Please note - all places at the Howard Arms are now sold out. There are places available at a lovely airbnb, 2 minutes walk from the Howard Arms. Tickets there are still full board, with meals taken at the main venue. Extra nights are not available at the airbnb.

This is a fully guided walking holiday with a difference! We have selected a series of 7 to 10 mile walks all within a maximum of 40 minutes travelling from our base at the wonderful Howard Arms in Brampton, Cumbria. We will be exploring the Solway Coast with its delightful villages and beaches, the North Lakes area featuring Ullswater, Skiddaw and majestic Blencathra, across to Dumfries and Galloway as well as the Eden Valley and North Pennines.

Each evening we will look at the weather forecast and aim for the area with the best weather conditions the next day, we’ll then head off after a delicious breakfast to our chosen walk. We are sure you’ll have a terrific time on this mystery adventure! Andy, Matt and (qualified walking guide) Tony look forward to welcoming you on what will be a very memorable 4 day holiday.

• Accommodation at the Howard Arms Hotel in Brampton, Cumbria for four nights

• Transport to and from the walk start and end point

• Breakfast and dinner at the hotel, plus packed lunch for each walk

• Qualified mountain leader with huge experience and great local knowledge

• Evening ukulele entertainment, including a concert from Warehouse of Thieves, Ukulele Quiz Night, Ukulele Workshop and a Big Sing & Strum Evening with local group, Ukes Akimbo

The cost is £699 per person, based on two sharing, or £849* for a single traveller. Rooms can be configured with double or twin beds, and we’ll confirm that with you closer to the date, as well as providing a full itinerary.

*(This is a small group, very friendly and inclusive trip, and has been popular with solo travellers. We’re sorry about the extra charge for people travelling independently - but in order to make the trip viable, we have to get a certain amount in per room to cover our costs, hence the supplement).

The Walks

Each day we will tackle a 7 to 10 mile fully guided walk. A minibus will transport our small group from our accommodation to the walking start point, and collect us at the end for our return to base. We will be staying on a full board basis, with a substantial packed lunch to take out with us. There will be nothing over-challenging in these gentle walks but a certain level of fitness will be required. It isn’t a route march, and there’s time to stop and admire the views. But they are fairly long walks over some rough terrain, so you’ll need to be able to manage that.

After arrival on Monday, we’ll walk on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with a slightly shorter programme on Friday, to allow those who are departing to do so in good time (accommodation and evening meal is not included on the Friday, but an extra night can be booked for an additional charge).

Your Guides

Tony Dewes – Lead guide

Well, what hasn’t Tony done? He has been a qualified mountain leader for decades and a working member and training officer with Mountain rescue so you’re in very safe hands! He has led countless guided walks on the Coast-to-Coast path and Hadrian’s Wall, as well as treks in Bolivia, Peru, Costa Rica, Mongolia and many other places. His local knowledge is second to none and he is renowned for cheering the way with witty anecdotes! He is also (of course) a very keen ukulele player.

Andy Webster
Andy is an avid walker and is at his happiest when in the fells taking in the views or playing one of his beloved ukuleles! He has walked the Hadrian’s Wall path in its entirety twice and walked sections of the walk countless times. He has also completed the Pennine Way, St Cuthbert’s Way, climbed most of the fells and mountains of the Lake district and much of the 630 miles of the South West coast path.

Matt Warnes
While Andy and Tony are the fun ones, every event needs someone to sit in the office, pay the bills and deal with the admin. Thankfully Matt’s a worrier, so that will be his role!

Your Accommodation

Our party will be based at the wonderful Howard Arms Hotel in the centre of the pretty market town of Brampton, 10 miles from Carlisle. Owners Ruth and Andrew have created a friendly, welcoming atmosphere with cosy bedrooms, a roaring open fire and of course, sumptuous food and drink.

We will stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis and they will also provide us with a packed lunch to take with us each day. An area of the restaurant is reserved each evening, specifically for our group. We will of course ask you for any dietary requirements nearer the time.

The hotel has won multiple awards and is a vibrant, successful venue with a hardworking team at your disposal.

Entertainment and Activities

The Howard Arms has a lovely function room where we will hold our nightly ukulele events. These will be in the form of a relaxed concert with Warehouse of Thieves one night, and on another, a big strum for you to join in with. This is led by Andy and his group Ukes Akimbo, of which Tony is a member. There’s also a fun relaxed quiz evening and an entertaining workshop from Andy.

We realise that after a day walking and a big meal people may be tired so the evening activities are optional and will take place after dinner and last only about 90 mins. However, you’ll be welcome to keep strumming if you’ve got the energy!

What’s Included

Four day fully guided walk. Four nights accommodation on a full board basis. (Optional 5^th night on 29^th - for £109, bed and breakfast, for two, or £89 for a single traveller).

Nightly brief (over dinner) of what to expect on the next days walk.

Transport to and from daily drop off and pick up points.

Carlisle is 8 miles away and a convenient point for public transport arrivals. We can transport you from Carlisle to Brampton at the beginning and end of the holiday, if required (confirmed nearer the time). There is free parking in Brampton.

All evening activities including workshop materials and a pdf downloadable song book.

What’s Not Included

You’d head home on the 18th, but if you’d prefer to stay an extra night, you can do that for an additional charge. Drinks at dinner aren’t included. Evening meal on Friday is not included.

Anything Else?

Closer to the event you will be issued with a pdf songbook, suggested packing list of equipment and will be contacted for details of your room basis (double or twin). This is a small-group trip, but should the hotel accommodation sell out, we may add the option for a limited number of other places, staying at Airbnb properties in Brampton.

Walker Feedback

Our recent walking and ukulele holidays have all taken place in the same venue, covering Hadrian’s Wall highlights and the North Pennines. These events were a huge success and we received the following comments from walkers, amongst many others:

Definitely a trip to remember! Stephen R.

Thanks for a great time this week. Please pass on our thanks to Tony for his jokes, Trevor and Dave for ferrying us around and all at Ukes Akimbo for making us feel so welcome. Keith P.

Many thanks for organising a great trip along Hadrian’s Wall. A brilliant holiday. Sue S.