Terms and conditions

General points about walking holidays


Although we have stressed the "easy" nature of some of our walking holidays, everything is relative - please bear in mind that hill-walking is potentially a strenuous activity. Our holidays are designed to be comfortably within the capability of anyone of "average" fitness and health, and across a wide age range BUT if you have done no hill-walking before, or feel you are not up to it, then it would be sensible to do some light training before coming on holiday. You want to enjoy your holiday after all. Clearly we don't want to scare people away and we believe our holidays do offer something for everyone. After all, if you don't want to walk, you don't have to. However, please don't think that walking up a hill requires no more effort than walking up the garden path. If in doubt, you should seek medical advice.


The price of your holiday includes:

For self-guided walks


Accommodation and meals agreed at the time of booking;
Transport of luggage (one bag / case per person) between accommodation on linear and circular walking routes;
Pack-including maps, local information, official route guide (where available) and our own route description(s), written by us.


For guided walks


Hotel accommodation, including breakfast on all walking days and day of departure, packed lunch on all walking days, and evening meal on all walking days and day of arrival;
Transport whilst on holiday-to start point and from finishing point of each day's walk (where necessary);
Guiding during walks;
Transfers to / from hotel from agreed pick up point (or free parking at hotel).


The price does not include:


Wine or other drinks with meals;
Travel to and from the holiday centre.


Booking


Please complete a booking form and return it with a deposit of £50 person, or pay a deposit via Paypal on our website.

Once we've received your deposit, we'll send you an invoice for the balance, which should reach us 6 weeks before the start of the holiday. (If the balance is not received by the due date we may have to regard the holiday as cancelled.)

When we've received the balance payment, we'll send you a kit list and joining instructions. If, for any reason, we cannot accept your booking, we will return your deposit immediately.


Cancellation by you


All cancellations should be made in writing please, and will become effective on the day we receive them. The deposit is forfeited on any cancellation by you. Any refunds will be subject to the following:
41-28 days before start of holiday: 80% of balance;
27-14 days before start of holiday: 50% of balance;
13 days or less before start of holiday: NIL


Cancellation by us


If we have to cancel a holiday for whatever reason we will, of course, make a full refund of any monies paid.


Insurance


It is essential that you are adequately insured against the usual sort of personal and medical holiday risks, including cancellation, the cost of repatriation, loss of personal effects etc.

We will not be liable for losses caused by circumstances beyond our control, such as natural disasters or industrial action.

We will not be liable for loss or damage to your personal effects, unless caused by our negligence.

Please remember that the Bondplus Insurance (referred to on page 33 of our brochure) is to protect your prepayments against our financial failure. It does not cover you against cancellation, loss of property etc.


Safety


Although we will, of course, take all reasonable precautions to avoid accidents, you should be aware that hill-walking, like all outdoor activity, does involve some degree of personal risk. We can take no responsibility for injury to any person whilst taking part in a Knobbly Stick holiday, unless arising from our negligence. Although Knobbly Stick holidays are not designed for the extreme walker, some degree of physical fitness is required.

You should inform us of any medical condition which may affect your safety or ability to take part in a walking holiday of this type. Whilst walking, all participants must adhere to the advice of the guide, and the group should stay together at all times, unless otherwise advised.

A full kit list will be sent as part of your holiday information pack, and we reserve the right to refuse to escort any walker who is, in the opinion of the guide, inadequately equipped.

We cannot, of course, guarantee fine weather on our holidays, and you should also be aware that much of the walking may be across rough terrain.


Security of prepayments


In accordance with the E.C. Directive on Package Holidays all clients booking with us are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies paid to us, including repatriation if required, arising from cancellation or curtailment of their travel arrangements due to our insolvency. Full details will be shown on the certificate sent with your information pack.


Other points

Normally, the maximum number of walkers on any trip is 10, and we reserve the right to cancel any holiday where fewer than 4 people are booked on it-in this case a full refund of all monies will, of course, be made.

We cannot allow dogs or other pets on our guided walking holidays. Sorry!

We are unable to accept young people under 18 years of age unless they are accompanied by their parents / official guardians, who will be deemed to be responsible for their supervision.

All details are believed to be correct at the time of publication. We do, however, reserve the right to change any information, including prices and itineraries before we accept a booking. You will, of course, be informed should this occur.


Footnote


Yes, we know...the Terms and Conditions are important. You really should read them and take notice of what they say.

But, when all's said and done, what a walking holiday should bring, possibly more than anything else, is a sense of freedom, and the joy that comes from being in the open air away from rules, regulations, red tape and all the many little annoyances of life. It has been said that one of the reasons people love our hills so much is that "Health and Safety" would never allow them.

We're certainly not advocating some kind of gung-ho approach to hillwalking. Clearly, as a ROAM activity provider (see page 4 of our brochure), we put our safety responsibilities at the top of our list of priorities. What we are saying, though, is simply that you should feel free to come and enjoy the magic of a few days on the hills of northern England or western Ireland, without being put off by a few rules and regulations.