Mickledore Walking Holidays

15/11/2024

Mady, on the left, joined our Operations Team earlier this year, and like everyone at Mickledore was tasked with going on a familiarisation trip. Mady chose to walk the Dales Way, one of the many routes she looks after. Having decided upon where to walk the next question was who would have the time and the willingness to join her on her adventure? Mady’s friend of thirty years, Catherine, stepped up to the challenge.

Along the way, in addition to stunning scenery, there were Northern Lights, stepping stones, a ruined abbey, medieval bridges and a suspension bridge, old lime kilns, a stone circle, magnificent viaducts, Roman roads and an incredibly rare post box … as well as a great deal of hilarity. Enjoy reading Autumn in the Dales.

What great memories we’ve made. We’ve chatted about families, looked at beautiful scenery and shared a great achievement walking the Dales Way.

14/11/2024

While Sarah and Ste were out walking the Cleveland Way in June, our colleague Mark, responsible for creating our new routes, was walking on the Cornwall coast with his daughter Ebony.

They walked from St Ives round to Lizard enjoying iconic settings such as Gurnard’s Head, Sennen Cove, Porthcurno Beach, Lamorna Cove, Mousehole Harbour, Prussia Cove, Loe Bar, Mullion Cove and of course Kynance Cove, all packed into just 65 idyllic miles.

13/11/2024

Ashley and Louise weren’t the only ones from Mickledore enjoying the Cleveland Way this year. In June newly engaged Sarah from our Sales and Support team walked our 'Combined Highlights' route from Osmotherley to Robin Hood’s Bay with her fiancé Ste.

Sarah tells us, “After walking the Northumberland Coast Path last summer, and thoroughly enjoying it, we had high expectations for our chosen 2024 walk, the Cleveland Way. After doing a full coast path last year, we wanted something slightly different this year but also with some coastal walking as we love to be beside the sea. After much deliberation we decided to go for the Cleveland Way Combined Highlights. A great mix of half moorland and half coast.”

12/11/2024

With the season complete it’s around this time we enjoy looking back at some of the adventures we’ve experienced throughout the year. In April our CEO Ashley, along with his wife Louise, walked the Cleveland Way.

Ashley explains, “Our kids have (almost!) left home, so my wife Louise and I thought we’d take the opportunity to visit a part of the UK that we don’t know at all well, and test our walking fitness over 8 days on the Cleveland Way in Yorkshire. The combination of stunning heather moorland with far-reaching views and rugged coastal scenery, studded with picturesque fishing villages looked fantastic, especially as there is so much of historical interest to see along the way.”

11/11/2024

We launched our holidays on the Two Moors Way at the beginning of the month and we are already starting to receive lots of interest for next spring. It really is a journey of discovery – whether it’s the majestic landscapes, rich history, or the peace and quiet of Devon’s hidden corners, each step brings something new and unforgettable. Take a look at our blog to learn all about this fascinating route.

The Two Moors Way stretches 117 miles from Wembury to Lynmouth linking the rugged granite tors of Dartmoor with the rolling heathlands of Exmoor.

08/11/2024

Something really nice from the archive to end the week. On this day last year Steve Palmer shared these incredibly kind words and wonderful photographs. They have us smiling all over again.

“Wonderful Adventure Walking St Cuthbert's Way

This is the second holiday we have booked through Mickledore. The planning and preparation was spot on. The walk went smoothly. We met some amazing people en-route. The walking was great. The accommodation was overall really good. Luggage pick-up was without a hitch. Overall a very stress free experience.

St Cuthbert’s Way is a walk with three very different terrain types - Scottish Borders with its mix of rivers, grasslands and undulating hills; The Cheviots with its very Pennine feel, and then the coastal plains. The climax came at the end with walking the Pilgrim's Route from the mainland to Lindisfarne in bare feet!

Mickledore is a very professional outfit with good communications. We would happily recommend.”

07/11/2024

Set on the Iveragh Peninsula in the south west of Ireland, the Kerry Way is often described as a walker’s version of the famous the Ring of Kerry. On your journey you’ll pass through some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes.

Killarney National Park is home to three majestic lakes, Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake. Also in the Park, nestled in dense woodland, is the magnificent Torc Waterfall.

The northern stretch of the Kerry Way lies in from the coast and travels along centuries-old tracks beneath MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, home to the country’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohil. Remote glens with their rocky outcrops and glittering loughs further enhance the wild, natural beauty of the region.

In the south of the peninsula the trail follows the expansive coastline rewarding walkers with beautiful panoramas of emerald waters, golden bays and pretty islets.

Heritage features heavily too as part of the peninsula is designated as Gaeltacht, a place where the Irish language is spoken and Irish culture is honoured. Wherever you go on your Kerry Way journey you are assured of a warm, Irish welcome.

06/11/2024

Lots of hard work being done on The Ridgeway. We look forward to learning more in Spring.

Bury Down is an important wildflower site as it’s where the experimental restoration plots are being studied by the University of Oxford's Biology Department led by Prof Lindsay Turnbull.

Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area and includes the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria. Bury Down is an excellent example of how the Ridgeway National Trail biodiversity has changed over time since sheep are no longer driven along the Trail eating the vegetation (and adding their own fertiliser) as they passed by.

Lindsay was very pleased with the biodiversity progress and to help her write up the report she was joined by DPhil student Josh. Some of the 28 plots have been left with the arisings loose on the surface, others have been raked with traditional hay rakes and mowed by the team. We will report back in the spring.

The car park for Bury Down is at West Ilsley, Wantage OX12 8QX.

The image shows raking the plots and using the powerful mower at the Biodiversity project site on Bury Down.

05/11/2024

This is Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales, also known as Batty Moss Viaduct. It has an impressive twenty four arches and stands over a hundred feet above the moor. The hill in background is Whernside, which along with Pen-y-ghent and Ingleborough make up the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. No fewer than four of our routes will have you in sight of this magnificent structure; the Settle to Carlisle Way, the Pennine Way, the Dales High Way and also the Dales Way. So, something for everyone really!

01/11/2024

Five years ago today we launched our holidays on the Fife Coastal Path and they’ve proved to be a huge success. If you love the thought of walking in Scotland and you love the thought of walking on the coast, then the Fife Coastal Path is the holiday for you.

From the Forth Estuary to the Tay Estuary you’ll discover no fewer than 15 Seaside Award winning beaches, nature and wildlife reserves, sites of special scientific interest, lava flows and fossil sites, historic monuments, quaint villages and pretty harbours.

The Fife Coastal Path truly is a journey of discovery. Could it be your 2025 adventure?

31/10/2024

Well that’s it for another year, our final walkers of the season are quite literally home and dry. However, unlike Stan here, there’s no time to take it easy, as the work goes on. We’re busy dealing with your many enquiries and we're making all the preparations for your 2025 holidays, which are just around the corner. It’s November tomorrow, it’ll be spring in no time at all. Get in touch now to arrange your next great adventure!

30/10/2024

We have yet another amazing new route for you and we know you’re going to love this one!

The Two Moors Way is a true showcase of Devon’s rural heart and wild landscapes. Stretching 117 miles from Wembury on the South Devon coast to Lynmouth on the North Devon coast, this remarkable route links the rugged granite tors of Dartmoor with the rolling heathlands of Exmoor.

Dartmoor is often described as one of England’s last wildernesses, a vast expanse of open moorland dominated by craggy tors, ancient woodlands, and a rich archaeological landscape. Between Dartmoor and Exmoor, the Two Moors Way threads through the peaceful and little-walked Mid Devon heartland, a region of quiet farmland, scattered woodlands, and traditional villages. Then comes Exmoor, a landscape that is both wild and inviting, with steep wooded valleys, high open moors, and tumbling rivers carving their way to the sea.

Experience it all in one incredible journey or enjoy Dartmoor and Exmoor separately in two shorter holidays. Whichever you choose, you’re assured of an unforgettable adventure through some of the finest landscapes in the southwest.

www.mickledore.co.uk/walking-holidays/two-moors-way

28/10/2024

Walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a magnificent adventure. Stretching 186 miles from Amroth to St Dogmaels this stunning coastline showcases some of the most breathtaking scenery in the UK. The path journeys over dramatic cliffs, along secluded beaches, and through lush green landscapes, rewarding walkers with ever-changing views of the sea and surrounding countryside. From iconic landmarks like the Green Bridge of Wales to picturesque towns and villages such as Tenby and Solva, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path delivers a visual feast at every turn.

To further whet your appetite we’ve compiled our list of '7 Pembrokeshire Coast Path Locations You Should Know About.' Enjoy, and remember, booking early for next year gives us the best chance of securing our first choice accommodation for you.

www.mickledore.co.uk/blog/7-pembrokeshire-coast-path-locations-you-should-know-about

24/10/2024

The Gower Peninsula was designated as the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and over 30% of the peninsula is National Nature Reserve or a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Walking the peninsula you’ll visit some of Britain’s most beautiful beaches including Rhossili Bay and Oxwich Bay as well as experience a rich and varied environment of heathland, limestone grassland, marshes, dunes and coastal woodlands. There’s lots of historic interest too including castle ruins, Iron Age forts and a surviving medieval open field system. In the evening relax and enjoy delicious local cuisine such as Laverbread, Salt Marsh Lamb and Penclawdd Cockles.

Get in touch to learn more about our Gower holidays and treat yourself to a little vitamin sea next year!

23/10/2024

We can't always control what comes our way can we, but we can control how we respond to it. Last October while walking the West Highland Way our colleague Anne-Marie and her friend Sarah had to contend with the most atrocious weather, yet they handled it admirably and continued to smile. Let's remind ourselves of the trip where blue skies turned to grey, but joy won through!

www.mickledore.co.uk/blog/our-west-highland-way-adventure

22/10/2024

Looking through the archive today Mark uncovered this set of photographs he took around Horton in Ribblesdale and Malham back in October 2015. Whether experienced directly on the trail or by factoring in an additional day for further exploration, walkers on the Dales High Way, Pennine Way and Settle to Carlisle Way can all enjoy lovely views like these.

Mark tells us he thinks the Malham tree may sadly have fallen victim to the wind since these were taken.

20/10/2024

Located on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast the Di**le Way is rich with archaeological and cultural heritage and is renowned for its dramatic scenery and fascinating geology. There are numerous well-preserved examples of standing stones, dolmens, ring forts and clocháns throughout the peninsula.

The Slieve Mish Mountains and Brandon Mountain combine with miles of beautiful expansive sands, quiet country lanes, woodlands and wetlands to deliver a hugely varied and rewarding walking experience and at the heart of your Di**le Way holiday is hospitality. From the quiet charm of rural guesthouses to lively inns filled with the sound of traditional music and laughter, you are guaranteed a warm welcome and good craic wherever you go.

Take a look to learn more and book your 2025 adventure on the beautiful Emerald Isle.

www.mickledore.co.uk/walking-holidays/dingle-way