UKC

My wife is not particularly outdoorsy but this summer she announced she'd like to walk Hadrians wall... so we did and she loved it. So now I'm looking for the next walking holiday.

Criteria:

• 5-7 days
• Not too much elevation gain
• "Proper" places to stay. Camping with nice facilities might be ok but hotels are best

Any suggestions? 

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Total change of character,  how about the N Cornwall section of the SW Coast path? OK it's not flat, but none of the climbs are huge. With a bit of planning you can link up some lovely overnight stopping places. The far west bit is the best, and we have done chunks of that on multi day trips with hotels/inns/b&b's. The path W of St Ives gets a bit rough for a while, but there are long stretches further east that are very easy walking.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Most definitely Slovenia, mate

In reply to bigbobbyking:

The Dales Way might suit? It mostly follows valleys without any steep bits and it goes through lovely scenery. There are hotels and B&Bs in villages along the way. There is plenty of information online and in print also. You can buy ice cream in lots of places as well.

In reply to Wainers44:

I'd thought of the SW Coast path, but does sound like a lot of elevation. But I'm aware it's a long coastline so I'm sure there's sections that are easier - I'll look into this a bit more.

In reply to JonahJones:

Any particular routes or areas? I don't know anything about Slovenia.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Still on the Cornwall theme, but less hilly than the N coast, how about going Falmouth to Fowey?

Ferries over to St Anthony's Head via St Mawer then three days or so to St Austell where there is the Avellan Porth Hotel at the scenic Charlestown, or the seriously posh Carlyon Bay Hotel. On the way, stopping opportunities at Portscatho, Port Loe (there's a nice looking boutique hotel there), Gorran Haven and Mevagissey. It does get pretty hilly after Mevagissey, mind. One more day to Fowey then to top it off, use both the Bodinnick ferry and the river taxi to enable a lovely 5 miles or so loop from there via Pont Creek, Polruan and Lantick Bay.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

The West Highland Way. Absolutely fantastic walk, plenty of history and well supported by local business and the Local Authority. There are a number of reasonable shuttle services to get you back to the start line.

Would highly reccomend the Tour Du Mont Blanc but there is plenty of elevation. If you are able the Kumano Kodo is also very special.

In reply to bigbobbyking: GR 7 in Andalucia ? cheap flight to Malaga bus to Granada then bus out to Valor and trek 5 days back to Lanjaron. Hotels + restaurants /bars at end of every stage. Not too far between stages (10-15 miles) and well waymarked.  Almost guaranteed sunny and dry . Spring + early autumn are best times as it gets too hot in summer

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Anglesey Coast Path.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

We just had a fantastic week in Dahmuls which is in Western Austria.  Food and drink was expensive but AirBNB accommodation was good value and the chair lifts where we were were free as part of a modest tourist tax that we paid.  The chair lifts gave access to wonderful rolling terrain with peaks as far as the eye could see.  We will be going back.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

The Cleveland Way is lovely - a mix of moorlands, history and coast with nice places like Whitby along the way https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/cleveland-way/ 

I'm afraid this is very unspecific, but something in the Alps eg Bavaria? Stay in nice guest houses and take cable cars up then walk around and take them back down. Not a linear walk but it's what I did when I was a student and much less of a walker than I am now. Still get the views but you don't need to do much elevation if you go in summer and use the ski lifts, plus you can have good food, beer and stay in a cute town/village at night. I used to go to somewhere like Bavaria which is well served by trains and add a few days in Munich if you like good art galleries (lots of good stuff there, because the Nazis nicked it all) and beer too for a bit of something different. 

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Northumbria coast? I visited for the first time this year and, after initial reservations, found it very special. It is quite flat with big vistas and copious birdlife. Not very busy, with pleasant coastal villages and castles at convenient intervals.

Apparently if you extend northwards from Berwick the coast gets quite spectacular too.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

We like the fife coastal path. Can make it as long or shirt as you like and some nice places to stay. 

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Check out the Cumbria Way, 5 days from Ulverston to Carlisle (or the other way around), a beautiful and varied route through the Lake District well provided with hotels, cafes, pubs etc. The only big climb is Stake Pass between Langdale and Langstrath, but it is a short day.

West Highland Way would be a good choice too.

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Thanks for all the ideas everyone! Lots of routes I hadn't heard or thought of before. Something to keep me dreaming through the winter to come and hopefully get out and do one (or maybe even two?) next year!

In reply to bigbobbyking:

Alps, and specifically a section of one of the long distance paths e.g. E4.  The long distance paths are invariably well-served by catered huts or valley hotels and don't seem to go terribly high or over difficult ground. They would seem ideal for your missus.  If you want, you can often do higher variations of sections e.g. E4 alpin, or use a cablecar instead of hiking.

SW coastal path - I've a friend currently doing it in sections. She's finding all sorts of issues - closed paths, estuary crossing problems, closed accommodations etc.  There is a lot of knowledge out there though, with FB groups and suchlike.

In reply to Toerag:

I'd agree with that - youngest son recently started on Offas disease path, and what he found on the ground bore no resemblance to what was described in the relatively recent Cicerone guide. Very difficult to find accommodation, camping, food ...

We'd done the 9 day tour of the Queryas in France, and of course everything worked perfectly!

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

I hope he gets well soon