.....as described by one of our hosts. We have just finished walking the Northumberland Coastal Path over 6 days and this will remain one of the most unforgettable walks of my life. We had underestimated the beauty of this area as well as the colours, even cold, grey, windy days presented us with every shade of blue and grey we could imagine. The accommodation was also beyond our expectations- we were a Swiss group so standards were high. We had a mixture of B&Bs and small hotels, which varied slightly in standard but none enough to warrant any complaints. They all had extremely comfortable beds , were beautifully furnished (very English, which the Swiss liked) and had everything we needed. In some cases more than we needed. . The breakfasts with the exception of one place were magnificent. Kippers became a firm favourite of our oldest member. The night on Holy Island was remarkable .Having the run of the island after the day tourists have left and before they arrive was very special and getting up early to see the sunrise can be strongly recommended. All transfers we needed from the path worked well and the taxi firms used were flexible enough to accommodate any slight changes. The friendliness of everyone we encountered will also not be forgotten. Our luggage was also waiting for us each evening, in some cases already in our rooms. We can only say ‘Well done and thank you’ to the Contours team for the excellent organisation.

I recently walked John Muir Way with Contours and they are well named. The walk was fantastic but the accommodations were on the whole, cheap and of an embarrassingly low standard. One place had mold, wallpaper hanging off the walls, a ceiling coming down and old lumpy mattresses. The lodgings were mainly in the worst parts of each town and I'm furious and as a Scot, mortified that tourists are being treated this way. This vacation was very expensive and the cost was not reflected in the standard of the lodgings. I called the company en route and they did attempt to improve the rest of the lodgings which I appreciate. I strongly recommend that anyone planning to do a walking vacation does not use this particular company. It would be cheaper to arrange your own guest houses and you would have decent places to stay. I'm giving 2 stars only because they tried to rectify the problem but honestly, the problem should never have existed. I know some of these areas and there are very nice guest houses that should have been used by Contours.

We paid over £2.5k for a family holiday this year on Contours' 'Hadrian's Wall with a dog' holiday. What we got, with many duplicate nights and taxis ferrying us to and fro to accommodation off the trail (or back where we started that day's walk), was wholly different to what I was led to believe I was paying for. The standard of most of the accommodation - one notable exceptional which was lovely - could best be described as 'cheap and cheerful' (fine by us!) - but it does mean a significant amount of that £2.5k must have gone on 'organisation' so I would have expected to be significantly better. We agreed the itinerary with Contours in advance which included one rest day where we would stay in the same accommodation for two nights. At no point was there any suggestion that there might be a significant problem with bringing a dog (and given the name of the tour (ie 'with a dog') we assumed the company would have experience and expertise in this regard . The confirmation letter said they would be in contact if there was a problem. Only after paying the full balance was paid were we able to see where we were staying which did not correlate to where we were walking to and from on the itinerary! On three occasions (one expected) we were ferried bank to a place we'd stayed the previous night. Our rest day lodge was very inconveniently located - despite specifically negotiating a rest day that would be best placed for the famous sites of Vindolanda and the Roman Army museum. It took 40 minutes to walk to the nearest AD122 bus stop (taxis were an option but there aren't that many - we did use one). Very frustrating when we could see other charming and well placed accommodation nearer the route AND having paid handsomely for someone to organise in the back of 'expertise'. Contours rely on the small print and that they find it difficult to find dog friendly accommodation. To this I say (1) why run a tour called 'Hadrian's wall with a dog' if you struggle to fulfil the most basic requirements and (2) why not call us - as you promised - and check at a time where we would have options (ie to decide not to proceed with the holiday or decide not to take the dog!) rather than taking our money and giving us a disappointing holiday that was much anticipated. I have been sent £100 in compensation. In my view this is woefully inadequate given the scale of the way we were misled about the holiday. I'm not seeking anything further but do want to forewarn others if they too would have an issue with multiple duplication of nights on trail walking and a reliance on taxis at the beginning and end of walks. Hadrians Wall itself is sublime! Especially middle 3/4 days :)

I booked and paid for a 9 day West Highland Way holiday staying at a different location each night with 2 rest days, one at Rowardennan to climb Ben Lomand and the other rest day at Kingshouse in order to climb another Munro. The daily stop overs were clearly laid out in the booking form and I expected the holiday to adhere to that plan. The holiday was scheduled for August 2017 and I had paid in February 2017 stating then that I was aware of the accommodation shortage at Kingshouse and requested they book early to avoid missing out. I live in New Zealand and can only communicate via email due to time differences. They responded saying they had made all the arrangements. They didn't say anything concerning difficulty arranging accommodation so I assumed everything was in place. 4 weeks prior to my holiday starting I received my itinerary via email. Contours had booked me 3 nights in Drymen, 2 nights in Tyndrum and 3 nights in Kinlochleven with my rest days shifted to an alternative location. I contacted the Rowardennan and Inveroran hotels where I should have been booked and they both said they had rooms available on my required date. Contours said both of those hotels had been booked out when they made inquiries and must have had a cancellation since then. I asked them to book me into those hotels which they charged me an extra 90 pounds to do so. They also made me pay 33 pounds for a half share of a taxi from Kinlochleven to Kingshouse. Of course, I couldn't cancel as I would have lost my entire cost due to the lateness of cancellation which was due to the itinerary only being sent 4 weeks prior to the starting date. All very convenient for Contours. Contours only seem concerned about money , not customer satisfaction. I have used them twice with a small issue in the first trip but I will never use them again. Their shoddiness detracted greatly from my enjoyment. I no longer trust them.

I needed to call off the holiday after the first day because of a serious family illness. I wasn't asking for any money back so you'd think there wouldn't be a problem, but the staff were really unhelpful. They might have expressed some concern for my plight but there was none. They only did the minimum to help and were not prepared to contact just one hotel on my behalf. Quite annoying really, sympathetic and helpful customer service costs nothing and wouldn't have left me with a bad taste in my mouth. They seem to employ dry administrators rather than customer service orientated people. If they respond to this no doubt they will quote "t&c", but they weren't prepared to help establish the facts for me so regardless of what they say, my comments stand. The one night I had was fine and the walk was great.

My friend and I walked the Bob Graham Round, organised through Contours. Absolutely Excellent. Initial contact via website/email and phone - 10/10 Quality of information provided - 10/10 Maps provided (including hoghlighted route + wet-eather alternative) - 10/10 Accommodation - 10/10 Bag transport - 10/10 Many thanks

Myself and three friends completed the Dales Way in September 2015. It was a great experience and very enjoyable. Everything went very well and the accommodation was great. We will be booking another holiday with Contours.

For the 6 th time we made use of the services of Contours. And again we were very satisfied with their handling . Excellent accomodation and good handling of our luggage. In remote areas punctual ( and often welcome) pick ups by the hosts of the accomodation or taxi's . And if you have special requests for instantie as to an adjustment of the program they always try to accomodate us. Next time we will again book with Contours

I am in the process of organising a fund raising walk and rang Contours, simply to ask a couple of questions concerning the route I would be walking. I have to say I was quite shocked and disgusted by the response I got. I politely explained what I was doing and asked if she minded if I asked her advice on a couple of things relating to the walk. The woman I spoke to was extremely reluctant to give me any information, her tone of voice was belligerent and she was rude and very unhelpful, quickly ending the conversation by saying that she was not prepared to tell me anything because it was their business and then cutting me off. I can honestly say that I have never been been spoken to like that before and it left me feeling quite stunned, especially as everyone else I'd spoken to concerning the walk had been so kind, helpful and supportive in a variety of ways. After that experience with them I have to say that I would never consider using their services and would suggest to others that they likewise steer clear.

Highlights of the Cotswalds tour chipping Campden to Blockley. - we met up with other members on the same tour, we were all lost. Blockley to Morton on Marsh was delightful. Good signage.. Day 2 Stow to Ploughmans Inn was ok, we were happy, only 4 1/2 miles to go. All went well until we got to the pig farm. We retraced our steps, tried every alternative and finally climbed over a locked gate onto a road. There we walked into town amid fast cars that are not respectful of walkers. Total miles for a 13 mile trip - 21 miles.one of the Contours walkers was a Cartographer and even he had problems. Contours needs to check these routes regularly with someone who does not know the route to ensure quality of signage and agreement of farmers. Day 3 taking a bus to next town.

I used Contours for a self guided trip in Scotland this summer. The arrangements were fine, but I had a terrible experience in one of the Bed and Breakfast they sent me to: terrible food, hospitality and confort. I sent a feedback just after my trip, more than one month ago, but never heard of Contours! This is a company that praise itself to care for their customers; I doubt it! Emmanuelle Pradere

We booked the Saints Way with Contours after Encounters couldn't find us a room in Withiel. I wish I had read the fine print on the Contours site. AFTER we had paid for the trip, they told us that we had to call a car service in the morning of our first day and arrange a pickup time. We would be picked up in Withiel and driven to our second and third night's accomodation, then driven back to Withiel the next morning. When I got home I looked it up and, after some searching, found a small disclaimer buried in the details on their website that they might do that. I think they should state very clearly, before they take your money, that on the Saint's Way you will not actually be walking from point A to point B to point C, rather from point A to point B, then driven to Point C and back to point B in the morning. It sucked much of the fun out of the first walking day. We had to make a couple of detours (see below) and had to hurry towards the end of the day in order to make our connection. I could easily have stayed in one place and taken cabs to and from points along the walk and I would have saved a small fortune. They booked us into some slightly bizarre "B&Bs",one of which was clearly just a room in someone's house in Padstow, which is full of hotels. Our hosts were very kind and the room was nice, but it seemed slightly awkward. They also play a little game with foreign travellers where they try to avoid sending you the maps ahead of time. I suspect it is to avoid the postage fees. This time we left home 10 days before the start of our hike. They absolutely refused to send us the material in time to accomodate our schedule. We had hiked with them before in the Cotswolds, with only a three day interval. That time they claimed trouble with their printer. At the prices they charge, they should be able to assemble an envelope and put it in the mail a couple of days early. I agree with a previous poster about the quality of the information. On our Cotswold hike, there was a good guide. This time the guide was broad and extremely vague so we would up using only the map. There were a couple of times where the stile was extremely difficult to find and a guide would have saved us a lengthy detour. Complaints aside, our accomodations were always clean and pleasant and our luggage was always waiting for us. But I think I'll try a different agency next time.

Recently did a north atlantic cornish coast walk, if you want a physically arduous workout, no time to stop and explore and love wasting your money this is the walk for you.... we have done numerous walks all over the world using walking companies as we appreciate the inside information they give you on the areas you walk through to get the most of your experience.... this was sadly lacking with contours. The guide book and maps they provided can be bought in bookshops or from Amazon. Nothing personal was offered. Very limited info and very small so make sure you take your reading glasses with you.. walk was unrated, contours claim because they offer multiple route opens...Not so....only one route along the cliffs.. difficult steep and uneven terrain, at times exceptionally dangerous because of the paths close proximity to cliff edge and high winds. Distance calculations stated on website incorrect, making walks a lot longer than stated.......When tried to discuss issues with company,( they should be thanking us so they can correct their website errors,) they just kept saying most of their customers loved them and 65% were repeat or referred customers instead of addressing our concerns. After initial reply they refused to answer further emails. In summary, accommodation ok but you could book yourself. You can arrange your own bag transfer through company they use. Can purchase your own maps and books. If you research much better ones available. If you are overseas visitor you would already have your own insurance. A very expensive walk for what you get.......Beautiful scenery, worth walking the cornish coast but not using 'Contours". To sum up, some swiss walkers doing the same sections claimed "beautiful walk, would love to come back and have time to take some photos."

In july I booked a 5 day walking holiday in Derbyshire through Contours Walking holidays. The reason I use companies like this rather than researching and booking myself on line is to make use of local expertise and ensure a successful trip. I have done this successfully a number of times with companies like Headwater and Inntravel and this is the added value they offer. It clearly did not work on this occasion. The accommodation was basic and in some cases inadequate. The bedroom at Hilbre in Buxton was cramped and the ensuite comprised a shower and toilet in a cupboard with the basin in the room. Our landlady was very pleasant but that did not make up for the inadequate facilities. I know there were better choices in Buxton The 4 Seasons at Castleton, was by far the best accommodation of the 3 we stayed in, albeit at the top of the house and the bathroom was not ensuite as we had been led to believe. The Little John Hotel at Hathersage was basic - poor service, no hot water initially in the room. I would not have chosen to stay at any of these B & Bs had I done the research myself. The information provided for the walks was inadequate and, in some cases out of date. The photocopied pages of an out of print book (this should have given us a clue) did not match the maps. the walks were not dog friendly as requested and we regularly had to carry our dog over stiles (thank goodness he is still a puppy). The paths, particularly on day 1 were badly overgrown and we both ended up with badly scratched legs by the end of the day. In addition, after walking 4 hours we gave up and called a taxi which cost £40 to take us to Castleton! This is exactly what i expect to avoid by using 'so called experts' and paying the mark up we did. The process of requiring full payment up front before providing details of the accommodation provided could be construed as sharp practice; by then it is too late to pull out if you don't like the look of the accommodation booked and you have to hope for the best! I was travelling with a friend and fellow walker from New Zealand which was another reason I wanted to make sure we had a good experience which the tour failed to deliver.

I have just returned from my third trip with Contours. The first two went without a hitch - accommodation and luggage transfer very good. However, in planning this trip there were issues about accommodation availability and cost for which we, at the last minute were expected to stump up a significant supplement. The discussions around this issue were unsatisfactory, with a very rude person on the end of the phone. The accommodation for part of the trip was unsatisfactory - the room was too cramped - and the transfer time had been booked without consultation. Very disappointing!

Recently my husband and I as well as my sister and her husband did the North to South Cotswold Way walk booked by Contours. We loved it. We walked from Chipping Campden to Painswick, England. The weather was wonderful and the walk was beautiful. We got turned around a couple of times but for the most part the book and the map provided by Contours help much. Contours made the arrangements for overnight stays at each village. I was disappointed in,"White Hart Inn", but the other places were excellent. White Hart Inn is more like an updated youth hostel but the food was great and the people helpful. The other places were so nice and the owners were great. My husband and I are thinking about doing an even longer Cotswold Way walk in the future. This walk was only 48miles but you can do a 100mile walk. I will say that some of the trails are steep and will definitely tire you out. The scenery is beyond beautiful and the pubs and B&Bs' and the people are so nice. I loved the cathedrals and Sudeley Castle. St. Peters Cathedral in Winchcombe is a must see with all of the gargoyles. Before we started our walk we took the Britrail to Edinburgh, Scotland and went to Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh is a great place with really nice people. After the walk we stayed in London and saw the sights of London. It was a memorable trip that I would recommend to anyone.

My husband and I recently walked 3 days along the Fife Coastal Path from North Queensferry to Anstruther organised through Contours. We loved the walk and would thoroughly recommend Contours. From the first inquiry via their website we found them to be very responsive and professional in their customer service and made the planning very easy, this was welcomed as living in Australia we had little local knowledge. The Information Pack was satisfactory, the accommodation was of high standard and well selected and located, luggage transfer happened effortlessly and they were readily available to answer pre-walk questions. The walk itself was nicely varied - enjoyed the urban pavement pounding least while best section for us was between the picturesque fishing towns in East Neuk - Ellie, Piitenweem, Anstruther. Overall a great experience and thanks Contours.

Overall we were very satisfied with the organization. Coming up to the trip all information were delivered well on time. Any exchange with staff via email or phone were always really friendly, helpful and professional. We walked from Ulverston to Caldbeck. Bags perfectly delivered in all overnight locations. The map was EXCELLENT.