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October Newsletter
from Contours Walking Holidays
Welcome to the October edition of the Contours Walking Holidays newsletter. Autumn is now upon us; a season of brisk mornings, low lighting and stunning colours – it's enough to make anyone yearn for a walk in the countryside! Our short break special offers are still available to take advantage of, for those keen to enjoy a last-minute getaway before winter rolls in, so be sure to check our Special Offers page here.
In this month's newsletter, regular contributor Beth Pipe recommends five wonderful coastal walks in Cumbria, while Damian Hall reviews his pick of the best hiking socks on the market. We also have our annual price freeze offer to help towards your 2018 holidays, along with plenty of news and competitions to enjoy. Thanks for reading, and happy walking!
Winter Price Freeze: Book your 2018
holiday now and pay 2017 prices!
Will 2018 be the year you tackle that walking trail on your bucket list? With our Winter Price Freeze offer, you could do just that! All you have to do is book your 2018 walking, trail running or cycling holiday with us before 31st December 2017 to secure your walking holiday at this year’s prices!
Not sure where your next adventure should be? Check out our Inspirations page for ideas!
Terms & Conditions
- Our 2017 Winter Price Freeze offer is available on all walking, trail running and cycling holidays – including all customisations and supplements – to be undertaken in 2018 only, booked before 31st December 2017.
- Contours Walking Holidays reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any time without prior notice and all of our holidays are subject to our usual booking conditions.
Featured Video:
Contours' Annual Emergency Training
Here at Contours, we like to make sure that every member of the team is capable of handling any issues that might arise while you are out on your walking holiday. In doing this, you can relax and enjoy your holiday, safe in the knowledge that if an emergency does occur, Contours will be able to help. This is why all of our staff undergo emergency training every year; to get an understanding of what potential problems could arise and how to deal with them effectively. Check out this short film to see how we got on!
Check out the full video here.
Do you have an idea, article or account of your walk that you would like to share? Send an email to newsletter@contours.co.uk to contribute to our newsletter.
Coastal Walks in Cumbria
By Beth Pipe
We’re often asked where the best place to head is to avoid the crowds in Cumbria, and there’s one very simple answer – the coast. We have a long and beautiful coastline right around the county but it’s so often overlooked, in every sense, by the stunning fells in the National Park. Here are four very different walks along the Cumbrian coast where I can pretty much guarantee a little peace and quiet, whatever time of year you choose to tackle them.
There are a number of Contours routes which either start or end on the Cumbrian coast, so it’s definitely worth adding a day or two to explore a little further.
Continue reading ...
Reviewed: Walking Socks
By Damian Hall
How best to keep you pinkies warm and snug when out hiking this autumn and winter.
Do you really need a pair of socks specifically for walking in? Well, Alfred Wainwright and those grizzled hill-walking pioneers may have looked to have coped just fine, but as with other baselayers, cotton is the curse here. Most non-hiking socks are made from cotton, which absorbs moisture and makes blisters much more likely. So while Wainwright was grinning on the surface, he was probably grimacing underneath those whiskers as his pinkies throbbed red raw. No, wait; he usually looked pretty cantankerous. It figures.
Continue reading ...
Featured Posts
Autumn in Cumbria isn’t just about the beautiful woodlands – the fells change colour with the bracken turning from luscious green to russet brown, the autumnal tides are higher and the chips on the prom taste sweeter when there’s a chill in the air. Then there are the inversions – a speciality of spring and autumn when the night-time temperatures trap dense fogs in the valleys, leaving the fell tops crystal clear and magical.
Read more...
The Isle of Wight was a fantastic location for a mid-March, early spring walking break. It lived up to its name for being one of the sunniest locations in the UK; I was blessed with sunshine every day, although most of the time it was a bit too hazy to make out the truly spectacular clear views. Some days there was a cold early morning wind, but later on the sunshine soon warmed us up. I chose to walk from Yarmouth on the west, along the south coast and finish at Ryde on the north-east side of the island.
Read more...
In last month's newsletter, regular contributor Nicky Jacquiery discussed how to enjoy walking safely with your dog, and watercolour painter Wendy Forrest-Charde shared her artwork inspired by her recent walk along the Mortimer Trail. We also had a fantastic new team member to introduce, an enticing special offer to announce and plenty of exciting news to share!
Read more...
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Featured Trail:
Icknield Way
One of our newly-introduced trails for 2017, the Icknield Way shadows a route of interlocking prehistoric pathways along the very best trails, and traces the chalk spine of England between ancient monuments, barrows and hill forts on its way from the Chiltern Hills to the Breckland.
The route showcases plenty of fabulous scenery along the way, making this historic trail a well-rounded experience suitable for any avid walker.
To discover more about this amazing trail and to book your next walking holiday, click here.
Join the South West Coast Path Challenge this October!
Did you know that it costs at least £1000 every year to maintain one mile of the 630-mile South West Coast Path? In order to help raise vital funds, the South West Coast Path Association is challenging walkers and runners to raise money by traversing as much of the path as they can in October. If you’re planning to visit the South West Coast Path this month – or need an excuse to head out there – then why not raise some money at the same time?
For more information regarding this fantastic challenge, visit the Association’s website here.
Tree of the month:
Rowan (Mountain Ash)
The rowan is a small to medium-sized tree with pale grey bark, and holds great superstition in Scotland; it is considered bad luck to cut back any rowan trees growing close to the home. It is most commonly found in mountain environments and fruits in October, bearing bright orange or red berries that hang heavily from its branches. Redwings in particular love eating the berries, as they fuel the birds’ migrations around this time of year to escape the harsh winters of the north.
Did you know?
Around early October is the time you are most likely to hear the mighty clashes and roars of red deer rutting, where the stags battle their rivals – locking antlers and fighting fiercely – for the chance to mate with the hinds. Red deer can be seen occasionally throughout the UK; however Scotland is renowned for boasting the best chance of catching this dramatic display.
Last Month's 'Guess Where?'
Congratulations to John Crook for being the first to correctly identify the Glyndwr's Way sign.
 (click image to reveal the answer)
To be in with a chance of winning a £10 Contours Walking Holidays voucher, why not try this month's 'Guess Where?' below!
Competition Time: 'Guess Where?'
To win this month's competition, can you identify which trail this sign is on?
 (click image to zoom)
The first correct answer will receive a £10 Contours Walking Holidays gift voucher. Good luck!
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