Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? No

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? No

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? No

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Hi Damon and team at Encounters, We had a marvellous walk through Dartmoor and across Exmoor last week. Everything went well and the accommodation was excellent. We particularly enjoyed our nights stay at Partridge Arms Farm in Yeo Mill. We learned that 10 to 12 miles a day is our limit with a 15 Kg pack; the long first day ( 15 miles ) completely exhausted us although given the geography of mid-Devon it would have been difficult to do anything else.

We found a few places in mid Devon approaching Morchard Road and Witheridge where the path was blocked by electric cattle fences and in one case completely ploughed over. We confirmed this with other walkers who had found the same. The area around Pascoe House Hotel seemed particularly unwelcoming to two moors way walkers; some of the route posts had been torn down and thrown aside.  - Thanks Steve we will forward this info to the Two Moors Way Assocation who can take a look - EW  

Overall we enjoyed the walk enormously; Thank You!
 

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

Sarah and I had a great time doing the Two Moors Way. It was challenging but fun, and a great achievement to complete it. We were quite lucky with the weather; not much rain and comfortable walking temperature most days with only 1 or 2 days being very hot.

All the accommodation and luggage transfers worked smoothly. The accommodation was all good, a nice variety of pubs, hotels and a farm, but no complaints, they were all friendly and accommodating some of them especially so. We did get a packed lunch from all of them, some had a lot more content than others but they were all OK, but we were a bit fed up with cheese sandwiches and ham sandwiches by the end of the week - would have been nice if they'd had some other choices (to be fair, a couple offered egg mayonnaise too, but that's not something that travels well especially on warmer days!). And some of them had homemade brownies/cakes etc on their dinner/lunch menus, but only the farm put anything homemade in their pack lunch - the farm was definitely the best pack lunch of the week!

The walking instructions combined with the book and frequent referrals to ordnance survey maps on our mobiles kept us on track. I think it was just once where we got slightly lost. It was on day 1, on Dartmoor, we had to get to a cross and then look out for a "settlement" and bear left. But we didn't even notice a "settlement" and just instinctively followed the only prominent path not realising we were even at a decision point. So we had to back track there, but there was still no other path that we could make out (or a settlement) so we just headed up a hill in the generally correct direction until a path became apparent.

Thanks for all you arrangements, organisation and support. It made for a great adventurous and challenging holiday.

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? Yes

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

I just wanted to say thank you  once again for the superb organisation of our walk this week from Wembury to Morchard Road. All went without a hitch apart from my navigation skills on a couple of occasions when I failed to pick up the Two Moors Way, following other footpath signs instead - but soon corrected. Most importantly my teenage son enjoyed the walk (it can difficult to get teenagers to admit they might enjoy anything that doesn't involve computer games and the internet!) and the fact that we now have completed the Two Moors Way having done the northern half two years ago - again thanks to you.

We will have to think what walking we might do next.

Would you choose Encounter Walking Holidays for future holidays? No

Would you recommend Encounter Walking Holidays to others? Yes

A really enjoyable walk, diverse scenery, (mainly) fine weather, and remarkably few people around. Route well marked and planning and organisation by Encounter first-rate.

We enjoyed our holiday, no rain all week which helped, luggage transfers perfect.

You Do need to be able to navigate on the moors. We did enjoy going to Widecombe, adds more miles but worth it.

We did find The Sportmans basic but appreciate there is little accommodation in Ivybridge with long term parking.

When we arrived at Withypool the pub was shut due to staff holidays! Luckily we arrived before 5 and the tea room was open so they heated a pasty for us which we ate at our accommodation. The ladies in the tea room and shop said the pub was becoming unreliable.

Had a taxi to Barnstaple then train to Ivybridge, lovely train ride along the coast.

Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your company.

Regards

Carol and Paul

Sure, I'd be glad to give you feedback about the walk.

First of all, we had a great holiday, the Two Moors Way was an awesome experience and I would like to thank everyone involved at Encounter Walking Holidays for the excellent planning. Generally it was a good idea to take the relaxed route especially since we were carrying our own luggage. After the muscle soreness was gone after the first three days it really was a relaxed walk. The accomodations were well chosen and all of good quality even though we would have preferred more smaller B&Bs. But that was probably because we booked late and there were no other options left. Often the packed lunch felt a bit overpriced when paying 5 Pound per person for just one sandwich each, but that is just a minor concern. Let me go through the days just to leave some comments:

Day 2: We took the longe route at the coast and it was worth the effort. The weather was fine and we took a bath at Wembury Beach. What a great day! Very nice rooms at the Rose & Crown Inn.

Day 3: Good walk, nothing special to mention.

Day 4: We were a bit unlucky with the weather in the open moorland, from 11pm it has been raining all day. Even though we had rainwear we got soaked to the bone. No waymarking at all once you enter the open moorland and without GPS we definetly would have ran into problems. It was quite a demanding day and I would recommend every walker not to underestimate the area. But we had a pleasant meal in Scorriton.

Day 5: The weather cleared up and we had a beautiful day. The Manor Cottage was lovely and the host was very kind and helpful.

Day 6: Perfect weather in the Open Moorland, absolutely beautiful day! We took the detour to The Warren House Inn and had a little concert by a piano player that was in the pub. The Drewe Arms is a fine place to stay and it would probably have been the best place for a rest day. We had dinner in Chagford, but not at the Three Crowns but at the Ring o' Bells, which was surprisingly good.

Day 7: A pleasant walk, I liked the Devonshire Dumpling, even though it was a bit noisy, located directly to a main road. But we joined the pub quiz and had a good time. Gordon was an excellent host.

Day 8: Exeter is worth a visit, expecially the Quayside and the Cathedral

Day 9: The Mitre Inn was a nice place to stay.

Day 10: Even though I was sceptical before the Mason Arms turned out to be an excellent place to have dinner. Especially because it is a countryside pub and everything is just relaxed and casual and not as formal and posh as in most restaurants of such a category.

Day 11: The Royal Oak Inn turned out to be booked out for evening meal, so maybe other walkers should be aware of that. But Julian and Polly from Westerclose House Cottages were so sweet to go by car with us to the next village to a pub. We had such a nice time having dinner with them! And there is a lovely little tearoom in Whitypool which I would recommend.

Day 12: Nothing special to mention.

Day 13: We had a blast walking to Lynmouth. The descent to the village is just breathtaking with the mountains and the sea.

Day 14: Lynmouth/Lynton is a good place for another rest day. We decided not to walk and did a boat trip and had some cream tea.

What I didn't know before was, that you could get seals of the Two Moors Way into a book to document the different places. We discovered that at the end and only got the one in Lynmouth at the National Park Centre. It doesn't really matter, but maybe that is interesting for other walkers.

Thank you for reading I hope this is helpful for you.

Dear Organizers of encounter Walking Holidays,

Thank you so much for planning our walking holiday! My husband and I had a wonderful trip - It was much better than expected.

The waether was wonderful, maybe its little too warm and also unusual for England.

The hike became more beautiful from day to day.
Also the accommodations.

Just for your future hints on hikes, I would like to give you also the few not quite optimal things.

We drove from London to Totness by train. From there is only the possibility to reach Ivybridge by taxi (start of the hike).

As is well known by the German Railway in hot weather, that the air conditioning fails, so it was also on the train to Totness. But the British railway immediately offered us free water.

At the train station in Totness there is unfortunately no taxi on site, but you can request a taxi by the telephone number you provided in the itinerary plan.

The accommodation in the Sportsman's Inn still has a lot of potential.

During the hike through Dartmoor to Scorriton we lost our way. The signage is very poor and you have to be very careful. Here our Garmin was very helpful.

The accommodation "The Tradesmans Arms" and the meals there were wonderful. Thanks a lot to Kevin und Suzy.

The hike from there to Widecombe in the moor was fantastic.

Lots of green, shadows and beautiful streams.

The accommodation was very clean. The landlady had served us a very nicely prepared breakfast.

The village is very nice to look at and there are very nice cafes and restaurants and a very nice restaurant with garden to relax.

Also the next hike to Drewsteignton through Celtic settlements was very nice, but very long, so that we stopped in Chagford.

A very nice village.

The accommodation "Drewe Arms" has been already extraordinary; a very old house and proper.

That evening, England played against Croatia and we watched TV together with the villagers and hoped soooo much that England would win.....

The hike to Morchard Road was very strenuous as there was a lot to go on asphalt. Also, the lead in West Ford was not to be found.

We were rewarded with a comfort accommodation in "The Dewonshire Dumpling" and a very nice breakfast there. We tried for the first time black pudding, because we had a friendly chef from Scotland. Black Pudding is Delicious!

Followed a really easy tour to Witheridge.

A nice little old hotel "The Mitre Inn"with a friendly landlady, good dinner and Super good breakfast.

On the occasion, there were at most accommodations also gluten-free breakfast.

Also the next tour to Knowstone was not long but strenuous because of the long sections on asphalt.

For us "Rosemary Cottage"' was the best B&B on the tour. It was really all perfect.

And what a surprise in such a small village, a restaurant with Michelin star.
We enjoyed it so much! Unforgettable.

Due to the effect of my broken toe, I couldn' t walk the long way. So the luggage driver was so kind to take a piece of the car with us, so we could shorten the rather long route. I was so happy about it. And we could enjoy Tarr Steps.

Julian and Polly awaited us in Withypool "Westerclose House Cottage". They gave us an apartment so we had a nicer view of the landscape. Everything was perfect. The only restaurant in the place was very rustic.

The way to Simonsbath was pretty nice.

"Exmoor Forest Inn" was a very comfortable hotel. The food there did not correspond to this elegant hotel.

The next day we went with respect to the last long stage.

To our astonishment the track was very entertaining and varied.
The steep climb to the cliffs and the descent to Lynmouth was simply a great conclusion to the hike.

Nice hotel with a small room but with very good restaurant and very good breakfast.

The return to the airport by taxi, local bus and coach takes a long time but works very well.

Finally, we would like to emphasize again how beautiful we felt the hikes and how many beautiful impressions we have gained from the land and the people.

We can recommend the Two Moors Way to everyone.

Thank you very much.

Kind regards

Ursula und Gerhard