Activity Holidays and Adventure travel
Let's start with walking, as this is reported to be the most popular 'activity' for the 'over 50s'.
Travel agents who specialise in walking holidays, escorted or independent, or in helping you to arrange your own walking itinery, include:
www.atg-oxford.co.uk
www.inntravel.co.uk (award winning 'best short breaks' company)
www.transcotland.com
www.cotswoldwalks.com
www.bathwestwalks.com
www.picoverde.com
http://www.myromania.com.ro/ (tailored tours in Rumania)
see section on 'Walking' ' in 'Developing Interests'
Possibly slightly more adventurous, and broader activities than just walking:
www.headwater.com
www.explore.co.uk
www.exodus.co.uk
www.timesonline.com/travel/active
and of course there are many other activities to get up to on holiday:
Cycling
www.atg-oxford.co.uk
www.headwater.com
www.countrylanes.co.uk
www.freewheelholidays.com (Europe)
www.skedaddle.co.uk (America & Europe)
www.explore.co.uk (America, Europe, Asia)
www.frenchcyclingholidays.com
www.alpineelements.co.uk (French alps)
Painting
www.andalucian-adventures.co.uk (Spain and UK)
www.paintgreece.com
www.atasteofrome.com (Italy)
www.rothaymanor.co.uk
www.travel-quest.co.uk/tq-painting.htm
Riding
www.unicorntrails.com
www.farand ride.co.uk
www.free-rein.co.uk
www.caeiago.co.uk (Wales)
www.kimmerston.com/riding_holidays.htm
Ballooning
www.ballooninignetwork.co.uk (west country)
www.RedLetter Days.co.uk (UK wide)
www.travel-quest.co.uk/tqactive.htm
Birdwatching
www.heatherlea.co.uk (Scotland)
www.midwalesbirdwatching.co.uk
www.birdquest.co.uk
www.birdsofbritain.co.uk
www.naturalist.co.uk
www.wildwings.co.uk (Galapagos)
Tennis
www.marksontennis.com
www.tennisholiday.co.uk (La Manga)
www.tuscanytennis.com
www.Affordable-Tennis-Holidays.com
Golf
www.frenchgolfholidays.com
www.lamangaspain.co.uk
www.longmeregolf.com
www.greensavers.co.uk
http://www.golfclubhirespain.com/ is a European golf hire company offering affordable golf club hire
Sailing
www.neilson.co.uk
www.seafarecruises.com
www.uk250.co.uk/SailingHoliday/
Snow shoeing
www.exodus.co.uk
www.atg-oxford.com
Windsurfing
www.neilson.co.uk
www.extremeholidays.com
www.crystalactive.co.uk
www.planetwindsurf.com
Narrowboat boating
www.willowwren.co.uk run a helmsman's course to make you road worthy
and for the opposite extreme
try a conservation holiday - www.btcv.org.uk - keep fit and save the planet
or join an environmental expedition - www.earthwatch.org
or work on a development project in the third world - www.different-travel.com
or just relax - www.lotusjourneys.com - yoga, detox and spa
www.sunparkliving.com - a community style resort in Lanzarote exclusively for active over 50s
Monica Tanaka has emailed us her thoughts on a unusual activity holiday, retracing the steps of an historic pilgrimage:
Camino de Santiago, The Way of St James
GET THOSE BOOTS ON!
The walking holiday is one that will suit the adventurous traveller seeking to challenge the mind and body. The main route of the Way of Saint James, know as the ŒCamino Frances¹, is a 800km footpath that has been travelled by pilgrims for more than one thousand years. Walk in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims through ancient villages and breathtaking countryside from the foothills of the Pyrenees to north-western Spain. The pilgrimage traditionally begins in the quaint village of Saint Jean Pied de Port and winds its way across northern Spain and terminates in Santiago de Compostela. It is not for the fait of heart, yet for many pilgrims it is their first long-distance walk. The Camino attracts people of all ages and of all levels of experience and fitness.
The following are links to maps, videos, FAQs and testimonials
… NHK UNESCO World Heritage video of the pilgrimage: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/669/video
… Wikipedia has a wicked history on the pilgrimage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James
… Rely on the Telegraph for FAQs: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/telegraph/04camino/040002d2.htm
… Helpful maps: http://mavarin.com/smaa/caminosa.gif http://studyabroad.tamu.edu/programs/images/mapa%20camino%20frances.gif
… All-round helpful site: http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/
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