Contours Walking Holidays

About

Contours Walking Holidays organise self-guided walking holidays in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. We organise everything to enable you to walk your chosen route at your own pace and with the people you choose to walk with.

Contours Walking Holidays has been organising walking breaks in Britain since 1996. We have built up an enviable reputation for the quality of our holidays and our outstanding customer service. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you choose the holiday that is right for you and answer any questions you may have. We strive to be the best value self-guided walking holiday company in the UK and Ireland. We do this by offering a broad variety of customisable holidays, along with competitive pricing, hand-picked service providers and excellent customer service.

We proudly offer more routes and more options in the UK than any other walking company. Our walking breaks are designed to suit walkers of all ages and abilities. Our holidays are very flexible, starting on any date you want (subject to availability), lasting for as many days as you want and are customisable as required. We cater for solo walkers, groups, families and even walkers with dogs, thanks to our extensive selection of itineraries.

 

What’s included in a Contours Walking Holiday?

Comfortable Accommodation: We make use of a wide variety of accommodations, including family-run bed and breakfasts, friendly guesthouses, country inns and small hotels, depending on what is available along the trail. Each accommodation has been carefully chosen for the warmth of their welcome, the quality of their accommodation and their accessibility to the trail. A continental or cooked breakfast is also included at your accommodation each day as standard.

Luggage Transfers: We organise for your luggage to be transported for you between each overnight stop, so that every time you arrive at a new accommodation for the evening, your luggage will be waiting for you. With the bulk of your luggage taken care of, all you need to carry during the day is a light daypack containing whatever you require for that day’s walk.

Your Personalised Holiday Pack: Every party who books a Contours Walking Holiday will receive an extensive Holiday Pack tailored specifically for your walk. The pack contains all of the information you need to make your walk enjoyable and worry-free, including official Ordinance Survey or Harvey maps, official guidebooks or route notes describing the trail, detailed information on getting to and from the trail by public transport, a day-to-day itinerary including information on each night’s accommodation, luggage tags, an equipment checklist and contact telephone numbers in case you need assistance in an emergency.

Transfers between the Trail and your Accommodation: There may be occasions during your walk where your accommodation is situated more than a mile from the trail, or you may have to spend more than one night in the same place. Where this is the case, we provide transfers between your accommodation and the trail, which will be included in the holiday cost.

Access to Exclusive Members Area: Contours Walking Holidays has an exclusive Members Area that can be accessed from our website once you have received a booking ID. This area contains a wealth of information to help you prepare for your walk, including travel information, downloadable GPS files, an interactive feedback form and much more.

24-hour Emergency Support: Our office is manned from 0900 to 1730 GMT Monday to Saturday (excluding Bank Holidays). If you require assistance outside of these times, we also provide an out-of-hours telephone service should you require emergency support during your holiday.

 

Contours Walking Holidays in Devon

Two Moors Way/Devon Coast to Coast (itineraries from 8 to 13 nights, prices from £690 per person)

The Two Moors Way is a walk of stunning contrasts. From the sandy beach of Wembury Bay, it combines the wild heather uplands of Dartmoor with the steep-sided river valleys and ancient oak woodlands of Exmoor. Together, these pathways through distinct landscapes form the Devon Coast to Coast, one of England’s most beautiful country-crossing routes.

Expect desolate, granite-pocked heathland in Dartmoor, and peaceful, oak-clad hillsides in Exmoor. A wealth of scattered farmsteads and sleepy villages of cob and thatched cottages dot the countryside, culminating in the lovely little harbour at Lynmouth.

 

Click here to learn more: https://www.contours.co.uk/two-moors-way-devons-coast-to-coast

 

Tarka Trail (itineraries from 7 to 9 nights, prices from £565 per person)

The Tarka Trail combines the ancient oakwoods, heather-covered hills, and secluded river valleys of Exmoor with one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the country. Between beaches of golden sand, secluded coves tuck in behind lofty headlands and waterfalls plunge into the sea.

These gorgeous landscapes are alive with wildlife: Exmoor ponies, horned sheep and roe deer; kestrel, skylark and heron; and of course the elusive otter – relatives of Williamson’s Tarka the Otter, perhaps, after whom the trail is named. This is a wonderfully fulfilling walk, supported by charming villages.

 

Click here to learn more: https://www.contours.co.uk/tarka-trail

 

South West Coast Path (itineraries from 3 to 12 nights, prices from £260 per person)

At 630 miles (1,008 km) in length, the South West Coast Path is Britain’s longest waymarked footpath – and the ultimate challenge for any long distance walker. The route curls around the entire peninsula of Devon and Cornwall, rounds the south-western tip of England at Land’s End, and follows the southern shore through the dramatic scenery of Dorset.

Although we provide some gentler itineraries, expect stiff climbs on jaw-dropping coastal trails; mile after mile of sea views; and plenty of pasties and cream teas enjoyed in quintessential Cornish towns.

 

Click here to learn more: https://www.contours.co.uk/south-west-coast-path