We had a spectacular trip. We did a self-guided trip in Piemonte and Tuscany/Umbria. The hotels were much nicer than we expected. Very comfortable and the owners/proprietors were so helpful. The transfer of luggage each day was seamless!
The routes were generally well marked and the app was very good. We didn't need anything more than the app. Only got lost twice which I'd say is pretty good. The routes were a bit more challenging than we expected. We choose two hikes which were marked as 'Introductory - Moderate' which were tougher than we expected. So just pay attention to this. At home, we would consider ourselves quite capable of moderate+ trails, but the classification in Italy is a bit more demanding.
Glad we wore hiking pants as we went through a lot of grasses so never had a concern about tics. Also were very happy we had hiking sticks with us. Invaluable on many of the trails.
I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a hiking trip. And absolutely no problem doing the self-guided version.
Thank you!!
Griffy and Marg
We loved our walking trip the land of Barolo and Barbera. We learnt an enormous amount about the Piedmont and experienced firsthand the vineyards and wineries of the area. The scenery was amazing. The walk was easy to intermediate but we had some extremely hot weather which was unexpected, making the walk more challenging, but without the heat it would’ve been a very pleasant and manageable walk. Accommodation along the way was terrific. The transfers and other administrative aspects of the walk went incredibly smoothly. The last hotel was amazing with Carlo the owner of the restaurant and hotel being an amazing chef and host. But many others were wonderful as well. The accomodation and restaurant in Cissone was also worthy of special comment. The trip notes said it may be possible to buy lunch along the way but it is generally best to be prepared with your own food. Sometimes there is nothing available or open. We would highly recommend the trip. We went back over the route by car two weeks later which expanded our knowledge and understanding and love of the area.
This trip was bloody amazing woohoo!!!
We hired one normal bike and one ebike. Both bikes were adequate. Our bikes didn’t have water bottle holders which would have been nice and the phone holders don’t allow you to swipe the phone map app easily. Bring your own phone holder if possible because you do need to refer to the mapping app quite frequently. We get lost easily and we survived so I think most people could operate the map app. The hotel accomodation was mixed which we liked. Sometimes an old place, sometimes luxury, sometimes modern. Our luggage was taken from place to place without a hitch. The trail was tiring for my wife but the ebike made it doable and the majority of the trail is on dedicated cycle paths with spectacular scenery. A wonderful experience for two Australians in their 60’s.
Fantastic trip! Well organised and everything went smoothly. Would probably split the two big 30+ days if I were to have my time again. The heat adds another level of difficulty. Accommodations were all different but all clean and welcoming. Meals were varied as we walked into different regions the food changed to what was local. We never had a bad meal or a bad stay anywhere. Highly recommend this trip through France. A nice quiet Camino compared to the Frances but far more challenging. Very enjoyable.
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, The Way of St. James, Le Puy-en-Velay, Golinhac, Conques, Livinhac Le Haut, Figeac, Cajarc, Limogne En Quercy, Lalbenque, Cahors, St-Privat-d'Allier, Lascabanes, Lauzerte, Moissac, Auvillar, Flamarens, Lectoure, La Romieu, Armagnac, Montréal Du Gers, Eauze, Saugues, Nogaro, Aire Sur L'adour, Miramont-Sensacq, Fichous-Riumayou, Sauvelade, Aroue, Saint Palais, Ostabat-Asme, St Jean Pied De Port, Les Faux, Aumont-Aubrac, Nasbinals, St-Chely-d'Aubrac, Espalion, Estaing
French Camino went smoothly. The baggage transport and accommodation could not be faulted. The owners of each house we stayed in were great hosts, not to mention excellent chefs. The walk itself was well marked and the app that they provided was very accurate. Would use them again!!!!
This holiday was made extra special for us by the professionalism and kindness of the Headwater reps - Tony & Ludmilla. The one day when we got soaked, they came to our rescue and collected us early with no no fuss whatsoever. Apart from that one day the weather was kind and the walks spectacular
We walked the Camino Norte which was spectacular and challenging some days. Overall we were very satisfied with UTracks. Their accommodations were basically good, sometimes we were pleasantly surprised and sometimes they were less than we hoped. We would consider booking again with UTracks.
San Sebastian, Santiago De Compostela, Noja, Galizano, Santander, Santillana Del Mar, Comillas, San Vicente De La Barquera, Bustio, Picos De Europa NP, Ribadesella, Colunga, Getaria, Villaviciosa, Gijón, Aviles, Soto Del Barco, Soto De Luiña, Cadavedo, Luarca, Navia, Ribadeo, Deba, Mondonedo, Abadín, Vilalba, Reguela, Sobrado Dos Monxes, Arzúa, Rua, Markina-Xemein, Gernika, Lezama, Bilbao, Castro Urdiales, Liendo
This was an amazing trip. Varied and interesting hiking, experienced authentic southern Spain, amazing history. Hosts in all the places we stayed were excellent, accommodations were stellar! And a special mention of the hosts at Posada San Marcos (Alajar) who coordinated the transportation, were helpful and knowledgeable about the area and provided a wonderful 3 night stay at the end of the trip.
Walk the quieter trails between historical Coimbra and Porto on stage two of the Camino Portugués. The second stage of our self guided walking route along the Portuguese Camino between Lisbon and Santiago takes you from the historic and lively university city of Coimbra through vineyards, woodlands and villages to Porto, set on the banks of the Douro River and famous for its port wine production. Throughout the walk there are ample reminders of past pilgrims and the route offers many insights into the religious significance of the Camino. The Portuguese Road, or Caminho Portugués, is considered by many as the most spiritually connected pilgrimage route. Following the path St James' body took to its resting place at the site of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the quieter Portuguese path offers a wealth of history and delightful landscapes to discover. Visually stunning in parts, there are many other advantages in walking the Portugués route.
We had a good time despite some rain for which I don't blame them! The hotels were all very different but nice and that was interesting. There was a good variety in the walks and things to see.
