints which animals etc. can be seen are super and good to get a feeling that there are lots of animals around. And most of them could be seen...sometimes you could walk an hour before meeting the next human.

- The distances and walks you suggest for every day were precisely what I could manage. It's a good idea though to give further hints where to walk to in addition.

- I think I've learned what it was all about for me: to find solutions myself and see that I can manage and organise things on my own.

The holiday was a success. The weather was mostly OK if rather cold at times. The last day however I did not manage as it was very wet and foggy and it is a holiday not a competition. The accommodation was all good (with the exception of the meal in Boscastle in the hotel in the evening). Probably the best was the old school in Port Issac.

I only got lost once although there were a couple of other points that might be of interest.

Day 1 - Where the insert is in the Smugglers way it was slightly confusing as it said go west (rather than left) and there is no sign. Then it says go left uphill and there are two turns left one straightaway and one later neither of which is correct. 

Day 2 - It might be worth mentioning to stay further left than the compass guidance (follow the dim sort of path with the fence visible on the left) as you set out onto the moor after Jamaica Inn if you follow the compass you end up in some very long reeds as I did briefly. 

Day 4 - Near the church before Padstow the path to the beach has been re-routed as it is crumpling away which is slightly confusing, The detour to the church is worthwhile at this point anyway. Also at low tide you can walk right round to Rock on the beach if you want to. 

Day 5 - I got lost trying to get out of Padstow - the sign has been put back up just before the campsite but appears to point to someones driveway or if not then to the path that leads to the bridge - finally I went into the campsite and round a field before coming back and going past reception and left (not into the field) and slightly up by what I think are some toilets and hence to the path. 

Day 5 - The part with the field and going across one too early is actually I think caused by the sign on the gate and the map being wrong and showing the diagonal rather then straightdown and then right (and the sign the other way points straight up . The actual way is fairly obvious however.

Day 6 - At some point when the path leaves the road into a wood (I need to check where) the OS Map shows a path on the left and on the right where the correct path is. However I did not see the left path and turned right off the actual path which I think is to someones wood shed - its only about 50m so not a big deal. (took the east route by the way)

This does not mean that I spent most of the time lost - only about 10 min in a field full of campers near Padstow. Very pleased with the mixed sea/countryside route , it was a shame about the last day but I think I will be back to look at more of the coast at some point. 

Thanks for all the arrangements.

Thanks for the superb assistance you gave me so I could complete my walk of the SWCP. The accommodation you booked for me was far better than I could have booked for myself. And you couldn't have ordered better weather!

Also the timing you gave me in the route notes about the timings for crossing the Erme (knee deep at 12:30) and the "ferry" at the Avon (this is the only place my boots got wet - getting out of the boat).

There were a couple of spots that could use some clarification. One was getting out of Torquay. I followed the guidebook carefully, found the markers in the pavement, then nothing. I finally found a gap in the wall with steps leading off to the left (not marked) and further on the acorn signs. Finally ending at an unmarked (from the west) cliff fall in process of repair. Others had climbed over it, as I did, as it was dry. I was a little rattled by this and did not mark it on my map, so I can't really tell you where it is. The same day at Oddicombe Beach, the cliff fall was not passable to get to the path to Petit Tor Road. You have to take the steps by the Cliff Railway (or the railway itself) to get past that section of path.

The seawall at Dawlish is mostly open, with a signed diversion around the section that is still being worked on. It is quite small.

I think the Old Mill Cafe in Branscombe is well worth the extra walk, only I would suggest going to Branscombe Mouth and taking the river path to the village rather than the turnoff to Branscombe Church. Your knees will thank you!

I loved the Ridgeway walk. I wonder why more don't do it. It was like having a time machine. And the views ... ! Just watch the map carefully - the signing can be confusing, after-the-fact or non-existent.

I could write pages on the accommodation. Marvelous. The proprietors' suggestions as to where to eat (The Swan, in Sidmouth), or a footpath instead of a road, or the "spoiling" (Annette at Kimmeridge Farm brought me a bottle of cider and some ice cream in the evening in addition to all the luxury)!

Even though there is much development on the coast, so much of the walk was open vistas taking your breath away (literally and figuratively). I felt as if all should "whisper" as the coast is such a special place. Now that I'm back in Colorado, I'm still dreaming of the lovely three weeks you made possible for me. Thanks again.

This is our 6th long distance walk and the second one done with Damon at Encounter. Exceptional customer service and support. Thank you! We had paid to upgrade our accommodations and were extremely pleased with pretty much each of our stops. The trail was not as difficult as the Minehead to Padstow section and was not as well waymarked. Too bad Land's End is such a circus.

In Penzance, we strongly recommend The Turk's Head for dinner. The very best meal we had on the trip hands down. Also had an exceptional meal in St Ives at the Waterfront Café, thanks Carl. Our favorite B&B's Portreath B&B Seaforth B&B St Ives Warwick House Penzance Symply Padstow Not only were these accommodations excellent but the hosts were caring,and very helpful. Hope to do the next section next year and will look forward to dealing with Damon and the rest of their team again.

This is a very fine walk with a great range of scenery and terrain. Fine long views from the Moors, beautiful coast at each end and a lovely mix of picturesque river walks and country villages in between. Good weather too - just one damp morning. And only 106 miles! Navigation was mostly straightforward, though we did have the compass out on a few occasions and found ourselves going completely the wrong way on Hamel Down - quickly sorted! There are plenty of places on the moors where the waymarking is poor and you do need to be able to navigate with map and compass - or maybe GPS these days. The information and organisation from Encounter was spot on and all the accommodation was exactly as described/expected. All the transfers worked very well. Thanks to Damon and all for a great success.

Did the whole SWCP over a two month period including a week and half break at falmouth on my own The organisation was faultless with luggage transfer every day from luggage transfer south west always at your accommodation with out fail The tour notes were detailed and full of useful information and more importantly bang up to date with latest path issues I stayed in a total of 48 different accommodation over the walk and with out exception all were as a minimum of good standard. Bearing in mind that in certain areas the accommodation is limited and I was walking in the school holidays. There were some in my opinion really great places either because of its location, the staff or just the way the place was set up and i feel they need a mention - the cottage porlock a lovely small b&B really we'll done out and friendly owners - heartland quay hotel just for its brilliant location and remoteness when every one else has gone but if you want an early start you need to get your pack lunch the night b4 they will give you a fridge to keep in your room - Wellington hotel Boscastle for its character - driftwood spa near st Agnes brill location and very good fish restaurant - honeycombe house mevagissey b&B really nice room with views and good breakfast - worswell Barton farmhouse noss mayo farm b&B but probably best breakfast on route with virtually everything locally made on site -the tower inn slapton what a brill pub room was great with great evening food and breakfast Mariners hotel Lyme Regis really nice room Manor hotel west bexington lovely set up with a great room and good food Lulworth mill house Lulworth cove arrived soaked through and early but could not be more helpful to get my gear dry again good evening meal Over all I could not fault the logistics of this tour and a big thanks must go to encounter for organising even down to getting you across 5 rivers crossings in three days with tidal gate issues This is the 3rd time I have used encounter with out a single issue On the walk it self it is with out doubt one of the best it is tough in places especially the section up near bude to port Isaac were you have tough days consecutive but a lot of the time you have easier days following tough sections

Thanks we had a great time absolutely no problems even the weather was ok if not perfect, good walking weather. 
 
The Old Ferry Inn was spot on for us much better situation than being in Fowey.Pity they don't do day tickets for foot passengers on the ferry as it became a bit of an extra fiddle at times.
 
Best walk was the one from Polperro superb scenery .It was very quiet walking met few fellow walkers which was great .Nice selection thanks very much.
 
Passed the very muddy and flooded bit on the Saints Way by clambering up the bank and walking along the side of the hedge, which somebody had done before us .

 

one week at home today. Time to give you a personal feedback. Our time in Cornwall really was one of the best holidays in our life. We enjoyed the walk, allthough it was rather straneous, especially for my wife, but she enjoyed too. We loved the variety of the walk, the marvellous coast path on one hand, but also the moor, the fields, the woods and little villages and cottages on the other. This gave us very good impressions from all sides of Cornwall.

The organisation of the tour was perfect, the accomodations were very well chosen.

But above all, we met a lot of wonderful, friendly people and perfect hosts.

Thank you very much for your personal help in planning the tour and during the walk, this was very essential for the success of it. Next time, I am sure there will be one, we would immedately start the walk after the arrival and schedule some days of rest instead, also to stay longer at fantastic places like Fowey or Padstow.

I'm glad to have found the number one provider for invidual travelling in Cornwall, it was often confirmed during the walk. The last days in St. Ives were a good finish, Debbie and Carl were perfect hosts in Seaforth. But now it's all over and new dreams can begin. On the walk we met someone, who told us about the beauty of Southern Wales. Perhaps this is one....

The walk went very well and we were extremely fortunate with the weather. Although the Sun didn’t shine all the time ,there was only a 15 minute heavy shower by the Carlyon Bay Hotel and golf course when we donned wet weather gear. About a couple of hours after reaching Looe the weather closed in and we drove back the following morning in mist and rain.

The scenery on the walk was wonderful,being by the water ,almost the whole way is a real bonus.

The walk was perhaps strenuous for longer than we expected ,but good for fitness.

The accommodation, baggage arrangements,maps etc were all excellent,which made for a very stress free holiday.

We are back from our overseas holiday and we want to thank you for helping us organise the walk which truly was the walking highlight of our holiday. For we five walkers, two Americans and three aussies, the walk was  just about perfect. The scenery was absolutely wonderful, the weather perfect, and the connections between places via transport were excellent. The taxi driver from Falmouth was an absolute delight…and gave us lots of helpful local info.

Overall the accommodation was great…authentic, great customer service from some truly wonderful hosts, and great locations. As older travellers, we were portably looking for a little more comfort and space re bathrooms and room size, but we’d ask for that next time. A couple of highlights…Warwick House room was great, ocean view, and sensational breakfast. Hard to find in a car though. Harbour Inn was a bit run down, frankly, but the staff were nice enough. We loved the host at Caerthillian guest House, but the rooms were small, and a non en suite took the edge off our enjoyment. Great spot, though, and great local pubs. Gold martin B and B was so lovely and quaint, and another super breakfast, but again, sharing a bathroom was a bit tedious for us oldies. Loved clare’s botanical art…and great local pub. Lerryn Hotel….great rooms…and the new owner, Lyn, was absolutely wonderful to us. Great personalised customer service. A gem!

Honey combe House was great…food lovely, view sensational, but the toilet bathroom was simply too small. What a pity. Million dollar views. TGallants was fine too, but the owners weren’t super helpful or friendly.

Galleon Inn was great…nice big room and right in the middle of everything. We asked for an early breakfast and they were so obliging. Schooner Point was frankly hard to get too with heavy bags, and not ideal. But the owners were simply delightful, gave us so much help with planning, and lovely cakes and breaky that we forgave them the location.

Some thoughts on the walk. We managed the distances pretty well, but on reflection, we had underestimated the toll of the ups and downs, and next time would go for 10 mile days, not twelve.

My goodness, though, the scenery was so worth all that climbing.

Damon, we really appreciated the outstanding service you gave us as a group, and me in particular. All your advice was wonderful, and we’d love to do another section of the walk with you another year.

Thanks again for making our holiday so special.

PS We can’t believe how good the food is now in England. We lived in London/Bedfordshire for 6 years in the late 70’s and pub food was pretty ordinary then. We had some simply marvellous meals in magical settings, thanks to all the good suggestions in your notes. When the food was outstanding, I wrote reviews on Trip Adviser….

Thanks again!

Very well organised, thank you very much. Accommodation : Day 1, Woodlands House, near Padstow. 20 minutes walk into Padstow . Easy to find with plenty of car parking. Large and clean room. Very helpful hosts, Pippa and Hugh who let me keep my car there for the duration of my walk. Outstanding breakfast. Day 2 , Tregolls Farm B&B. Very, very friendly and helpful owner Marilyn who greeted me with a large glass of squash and a plate of biscuits and supplied an ice pack for my sore ankle. Old fashioned style farmhouse but spotlessly clean and great views .There were cute pet goats. Marilyn cooked me a delicious meal of roast chicken followed by apple tart and clotted cream. Very good breakfast. Very quiet and peaceful, this is where I had the best nights sleep. Day 3, Crown Inn , Lanlivery. Room ok, cleanish, but quilt and pillows very, very stained. No excuse for this and made me feel uncomfortable. Food quite good and staff friendly. Day 4, King of Prussia, Fowey. Room surprisingly nice with a great view of the quay and river. Noise from the town but not too bad and noisy seagulls in the morning, ear plugs were provided ! Good breakfast.

The transfers all worked like clockwork and Graham from Fowey coastal taxis was there on time to take me back to Padstow, friendly, chatty and a good driver.

The walk : There were some nice parts of the walk, for me these were when the walking was on high ground and the downs. I didn't mind walking on the lanes because it was peaceful and easy to navigate. However a lot of the walk wasn't particularly ' nice ' or pretty and I really didn't like the bridleways with high hedges, very claustrophobic. The walk has to be seen, in my opinion, as kind of a means to an end i.e. coast to coast rather than a picturesque walk. There was one part, just coming out of Withiel, where I am pretty sure the map or the signs or both are wrong. I had to walk around the perimeter of two fields to try to find where I was even though I had strictly followed the field boundaries on the map. This was followed by a ' green lane ' which was ankle deep in mud for quite some distance, high hedges both sides and thousands of horse flies, very unpleasant indeed. The Saints Way signposts on the roads were very good and even though the navigation was easier on the roads it was still reassuring to see the signs. The signposts were not as prolific across the field sections which is where they were most needed.

Overall I am pleased I did the walk because a coast to coast gave me a sense of achievement. The history and facts were interesting but I think a religious person would find it much more interesting than I did. The logistics from Encounter Walking worked perfectly and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again or recommend them to anyone. From a personal point of view in the future I would rather walk on coastal paths. Thanks very much.

We really enjoyed our walk along the Land’s End Trail and benefited from the strong input from Encounter. The itinerary was well organized and distances each day were manageable. In total we walked approximately 85km from St Ives to Penzance with an extra walk to St Michael's Mount, over 6 days. The Trailblazer guidebook supplied by Encounter was very informative and provided an excellent and accurate narrative as we walked. The luggage transfers worked well throughout.

Day 1 - Arrival at St Ives On arrival at our accommodation at the Cornerways B&B we were warmly greeted by the proprietor, Tim who was a very hospitable host. He showed us to what he described as our ‘petite’ room – a polite term for a very small room, and a particularly small bathroom. We were in the Jeanne room, although we had booked the Jamaica room (not sure if there was any difference) The room was a bit cramped really and not large enough for our luggage. It was also right next to the road, so not quiet. Despite these shortcomings, Tim and Shelley, were very friendly, helpful and hospitable hosts, and the breakfast was great.

Day 2 - St Ives to Zennor 10.6km The first day was an easy walk with lovely views and no rain. Our accommodation at the Tinners Arms was comfortable, a large double ensuite and breakfast options were good. However, unfortunately the walls were paper thin, and we were kept awake by a snorer in the bed on the other side of the wall.

Day 3 - Zennor to Pendeen, 17.8km The second day of our walk started at Zennor and soon joined the Cornwall Coast Path to go past Gurnards Head and other coastal features. This was a particularly spectacular day. We diverted to the Gurnards Head Inn for a coffee and also into Morvah where we had some afternoon 'cream tea'. These diversions changed what was supposed to be an 11km walk to a much longer day (nearly 18km). Accommodation at The North Inn was comfortable. The meals were very much in a pub atmosphere and the meals reasonable.

Day 4 - Pendeen to Sennen Cove, 13.5km We had showers, and cold and grey conditions during the morning of our third day of hiking. But the weather improved as the day progressed. We enjoyed stunning views of Cape Cornwall and also the many ruins associated with the tin mining for which the area is famous. The grey weather added to the eerie atmosphere of the area contrasted with lovely purple colour from the heather on the hills. Sennen Cove is a popular surfing and swimming spot and by the time we arrived the weather was hot enough to contemplate a swim (even if the water drove most to wet suits). The day finished with a lovely sunset from our room at the Old Success Inn. We enjoyed our upgrade to the Sunset Room, on the top floor with good views. The meal and location were good.

Day 5 - Sennen Cove to Porthcurno, 10.8km This was an easy day and included walking through Lands End, a (very) touristy spot that marks the western most point of England. Despite that blot on the landscape, the vistas were great and we had a very restful afternoon at the seaside town of Porthcurno. The accommodation at the Seaview House was another ‘petite’ room but breakfast was very good and the hosts friendly.

Day 6 - Porthcurno to Mousehole and Penzance, 18.3km The last day of our Cornwall hiking tour was a quite long day. First 8-9km was up and down along the coast to a small village, Lemorna where we had a well-earned coffee (not bad latte) and scones with clotted cream. Then a 3-4 kms to Mousehole (pronounced Mowzell). We didn't stop there but it seems a pleasant, if busy, town. The last 6km was flat and pretty plain along the road (or cycle path where possible) as we came through Newlyn to Penzance. The Artist Hotel was the best accommodation of our trip, a lovely room and great service.

Day 7 - Penzance to St Michael's Mount, 15.7km (rest day) Our 'rest day' we decided to do an easy and flat walk to St Michael's Mount that included a ferry ride to the island (due to the tide being in), an informative free walking tour of the buildings and a castle viewing. There was some rain and spectacular grey clouds in the morning over the Mount, but the weather cleared up for our return to Penzance. Thanks again Damon for arranging a great walk which was a highlight of our UK travels.

We enjoyed the experience and found most of the walk quite reasonable. The weather was fine but had quite strong northerly winds which made the going a bit tiresome at times. But the weather is uncontrollable. Just want to point out the buses were expensive and few and far between. Due to a foot problem we attempted to shorten the walk on a couple of occasions. The one bus timetabled for the day at Portreath and Gwithian did not turn up. Overall we found the accommodation very comfortable, and the hosts were very helpful. In particular the host at St Georges Country Hotel cooked a special gluten free meal just for our party as one of our friends is gluten intolerant.

It was a nice and long walk. Everything was very good thanks to Encounter Walking Holidays. They planned our trip, gave advice and were very helpful.

Dear Damon and Prue,  Just to let you know that we've returned safely from our fabulous Dartmoor Adventure.  I don't know how you did it but the weather was perfect, especially on Saturday when crossing the top of the Moor. 

Fabulous views and some really interesting archaeology right on the route.  Our navigation was pretty good, even after all these years, although our legs were pretty tired after the late afternoon steep decent to Fingle's Bridge on the second day.  We did have a problem picking up the route at the top of the descent as the landowner has recent re-fenced the fields and the bracken was at it's highest.

Thank you for all your help.  The route books and maps and your additional information was spot on, the accommodation was good and in keeping with what we were expecting.  The Globe at Chagford is a little eccentric and, in hindsight, perhaps I should have gone with your original recommendation of the Ring'o'bells, but it added to the overall experience!  The food at the Cromwell Arms in Bovey Tracey was the best and the bed the softest. We would have no hesitation in whole-heartedly recommending Encounter Walking and it's knowledgeable, friendly and patient staff.  All in all a great experience!

Who knows where we'll go next!

Just back from walking from St Ives to Penzance, and it was beautiful and exhilarating! In particular the stretch from Gurnards Head to Pendeen Watch, Cape Cornwall to Sennen, and the stretch from Lands End to Porthgwarra. I was very lucky with the weather, managing to find shelter twice under rocks when heavy rain came down on the first day, but warm and windy on days 2 and 3. Also found somewhere to swim on those days, Portheras Cove and Porthchapel - worth having the bikini in the backpack! Pretty miserable walking from Mousehole to Penzance in the pouring rain along the road, but by then the walk had become a challenge and I didn't want to get the bus! Walking times were spot on, maps in the book were very good. Got a bit lost approaching Botallack with all the mines to stop and look at, so was pretty knackered by the time I got to Cape Cornwall but hitched a lift into St Just, which was very welcome! Was walking alone, and therefore in tiny single rooms in the various places. If I did it again, it might be worth paying a bit more for a double, especially if the accommodation doesn't have a general area to sit and relax, otherwise you're stuck in a small box with nowhere to unwind after a long day, and baths seems to be few and far between to ease the aching muscles! Also I found that I didn't need a packed lunch, thanks to huge breakfasts, so I tended to just start early, take water and biscuits and then find a nice place for a cold cider or a cream tea when I got to my destination! A must - if you're planning a stop over in Porthcurno, book ahead and get tickets for the Minack. What an experience. The most amazing setting. Thanks to the guys at Encounter, for all the organisation and coordination. Bags always there at the next stop over, all the information I needed to hand, and no need to do anything except turn up and walk!

And so some feedback on our first holiday in Cornwall:

We thought your construction of a bespoke itinerary for us was excellent, as was the luggage transfer arrangements. We loved Fowey and The Fowey Hotel and really appreciated the fantastic view from our upgraded room (room 102).

In Looe we did find it a bit of a slog out of the town to Barclay House and would ideally have preferred something in West Looe. We thought Rame Head was spectacular and Cawsand/Kingsand quite delightful. We also very much appreciated both the welcoming text message from Alibetts and Mike’s efforts to arrange an evening meal for us.

We also loved the Mount Edgcumbe Estate and found Plymouth very interesting. In particular we can highly recommend the tour of the Plymouth Gin Distillery which was very educational and good value (with a complimentary gin & tonic at the end) and the tour of the Citadel (with the fantastically knowledgeable guide).

And we also appreciated how lucky we were with the weather! Best regards,

David

There ist nothing to complain about our tour! You organized everything perfectly, our Hosts were all very friendly, humorous and the b&bs were originally, comfortable, beautiful and clean. We´re glad that the weather was perfect for Walking, though we had to realise that the distances were exhausting for us. After all we can say: It was an unforgettable trip! Thanks for all!

Just to let you know that we had a wonderful weekend walking between Lynmouth and Woolacombe. All the arrangements worked perfectly thanks. We found a great Thai restaurant in Lynton on Friday evening and enjoyed perfect walking weather, including a swim on the Tunnels Beach in Ilfracombe.

Thanks for organising - we will be back for more soon!

Our walk from Clovelly to Tintagel was wonderful.  Your descriptions prior to the walk were very accurate, and all the arrangements went marvelously.  We liked all of the accommodation. One minor detail was that The Hartland Quay hotel was pretty slow at making our lunches in the morning, even though we had ordered them the night before.  This meant we got a rather slow start on our longest walking day. We liked the New Inn but would recommend the pub on the quay for anyone who was a light sleeper, as the Inn was a little noisy with people coming and going at all hours.

Thanks for planning such a great time, we are looking forward to the next walk.

Jan

We walked the first week of August from St.Ives to Penzance. It was a good idea to take time to look around. Our restday in Pendeen was a great experience. We learned much about the hard work in the mines in past times. Worth to spend a whole day!

The weather was rather good except one day, when heavy storms were promised (Porthcurno to Penzance). So we and the other walkers – we met the days before – decided to take the bus. The next day with sunshine again we turned back to Lamorna cove by bus and walked the stretch.

What remains: a wonderful week with great experiences, many friendly encounters, good accommodations (sometimes with small rooms but always decorated very lovly, delicious english breakfasts, breathtaking landscape, no problems with our limited English skills and a hope to return soon!

Daman's help and advice were essential to making the trip as good as it was. Thank You Damon! We also suggest to read the available guides and maps before starting the walk.

Just a few lines to let you know that I had the most wonderful trip on my walk around the Lizard.

The weather wasn't just kind, it was fantastic, almost too warm. Accommodations perfect, lovely people.

When I reached Falmouth last week Tuesday, I felt ready to do it all again.

Must say I didn't do the whole distance, days 4 and 5 were too long for me, following the first part. I sorted that through alternative transportation.

But I must say, this first time walking alone and finding my way, meeting all sorts of beautiful people along the way and on the other side, hours on end with nobody but me, was the best choice I could have made.

Thanks for all your help and advice and see you next time.

As always everything was arranged as I wanted and expected. All accomodations were very good, and the luggage never failed to be waiting for me. The route was as beautyful and challenging as I remember, and the weather was perfect for walking. Not many walkers on this section, so if you want solitude this section is perfect for you. All the dogs on the route were friendly, and some of the even let me have some of their flees. I can only recommend Encounter. This is not the last time I will use you for booking my walking.

We had a great weekend, all went very smoothly and weather was perfect. Really enjoyed ourselves and sad to be back at my desk working now!!

First of all many thanks for the excellent organisation (B&B's, luggage transfer, material). The accomodations were perfect with the exception of Jamaica Inn. That was okay but very commercialised and as a result not very client minded. At lesat that is what we felt. Except for one rainy day and some local showers the weather held quite good. Our first stage was the Smugglers' Way from Looe to Boscastle. Thanks to decent weather conditions crossing Bodmin Moor was not too difficult but I can understand that when foggy this bleak place can be very dangerous. The area around Davidstow is ugly and is best passed through quickly. Closing in on Boscastle the walk along the river Valency is beautiful. The second stage was the south west coast path between Boscastle and Padstow. The coastline is astounding. It being the most strenuous part of our walking trip it did not deter us from admiring the surroundings and the unexpected beauty of the small villages along the route. The third stage was the Saints' Way. Till Withiel there is not much to be seen or admired. Beyond Withiel the Way becomes more exciting. A visit to Lostwithiel is worth the detour. Especially when you return to the Way by the footpath along the railtrack (actually between two railtracks). Fowey is a nice little place with an excellent B&B (the Well House). Terrific breakfast and very nice owners (including Frank the Labrador, when he's awake that is). The last stage was the coast path from Fowey to Looe. Not as rough as the Atlantic coast but also very beautiful. All in all, this was a great experience. The variety is surroundings makes it a surprising and very enjoyable tour. Some stages were tough going but the whole route was doable. Minor issue: we think the booklet on the Smugglers' Way needs a complete new and updated version. Encounter Walking Note -  Sadly Frank Squibb the local creator of the Smugglers Way and the Guidebook passed away a couple of years ago - we are looking into options to keep his vision and work on that route going and the information from his guidebook up to date - so just ask for an update on this -

Thanks to all at Encounter for a very enjoyable trip, even the weather was playing ball. The luggage transfers also went without a hitch which was much appreciated. On the accommodation front all was in order and the hospitality was excellent throughout. Special mentions to those at Sea Breezes, Schooner Point, King of Prussia and Tregorran.

We’ve started now so I’m guessing we may not have finished…

This years charity walk went very smoothly thanks to your excellent organisation. A real professional service with a very personal touch. The hotel location was perfect (albeit the seagulls were a little noisy with their dawn chorus!!), the transfers where spot on and very flexible (please pass on my thanks to coastline) which was important due to our inability to judge what pace we were walking. The actual walk itself was challenging but doable despite the youngest walker being 12 and the oldest 71! It was also very picturesque. My colleagues and family all really enjoyed the whole experience which wouldn't have been possible without your support. Thanks from all of us!

We were blessed with many days of glorious weather. This walk was a great combination of wide open moor walking with river and field walks through beautiful little villages. We were a party of 6 and all of us used the taxi option to cut down the daily mileage at least one day (14 miles to 9 for example). Between the maps, directions and an iPhone GPS app (View Ranger with downloaded maps) we found our way without significant difficulty and just a little bickering. One day we had thunder and lightning and a high walk over Exehead which was a little scary. We didn't need any extra support from Damon during our walk, but we were very pleased with the thoroughness and seamlessness of his advance planning. The lodging was comfortable and food options were great!.

Sorry for delay in responding - the walk was great. Excellent organization; bag transfer went without a hitch and the accommodation was lovely too.  The weather was superb (almost too hot at times and we're from Australia!), had some unexpected swims, most notably at Kynance Cove. Looking forward to coming back and walking further next time!

Dear Damon and team, We are happy you enjoyed the biscuits and that we were able to thank you personally for our magnificent walking experience. All our accommodation was great – clean and comfortable just what what we needed after a long day of walking.  The hosts were always welcoming and helpful ( some going above and beyond what we expected).  The transfer of our luggage worked perfectly as well.

We found the walking/distance took longer that we expected, based on the indications of an average walker.  Particularly the second day Zennor to St Just which was quite treacherous in parts due to the rain and difficult terrain.  We had one lady pass us that day and then met her about an hour later with facial, hand and leg injuries after a fall.  On average it took us 8 hours to do each section.

At times there was difficulty in navigating which was the correct coastal path until one of the other walkers explained to us that the yellow acorn AND the yellow arrow was the coastal path and not to follow the yellow arrow only – which was the public footpath. In one case it was difficult to see  through heavy rain a definite path across a paddock containing cattle, rocks and slippery mud sections.

We enjoyed meeting up with walkers each night who were doing the same daily sections as ourselves ( the majority with Encounter Walking) and comparing notes and experiences – even if it was just confirming it was a very hard section that day !  Your advice regarding walking clothes and footwear was extremely useful and we found we had sufficient appropriate clothing without being overburdened.  We did take collapsible walking sticks which we would recommend to anyone attempting this walk as they helped so much with balance and stability particularly on the steep rocky descents during rain.  We can report an accident free walk !

It was a challenge and an experience we thoroughly enjoyed and we appreciate the organisation and effort which you put into planning these walks.  We would certainly ask you to arrange another walk if we get a chance.

Hi Damon, fantastic week and got unbelievable weather, simply could not have had better weather

Highlight of the week was the afternoon walk from Fowey to Polperro, probably the best scenery on the entire Cornish coast path ? Really enjoyed overnight in Mevagissey & Fowey, lovely places

Had a swim on Cawsand beach before Cremmel & Polbean beach before Polpero, nice and quiet

The path was general easy to follow with the book but you can get a bit lost in places if you don’t keep your eyes open, lots of paths lead off to dead ends in places and look like the proper path !!

Fantastic week though and look forward to booking Minehead to westward Ho with you next year.

Thank-you for the organisation of everything-our accommodation was great,our luggage with fresh clothes was always waiting for us and was a very welcoming site!! The weather was absolutely beautiful which made the scenery even more stunning. We've got home expecting to have lost weight only to find we've gained!! What do they put in the cider I wonder?? We will definitely book another walk if the knees will hold up. Thank-you!

This was our second walk with Encounter, and as before we found the organisation excellent from beginning to end. Our luggage was always waiting for us at the end of the day, a very welcome sight (sometimes in our room which was even better). The detailed walking itinerary was invaluable and we found that by paying great attention to this (aided and abetted by an OS map and a compass) we found our way relatively easily even on the stretches over fields and moorland where the path wasn't so clearly defined. Although not a difficult walk, we were pleased that we chose to do it over 4 days. For us, on this type of terrain, around 10 miles a day was ideal. We were extremely lucky with the weather, the scenery was varied and ranged from ancient forest tracks (rides) to undulating heathland with far reaching views in places. We passed through some beautiful villages. Unfortunately some of these no longer have anywhere to buy refreshments (warning that this was the case was given in Damon's walking notes) so it was essential to ensure we had adequate provisions for that day when setting off. On those days where we did find an open pub we thought the food at The Windmill Inn at West Quantoxhead was rather disappointing and The Notley Arms at Monksilver was rather expensive with a "compulsory" 10% tip added to the bill. The open tea gardens at Horner were a welcome sight and very popular with walkers. Overall the accommodation was very good. Starting our walk from The Coleridge Suite at The Old House in Nether Stowey seemed appropriate. This was a beautiful character filled place (and an enormous room) with a fabulous garden. The only downside was that in order to retain the character of the accommodation our bathroom was not ensuite, but actually located across a landing. It would have been nice if bath robes had been provided. We would recommend The Ancient Mariner pub just up the road for an evening meal, again full of character and atmosphere. Our room at the Masons Arms in Williton was very comfortable (it even had a fridge) with a modern bathroom,complete with bath. It was also surprisingly quiet considering it was located adjacent to the car park. We enjoyed an evening meal in the pub and a good breakfast to send us on our way the next morning. Woodadvent Farm at Roadwater was yet another wonderful old building, this time located in the middle of the countryside. We had an enthusiastic greeting from Diana (and the 2 spaniels!) and were made to feel very welcome. We particularly enjoyed the evening meal she provided which was beautifully cooked and served in the atmospheric dining room. Our next night was spent at Exmoor House, Wheddon Cross. This was originally a tailor's shop and the original dark wood panelling is still in place throughout. Unfortunately, we were the only guests that night which made it feel rather lifeless. This was also not helped by the fact that there are no televisions in any of the rooms. We felt this to be a drawback as we like to be able to check the weather forecast for the following day's walk. Although we enjoyed the homecooked evening meal we had pre-booked, we did feel it was somewhat overpriced. Our favourite B&B was The Gables at Porlock, where we ended our walk,with it's picture postcard looks and charming garden to relax in. Our room was prettily and comfortably furnished and the bathroom (complete with bath) was spacious and bright. Breakfast was plentiful and excellent. All our hosts throughout the walk were friendly and welcoming and had positive comments to make about their dealings with Encounter. This all made for a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable holiday with no hitches. We would definitely recommend to friends and certainly hope to use your services again.

We fully appreciated our walking trip on the South West Coast Path. We had absolutely good luck with the weather. We enjoyed all the overnight bookings and very comletely satisfyed with the quality of the accomodations. In St.Ives we discovered a small Restaurant close to the fisher port which is called "Tea room". We can highly recommend it, as all the menues are prepared with fresh ingredients and dishes are really from outstandig quality.

Excellent walk. Varied scenery and interesting mines, ruins and rock formations. The route from St Ives to Zennor is really for mountain goats and I wish we had walked the fields here. The track was usually well marked but sometimes we found the signposts just a bit beyond track options which was sometimes confusing. Our accommodation was excellent everywhere and everyone was extremely helpful. We especially enjoyed The Old Success at Sennon Cove. The Encounter instructions were clear and detailed. The luggage moving was well done.

We had a wonderful week and all the arrangements worked splendidly. The weather was also with us. I would recommend Encounter Walking to everyone (and indeed have). Many thanks for such a good trip.

Thank you very much for the detailed notes and organising everything so perfectly well.

All our hosts were informed that we are coming and our luggage was always there when we arrived. Also were your notes regarding refreshment facilities very helpful.

We are very happy to let you know that we made the 100 Mile Challenge Our girls are almost fitter than we are, so we made all sections right in the time you indicated on your notes. The weather was wonderful, almost no rain, just two or three hours in total during our 10 days walking holiday which is probably hardly surpassable.

The only thing that we would think about next time when we will be planning walking holidays is taking a day or two off during the walk for example at a "beach" town (e.g. Padstow), so that the kids could go swimming and we could relax and read a book or so.All in all the 100 Mile challenge was a success and we enjoyed it very much.

Hello Damon, we have finished the hiking tour in good condition and without any injuries. The organization was great, regarding that there is nothing to complain. We were told, that the weather in Britain is always bad, we don´t understand this announcement, we have had the best weather conditions you could imagine. On and off an appearing cloud, which disappears a few minutes later in order to give the sun space for shining. All accommodations were really recommendable, their staffs were friendly and in any case supportive. The hiking stages were sometimes exhausting, but the stunning landscape, the steep cliffs, the beautiful coves and the sea view were the compensation for the efforts. I have told you, that the German women are eager to look Rosamund Pilcher movies in TV, from now on I will accompany my wife during the broadcasting – so I/we will be remembered to a impressive week in Cornwall – a great place with friendly locals. All the best! Volker + Monika

Just a quick note to tell you what a spectacular trip we had to Cornwall. Your proposed route, plus the additional hike from Crackington Haven, was great and the accommodations were excellent. Thanks so much!

Another great holiday even though we had to cut it short by stopping at St Agnes. We had no real problems with the route although we missed the easy route down to the Perran beach -probably due to our own incompetence. As someone else has said just keep the sea on your right and you can't go far wrong! Crossing the Gannel was no problem and being mercenary we were pleased to cross by the footbridge for free. The accommodation was good at all the stops and we especially enjoyed the view from the room at Driftwood Spars. The luggage transfer once again was excellent with no problems whatsoever. The information provided by Damon and his team about refreshment stops and where to eat was very helpful. We have full confidence in the arrangements made by Encounter Holidays and would recommend them to anyone planning a walking holiday in the Southwest

First a big thank you to you and your staff for all your help and arrangements that enabled us to finish the SWCP on Sunday. As last year we were blessed with great weather (not that we hold you accountable for that!)

The arrangements were excellent and the accommodation of a high standard throughout. The Abbey House at Abbotsbury and Eypesmouth Hotel were outstanding. The latter really deserved to be a lot busier - it was quite quiet when we were there.

Your directions were accurate and helpful throughout. If you’re directing people to the Royale Best Western in Bournemouth again, note there is a bus stop for the 50 bus immediately on the left as you come off the Poole Harbour ferry, and that the Belvedere Hotel is now closed and, at the moment, empty and boarded up.

It has been a few weeks since we returned from our walking holidays in Cornwall and we enjoyed it sooooo much! From the first contact with Encounterwalking we were quite confident that this would be the best choice of agency if you choose not to organise the lot yourself. The advice on which section to walk and which direction was adequate since we have seen quite some of your beautifull country but had a hard time choosing which part of Cornwall to walk... Walking the reverse route was a good option, in general we did not walk facing the sun which is quite pleasant and the wind was in our back on most of the days. Another plus: the tide was usually low when we had to cross the beach area and we could avoid the dunes which would have made it tougher for sure. One disadvantage though, if we must find one, is that we had to use a separate reverse guide book next to the standard guide book of the coast path. Both give adequate information, added with the Itinerary of Encounterwalking we could not miss on any info. We made copies of the concerned pages to avoid taking all books with us every day in the backpack which was a handy solution. The description of Encounter was very complete, in any way, each morning you simply read what's up for the day and you can decide on having to fill up with sandwiches in your backpack or wait for a nice stop on the way. Accomodations were enjoyable, some spacious some quite tight and could not have catered for 'bigger' persons. Some spotlesslly clean others rather dusty and we must say that the appearance of Certificates of Excellence tended to get quite annoying sometimes. One of the B&B's had all Certificates framed on the wall but served quite a standard breakfast with prepacked jams, no fresh fruit, quite basic. No problems but no reason to be proud of certificates. Whereas another B&B may have been more basic but served a very jummie and extensive breakfast as we had never seen before, without any Certificates at all. Do not always rely on the number / appearance of Certificates! The first day walking to Hayle was quite a short one and may have been a few miles longer. The less interesting part too but Damon already promised it would only get better each day and indeed it did! Apart from this first stretch, the distance was just fine for us and made it possible to enjoy the beach, enjoy scones, enjoy a cliff top lunch in the grass and not only spend the day walking. One 'refreshment suggestion' you should not miss and can be added to the list of Encounter is ' Rest A While Tea Garden' in Hawkers Cove near Stepper Point. About 2 miles away from Padstow, this was a very welcoming stop after quite some miles without other opportunities and tough hiking. Very tasty scones! Many many thanks for the organisation of our trip, even tough the Coast Path is open to all, this felt like a personalised version!

Joe and I had a super time on the Dorset Coast Path last week, thanks to your sound advice and impeccable organisation. The map, guidebook and route instructions were first-class, easy to follow and intelligently informative; the accommodation was very good; and our bags arrived effortlessly and safely each evening at our destination. We did not know this part of the coast previously (although we climbed Golden Cap last November when en route for a rugby match at Exeter) and very much enjoyed the area’s variety of geology and landscape, from sandstone cliffs to the mysterious Fleet and limestone Portland. We would like to do more of the South West Coast Path in the future and will be in touch with you when we can identify an opportunity.

We had a fabulous holiday, thank you everything was really well organised and we had on the whole good weather also which was even better.

For the most part we found the route well marked, however we got lost twice both times in the woods (this could have been our fault although we didn’t see the markers) once on the first day in the woods outside Minehead there had been a tree down and we climbed around it and followed what we thought was the correct path going through a gate and then saw a runner who directed us to take the path that turned up and back on itself which she advised took us to North Hill, however we ran out of path completely and ended up climbing directly up through the ferns to the top of the hill and found the path over the other side of it ( in hind sight I think we should have gone straight on after going through the gate – but we had a giggle and no harm done just a few sore muscles.

Then it was smooth sailing until day 4 where we past Lee Abbey correctly and then decided to take the inland route through the woods, but once inside the woods the signs disappeared and we obviously picked the wrong path and walked miles out of our way and once again ended up “off piste” but managed to join again across country (thanks to some red deer who ran away as we approached through some hedging and we followed them out and ended up on a lane that took us to Slaterslade and we found our way to the Hunters Inn where the beer went down very well!

The views were outstanding and the accommodation was all welcoming, clean and friendly.

I would like to mention in particular the hospitality of the hosts at Chanel Vista Guesthouse, one of our dogs picked up some ticks the previous day which I had removed and again had picked up some more on the route to Chanel Vista and I asked the landlady whether there was anywhere that I could get some “spot on” or equivalent to deter them. She said there was nowhere local but she had one spare that she had not yet used on McFee and offered it us to use. We thanked her and offered to pay for it, but she refused to take any money and just wanted the dog to be safe from Limes disease – above and beyond what was necessary and I just wanted to mention how lovely they had been – they also baked muffins to take for a snack for the guests along the next days walk

The Ship Aground and the Bottom Ship were both really lovely and the Bottom Ship had a beer festival on which was an added bonus and the hotel in Instow that we spent two nights at was really lovely the room was the best of them all with an enormous bed and best of all a bath.

The taxi was there promptly and took us back to Minehead and we saw a lot of what we missed of the villages and towns which were mostly beautiful We will definitely be doing this sort of holiday again, maybe further along the coastal path or maybe the two moors, however I think it would be nice to add a couple of rest days in the middle somewhere and extend the holiday so that there is more time for sight seeing.

Thank you once again for organising what was a wonderful week away.

Our holiday on the first stage of the South West Coast Path was absolutely fantastic.  The weather was really good and the maps and Trailblazer Guide which you had provided helped to make route finding and planning our day easy.  Your itinerary was also really useful - particularly the guidance notes for finding our overnight accommodations.  

The B & Bs were all of a good standard - but we would particularly like to mention The Cottage in Porlock and The Yeodale Hotel in Barnstaple as being outstanding.  We would also like to mention The Harbour Lights in Ilfracombe for the warmth of the owners' welcome and for their delicious packed lunches...which included strawberries and clotted cream, Devon fudge and chocolate brownies amongst other things....yum!

It's hard to pick out highlights from the route itself as we enjoyed all of it - but perhaps the area around the Valley of Rocks near Lynmouth (for stunning cliff scenery) and paddling for two miles along the sands at Woolacombe Beach should get special mentions.

Many thanks for all of your help in making our holiday possible.  It has been a truly wonderful experience which we shall never forget.  Now...time to start saving for the second stage of the Path!

Janet & Judith - Belfast

Overall the walk was excellent and well marked, with good weather and hence brilliant views (the highlight of our walk) on 3 out of 4 days. Day 1 was the most challenging walking, not helped in the morning by the rather wet weather.  We had to go quite a way off the path to Pendeen for lunch (not aware of better positioned opportunities), but it was worth the extra 15 minutes each way.The other days were reasonably straightforward - we even added some extra distance at the end right around Lizard, which will save us time on our next instalment along this part of the SWCP.

Comments on Accommodation & Eating Places:

- Seaforth in St. Ives was just as good as last time - Debbie & Carl even gave us the same room with its amazing view.  We dined at Seagrass this time - another top notch place to add to the growing list here.  The Vintage Store & Coffee Shop is very good for lovers of good coffee.

- Next day, we lunched at The North Inn in Pendeen - well worth the detour.

- The Old Success Inn at Sennen Cove was OK (I note the options here are limited) but nothing special - and I wish we had decided to eat elsewhere e.g. The Beach Restaurant, but we took the easy option after a rather tough day.

- We stopped next day at Logan Rock Inn at Treen for lunch - they served a superb crab sandwich.

- The Old Coastguard Hotel in Mousehole was very good with a great breakfast that made us almost wish we had dined there (we will do so on our next visit there).  However we had managed to get a table at 2 Fore Street, which was excellent.

- Sandbar at Praa Sands was our next lunch choice - their seafood linguine was just as good as the guide book said.
- The Harbour Inn in Porthleven was another OK rather than very good place to stay, a little noisy as our room was over the bar.  We dined well at Kota, although there are some very good alternatives in the town.  The Brew House here serves amazing coffee - but beware that they close at 5pm!
- Delicious at Marazion is a must for their cakes - and the coffee is pretty good too!
- Porthmellin Cafe was another stopping point that day for a very good crab sandwich.
- The Top House Inn at Lizard was very good accommodation (they upgraded us to a 'seaview' room), and also served up good evening meals.

One of our best holidays ever! Encounter were extremely efficient despite very short notice - thank you Damon! Particularly enjoyed the scenery (and seals!) at Cudden Point, the beautiful coastline from Porthleven to Lizard Point and crossing Helford River on the ferry. Didn't realise the sea could be turquoise in this country! Would recommend the cappuccinos at Poldhu Cove and the friendly welcome at The Top House in Lizard Town. Only became 'locationaly displaced' at one point walking around Gillan Creek - just after the walk up out of Gillan the directions said to proceed diagonally across the second field however sweet corn had been planted and the path was obscured - eventually spied the ladder over the field edge but retraced our steps a couple of times before we saw it. All in all a fabulous, fabulous trip!

We're back home again, but recently walked from Padstow to St Ives. All in all we're quite happy with our holiday – luggage transfers worked perfectly and all B & B:s were really good, with the possible exception of the one in Hayle.

Hayle, however, is not a great place to stay the night; too grey and industrial, and too far away from the sea. This was the only disappointment as far as locations go – all the other places were charming. It was also a bit depressing having to walk so far inland into Hayle and then out again. How come nobody thought of building a footbridge for walkers to cross the river closer to the sea? This, of course, is not your fault.

Occasionlly it was also tricky to know where the path went and how to proceed out of the town/village, for example it was unclear how and where to cross the Gannel coming from Newquay. A few more signposts wouldn't hurt.

The views were sometimes lovely, sometimes stunning, and I will certainly recommend Encounter Walking to any friends who might be up for this kind of holiday, and who knows, we may be back for more another year...

Eine grossartige Wanderwoche! Die Landschaft ist unbeschreiblich schön und abwechslungsreich, die kleinen Ortschaften am Meer und die netten Menschen so typisch englisch. Diesen Coast Path soll man aber nicht unterschätzen, auf diesem Abschnitt hatten wir über 4000 Höhenmeter zu bewaeltigen! Dafuer wird man aber mit atemberaubenden Fernblicken auf Buchten, Felsen und Meer belohnt. Ein Highlight war sicherlich Lynmouth, wo wir 2 Naechte verbrachten und eine Tagestour auf Exmoor gemacht haben. Ein grosses Kompliment an Encounter Walking Holidays, denen es gelungen ist, sehr angenehme Bed & Breakfasts für 13 Personen zu finden, auch für die professionelle Organisation sowie detaillierte Wegebeschreibungen und gutes Kartenmaterial. Und das einzige kleine Problem mit dem Koffer von einem in der Gruppe wurde schnell und unbürokratisch behoben. Vielen Dank. Wenn es geht, kommen wir wieder.

On our more recent walk from Bude to St. Ives:-

Best B&B: Simply Padstow for the room, Cornerways for the breakfast

Best days walk: Tintagel to Port Gaverne, and the Harbour Lights cafe in Boscastle deserves a special mention as the best cafe on the whole trail!

Best evening meal: Fresh char-grilled Mackerel and heritage tomatoes at the Port Gaverne Hotel. Delicious!

Looking forward to exploring the 'industrial wasteland' of the Cornish tin mines on our next visit!  Will be in touch later in the year for your help in organizing St. Ives to Falmouth.

Yes, we made it! 15 sunny walking days, just some showers at the beginning. One day of rest in Plymouth, one in Lyme Regis. We even made it to watch part of the Holland versus Chile football match in the Haven Hotel in Poole, even though we took a sandy path through the heather dunes close to the finish in South Haven Point! We just hadn't seen the coast path signs:-)

Compliments for Damon of Encounter Walkings who organized it for us, the luggage transfers were 100% oke, the B&B's/hotels were good, the owners friendly. Nicest moment of the day was usually the shower in the B&B/hotel:-) We managed to catch all taxi and ferries in time, sometimes just in time:-) Damon warned us. We got what we asked for; 15 miles on average a day, which turned out to be pretty heavy with all the ascending and descending. 15 miles sounded easy to us even though we knew it's 25 km, please take into account the climbing you have to do, because twice I was too tired to go out for diner in the evening. Next time we would surely try to find more time to look for fossils f.e. in Lyme Regis or look for dolphins near Swanage, we didn't sees any dolphins because we hadn't enough time to stand still and watch the sea I guess. I only swam for 1 minute in Weymouth! We used to visit nice things like Drakes' ship 'the Golden Hind' in Brixham, St. Catherines Chapel near Abbotsbury, the evacuated village of Tyneham, the ocean aquarium in Plymouth, the museum in Lyme Regis, etc.

Making 1000 pictures cost some time too. Twice we reached the next B&B/hotel at 7pm, which was rather late, the first time because we visited Drakes' ship and I lost the map on the terrace where we had coffee afterwards (which cost us another 40 minutes delay:-(), the other time was when we arrived in Portland, too tired to notice there was a more quiet footpath some 10 meters from the road along Chesil Beach.

We did the first part of the SWCP in June 2010 from Westward Ho! --> Penzance, Cornwall is more quiet than Devon and Dorset, you probably knew that but we didn't:-), holiday camps and military zones are not just an improvement from a walkers point of view. Besides that heavy rainfall caused some serous damage and erosion to the coast, there were more diversions compared to 2010. You know the Durdle Door picture on the walking guide? Well, when we reached it the beach was pretty crowded on a sunny saturday:-) People swam and canoed through the door, ofcourse I understand people enjoy to be there, it just wasn't the quiet place I expected.
The diversions were clearly marked, plenty of warnings about erosion, diversion, danger here danger there, on the whole the SWCP was clearly marked. We discussed a shortcut to Abbotsbury, somewhere in the fields/meadows you can see a path to the right straight to the village, it was a hot day, afterwards we agreed we should have taken the shortcut but we were not sure at the right moment to take the shortcut. Mostly the path is maintained oke, sometimes long trousers are handy against nettles and thisles.

We had to catch a few ferries and several taxis in time. To make the trip more relaxed (it shouldn't feel like work:-)) we would suggest to give walkers the opportunity to call the taxidriver/company at the moment you reach the location where the driver should pick you up. Advantage: No stress for walkers, disadvantage: waiting for the taxi after the call.

Places to eat: there's always at least 1 good restaurant in the neighbourhood, we recommend the Eastern Eye Indian Cuisine in Plymouth, fish and chips plus peas with minty sauce (I'll try this at home) in the Ship Inn in Noss Mayo, Masala Indian Cuisine in Swanage, sticky toffee pudding in the Ox in Poole. And plenty of carrot cake on the way. All B&B's/hotels served a good breakfast; you can always combine/choose English and/or continental breakfast, that will take You up the hills!

Compared to the Netherlands: the public toilets in Great Britain are good; clean, well maintained and available in most villages/towns!

In short; we had a great time!

We had a fantastic time on the path. The weather was fine, only one day with rain. No problems in finding our way and the organisation including luggage transfer was as perfect as it was two years ago when we already walked a part of the path. Only one of the sections was with about 20 miles a bit long, but with the help of the sunny weather and a pub 4 miles ahead of our end we made it. Accomodation was very comfortable, highlights were the Seaforth at St. Ives where we had a great room with spectecular views over St. Ives and a superb breakfast in a comfortable ambience, but the Avalon Guesthouse at Tintagel was excellent as well, there we got an upgraded room with a great view. The Carden Cottage Crantock is worth a visit as well. Eating at the different places was no problem, there were normally different choices of restaurants or pubs where we had excellent dinners, here I would point out the Port Gaverne Hotel, where we had a superb dinner and a nice room. Thanks to encounterwalking for the perfect organization, hope we will come again.

We just returned from our walk from Amroth to St. David's that you arranged for us.

All parts of the trip trip (including the weather!)  went very well. We thought your arrangements were  helpful, and seemed to be better than those for any of the other walkers we encountered and shared experience with.

If we were to highlight one part of the trip that stood out especially it would be the wonderful accommodations in Dale. At the moment there is a truly outstanding exhibit of art by Peter Blake about Dylan Thomas' Milkwood at the Information center in St. David's. (Blake is known especially for the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band by the Beatles.)  This exhibit provided great insight into his work about a community in Wales

cheers,

This was our first walk not carrying our rucksacks and what a joy to arrive at our accommodation with our luggage waiting for us and to be able to enjoy walking without back ache and complete exhaustion. The organisation was excellent and we could relax and just enjoy the magnificent scenery and the walking, helped by great weather. All accommodation was good and welcoming. Porlock was one of the friendliest villages we have stayed in with everyone speaking and seeming committed to us enjoying our stay. We shall look forward to continuing on the South West coast path.

Beautyful and very well marked path with brilliant views, rather strenuous on the first and second day, so that we needed more time than expected. The weather was sunny and warm all the time. The organization was well done with luggage transfer, descriptions etc. We had some difficulties to find our path around Trembethow Farm and Trencom Hill on St Michaels Way, but finally discovered Bowl Rock and the path signs again. Very recreative and inspiring holidays for people who like walking. Good Eating Places for dinner: The Tinners Arms at Zennor The Kings Arms at St Just The Logan Rock Inn at Treen (Porthcurno) The Navy Inn at Penzance Porthminster Café at St Ives

It was fantastic weather - can't ever complain about it being too hot! And the hottest day was ended with arriving at the lovely garden at the Manor Town House in Fishguard, a gem. The first B and B in Trefin was a bit random, and obviously the only place to stay there,  though all have been very welcoming. The Grove as you said, in St. Davids, has had the noisy fan taken out so that was fine.

The Webley was rather daunting from the outside particularly as had scaffolding up (not their fault!) and really, all was fine, with the absolute treat being the Manor Town House. Forgot to mention the Golden Lion at Newport - walked in to the one before it and tried to check in! (way more upmarket/expensive but would love to stay there one day).

Re the walking, the last day (16 miles I think in itinerary) was a bit too much, ie long and strenuous, for me so two of us walked across via minor road from Newport, via the garden centre at Moylegrove, and on to Poppit Sands.  If anyone else wants to do that, its a very nice walk, and still some very good views of the coast. 

Just as a thought - you don't do the Dorset coast do you? thinking of next year.....

By the way the taxi driver took us to the exact spot the walk starts at St. Dogmeals, and also via the Abbey there. The buses, everywhere, were very good.  Thanks very much - Liz H

We had a marvellous time.  It was very timely for us, and it went very well--thanks in no small part to your excellent work.  The weather undoubtedly helped.
 
Our assessment of the overall difficulty of the hike would place it as rather less demanding than the two week Welsh coastal walk and the two week north of England coast to coast walk we did three years ago (each of them longer).  And we had then had time to train beforehand (and were of course three years younger...--a factor in our seventies).  I quickly acknowledge that the weather was a positive element in regard to this year; it was not an issue in Wales but was to some extent (in the other direction) in the north England hike, especially in Yorkshire.
 
A truism, but it must be said: the scenery is always beautiful, and very varied within several broad patterns--such as the austere and evocative moors and the verdant, tidy, hilly farmlands between--not to speak of the small, cheerful woodlands and tall, evocative forests.  So many reminders of humanity's long interactions within, and with, their natural environment.
 
Re arrangements, i.e. your work: everything went very smoothly.  Hosts were always ready.  Our baggage moved smoothly and arrived safely.  You provided full service and responded nobly to our additional requests.
 
The accommodations were varied and interesting--quite a feat given the relatively few such resources you had to work with and our late approach to you.  They were welcoming and helpful.   Food was good--though menus acquired a certain sameness fairly soon.  We were glad to explore the varied fish dishes included among the traditional meats.  And interested to note the growing extent of broader world currents, including curries etc.
 
The one slightly minor chord on accommodation would relate to the final night.  It is a great location and building, and we make no complaints about the building, surface cleanliness etc etc.  The manager seems to have had some health problems and we were not sure about the energy being put into the direction.    We were the only ones there whereas some other places in town were full.  Nothing very specific, a bit of a sense of coasting.
 
With regard to the trail: It is a pity that some way cannot be found to place a few more--discreet--markers in spots on both moors.  We in fact had few problems: but I had my compass out frequently and made use of visual terrain markers etc; clearly, in fog and heavy cloud it could have been an issue.

In the portion between the two moors, there are several places where the markers suddenly stop--or perhaps were just hidden to us (we cleaned off quite a few).  One gets used to their being there, then finds that they are not and--whoops, where are we?  I had the impression that some farmers and other owners may be less than enthusiastic about the trail.  On the other hand, some were exceedingly helpful--one even coming after us some distance to redirect our steps onto the right trail.  With the fences and hedges, it is in some ways more difficult (than on the high moors) to follow the way without markers--and once off the track, much harder to find it again, or get back onto it if located on the other side of a bristling hedge (without of course fully retracing steps).
 
Thank you, once again, for all your help!

Hello,  just wanted to give some feedback on our walk ... it has been fabulous! We walked from Minehead to Bude, started on 16 June 2014 and arrived in Bude on 27 June 2014 with a small break over the weekend. The weather has been superb - something we did not expect at all! We even managed an afternoon on the beach in Putsborough ... unbelievable.

First of all a big thank you for the brilliant organisation. Everything went perfect from the booking of the accommodation to the luggage transfer. We were welcomed whereever we arrived. The standard of the accommodation was very good to excellent. A special highlight was the accommodation in Braunton (The Brookfield) - well chosen for the stay over the weekend - but also The Rocks in Woolacombe and above all 'The Gables' in Porlock.

The walk itself was just right. The distance was ok - although we sometimes wished to have been able to spend a bit more time in the village we stayed overnight. They were so beautiful and offered so much to see that it felt we could have done with a bit more time. Saying that we made up for it by returning to those places over the weekend. Public Transport was very good and we had no problem returning to our car.

The path was well signposted and we really enjoyed the book written by Henry Stedman and Joel Newton. The maps and commentries therein were excellent and easy to follow.

There was only one strech of the path which was difficult to walk as the bushes along the way had not been cut at all and we were stung by moscitos and scratched by thorn bushes badly. This was around the Radar Station before hartland Point.

We have already decided that we want to complete the whole path and next time start at Bude where we finished and continue from there. Thanks again for all your help and assistance - speak to you again soon.

Everything was excellent, the luggage was always waiting for us when we arrived at the B&Bs, very nice people, delicious breakfasts (I love full English breakfast!) and the weather was formidable! We have nothing to complain about, on the contrary we are very, very satisfied and we will certainly come back to you again another year and walk other parts of Cornwall and Wales or somewhere else. We liked the paths in Pembrokeshire, we found them not so challenging, rather easy to walk and a beautiful countryside. We could have continued to walk for another week or two.

We visited Skomer Island and met lots and lots of puffins, we made a whale and dolphine trip from St Justinian and passed Grassholm covered with thousands of gannets, quite an experience! And we were also visited by several dolphins so everything was splendid. On the mainland we saw several choughs, passed nesting fulmars, met a fox puppy etc.

If you have any nice suggestions of good walking I would very much appreciate if you could give me a hint. Do you have any plans to extend your range of walking, for example Snowdonia?  As we think that you and your company have helped us so much we would most certainly come back to you again and we will recommend you to our friends here in Sweden. The next summer though we will probably go tho France, but that has to be in spring or autumn - to hot in summer. The summer climate in UK suits us very well, it is excellent when you are walking.

First of all this was a great vacation. Spectacularly beautiful. We were lucky and had perfect sunny weather every day, temperatures in the low 70's (F). Damon was particularly helpful in suggesting an itinerary that matched our age (mid 60's) and level of fitness (reasonably fit). We were glad we followed his recommendation to spend a 2nd day in St. Ives recovering from a 6 hour plane ride followed by a 5 1/2 hr train ride. It was also helpful to spend a second day in Porthleven to rest a bit and wash our fetid clothes. As others have mentioned, the first 2 days out of St. Ives were quite strenuous. A lot of ups and downs, climbing over boulders, and sweating. Replenishing sun screen regularly is a must! There is no shade.

Some things we would do differently: wear hiking boots rather than sneakers mostly because of the mud; use a walking stick (or 2). It helps on the inclines and helps you to find stepping stones in the mud. Also, wear a wider brimmed hat to protect ears and neck. Favorite b&b's: Cornerways in St. Ives; Treventon Guest House in Penzance; Caerthillian Guest