Hillwalk Tours is a small walking holiday company based in Ireland. They focus exclusively on self-guided tours in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. They also cover the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and Kerry Camino and St. Kevin’s Way in Ireland. We especially love their focus on supporting rural communities and wildlife organizations and the level of details and support they provide for beginning walkers.
Review of Hillwalk Tours Website
Hillwalk Tours has an exceptional website with one of the most comprehensive FAQ pages we’ve seen, which is why they’ve earned our Search Star. Their site is easy to navigate and browse by various categories. We love their search By Theme, which includes Hidden Gems, Easier & Beginner, Coastal, History & Archaeology, Pilgrimage and our personal favorite — Pubs & Music. They pull out routes that are Best for Groups as well, which is something we rarely see other websites offer. Itinerary details include everything except examples of lodging — they do a good job describing what to expect but some accommodation photos would be nice. Their Travel Info section for each trip is fabulous, including links for every form of transportation and focusing on more sustainable forms of transit.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Hillwalk Tours rates Gentle Walks at 8-11 miles per day — just because the walks are easier than others doesn’t mean the distance is short.
Things to like about Hillwalk Tours
- Consistent 5-star reviews on Google, TripAdvisor, TrustPilot and Facebook
- All routes are personally walked by Hillwalk Tours and route notes are continually updated
- Comprehensive trip packets designed for beginner walkers and foreign travelers; includes unique detailed route notes, detailed packing lists, safety tips, electrical outlets and phone service notes, suggestions for dining and local attractions, print maps and GPS files, waterproof map case, 24hr emergency contacts and local history
- Provides info about the trail itself (history, etc.) rather than just the itinerary
- Provides miles and feet (much appreciated!)
- Smart marketing: they donate money to wildlife charities when walkers share trips on social media
Route Types
- Inn to inn hiking
Destinations include
- Ireland
- Spain (Camino de Frances)
- United Kingdom
Great choice for
- Anyone new to walking holidays — their trip packets and website show a strong emphasis on supporting beginners so we know you’ll be in good hands with Hillwalk Tours
- Hikers who love to read and learn about the area they’re visiting — Hillwalk Tours does their research for each route and they share that wealth of info in each trip packet
Established in 2009
last reviewed March 12, 2023
Hillwalk Tours is listed in our 10 Easy Walking Holidays for All Ages.
