Adventure World - Walking & Cycling Holidays

Walking & Cycling Holidays

You get a very different view of France, Italy and Spain with Headwater. It is Europe at snail's pace. Travelling in slow motion, on foot or by bike, there's time to notice things you would miss from a car. Headwater holidays help you explore the heart of a country in your own way and at your own pace with group, guided and independent options.

For more information on the entire range, beyond our brochure, of Headwater holidays please visit www.headwater.com.

Independent Cycling

All cycling holidays are independent with 2-8 people on each, duration of 7-11 days. Headwater staff meet you, fit you out with the bike, tell you about all the things to see and do, and move your bags from hotel to hotel. You move on between hotels every 2 days, so in-between days you can lounge by the pool or explore locally. Detailed maps and trip notes make it easy for you to be on your own, and just your day requirements are can easily be stored in your panniers. The only thing you need to bring is your cycling helmet, but if you want to bring your own saddle & toe clips they will be fitted for you.

Guided walking - hotel to hotel

Resident Headwater guides and local partners look after every detail of the trip, provide transport and move bags between centres, and act as walking guides, while carefully chosen hotels give you an authentic flavour of the region.

Guided walking - single centre

All of Headwater's single-centre guided walking tours are for small groups and are run by local Headwater partners. They're all enthusiasts! Single centre walking holidays are all in places where a varied and interesting week's walking is within easy reach by minibus. You can be sure of a warm welcome, and an expert interpretation of the region.

Independent walking holidays - hotel to hotel

Independent walking holidays from 7-11 days, with a choice of different levels. On most holidays, you move between hotels every two days, and your bags are transported between hotels to save you carrying them. In-between days you can lounge or take advantage of the maps and notes to explore locally.

Independent single-centre walking

These walking holidays give you the most flexibility about routes to choose and how easy-going or strenuous you want to be. Comprehensive maps and walking notes, with details of walking times, distances and ascents, are provided to help you to plan your days.

Levels of Ability

Symbols in the brochure allow you to choose what type of walking or cycling holiday suits you best. 1 bike symbol indicates the longest day is typically 20-30km, with hardly any hills, there are also longer route options available for the more energetic. 2 bikes indicate longest days of typically 25-40km with easy or short get-off-and-push climbs. 1 shoe walking trips indicate longest days of 4-6 hours with easy ascents up to 300m. 3 shoe walking trips have longest days of 6-8 hours, include ascents of 1000m with some scrambling, so you need to be a fairly reguarly walker, with a reasonably good head for heights.

Accommodation & Gastronomy

The overall standard of hotels is high, and usually family-run. You can expect a wide variety of styles, reflecting the different tastes (and sometimes eccentricities!) of their owners. There are castles, old manor houses, farms, stylish villas and historic town hotels. In some places you stay in carefully chosen French chambres d'hotes or Italian osteria, which are much enjoyed for giving a really close-up exprience of local life.

Dinner is mostly included in the holiday pricing except where the choice of local restaurants makes it best left to you. Chefs are encouraged to offer the dishes they do best from local provisions. If you are particularly interested in local cuisine then choose a tour that focuses on the gastronomic delights of the region. Provence Gastronomic Cycling includes regional cuisines every evening, the hotels pride themselves in Provencal cuisine and have cellars full of fine local wines. World famous vineyards are also highlighted.