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- Both full- and half-day walks available.
- Each walk led by an guide with over 35 years experience of leading guided walks in the area.
- Wheelchair-accessible and pushchair-friendly routes available.
- Where possible, all walks are easily accessible by public transport.
- No specialist walking gear at all needed for most walks - just a good pair of boots.
- Small groups, so no crowding.
- Discounted rates for families and group bookings.
- Secure online payment via PayPal.
- All walks can also be booked privately on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to guide availability).
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Derbyshire Heritage Walks offers a wide range of different guided walks. Many walks features a detailed exploration of the history of the area, told in clear and simple terms by an expert on the subject. Others are more scenic in nature, allowing you to enjoy the natural beauty of the Peak District and surrounding area.
Where possible, the start and end points of each walk are easily accessible by public transport, although a small number of walks do require your own transport, and all have car parking within easy walking distance of the start point.
We have a comprehensive schedule of walks, with most scheduled walks taking place at least once per month between March and October. Some walks are available until November, while others are available all year round (weather permitting). All of our walks can also be booked privately on the date of your own choosing by booking a Personal Walking Guide, subject to the availability of a guide - Please contact us for details of availability. A Personal Walking Guide also gives you access to other walks not listed on our regular schedule.
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Rails Through The Peaks 1 - The Monsal Trail
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Headstone Viaduct, Monsal Dale
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This walk is a gentle 9-mile stroll southwards along the Monsal Trail from Blackwell Mill to Bakewell. The route begins at Wyedale car park just outside Buxton and follows the Monsal Trail southward to its end at Bakewell Station. Along the way, it looks at the history of the line and the many small stations it passed through, plus the industries it supported. This walk is accessible by public transport from Derby, Sheffield and Buxton, and is suitable for walkers of all ages and abilities.
| Distance: 9.3 miles. | Duration: 5 - 6 hours. | Price: £20.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to October 28th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to October.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rails Through The Peaks 3 - Bakewell to Buxton
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Lime Kilns near Miller's Dale Station
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Our longest Monsal Trail walk, this is a 13-mile walk northwards along the Monsal Trail from Bakewell to Buxton. The route begins at the former Bakewell Station and follows the Monsal Trail northward to its end at Blackwell Mill. From Blackwell Mill, the route then follows the current railway line as closely as possible to a finishing point at the site of the former Midland Railway station in Buxton.
| Distance: 13.5 miles. | Duration: 6 - 7 hours. | Price: £30.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to October 28th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to October.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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The Industries of Monsal and Miller's Dales
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Cressbrook Mill
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A scenic walk following the River Wye through Monsal and Miller's Dales. Along the way, stops are made to look at the now-lost industries of the valleys, including the former cotton mills at Cressbrook and Litton and the massive lime works of Miller's Dale. From Miller's Dale, the route continues through the picturesque Chee Dale to Blackwell Mill, and ascends to the hilltop village of Blackwell. From there, the route continues on to the finish point at The Waterloo Hotel public house on the A6 between Taddington and Buxton.
| Distance: 11 miles. | Duration: 6 hours. | Price: Private group rates. |
Dates available:
Available as a private booking from March to October 2024 (subject to availability of guide).
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Prices for full-day walks include a non-refundable deposit. As these are full-day walks with few facilities along the way, please make sure to bring everything you need for the day, including plenty to drink.
Private bookings are also available for all of these walks on a date of your choosing between March and October via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).
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Rails Through The Peaks 2 - Miller's Dale to Bakewell
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Miller's Dale Station
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At 6.4 miles in length, our most popular half-day walk is a slightly shortened version of our full Monsal Trail walk, which can be done in a long afternoon. Starting at Miller's Dale Station, it misses out the first two and a half miles of the full walk through Chee Dale. Besides the reduced distance, this walk has the added advantage of step-free access onto the Trail at Miller's Dale and off it at Bakewell, making it fully suitable for wheelchair users and most mobility scooters.
| Distance: 6.4 miles. | Duration: 3 - 4 hours. | Price: £15.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from January 3rd to December 20th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Cromford - Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
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Greyhound Pond, Cromford
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A relaxed two-mile stroll around the historic mill village of Cromford, considered by many to be the true birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Along the way, the walk looks at the early pre-industrial history of the area, and the effects that the arrival of Richard Arkwright and his mill had on the village. The walk ends at the gates of Cromford Mill itself, where it is usually possible to join one of the Arkwright Society's own tours of the Mill, or simply wander around the Mill on your own.
| Distance: 2 miles. | Duration: 2 hours. | Price: £6.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from January 3rd to December 20th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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The Cromford Canal
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Leawood Pumphouse
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An end-to-end walk of the surviving western section of the Cromford Canal, looking at the history of the canal and the industries it once served. The walk begins at Cromford Wharf, which served the huge cotton mills of Richard Arkwright, and visits High Peak Junction and the nearby Leawood Pumphouse. From there, the walk includes the junction with the Nightingale Arm of the canal and Whatstandwell, finally ending where the line of the canal is broken by modern construction at Ambergate.
| Distance: 5.25 miles. | Duration: 3 hours. | Price: £6.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from March to November.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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The "Cromford Double" - Save 25% when you book both the Cromford Village and Cromford Canal walks on the same day! See here for details (link opens in new window).
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Belper's Lost Industries
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The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir, Belper
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This circular walk around Belper looks at the various lost industries of the world's first cotton mill town. This includes the cotton mills built by the Strutt family at the very beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the houses the family built for their workers, and the nail-making industry that pre-dated the arrival of the cotton mills. It also looks at the other industries which once provided employment for the town, including hosiery, confectionery, chemicals and engineering.
| Distance: 2.8 miles. | Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours. | Price: £5.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from January 3rd to December 20th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Belper's Wartime Secret
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A Cromwell Tank
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As seen on ITV News and featured on BBC Radio Derby, this circular walk looks at Belper's little-known wartime secrets. During the Second World War, Belper played a key role in the Allied victory. However, as those "in the know" never really talked about what they were doing, many people today have no idea of just how important a place it was. This walk tells the story of the secret wartime work that took place in Belper and visits the sites involved.
| Distance: 3.5 miles. | Duration: 2.5 hours. | Price: £5.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from January 3rd to December 20th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Prices for half-day walks include a small non-refundable deposit. As these are short half-day walks, you won't need much in the way of walking equipment apart from stout footwear and waterproofs. It is however advisable to also bring something to drink, especially if the weather is hot.
Private bookings are also available for all of these walks on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).
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Although still having something of a history theme to them, the "Rural Rambles" follow a more rural route than our other walks, so get you out into the beautiful Peak District countryside a lot more.
As these walks are of a more "cross country" nature, you will need more in the way of good quality walking gear such as boots, waterproofs etc, but most of the walks are still suitable for those of all abilities. Unfortunately, the more rugged terrain does mean that the majority are not suitable for those of restricted mobility.
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Rural Ramble 1: Edale to Castleton Circular
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View along the "Great Ridge" from Mam Tor
(© Rachel Docherty)
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This classic Peak District circular walk is our most popular walk and follows a route recently voted one of Britain's favourite walks. It begins and ends in the village of Edale, just a couple of minutes walk from the railway station. From there, it climbs up onto the "Great Ridge" between the Vale of Edale and the Hope Valley, following the footpath along the ridge to Lose Hill before dropping down into the village of Castleton. It then follows the famous closed road to the ancient hill fort of Mam Tor before dropping back down to the finish in Edale.
| Distance: 9.5 miles. | Duration: 5 - 6 hours. | Price: £20.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 23rd.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 2: Hartington, Wolfscote and Biggin Dales
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Wolfscote Dale
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Available in two different distances, this family-friendly walk starts in the pretty and popular village of Hartington. It then follows the River Dove through the wooded Beresford Dale to the spectacular rocky Wolfscote Dale. Leaving Wolfscote Dale via the rocky Biggin Dale, it then reaches the point where the two different routes of the walk diverge. For the shorter 6-mile walk, the route heads back to Hartington via quiet country lanes. The longer 9-mile route passes through the village of Biggin on the way to join the Tissington Trail. This former railway line is followed to the site of the old Hartington Station, where it leaves the trail and heads back via footpaths and lanes to the finish back in Hartington.
| Distance: 6 or 9 miles. | Duration: 3 - 5 hours. | Price: From £15.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 30th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 3: Three Villages and Five Wells
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Five Wells Chambered Tomb
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This circular walk begins and ends in the quiet village of Taddington. From there it climbs the hills above the village, which provide fine views of the surrounding countryside, on the way to the nearby village of Flagg and the haunted Flagg Hall. It then passes through the highest village in Derbyshire, Chelmorton, with its well-preserved Medieval fields, before stopping off at the Neolithic tomb at Five Wells on the way back to Taddington.
| Distance: 6 miles. | Duration: 2.5 - 3.5 hours. | Price: £15.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 30th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 4: Miller's Dale To Chelmorton Circular
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Chelmorton and Chelmorton Low
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This circular walk begins and ends at the site of the former Miller's Dale Station. Having followed the Monsal Trail to a tranquil trackway beside the River Wye, it then ascends peaceful rocky Dales noted for their wild flowers. Leaving the Dales, it crosses the fields to the hilltop village of Chelmorton with its well-preserved network of Medieval fields and the looming hill of Chelmorton Low. On the way back to Miller's Dale, it also stops off at the Neolithic tomb at Five Wells, which gives spectacular views across the Wye Valley to the hills beyond.
| Distance: 9.5 miles. | Duration: 4.5 - 6 hours. | Price: £20.00. |
Dates available:
Due to the temporary closure of Chelmorton Footpath 37 at Topley Pike, all bookings for this walk have been suspended until further notice.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 5: Ashford-in-the-Water to Bakewell via Magpie Mine and Lathkill Dale
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Sheepwash Bridge, Ashford-in-the-Water
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This popular almost circular walk begins in the pretty village of Ashford-in-the-Water and ends in the nearby town of Bakewell. Along the way, it visits the ruins of Magpie Mine, the last lead mine to have worked in Derbyshire, and the village of Over Haddon, home to a surprising connection with a very famous fictional secret agent. It also follows the River Lathkill through the tranquil Lathkill Dale before heading over the fields and hills to the entrance to Haddon Hall, and onwards to the finish in the centre of Bakewell.
| Distance: 9 miles. | Duration: 4 - 5 hours. | Price: £20.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 23rd.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 6: Six Dales Circular
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Monsal Dale
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A circular walk, starting and finishing in the pretty and popular village of Tideswell, and passing through a total of six scenic Dales. Beginning with Tansley Dale, it continues through Cressbrook Dale, Monsal Dale, Water-cum-Jolly Dale, Miller's Dale and Tideswell Dale. Along the way it passes through two of the earliest factories of the Industrial Revolution, and stops for lunch at probably the most famous viewpoint in the whole of the Peak District.
| Distance: 9.1 miles. | Duration: 5 - 6 hours. | Price: £20.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to October 30th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to October.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 7: Padley Gorge and Carl Wark
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Higger Tor as seen from Carl Wark
(© The Roaming Picture Taker)
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A circular walk beginning and ending at Grindleford Railway Station, which starts with a climb up to the Longshaw Estate above. From there, it heads off across the high moor, where it passes the base of Burbage Rocks, and climbs both the rock outcrop of Higger Tor and the hill fort of Carl Wark. It finishes with a descent of the wooded and very popular Padley Gorge.
| Distance: 7 miles. | Duration: 4 - 5 hours. | Price: £15.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 23rd.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 8: Youlgreave and Bradford Dale
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Bradford Dale
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This short circular walk begins and ends in the little hamlet of Alport, near Bakewell, and follows the road through the popular village of Youlgreave to the nearby village of Middleton-By-Youlgreave. There, it descends the dark and mossy Middleton Dale into the wildlife-rich Bradford Dale, following the river past Youlgreave, where the narrow wooded dale opens out into a broad grassy valley, back to Alport and the meeting of the Rivers Bradford and Lathkill.
| Distance: 4.5 miles. | Duration: 2 - 3 hours. | Price: £6.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 30th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 9: Tideswell to Monsal Head Circular
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Monsal Dale and Fin Cop Hill Fort
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A road-based circular walk, starting and finishing in the pretty and popular village of Tideswell, and passing through a number of iconic scenic Dales. The route of the walk uses quiet country lanes, part of the Monsal Trail, and firm-surfaced footpaths, so you can be fairly confident of avoiding the worst of the mud. Along the way it passes through two of the earliest factories of the Industrial Revolution, and stops for lunch at probably the most famous viewpoint in the whole of the Peak District.
| Distance: 11 miles. | Duration: 5 - 6 hours. | Price: £20.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to October 30th.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to October.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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Rural Ramble 10: Errwood And The Tors
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View from Shining Tor
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Available in two different distances, this walk explores the western edge of Derbyshire and its boundary with Cheshire. Starting with an exploration of the ruins of Errwood Hall, it then climbs up to the ridge above. Following the ridge-top path along the county boundary with Cheshire, it arrives at the highest point in Cheshire, Shining Tor. At this point, the 6-mile route descends through the woods to return to Errwood Hall, while the 9-mile route heads past the Cat and Fiddle Inn to Derbyshire Bridge, and follows the young River Goyt down Goyt's Clough back to Errwood Hall.
| Distance: 6 or 9 miles. | Duration: 3 - 6 hours. | Price: From £15.00. |
Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most weekends and selected weekdays from March 1st to November 23rd.
Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing from March to November.
For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.
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The price of each walk includes a small non-refundable deposit. As these walks are across more open and exposed terrain, you will need a little more in the way of equipment than you would for our other walks. At the bare minimum, you will need some good walking boots, waterproofs and a small rucksack, plus warm clothing where appropriate. We also recommend that you bring plenty of water and something to eat, as there is little chance to buy either along the way.
Private bookings are also available for all of these walks on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).
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In addition to the walks listed above, you can also book places on our walks that have been specially designed for wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and other persons of reduced mobility. You don't have to have mobility issues to book onto these walks, as they are open to everyone regardless of ability. Some of the walks already listed above are also suitable for persons of reduced mobility, but you also have the option of booking places on any of the following specialised walks:
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Pushchair-Friendly Walks
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Some of our walks are pushchair-friendly, lacking stiles or narrow gates that can be an issue for pushchairs, and following firm ground suitable for wheels. You can find details of our pushchair-friendly walks here.
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Private Bookings
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If you would like the exclusive services of your guide, you can make a private booking for any of our walks listed above by booking a Personal Walking Guide. A Personal Walking Guide also gives you access to a range of exclusive walks not available via our normal schedule.
For many walks, you can choose what time you would like to start the walk. This allows you to start at a time that is most convenient to you. For some walks, you can also choose an alternative start and end point for your walk. A Personal Walking Guide also allows you to increase the number of people on a walk from the usual limit of 8 or 10 up to (for most walks) around 30 or more.
How To Book A Personal Walking Guide
If you would like to book a Personal Walking Guide, please see here for how to make your booking, and here for the exclusive walks such a booking gives you access to.
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The Advantages Of A Private Booking:
- You choose the date and start time, so you can walk when it is most convenient for you.
- Walk at your own pace, so no racing to keep up with others or waiting for them to catch up.
- Get the exclusive services of your guide, who can tailor the content of the walk to your own requirements (within reason).
- Get access to a range of exclusive walks not available via our normal walks schedule.
- Private bookings can accommodate larger group sizes of up to 20 or 30 people on many of our walks.
- Discounted rates for larger groups available on many of our walks.
- Other discounts may be available for bookings made through recognised organisations.
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Payment
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You can book and pay for all of our scheduled walks quickly and easily online from the individual walk pages on this website. You can also pay for private bookings online too - e-mail us your booking request and we'll e-mail you back with the payment instuctions.
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We use PayPal to handle all online payments. This means that we never see your card details, so you can be assured of the security of your booking transaction. Even if you don't have a PayPal account, you can still pay via a credit or debit card and be assured that your card details are kept safe.
Don't like PayPal? No problem - By prior arrangement, you can also pay in advance by cheque or bank transfer, or even on the day by cash. Please contact us by e-mail prior to booking if you wish to use an alternative payment method and we will send you all of the details you need.
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Walking Calendar
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