On the Celtic Way

From beginning to end, the tour was beautiful.From the broad beaches of St Ives, brilliant in the sun, with open views, turquoise waters, little boats, and bothersome gulls to Helford Passage, its waterways, thatched cottages, and pretty secluded inlets, it was an England I hadn't seen before. Striding along the cliffs, we hoped Poldark might appear on his horse, but no luck here. Down steep paths to smuggler's coves, and up again, the sea and landscapes were striking. We were lucky to be given an unexpected visit and talk on the history of the Lizard Wireless Station. Falmouth with its winding streets and small Maritime Museum were memorable, as we strode along searching for the best ice creams. The moors of Devon seemed to stretch endlessly as we scrambled up hillsides among ancient standing stones. Chagford village was a delight. It was here we discovered St Michael's church, the mythic three hare symbol in paintings in the gallery, and yet more ice creams. Walks along shady lanes, across fields, up hills, and along mysterious large pools and stretches of the Teign River fired our imagination. Through the miles of Dartmoor's rolling hills with flocks of grazing sheep, stories of bleak moors and dark deeds returned to the mind. In France, St Malo is surely a city not to be missed. In the upper reaches of the town you find the ancient fortress walls, and buildings of interest. Mont Saint Michel too, perched on its rock on the edge of a vast bay, at the mercy of tides, is a magnificent abbey that will stand out in your memory forever. Belle Ile too, is incomparable with rugged beauty, steep cliffs, green fields under a wide sky, sea all around that will mesmerise you as you walk daily to see its most interesting places. It's easy to understand why the impressionists came to paint here. Our accommodation and food were so good everywhere, that we had a hard time working out comparative ratings. Gilles, our guide, led us through these adventures in his own unique style, forming us into an easy-going, happy little group that appreciated each place and appreciated this Walkabout tour, its organisation and its quality.

Time spent in England always resonates with memories from literature, movies and television and this trip did not disappoint. Wandering country lanes around Helford evoked images of Jane Austen's Emma and Mr. Knightly, or Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy. As we walked on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor, Heathcliff and Cathy drifted at the back of my mind (albeit somewhat south of their Yorkshire moors), and the beautiful Cornish coast and pitheads of old tin mines conjured images of Ross Poldark striding across the landscape. A flock of Cornish Choughs taking flight from their cliff edge roost reminded me of an episode of Doc Martin. Aside from my flights of fancy, each day's walk was a new and different adventure, interspersed with the classic English pub lunch and picnics overlooking panoramic views. Not to be outdone, Brittany was a feast for the eyes as well as in the culinary sense. I was enchanted by Belle Isle. We were particularly fortunate that for the period of our four day stay the Atlantic was like a mill pond. The coastal walks presented magnificent scenery, with something new as we rounded each headland. Not to be missed are the abundant and vibrant red/purple hydrangeas that appear to thrive in full sun on the isle. Of all the experiences on the Celtic Way, top of mind will always be the day we walked some 7-8 kilometres across the flats to Mont Saint Michel. There it was floating in the distance, always in front of us and slowly getting larger as we moved closer. Whether in England or France, returning to our hotels each evening was a treat. We were well catered for and there were some memorable meals. These were enjoyed with much fun and laughter within our group of nine together with our delightful guides Gilles and Pascale. As always, our guides left nothing to chance. Their care and attention to every detail was wonderful and, on some occasions, heroic as they covered twice the distance of our walk to ensure there was a bus waiting for us at the end. This was my third WGA tour and the care and attention of the guides seems to be a hallmark of Walkabout Gourmet Adventures.

This was my 2nd WGA walking holiday 2018 was my first the Italian Lakes and thoroughly enjoyed it. All 9 walkers were also repeaters. Devon and Cornwall which I have visited before were as beautiful as I remembered, but to discover it in a completely different way walking along the amazing coastal paths stunning scenery and most importantly away from the masses of tourists. Mont Saint Michel which had been on "bucket list" was as dramatic as I thought it would be and the wonderful way, we approached it. We parked some 5 kilometres away and then walked up through fields of sheep and getting closer and closer and away from the masses of tourist buses. Onto the surprise packet for me was the beautiful island of Belle Ile the amazing walks spectacular coastline and beautiful sunsets and the very interesting history, a wonderful walking holiday. The accommodation was excellent the food certainly lived up to the word gourmet. Especially the wonderful oysters nearly as good as the Coffin Bay oysters. Our brilliant guides Gilles and Pascal did a wonderful job looking after everyone and sharing their wonderful knowledge and bonus was the other wonderful guests on our walk which made it so enjoyable. Thank you, 4 days rest and off to Norway for my 3rd WGA walking holiday Peer Gynt's Trail.

I'm very glad I took the chance to travel with a friend and do a trip a bit out of my usual comfort zone. I was one of the few 'non-repeaters' in the group of 14 - and the oldest - but it was a great group, and Gilles and Pascal looked after everyone beautifully. The accommodation was excellent; varied in character and location and never bland-international-hotel style. The food in our Cornwall hotels was tops; superior to the cuisine in Brittany (but, as the French friends we stayed with after the tour pointed out, Brittany has never been one of the gastronomic high spots of France, so no surprises there. And they're very good at galettes!). The coastal walks in both countries were magnificent, with the moors and the standing stones as counterpoints. We were lucky with the weather, too - only one wet day, really - and escaped the heat wave that's currently tormenting Europe. Salut to Gilles and Pascal - they did a wonderful job.

Our second WGA and what an enjoyable trip!! The ever-changing, rugged scenery on this coastal walking holiday ensured each day was different and challenging. Our fellow walkers were fabulous company. Outstanding accommodation and comfortable hotel rooms, all with a view. The Citadelle Vauban on Belle Ile was our favourite for its uniqueness, atmosphere, exceptional architecture and beautiful grounds. Gilles and Dominique were a great team - thank you for sharing your knowledge, humour and enthusiasm to ensure we all had such a fabulous holiday.

We have undertaken many walking holidays in different parts of the world. On The Celtic Way appealed to us on numerous fronts. Firstly the regions of Cornwall, Devon and Brittany were very appealing. Secondly, the combination of interesting hotels and good food is what we enjoy after a day's hiking. And thirdly, Gourmet Walkabout has such a strong customer base of repeat clients that we were always confident that our experience would be equally good. We were in no way disappointed! Our guide, Gilles, was outstanding. He has a knack of understanding a diverse group of Australians and addressing their individual needs. He is enthusiastic, humorous, caring and adaptive. On several occasions he anticipated circumstances that called for adjustments to the itinerary. He was flexible enough to make changes that were totally appropriate and added to our enjoyment. The itinerary is not demanding for regular walkers. But it is well planned and incorporates a range of terrains, scenery and experiences. We even got to invite some friends to join us for a game of golf at a delightful resort in Cornwall. Our group was very harmonious and enjoyed sharing the experience. We put this down to the structure of the tour, Gille's leadership, and the success of WGA in attracting like minded people. We would certainly recommend WGA to our friends (just as they recommended it to us.

My first Gourmet Walkabout Adventure journey and how delighted I am that I worked up the courage to take this adventure. I thought that I was reasonably fit but by the end of the first day I wondered what I had let myself in for. Gilles and Dominique were fantastic and very encouraging, there to give a helping hand over a high style or down a very difficult path on a cliff slope. Would I like a photo taken I this fantastic spot etc. Each day got better and the sense of achievement grew and to be told at the end of the journey how well I had done was great. The accommodation was excellent and to stay in a Citadel was amazing. The food was delicious. A lovely group of fellow travelers. My family are so proud of me for undertaking such an adventure and I like to think that I will go again one day.

I chose this walk for the ease. Absolutely true, I did not use Voltaren once. That does not mean that were not undulations, dramatic ups and downs but for some reason totally manageable. This tour was a fabulous surprise. The scenery was beautiful - rugged, stunning and variable. Each hotel was memorable in its own idiosyncratic way, both the rooms and the food. Every room had a lovely view. As a single I was not stuck somewhere out the back. I had never been to Cornwall before and was expecting scenery as seen in the TV show, Doc Martin. This did not really eventuate but what I saw was dramatic in a gentle way. Even walking past sedate, grazing, free-range beautiful looking cows on top of a cliff top as we walked down to a low tide beach was a unique experience. While I had seen some of the country on the French section, it was good to revisit and see it in an un-hassled manner. There is nothing like walking and taking your time in the countryside. However, for me, the outstanding section was BeIle En Mer. This was again, truly, a unique experience. The colour and the drama of the coastline was magnificent, especially the blue-green sea. The tour was very lucky to stay in The Citadel, the fortress of the island. The accommodation, the gardens, the ambience and the food were all outstanding. I know that I will return to this island again as it is glorious. Everything about this trip seems to run smoothly under the caring eye of Gilles, the tour leader. I could not fault it and did not want it to end. So, to all the people on the tour, I cannot thank you enough for making this a memorable trip. Your companionship as well as the tour itself has been one of the best experiences I have had while I have been roaming around.

I LOVED this walking tour! This is my 9th walking tour with WGA and, whilst I can never decide which I liked the best, this one would have been "up there". I am 10 years older than the year I did my first tour with WGA which means that I have just (actually yesterday) joined the Septugenarian club (if there is such a thing)! Cornwall and Devon are far more fascinating than one at first imagines. Gilles, our guide, made them even more so with his attention to detail. The tour is well thought out, taking us to very interesting and exciting places. We had Brexit thrown in for good measure - very interesting times. In France we visited Mont St Michel, walking in from a different direction to most tourists. Belle Ile in Brittany is a magical island with so many surprising nooks and crannies. Our hotels, both accommodation and service were all top class and the food always topical and delicious. We had a very cohesive and happy group of 8 walkers, whom Gilles ensured were all happy and satisfied. Great value for money, too! Thanks Gabriella and Graham and a very special thanks to Gilles. See you again soon. With very best wishes.

This was an excellent tour, ably led by the inimitable Gilles and Gabriella. We stayed in excellent hotels of great charm, especially Budock Vean at Helford in Cornwall. We had excellent regional cuisine, and even some good beer. The walks in Cornwall and Devon were very picturesque with the "Lizard" walk the probable highlight. Then over to Britanny, the walled delights of St Malo and the splendid spectacle of Mont St Michel. Then the final delight of the aptly named Belle Ile en Mer. We had three spectacular coastal walks, with endless vistas of the sea and cliffs, punctuated by gorgeous seaside villages, including Sauzon with its colorful harbour, boats and houses and where it seemed many Citroen CVs had gone to retire. We channeled our inner Monet at les Aiguilles du Coton. Those braver than I swam in the Atlantic and walked around the observation deck of the Grand Phare, 40m above the island. Thanks Gabriella and Gilles for a memorable two weeks.

We had visited relatives in southern England prior to the trip starting. The hotel in Exeter was great as we had been told it was not much but as we found out the hotel had been changed. Buddock Veine our first stop was one of the nicest hotels to stay in. The fact that they had a dress code for dining was very nice and the food and service matched the dress code. The walks were very pretty especially the Cornish coast and lunch at lizard where we tried pastys and fudge. Mill End at Chagford was very nice and the general store at Chagford was something to see. A pleasant walk up to the castle before we went to the ferry for our overnight crossing to France. St Malo was nice but the lunch at the oyster farm was special. The cathedral trip was something else walking back to the bus in the wind and rain. The highlight would have to be Belle Ille with lovely walks ,swims in the Atlantic and a lovely hotel. This was a place mostly not heard of by tourists. And to get back to Paris for the start of the sales. In Paris we did a short River and canal trip which is worth while if you have not done it. Gabriella and Gilles were at there usual best. Liz and myself would have no hesitatation recomending this trip

This was a true holiday as I was able to relax completely, and felt the benefit of this for weeks afterwards. The first thing I noticed was that several of our group had been on these tours before, some multiple times. It soon became apparent why people came back for more. The environments chosen for walking were what I hoped for - the drama of spectacular coastal trails, the lovely moorland rambles, or the deep shelter of green English lanes - all were delightful in their own way. Accommodation was very satisfactory, comfortable, attractive, and on Belle Isle superb location. I liked the pacing of the program - not too much moving from place to place but certainly enough variety for all the stays to be interesting. As well, the pace of the walks was always comfortable, so that one was never over- stretched yet pleasantly tired at the end of the day and ready to settle down for drinks and dinner. My only responsibility was to keep some sort of track of the eating and drinking, but that took care of itself. It seems the indulgent breakfasts and excellent dinners with their wine accompaniments - every day! - must have been offset by all the fresh air and exercise, because there were no repercussions at all. I would like to walk again with you.