Holiday Reviews
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same trip can have different views!
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Andalucia self guided walking holiday, independent reviews
 Reviewed 8 Apr 2008 by Valerie Huggins |  |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Lots of lovely memories. Stopping for a picnic lunch in a pineforest, overlooking the Torrox valley, with views to the mountains, having seen no one else for hours. Warm sunshine, and just us and the sound of the birds - truly away from it all! The sense of achievement of getting to the top of the ridge having scrambled up the side of a gorge at Frigiliani, and seeing the wonderful view to the sea with the mountains behind us. A delicious tapas lunch in Nerja, after visiting the amazing caves. Each day was different, as each walk offered another perspective on that part of Spain, they were all well organised and the maps and photos meant that we could enjoy the walks and the scenery without worrying about getting lost!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure beforehand that you are used to walking in the countryside. Discuss your itinerary fully by email and/or by phone before you depart, and then during your holiday by talking to the Armsteads. They are very helpful and will change things according to how you are feeling. We used our free day to do a photography course and Spanish cookery course, which added something extra special to our week.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It was a walking holiday, with very limited use of the car, so maybe offset the impact of the flight slightly! It seemed to financially benefit English people more than Spaniards, in that the company is run by an English couple, and the accommodation was owned by another English couple, although they are resident in the community and using the local services. We used local shops, bars and cafes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was excellent. Very well organised. The Armsteads were very welcoming and helpful throughout. We had a complete change of scene, thoroughly enjoyed the walking, which set us a challenge, but was not so strenuous that it took away the fun. Ideal weather, good accommodation.
| Reviewed 14 Oct 2007 by Annettte Chilton | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable and exciting part of the holiday was walking the long linear walk - Loma del Daire - Aceburchal. The scenery was spectacular and reminded me of the beauty of the Grand Canyon. However we got lost and ended up walking 20mls.! The local people were very helpful and they found us a short cut through a gorge which was only known to local people. The people were so helpful and welcomed tourists and did not leave us until we found the welcome hostelry at Aceburchal. Our guide Dave was very patient throughout the whole holiday as we got lost many times but he never gave up on us. The pack-ups were generous, fresh organic food and a real spoil. We also lost our camera but one of the locals returned it which was an amazing feat as he had to search the intranet for our address and much to our amazement managed to track us down. Dave again came up trumps as he even went out of his way to pick it up.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Travellers need to ask if there are any festivals in the village as although they are fun and celebrate the culture the music plays on till early hours.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Local people benefited in that we appreciated their environment which meant they felt valued and respected which is good for building cultural relationships.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant. The guides Dave and Gill were patient throughout and always went the extra mile.
| Reviewed 15 Jan 2009 by Jenny Speakman | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We had 3 full days of walking & enjoyed them all. We especially enjoyed the last day when we walked in sunshine under clear blue skies high into the hills & had wonderful views to even higher hills, some with snow on them.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We had 2 days in Seville & 2 days on Granada before joining this trip & we enjoyed combining sightseeing with the walking. The walking holiday component was seamlessly organised. We stayed in a nice house in a village. The walk instructions were easy to follow & we had Gill & Dave on hand in the event of any emergencies/getting lost. We never needed to call on them but it made us feel very reassured when walking independently in an unknown area.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent.