Reviewed 01 Jun 2011 by Alison Firth
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The great places we stayed.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Weather was hotter than we expected so plenty of sun cream. Arm yourselves with a good map if you can before coming so you can have some idea of at least the general direction you are going in! The ones provided were not very much use. Beware of fierce dog protecting goats on walk from Montaria!!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. We used local bars, restaurants and shops and the places we stayed were independent family run places.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Had a really good time and the towns we stayed in and the places we stayed were excellent. Saw a wonderful slice of Portugal. The walks were not exactly as described in the website and it would have been nice to have been warned of this before we actually got to Portugal and the reasons for the changes explained. We needed to get taxis to the start of the walks and or to be picked up at the end of them than more frequently than we had anticipated based on the original info on the website. Saying that all the taxi drivers we encountered either organised by the operator and by ourselves were fantastically helpful and friendly.
Reviewed 30 Dec 2008 by John Sillince
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Fabulous view towards Sagres along the cliffs with several headlands jutting out into sea. Aromatic shrubs everywhere.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I was here for 8 days 22-29 December which is in rainy season (mid Nov to mid Feb) and wore long windproof / waterproof raincoat with hood (in fact it rained only on 2 of those days). I carried rucksack with space for me to peal off my two pullovers if sun came out (it did on three days). I carried wooly hat & gloves in rucksack (needed for half an hour on windy top of Montique Hill). I carried a packed lunch in rucksack.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Walking is best done out of season in Portugal and naturally this is the time when the region needs support.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
One of the most satisfying I have been on. I was never over tired. There were no travel problems. The organizers / drivers were friendly and relaxed.
Reviewed 20 May 2007 by Pam Barmby
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The coast of the Western Algarve is absolutely beautiful and the self guided walks we had meant that we got the chance to see alot of it - the beach at Odeceixe has to be one of the most beautiful we've ever seen, and the whole of the Parque Nacional is really worth a visit.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The advantage of booking with a small operator is their knowledge of the local area, so be clear about what you want but trust their judgement.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We did feel that we benefited local businesses and contributed where possible, however, with swimming pools in both places and use of lights at night, we werent totally convinced about our low impact on the environment, but it was certainly less than staying in a hotel. It's hard to say we are having a low impact when the economy is so reliant on tourism and there will always be decision makers who would prefer 'development'.
4. Any other comments?
We had a wonderful holiday, Julie Stratham and the operator really know their area and help people make the most of it. We really appreciated being met at the airport, and being given enough information to get on and make the most of our holiday - Julie was warm and welcoming and made excellent suggestions for our holiday which made it feel really 'tailor made'. Both venues were beautiful and unique in their own way, and being out of the mainstream of the tourist resorts was perfect for us - we got to see areas of the Algarve which were just wonderful and really worth the effort. We really value the time and effort that Julie put into creating our holiday. We wouldn't hesitiate to recommend either the area or the company to friends or family in the future.
Reviewed 30 Jan 2007 by Humphrey Stead
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My wife and I and two friends took two self-guided tours with this operator: "Cork Oaks to Orange Groves" and "Mountain Top to Cliff Top". Both were very enjoyable (no grandchildren but we would recommend them to friends). The arrangements worked without a hitch and I am impressed by the organization necessary and the establishment/discovery of the actual routes.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Hard to say what was the most memorable part of the tours - each of us might have a different choice. I really liked the Monchique area but the Buden wetlands hike was perhaps the most enjoyable.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
At this time of year - January - one should be prepared for a variety of weather. At the beginning, we wore shorts; at the end, we kept putting and taking off sweaters and rainproofs. Two of us brought hiking poles and were glad we did; one of our companions wished she had.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Accommodations were good and it was obvious that off-season guests were a help to the establishments.
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