How I got hooked on self-guided walking holidays

I wish I could remember how I first learned about self-guided walking holidays. The year was 2000. I was 26 years old, and my fiancé was 27. We had recently moved from Chicago to New York City for him to start his ER medical residency and for me to work as a strategy manager at a fashion dot-com start-up within a larger company. 

We were working gruelling hours. Our first chance to take a vacation was in the early fall of that year. Since both of us were avid hikers – and I was a Francophile planning the trip – I somehow stumbled upon a self-guided walking holiday through Haute Provence with Sherpa Expeditions, now known as Walkers' Britain

Haute Provence throwback |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i>

So, given the trip fulfilled both my requirements – hiking and France, I naturally booked it and bought our plane tickets for Paris that continued to Nice. 

Little did I know then, and as an avid traveller who would eventually spend a year backpacking around the world, that this inn-to-inn walking trip style would become my favourite. And a type of trip that my now husband and I would come back to repeatedly. 

In front of GR4 signage in Haute Provence |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i>

Why did I love self-guided holidays? 

From the moment we left Nice, taking a bus out of the city (the trains were on strike) and winding through the pretty rolling hills in the late afternoon light to our destination at St. Andre-les-Alpes, we could feel the stress and the noise of work and the city fall away. 

The proprietors of our first inn were welcoming and fed us a satisfying meal of steak and mushrooms paired with a cheese plate and wine. We fell asleep that evening full, with quiet country night sounds to lull us. 

In the morning, after an ample breakfast, we followed our route notes and hit the trail. 

We loved the feeling of only having to shoulder our day packs and puzzle out the path ahead, knowing our luggage would continue to the next inn without us. 

Eating a snack in Haute Provence |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i> Haute Provence throwback |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i> Haute Provence throwback |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i>
 

Over our week, as we repeated each day – a new lovely quaint inn, a vigorous beautiful walk to a pretty village, delicious meals of high-quality locally-sourced ingredients, and the freedom to enjoy, explore, and fully absorb our surroundings – I not only fell in love with the beauty of Haute Provence but the sense of quiet discovery to be found on self-guided holiday walking trips as well. 

Haute Provence scenery |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i> Haute Provence throwback |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i> Haute Provence scenery |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i> Janice's husband on the Jordan Trail in Haute Provence |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i> Pear tree in Haute Provence |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i>
 

Although it was years ago, and the highlights of this trip were many, I remember a few standing out. Like the beautiful views from Chapelle St. Jean near Castellane, hiking through the narrow paths of the Gorges du Verdon, or our unexpected candlelight dinner in an old and since-closed chateau near Riez that happened due to a waterlogged tree falling and damaging the electric wire. 

Beautiful picnic spot in Haute Provence |  <i>Janice Moskoff</i>

Through the years, we have repeated this walking trip style in the Alpujarras in Spain, the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, along the dramatic coastlines in Gozo, Malta, and the Green Mountains in Vermont. 

And as our kids, who are now teens, get older, it is a rewarding, slow travel way to explore the world that we plan to return to again and again. 

Words by Janice Moskoff. Janice is a travel writer, book lover, and blogger at Gather and Go Travel, a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations, emphasizing hiking, beautiful places, and discovery through learning.

Image credits: gatherandgotravel.com


France

Comment (0)



Comments are closed.
Join Newsletter
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/ADS.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Adventures South"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Adventure South</div>
Adventure South NZ is unrivalled in their geographic coverage, originality and overall quality of adventures holidays in New Zealand. Choose from walking, cycling, winter or multi-activity holidays, on either the North or South Island.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/AWH.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Australian Walking Holidays"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Australian Walking Holidays</div>
Australian Walking Holidays specialises in small group guided walking adventures. Since 1982 we have been guiding small groups of travellers on Australia's finest walks across our tropical, coastal or red centre landscapes.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/GCT.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Great Canadian Trails"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Great Canadian Trails</div>
Great Canadian Trails specialises in active holidays in Canada. With both guided and supported self-guided options available, our unique itineraries draw upon some of Canada's most inspiring parks, trails and landscapes from coast to coast.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/HUM.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Humac Challenge"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Huma Charity Challenge</div>
Huma enables those with adventurous spirits to challenge themselves and make a difference for a cause close to their heart. Travel, fundraise and meet life-long friends on one of Huma's meaningful and unique challenges around the world.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/WB.jpg?v2' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Walkers’ Britain"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Walkers' Britain</div>
Walkers' Britain (formerly Sherpa Expeditions) have specialised in walking and cycling trips in the United Kingdom and Europe since 1973. Explore iconic trails and destinations on a self guided or small group active holiday with Walkers' Britain.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/WB.jpg?v2' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Walkers’ Britain"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Walkers' Britain</div>
Walkers' Britain (formerly Sherpa Expeditions) have specialised in walking and cycling trips in the United Kingdom and Europe since 1973. Explore iconic trails and destinations on a self guided or small group active holiday with Walkers' Britain.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/TAS.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Tasmania Expeditions"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Tasmanian Expeditions</div>
Tasmanian Expeditions is the most experienced operator of treks and adventure travel holidays in Tasmania. We own and operate the most comprehensive range of adventure holidays available across Tasmania's varied landscapes.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/UTX-new.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Utracks"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>UTracks</div>
UTracks are the active European holiday specialists. Whether you prefer cycling or walking, 2-star or 4-star, small groups or self guided, land, river or sea – UTracks can help you to explore Europe exactly the way you want.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/WYA.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="World Expeditions Schools"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>World Expeditions Schools</div>
World Expeditions Schools is our specialist division dedicated to organising tailor made overseas school group adventures. Specialists in Service Learning projects, choose from more destinations than any other school group provider.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/YOM.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Yomads"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Yomads</div>
Yomads offers adventures for the 20s and 30s on six continents. Designed as a way to bring young and likeminded travellers together, Yomads caters to those interested in lightly structured and active trips that allow freedom to roam and explore.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/ACT.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Australian Cycle Tours"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Australian Cycle Tours</div>
Australian Cycle Tours specialises in high quality self guided and guided cycling experiences in a selection of the most beautiful regions in Australia.
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/WEX.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="World Expeditions"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>World Expeditions</div>
The pioneers of original, worldwide adventure travel holidays since 1975
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/TJX.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Trail Journeys"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Trail Journeys</div>
Self-guided cycling experts on New Zealand's Otago Rail Trail and more
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/BMAC.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Blue Mountains Adventure Company"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Blue Mountains Adventure Company</div>
The original Blue Mountains canyoning, hiking, climbing and abseiling experts
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/GWNZ.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="Great Walks of New Zealand"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>Great Walks of New Zealand</div>
Explore New Zealand's most spectacular wilderness regions with the self-guided hiking experts
<img src='/portals/World%20Expeditions/Icons/brands/small/NAA.jpg' class='brandPopoverIcon' alt="North America Active"> <div class='brandPopoverBrandName'>North America Active</div>
USA Canada hiking & cycling tour specialists, choose from self-guided or guided trips