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February Newsletter
Welcome to the February edition of the Contours Holidays newsletter. Winter is slowly starting to melt away, and the first signs of spring are already beginning to emerge; we hope you are all getting ready to head out onto the trails, if you haven’t already!
In this month’s issue, we explore our new holiday trails in greater detail; Contours team members Christine, Ben and Richard each share their first-hand experiences of walking the Snowdon Round, the South Northumberland Coast Path and the Somerset Coast Path respectively. We also have our usual assortment of special features to help keep you up to date and inspired for your next foray into the Great British countryside. Thanks for reading, and happy walking!
Walking the Somerset Coast Path
By Richard Jones
A diverse seaside walk from Weston-super-Mare
to Minehead along Somerset’s Jurassic Coast.
I start my journey along the Somerset Coast Path on an October day in front of Weston-Super-Mare’s Grand Pier. The route heads south along the promenade, before dropping onto the golden sands of Weston Bay. Weston is known for having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, and today the water’s edge seems a long way away. At the far end of the beach, the Brean Down Way begins at the marina, passing beneath the impressive Old Church of St Nicholas high up on a cliff, and through the peaceful Bleadon Levels nature reserve.
Continue reading ...
Walking the Snowdon Round:
Snowdonia National Park
By Christine Saul
A scenic walk around the foothills of the iconic
Snowdon massif in Snowdonia National Park.
We are very excited about our new Snowdon Round trail. It takes you on an awe inspiring journey with plenty of 'wow factor', circumnavigating Snowdon - the highest mountain in Wales and England at 1085m. You will enjoy the breath-taking natural beauty of Snowdonia National Park, as well as experiencing the unique slate heritage of North Wales as you walk around the Snowdon Massif. This lower level circular trail avoids the mountain tops, and starts and ends at the popular village of Llanberis at the foot of Snowdon, but we also offer a more challenging Mountain route, including a climb up Snowdon itself.
Continue reading ...
Walking the South Northumberland Coast Path
By Ben Roughton
An urban walk from Sunderland to Cresswell along
a diverse section of the England Coast Path.
You may know the Northumberland Coast Path quite well: ancient castles, fishing villages, stunning beaches and a rugged and rocky coast eternally battered by the North Sea, all make for prime hiking country. There’s a metaphorical carrot dangling in front of every hiking day here, with a wealth of history and intrigue for you to discover.
For me, our Northumberland Coast started at Warkworth (with a day to see Cresswell and the beaches between) and then stretched north to the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; that is all I knew of this coastline.
But I never considered what lay further south from Warkworth and Cresswell.
Continue reading ...
Featured Posts
Staff at Contours are always heading out on our own walking holidays. Our Customer Service Advisor, Christine, set out on the famous West Highland Way.
The route travels from Milngavie to Fort William along an amazing route of mountainous scenery with some challenging terrain. Read on to find out what Christine made of it after her first time walking its full length.
Read more...
We had lots of exciting news to share in last month’s edition, including a fantastic selection of brand new walking and trail running holiday options for you to enjoy. For those thinking about trying a walking holiday for the first time, we shared our picks of the best trails for first-time holiday walkers, while contributors Beth Pipe and Catherine Sempill offered their expertise on where to walk in Cumbria, and how to prevent walking injuries respectively. There was a lot of good stuff in this edition, so we hope you enjoyed it!
Read more...
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Welcome to the Team!
Last week we were joined by three new recruits to the Contours office. Say hello to Bex, Finn and Vikki, who are joining our Customer Services Team, Tour Pack Team and Booking Team respectively. We hope you all settle in well and enjoy your time with us!
Featured Trail:
The Southern
Upland Way
An epic coast-to-coast hike along the undulating Southern Uplands of Scotland from Portpatrick to Cocksburnpath.
This coast to coast journey is Scotland’s longest Great Trail, making it an enticing challenge for veteran long-distance walkers. Setting off from the old harbour of Portpatrick on the west coast, the Southern Upland Way encounters a wide range of dramatic landscapes as it journeys eastwards towards the village of Cocksburnpath.
Learn more about the Southern Upland Way here.
Did you know?
European beavers were extinct in the UK until 2009, when they were then successfully reintroduced from mainland Europe.
As large as a Labrador dog, but with shorter legs, the European beaver is robust and heavily built. Beavers make dams so that they can move about and look for food undercover and beneath the water. The work they do helps plants and creates wetland habitats that benefit an enormous number of other species, including water voles, amphibians, dragonflies and birds.
Information gathered from the Wildlife Trusts website.
Walking Pro-Tip: Swing your arms!
While walking, your arms should be bent at 90 degrees and swing back and forth (not across the body) from the shoulders. Your legs will naturally move in sync, so the faster you swing, the faster you’ll walk. If you want to check how you’re walking, hang a bathrobe belt behind your neck and hold one end in each hand. If you’re walking correctly, the strap will stay firmly in place, not slide up and down your neck or from side to side.
Information gathered from realsimple.com.
Last Month's Competition: Guess Where?
Congratulations to Andrew Ball for being the first person to correctly identify Whitby Town. It is a seaside town in Yorkshire, northern England, split by the River Esk.
 (click image to zoom)
To be in with a chance of winning a £20 Contours Holidays voucher, why not try this month's competition below?
Competition Time:
Guess Where?
To be in with a chance of winning this month's competition, can you identify this bridge?
 (click image to zoom)
The first person to answer correctly will receive a £20 Contours Holidays gift voucher. Good luck!
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