
Office hours: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30; Sat 09:30 - 13:00
Office hours: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30; Sat 09:30 - 13:00
Office hours: East Coast USA: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30 (04:00 - 12:30 local time); Sat 09:30 - 13:00 (04:30 - 08:00)
West Coast USA: Mon - Fri 09:00 -17:30 (01:00 - 09:30 local time); Sat 09:30 - 13:00 (01:30 - 05:00)
Office hours: Ottawa: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30 (04:00 - 12:30 local time); Sat 09:30 - 13:00 (04:30 - 08:00)
Vancouver: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30 (01:00 - 09:30 local time); Sat 09:30 - 13:00 (01:30 - 05:00)
Office hours: Canberra: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30 (20:00 - 04:30 local time); Sat 09:30 - 13:00 (20:30 - 24:00)
Office hours: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30 (22:00 - 06:30 local time); Sat 09:30 - 13:00 (22:30 - 02:00)
Office hours: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30 (check internet for local time equivalent); Sat 09:30 - 13:00
“The mountains are calling, and I must go”
So said the great man of the mountains, John Muir, and it’s a sentiment that resonates with many a walker. The soaring peaks and clear air, meadows bursting with wild flowers, and the gentle music of cow bells are salve to the soul. There’s really nothing quite like reaching a magnificent view and stopping to drink in the majesty of the mountains.
Does that sound appealing? Then do take a look at our Alpine routes for your next walking holiday. From France to Slovenia we have itineraries that will suit hikers looking for everything from modest mountain walking to something a bit more challenging. None of them require serious mountaineering experience, but all will reward with heart-stopping views and a huge sense of achievement.
Visit the Dolomites in northern Italy for towering rocky peaks and tree-clad valleys. You’ll journey from the Germanic influences of the South Tyrol to Italian Cortina, stopping at a jolly mountain refuge on the way. It’s a short summer season, so do plan ahead!
Still in Italy, a gentler route on the fringes of the Alps will take you from Lake Maggiore with its lovely island villas and gardens, to the top of Mottarone – quiet in the months when the winter sports facilities are deserted. Descend to little Lake Orta, with cultural and spiritual sites to visit and plenty of restorative Piedmontese food and wine to sample.
At the southwestern tip of the Alpine range, the Alpes Maritimes descend through France to the coast at Menton. Here the medieval villages perchés are the highlights, with mazes of tiny, winding streets and cosy cafes. On reaching hilltop Ste Agnes, the view of the Mediterranean suddenly opens gloriously before you.
At the opposite eastern end of their massif, the Alps tip into Slovenia, where our Slovenian Highlands route will take you into the lower reaches of Triglav, the national peak. It’s a land of steep valleys, tumbling waterfalls, and crystal clear lakes, complemented by hearty cooking and some great Slovenian wines and beers. Finish your holiday in style with a visit to picturesque Lake Bled.
Among the many thousands of lovely, historic villages in rural France are 172 that are designated as Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. And we’re proud to say that with the recent addition of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, there are now no fewer than five of these beautiful places on our Dordogne walking holiday route. Our local contact, Emily Stokely, has been telling us more about this highly-sought-after classification.

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne recently joined the Beaux Villages list

Rocamadour
“The organisation Les Plus Beaux Villages de France was created in 1982 by the then mayor of Collonges-la-Rouge (14km north of Beaulieu) with the cooperation of 66 like-minded mayors from across the country. Their objective was simply to harness the pride and passion local inhabitants held for their beautiful villages, partly in order to protect their remarkable heritage but also to provide a counterbalance to the exodus of rural populations to the cities and to promote these delightful places to visitors.
“To become one of the Beaux Villages, a commune must show its determination to preserve its local heritage. It must have a maximum population of 2,000 and at least two monuments registered as of historic importance or cultural heritage, as well as commitments to conserving the buildings, environment and social fabric of the village.”

Autoire

Carennac
On Foot Holidays’ self-guided walk through the middle-Dordogne and its hinterland visits five villages which have this certification.
At Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, narrow streets lead from the abbey to the serene river, and at Autoire you’ll find medieval buildings that have survived through many periods of war and upheaval. Next comes Loubressac, at its ridge-top vantage point above three valleys, and then Carennac, where you should look for the intricately carved tympanum above the door of the church.
Rocamadour is the best known village on your route, and has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th century. Setting aside its obvious attractions for modern-day visitors, it is worth seeking your own link in this age-old chain of those who have come to climb up to the holy site and marvel at its miracles.

Venasque

Sainte-Agnès
Two more Beaux Villages are visited by On Foot routes elsewhere in France. In Northern Provence, you’ll start your hike at Venasque, surrounded by vineyards and cherry orchards, and in the Alpes Maritimes region the village of Sainte-Agnès perches above the valley, 700m high but only 3km from the sea.
If you have caught up with last week’s newsletter you will know a bit more about On Foot’s fearless leader Simon Scutt, than you did before. However, those that know Simon best will have noticed that mention of one of his key interests was omitted: wine. Serial On Footers may also have spotted the suspicious tendency of our walks to traverse through good wine regions – indeed that may well be why you are serial On Footers…
Speaking on the role of wine in an On Foot walk, Simon says: “As a walker you are part of the landscape, just as the vine is. What is more, the very vines through which you have been walking may well be the same that have produced the wine you are drinking. Most European wine grown in small family vineyards stays in the region – even in the village; that puts the walker in direct touch with the soil.
“It is not wine country generally that appeals to the walker, but a particular scale of operation and depth of history and tradition, that the old European wine areas have managed to sustain in such abundance.”
“Likewise the wine is an integral part of the culture of the region, and the true, thinking walker is in touch with the soul of the locale – it is a function of this pace of travel; slow and considered, as the old-fashioned vintner is in his vineyard, cutting and pruning with deft care, weighing up each bunch of grapes to decide whether it is suitable for the style of the wine that he has in mind before snipping it off, carefully, so as not to damage the grapes. He or she has a son, a daughter, maybe a grandchild, learning through watching, and if the spurious glamour of modern life does not waylay the child, he or she will be there to carry on the tradition as “fils” or “hija”, proudly waiting to welcome that next set of walkers from all over the world, and to explain the way that wine is produced in the family vineyard.”
Did you know? You can filter routes on our website by selecting a specific interest such as ‘wine’ or ‘archaeology’. Simply navigate to the homepage, select ‘refine your search’ and scroll down to ‘interests’.
It’s true that there is a unique recipe to crafting the best On Foot walks and wine is most firmly on the ingredients list. Although best experienced with friends old and new and after a good day’s walk, there is no reason at all why you should not be able to enjoy a taste of abroad from your own home. We have asked Edgar, one of our hoteliers from the Castles of the Rhine route to share a few words on the wines from his home town, all of which are available to purchase online (see below). He says:
“Starting in Bingen [night one of the On Foot walk], the most well known vineyard is Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg. Then passing Bacharach is of course Bacharacher Hahn, a unique vineyard which belongs to the family Jost, and they make astonishing Riesling. Moving on to Oberheimbach, Dr Kauer is Professor for Organic Viticulture at the University of Geisenheim, and of course makes a very good eco-wine.
“Then in Kaub, of course is the best wine on the tour…no doubt about it. [Edgar’s hotel is in Kaub!] We live on the sunny side of the river and so our wines are superior! I should also mention that nearby Asmannshausen is a special place for the best pinot noirs in Europe. It is an enclave founded years ago by Cistercian monks from Clairvaux, Burgandy. But you know, after Kaub the world is finished anyway… ;)”
Thanks Edgar! Our Castles of the Rhine route is one of many On Foot walks that pass through notable areas for wine production and we will be sharing more information on these in the coming weeks.
Follow the links below for ideas on where to buy the wine online but shop around for the best prices! Please note that the links are examples only and On Foot Holidays has not tested any of these online providers.
Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg – Riesling. Best producers (may not be available outside of Europe) are Breuer, Kesseler and Bishop.
Bacharacher Hahn – Riesling.
Dr Kauer – Riesling.
Asmannshausen – Pinot Noir.
IN OTHER NEWS:
You may remember a few weeks ago that we mentioned that Kalypso, one of our hosts in Monodendri, Greece, had decided to close the doors of her guesthouse to allow herself to focus on other things. In response to the lovely messages you sent her, she said:
“I appreciate also that you sent me the messages of our clients. To tell you the truth, I got emotional; I was enjoying working with clients from you and I remember very well the contact with them. Please tell them if you can that I want really to thank them and I am very happy for their messages!”
Until next time and with very best wishes from us all at On Foot Holidays.
Simon Scutt (Director) and all the team
On Foot Holidays

