Encounter Walking Holidays Ltd

What Encounter Walking Holidays Ltd does

Encounter Walking Holidays Ltd is a privately held UK tour operator specialising in self-guided walking holidays, primarily along the South-West Coast Path and select inland trails including the Mendip Way and Wales Coast Path. Founded circa 2005 and operated by a small team of approximately five employees (CEO Emma Johnson, four Travel Designers, and finance), the company designs and delivers bespoke multi-day itineraries for independent walkers, with all logistics—accommodation booking, luggage transfers, route notes, mapping resources, and 24/7 emergency support—handled in-house. Pricing is per-person and varies with itinerary, group size, and accommodation tier, with indicative products such as the Classic Cornish Short Break (~£600 per person, 3 nights) and longer SWCP sections priced up to £1,260 per person; deposits of 25% or £150 are taken at booking with the balance due eight weeks before departure. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via the company website, email, and telephone, supplemented by a mobile app launched in December 2024 for iOS and Android that supports walkers in-trip. Revenue is generated through holiday package sales and ancillary admin fees for itinerary changes, with the business holding ABTOT bonding, Green Tourism certification, and a 4.9 average customer rating across 2,000+ walkers served.

Name

Encounter Walking Holidays Ltd

Legal name

Encounter Walking Holidays LTD

Website

https://encounterwalkingholidays.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Self-Guided Walking Holiday Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)

akta.pro primary industry

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF)

Keywords

• Self-guided walking holidays
• Coastal path tours
• Luggage transfer services
• Walking holiday packages
• UK trail holidays

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Walking Holiday Packages: All-inclusive self-guided walking holiday packages including accommodation in B&Bs/guesthouses/hotels, breakfast, luggage transfers, detailed route notes, maps, 24/7 emergency support, and pre-departure information pack. Pricing is per person based on group size, itinerary length, and accommodation tier selected. Deposit of 25% or £150 per person (whichever is greater) required at booking, with balance due 8 weeks before departure.
2. Custom Itinerary Design Services: Bespoke route planning and personalization services included in holiday packages. Admin fees charged for post-booking changes: £25 for One Centre Stay, £50 for up to 10 nights, £100 for up to 20 nights, £150 for 20+ nights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Encounter Walking Holidays designs and delivers bespoke self-guided walking holiday packages along the South-West Coast Path and other UK National Trails. Each package includes hand-picked B&B, guesthouse, or hotel accommodation with breakfast, door-to-door luggage transfers, detailed route notes and maps, a personalised day-by-day PDF itinerary, a pre-departure information pack, and 24/7 emergency support, sold direct-to-consumer with pricing quoted per person based on group size, route length, and accommodation tier.

Product overview

Encounter Walking Holidays Ltd operates a portfolio of self-guided walking holiday packages centred on the South-West Coast Path and select inland UK trails. The core offering is a suite of route-specific walking holidays (products: SWCP Section 4 St Ives to Penzance, SWCP Section 5 Penzance to Falmouth, SWCP Section 6 Falmouth to Plymouth, SWCP Section 9 Lyme Regis to Poole, Classic Cornish Short Break, The Mendip Way), each booked as a discrete self-guided package with accommodation, luggage transfers, maps/guidebooks, and 24/7 support included. Cross-cutting add-on modules serve specific traveller segments: Rail to Trail Holidays (sustainable rail-integrated departures), Group Walking Holidays (for parties of 4+ with discounted pricing), and Dog-Friendly Walking Holidays (pet-welcoming routes). Supporting sub-products include Maps & Guidebooks (OS/A-Z mapping + Trailblazer guidebooks + personalised PDF itineraries), a Luggage Transfer Service, and 24/7 Emergency Support. Walkers interact with the company via a Trip Planner/Quote Request tool and a mobile app (iOS/Android). All holidays are customisable, with pricing based on group size, accommodation tier (standard/upgrade), and duration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Self-Guided Walking Holidays Bespoke, self-guided walking holidays along the South-West Coast Path and other UK trails, with accommodation booking, luggage transfers, route planning, and 24/7 support included. Sold direct-to-consumer.
• SWCP Section 4: St. Ives to Penzance A 5-night/6-day self-guided walking holiday covering 41 miles (66 km) through West Cornwall's mining heritage landscape from St Ives to Penzance, passing Land's End.
• SWCP Section 5: Penzance to Falmouth (The Lizard Peninsula) A 6-night/7-day self-guided walking holiday covering 62.1 miles (100 km) around the Lizard Peninsula, from Penzance to Falmouth, featuring wild coastline, serpentine rock formations, and rare flora.
• SWCP Section 6: Falmouth to Plymouth An 8-night/9-day self-guided walking holiday covering 77.1 miles (124 km) from Falmouth to Plymouth, traversing historic harbours, fishing villages, the Eden Project area, and ending at the Cornwall/Devon border.
• Classic Cornish Short Break A 3-night/4-day self-guided short walking break covering 30 miles (48.3 km) from Mevagissey to Fowey or Looe in South Cornwall, ideal for first-time walkers or those short on time.
• SWCP Section 9: Lyme Regis to Poole (Jurassic Coast) An 8-night/9-day self-guided walking holiday covering 84.5 miles (136 km) along the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast from Lyme Regis to Poole, featuring fossil hunting, Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, and Portland.
• The Mendip Way A 4-night/5-day self-guided walking holiday covering 51 miles (82 km) across the Mendip Hills in Somerset, from Weston-super-Mare to Frome, visiting Cheddar Gorge, Wells Cathedral, and Glastonbury.
• Rail to Trail Holidays Sustainable travel packages combining rail transport with self-guided walking holidays, departing and arriving by train at over 15 UK locations to reduce carbon footprint.
• Group Walking Holidays Self-guided walking holidays for groups of four or more walkers, offering discounted pricing, priority accommodation access, coordinated luggage transfers, and group transport logistics.
• Dog-Friendly Walking Holidays Self-guided walking holidays that welcome dogs, with dog-friendly accommodation, baggage transfer for pet supplies, and routes across UK trails suitable for four-legged companions.
• Encounter Walking Mobile App Mobile application for existing walking holiday customers, providing route information, maps, route notes, real-time trail updates, and access to emergency contacts during their walking holidays. Available on iOS App Store and Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ Happy Walkers have completed walking holidays
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Accommodation ProviderscoreOthersNetwork of local B&Bs, guesthouses, and hotels along walking routes. The company works with local accommodation providers wherever possible, often in rural locations where spending supports community survival. The company does not use Airbnb or Booking.com private hosts, preferring registered accommodation providers subject to regulatory requirements.
• Luggage Transfer ServicescoreOthersThird-party luggage transfer services contracted to move bags between accommodations while walkers complete daily stages. Bags must be ready for collection by 9:00 AM with maximum 20kg per bag recommended.
• Green TourismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of Green Tourism, an accreditation scheme endorsed by Visit England for sustainable tourism practices. Company maintains environmental policies including paperless working, recycling, ethical investment funds for pensions, and supporting sustainable transport options.
• The Wave ProjectminorOthersCurrent charitable partner organization. Cornwall-based charity working to improve mental health and wellbeing of young people through surf therapy on beaches around the UK. The company matches all Walkers Payback donations (recommended £5 per person) to support the organization's work.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Wilderness Scotland: Scotland-based self-guided and guided walking holiday operator with comparable bespoke itinerary model and luggage transfer infrastructure. Closely comparable business model but geographically focused on Scotland rather than England/Wales.

Direct peers

• Contours Walking Holidays: UK-based self-guided walking holiday operator with curated itineraries, accommodation booking, and luggage transfers across British trails. Comparable niche focus and direct overlap on UK long-distance paths.
• Sherpa Expeditions: UK specialist in self-guided and guided walking holidays with luggage transfers on routes including the South West Coast Path. Closely comparable business model — bespoke itineraries, pre-booked accommodation, and door-to-door baggage transfer.
• HF Holidays: Established UK walking holiday operator offering guided and self-guided walking trips across the UK and Europe. Comparable target market of leisure walkers seeking fully arranged itineraries, though HF also operates village-style country houses.
• Ramblers Walking Holidays: UK walking holiday brand under the Ramblers community with guided and self-guided walking holidays across Britain. Comparable customer base (independent walkers) and UK trail portfolio, with a broader product mix.
• Celtic Trails: Wales- and coastal-focused walking holiday specialist offering self-guided itineraries along the Wales Coast Path and South West Coast Path with luggage transfers and bespoke planning — strong geographic and product overlap with Encounter.
• Macs Adventure: Largest UK-based self-guided walking and cycling holiday operator. Directly comparable to Encounter: bespoke self-guided itineraries, luggage transfers, accommodation booking, and 24/7 support across UK trails, operating at meaningfully greater scale and broader route coverage.
• Headwater Holidays: UK specialist offering self-guided walking and cycling holidays with luggage transfers and curated accommodation across Britain and Europe. Directly comparable service architecture and target customer.

Broad incumbents

• Intrepid Travel: Global adventure travel operator with walking-focused small-group tours, including UK itineraries. Indirect competitor for outdoor walking experiences, though primarily guided and globally diversified rather than specialist self-guided UK operator.
• Exodus Travels: Large UK adventure tour operator offering guided and self-guided walking holidays worldwide, including on UK trails. Overlapping product category but significantly broader portfolio and scale than Encounter's specialist focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EncounterWalkingHolidays
• Instagraminstagram.com/encounterwalk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/encounterwalkingholidays

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Encounter Walking Holidays Ltd