Happy clients of Alpine Exploratory

Reading comments from happy customers is a big part of the satisfaction for us in putting together walking holidays. We have a high response to our questionnaires and we hope this is because people are enthused about their holiday and have been given a personal service.

We want our clients to feel involved in the whole booking process, making feedback just the natural next step. Often while we're organising a trip, clients will suggest refinements that they've thought of, we incorporate them and then they tell us how their idea worked.

We're lucky to have had some brilliant comments and we've recorded some of them on this page.

	A postcard from TMB clients

Comments from our 2011 season

Tour du Mont Blanc, 2011

"We simply didn't know how to gauge the distances for the walk. Your expertise got it just right. Thank you."
(Sean Flynn, UK)

"A walk that all serious long distance walkers must include in their bag, a very challenging and delightful experience."
(Robert Thompson, UK)

Chamonix hotel: "Excellent room, friendly staff, great breakfast. Felt very safe to leave car there for the week."
Courmayeur hotel: "Great room, amazing breakfast, friendly staff. Liked the 3d map of the mountains in the lounge area - helped me visualise what we were embarking on!!"
Champex hotel: "Excellent room, Swiss national day when we there; evening fireworks great !! Breakfast good. Friendly helpful staff."
(Caroline Tyler, UK)

Scenery? "Awesome!! Didn't anticipate the wildflowers (hayfever excluded!) and pleasantly surprised that each day was very different."
"Joy was lovely - always cheerful and spread herself along the group each day."
(Liane, Norfolk Island)

"I was amazed by Keith's knowledge and map reading ability. His love of maps was obvious!!! There is no 'swagger' with Keith just a quiet confidence."
"His knowledge of mountain geology, geography, plants and scenery and his ability and willingness to impart this knowledge is impressive."
(Mo Richards, UK)

"The routecards were fab. I am a map-a-holic and I found I put the map away in my rucksack as the routecards were so easy to follow and so accurate."
"Great refuge. Breakfast was a competetive event but I put my elbows out and got the Nutella."
(Deb Heighes, UK)

Favourite stage? "All stages were beautiful in different ways but we thought the walk from Trient to Argentieres particularly so."
"On the service side, you couldn't have been more helpful. We met two other couples along the way who had done trips with you and everyone commented on how helpful you were and quick to respond to any queries."
(David Ng, Australia)

"Great notes - many thanks."
"Great start to the trip. What a gem. Lovely rooms and breakfast, helpful staff. Set the bar! Liked being in Chamonix."
"Fantastic trip of a life time. Many thanks for organising it for us."
(Stella, UK)

"Fantastic trip and accommodation well chosen. Would not hesitate to use you again. Thanks."
(David Evans, UK)

"Itinerary and route finding was made easy by the accurate route cards - great."
Scenery? "Stunning - and thanks for arranging the weather too allowing great views on all days."
"Super location, dinner good - made us smile when they actually rang a bell for the evening mealtime. Clean and comfy."
"Very very comfortable and outstanding breakfasts - glad I had been walking to be able to appreciate them!
(Penny and Dave, UK)

Leader company: "Pete was well suited to our requirements as a guide and we thorughly enjoyed his company in the evenings as well. He was an experienced guide with much knowledge about the TMB and the countryside in which we were walking - pointing out features of the terrain and flora."
(Richard & Glenda Oakley)

Chamonix Mountain Walking, 2011

Stage lengths? "Spot on and the children enjoyed the ladder sections the most - they'd definitely be keen to do more ladders!"
"Nice hotel and good rooms. Excellent breakfast of fresh bread and croissants."
"Lovely hotel - v comfy rooms and great pool and afternoon tea!"
"... provided a v good service - thank you. We were v impressed by all the hotels - they were better than we expected (for 2 and 3 star ratings) and in each we had very nice rooms. Everything ran v smoothly and we enjoyed the walking. Overall our three said that the luge in Chamonix was the holiday highlight for them. It was just great to be outside in beautiful surroundings every day."
(Schumann Family, Cambridge, UK)

Walker's Haute Route, 2011
[In Zermatt] "Perfect end to a perfect trip, we felt like royalty staying here. The breakfasts were superb, the staff were so friendly, amazing service."
"Thank you again for another well organised trip. Some excellent accommodation and we loved the friendliness of people along the haute route and all the people we met in the hotels and cabanes."
(Jacquie & Jeff, UK)

"Notes and routecards were excellent. The lengths allowed us to finish mid-afternoon and have time left in the day."
"We were very pleased with how everything went. Accommodation was good, directions were good etc. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will use you again. Many thanks."
(Alisa, UK)

"Very welcoming. Comfortable room and the best dinner of the trip - a lovely place to stay."
"Wonderful setting above glacier. Excellent food. Clean modern room."
"We used the Swiss rail luggage transfer service - super efficient!"
(Richard and Michelle)

"Spectacular views from our hotel looking over towards Mont Blanc and its glacier."
"Awesome view of Grand Combin glacier from our room. Also, there was a spa bath.....lovely."
"Our first hut... The meal was excellent. The view was incredible and we sat outside drinking wine and beer thinking we were in heaven."
"It was a beautiful room and the meal was excellent, as was breakfast. The view from our verandah was spectacular."
"It was amazing to see the hut perched high up on the Moraine. The views were breathtaking and we watched some walkers crossing the glacier below us. The beer was particularly welcome after the climb up. Meal was great and plentiful again."
"The view from our room featured the Matterhorn in all its amazing glory. We gazed in wonder at it many, many times. It was the thrill of a lifetime waking up knowing that all that separated us from it was a curtained window. We toasted its beauty and our achievement with champagne."
"I can't think of any more superlatives to express how good our holiday was. I would highly recommend Alpine Exploratory to anyone considering walking the Haute Route."
(Philip & Linda Haylett, UK)

Scenery? "Great scenery - good mix of alpine, passes, meadows, villages & valley."
"Perfect hotel to finish with - great views!"
"Generally the trek went very smoothly and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. September was a good time to walk - weather was good with only one bad day (making navigation by waymarks interesting) and although the trail was busy by Australian standards we understand it was quiet by European standards."
"Thank you for your careful organisation, notes & interest in our welfare/trip. All appreciated!"
(Gillian Anderson, Australia)

"Nice room and lovely view across the lake."
"My favorite cabane. Beautiful views from the stone porch. Really nice new rustic private room up under the eaves, and pretty good food."
"Very nice hotel, excellent breakfast including the best muesli of the trip, with grated apples and soaked in honey and lemon juice."
"Our favorite lodgings of the trip, till the end. Beautiful large corner room, lots of rustic details, a balcony overlooking the valley, a terrific dinner, and a good breakfast including the best just-baked croissants of the trip."
"Can I give 6/5? Solicitous staff, postcard balcony view of the Matterhorn, divine breakfasts, perfect location."
"Your explanations of option public transportation were accurate and helpful when we need them. Thanks."
(Mark, US)

"Your service and preparation details were excellent. No hitches."
Scenery? "Very, very good. But lots and lots of rock, both to walk on and look at. (But that's what mountains are made of)."
"Better than excellent. We all absolutely loved this place. And the meals were extraordinary - the chef provided us with our best meals of the trip."
"FANTASTIC! What luxury, and what a view of the Matterhorn!"
(Andrew Nixon, Australia)
"Very good hike notes and instructions."
"Wonderful views of sunrise on the Matterhorn from our bed!"
"The entire itinerary worked perfectly and was just what we wanted. Many thanks."
(Sarah de Crespigny)

Julian Alps, 2011

"Really helpful service at every step of the way. Put my mind at rest at various stages."
Favourite stage? "Second day from first hut to the second - the change in scenery from meadows to mountainous was amazing."
"Lovely hut - great atmosphere."
(Fiona)

West Highland Way, 2011

"Loved the crossing of Rannoch Moor, which felt the wildest and most remote, and particularly enjoyed our stay at Kingshouse that night. But also really liked the first day from Milngavie to Drymen, maybe because it was the best weather -- but also for the changing scenery and the whisky tour."
"We had a great time, and felt very taken care of."
(Joel Summerlin, US)

Pennine Way, 2011

Scenery? "I live near the Alps, so it was a tough competiton, but overall the stages were very scenic, with some stages less 'visually' interesting than others."
Favourite stage? "Probably Malham to Horton, Middleton to Dufton (for High Cup Nick) and Cross Fell (despite the weather and loooooong walk down to Alston)."
"Nice place, the food was good and tea offered immediately on arrival (bliss)."
"Brilliant welcome (cake and tea!), wonderful hosts, incredible food and a lovely packed lunch. Would go back with pleasure!"
(Mark W)

Favourite stage? "Our one sunny dry day!! Hawes to Keld - with a lovely long lunch break at Thwaite."
"Gorgeous house, was given chocolate cake on arrival (always great!), great. Amazing shower."
"Fantastic place, the dinner (and breakfast) was amazing, everyone should stay here!"
"Simon was an excellent organiser of our trip - very friendly, informative email at the outset... He responded quickly and helpfully to all our emails and was open at the start about potential difficulty booking accommodation in Malham/Horton but managed to sort it. Everything worked smoothly throughout the trip - baggage, accommodation etc. Many thanks Simon!"
(Fiona)

Lake District Traverse, 2011

"Your Routecards were exellent!"
Dog? "No problems at all! Our dog felt like she was in heaven - daily walks of 7-9 hours and off the lead most of the time."
"We had a great holiday (in spite of a few rainy days)."
(Flemming Hundeboll, Denmark)

Coast to Coast, 2011

Favourite stage? "It would be hard to pick a favorite since all the walks where wonderful. We did the River Swale via our B&B in Muker. That was the most peaceful and enjoyable walk. The sound of the river and the green shaded vegetation was refreshing."
"Friendly owner and super location with a view to really enjoy."
"A very enjoyable place and tons of friendly people."
(Rick Werp, US)

"Friendly reception, scones and tea! Good room."
"Wonderful to have our own cottage."
"Arrived early and were able to relax in lounge and garden - brilliant."
"Another wonderful welcome with tea and scones."
(T Fryer, UK)

"Really really enjoyed it. Each day was a revelation, so much so that we are reccommending Alpine to everybody and want to do the TMB next year! Thankyou."
"Hurricane in Lake District made things interesting!"
"Fantastic - real luxury room with comfy sitting area."
"Great Quaker guest house. Room lovely and beautiful grounds. Food good and interesting clientele."
"Lovely B&B. Welcoming owner, lovely room and shower, tastefully decorated dining room and public area."
"Great old place - v atmospheric Radox bath! Nice big room and dark old beams. Very welcoming owner and great breakfast."
"Big clean and comfy townhouse. Great location. Nice big room, beautifully furnished. Very welcoming and great food again!"
"One of our favourites. Beautifully restored and maintained old property with great attention to detail. Tastefully decorated and restored and fantastic gourmet breakfast. A++++."
"Another favourite! Especially after a long day. Fantastic restaurant and rooms. Had own outside sitting area and lovely modern room with wet room. Food and ambience in restaurant great and owners lovely. Location perfect-one of the best!"
(Richard and Gail)

"Magnificent, every day was something new and totally amazing."
Favourite stage? "Probably the lake district, as it varied so much, and the views were unbelievable."
"Great rooms, good food, clean, friendly helpful - wonderful."
"We really enjoyed the walk... Felt I could ring if necessary at any time. Excellent service and advice."
(Verna, Australia)

"10/10, what an amazing place to stay at. Thankyou, words can't express how much we enjoyed staying at this beautiful home."
"Great place and hosts couldn't have made us more welcome."
"Outstanding holiday; service and help also outstanding, simply superb."
(Sally and Colin, Purdy and Tia (2 very happy dogs))

Our accommodation

"Impossible to better! One of the most genuinely walker friendly places I have ever stayed. Lovely people, very relaxed and laid back."
(Keswick, Lake District)

"All the accommodation was good & we enjoyed the variety."
(Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Hotel staff very helpful and pleasant - great view of Mont Blanc from the bath (!)"
"Very well located for town & the bus to Les Houches."
"Nice room, nice breakfast, and good location and very nice staff."
"The owners were very friendly and helpful. We had a very nice and spacious room. Hotel well located."
(Chamonix, French Alps)

"Friendly and able to supply local knowledge and advice."
(St Bees, Cumbria)

"Very friendly staff. Great food."
"Good atmosphere, lovely people, good food."
"Excellent welcome by manageress/owner. Great camaraderie."
(les Chapieux, Beaufortain Alps)

"Lovely spacious room. Good food in hotel."
(Zinal, Haute Route)

"Clean shared facilities. Great location and view. Good inclusive meal."
(Gruben, Haute Route)

"Luxury - just at the right time when we were tired."
"Perfect."
(Courmayeur, Italian Alps)

"Excellent facilities, friendly welcome!"
(Fort William, West Highland Way)

"Very helpful - especially in finding us a taxi when the roads were flooded on our last day."
(Bohinj, Julian Alps)

"Friendly, family run hotel."
(Hawes, Yorkshire Dales)

"Couldn't do enough for us, and extremely friendly."
(Ribcev Laz, Julian Alps)

"Quaint - great fun and atmosphere at dinner. Welcoming."
(Trient, Switzerland)

"Loved everything, food people, rooms... helpful... good service."
(Courmayeur, Tour du Mont Blanc)

	Clients' postcard from Courmayeur

"Considering location you couldn't do better. Food good, nice staff and no snorers."
(A refuge on the Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Very warm welcome, the young receptionist even carried our bags to our rooms which was most appreciated. Great walkers bar, lovely food, very comfortable beds, great breakfast, lovely view from the breakfast room."
(On Loch Lomond, West Highland Way)

"The best - the people were fabulous & really friendly & helpful."
"Great hotel and a much needed rest day after the bad weather."
"Excellent location for a rest day. Great views, brilliant food and fantastic accommodation."
"Excellent in every respect."
"Excellent hotel - the owners couldn't have been more helpful."
(Courmayeur, Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Great welcome. Lovely people at Keld."
(Keld, Yorkshire Dales)

"Lovely people - we were drenched when we got there but they helped dry us out."
(Drymen, West Highland Way)

"Brilliant."
"Celebrated Bastille day from our hotel window with fireworks and American jazz."
(Argentiere, Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Everything was lovely and the hosts charming."
"Excellent facilities. Very courteous and friendly staff. Very good restaurant."
(Les Contamines, French Alps)

"Lovely scenery, nice rooms and were treated very well by the kitchen staff, went to bed with very full bellies."
(A hut in the Julian Alps)

"Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Bath for tired legs! Excellent meal."
(Champex, Swiss Alps)

"Useful to be able to leave a bag with clean clothing etc for our return."
"Just what we needed after 4 nights in the huts."
(Bohinj, Julian Alps)

Pennine Way Central (Self-Guided) Full details "Good service. Everything went very smoothly. Clear instructions and good advice about the trip and the stages." (G Boulden, UK)

"Although basic, loved the atmosphere and food and had the best nights sleep of the whole trip. Buzzing place."
(One of our auberges on the TMB)

"Fantastic hotel - beautiful building, good location, excellent room and amazing breakfasts! Would stay here again."
(Courmayeur)

"Fab room & location. Good meal at hotel."
(La Sage, Haute Route)

Two mystery nights on the TMB...

"Excellent room, very friendly, the best evening meal by a long way - mainly because of the excellent atmosphere along with quality of food. Everyone joining in with fondue and chicken. Meal lasted nearly 2 and a half hours!!! Difficult to find the showers though but the secret one I managed to find was excellent and piping hot!! Possibly not one I was meant to use!!"
(D Tuer, Tour du Mont Blanc, August 2008)

"Lovely. Enjoyed everything about this little auberge. Dinner was nice."
(C Glover, Tour du Mont Blanc, August 2008)

	Coast to Coasters write in

Which was your favourite stage?

"Got to choose 2 for different reasons - to Champex for hamlets and pastoral scenes and to Les Houches because of the brilliant balcony views..."
"Okay - we really enjoyed it!"
(Dutton Family, UK, on the Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Difficult to say, Loch Lomond with the good weather we had was spectacular and going down into Glencoe was the same..."
(David, UK, on the West Highland Way)

"It was all brilliant. Last stage was shrouded in mist. Col du Bonhomme took some beating."
(A Ward, UK, on the Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Day two from Vodnikov Dom to Zasavska we thought was the best day, was a long and challenging day through an amazing limetone landscape. Enjoyed the scrambling up over the rocks with the pegs."
(Robbie Paterson, UK, on the Julian Alps)

"From Tre le Champ to La Flegere via Lac Blanc. Good climb, good variety, stunning views of Chamonix valley, and the lake."
(Douglas Nurse, UK, on the Chamonix Mountain Walking trip)

Julian Alps Hut-to-Hut (Self-Guided) Full details On the mountain huts: "The lower you go the better they got, but if you take the whole experience then it was about the same to be in lesser accom but more remote and higher up. "The last day we hired a couple of scooters and rode to Bled, had an absolute blast." (Andrew Correll)

"Loved the sections along Loch Lomond and from Tyndrum to Kinlochleven."
(Shirley and Corrie dog, UK, on the West Highland Way)

"Difficult question! The last day was enjoyable for lots of reasons - it was a combination of so many different types of terrain and view, it was almost like the whole TMB rolled into one! My other favourite was Col Sapin."
(N Bird, UK, on the Tour du Mont Blanc)

"It was all great - our days including Kanjavec and Vogel were outstanding although this was partly because of the weather. The walk form Planika to Dolicu was also a bit special. That high limestone country was like nothing I'd seen before. Wildlife was fascinating."
(John Park, Australia, on the Julian Alps)

Tour du Mont Blanc (Self-Guided) Full details "I inquired... at several of our inns and the praise was effusive and unanimous for you, your organization and your clientele." (M Odland, USA)

"Loved the latter part as the scenery was outstanding. Particularly loved the day of the lakes and Refuge du Lac Blanc. Beautifully peaceful and the reflection of Mont Blanc in the lake - unforgetable ... Loved the Ibex and the challenge of the ladders. Also loved the previous day going up to Col du Balme (a great climb) and the Glacier du Trient and walk down t'other side."
(Jilly Bolding, UK, on the TMB)

About our routecards and maps

"Very, very impressed indeed. Absolutely the most accurate routecards I've seen!"
(North Lakes Explorer)

"Excellent - and admired by others on the route."
(Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Both accurate and informative, route cards very readable before and during the days' walks."
(Julian Alps Bohinj Valley)

"Routecards were just right. We cut them up and had them easily available. Great idea!"
(Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Excellent - took the pressure off constant map reading."
(Pennine Way Central)

"The maps we were given were excellent."
(Tour du Mont Blanc)

"Just enough without being overly detailed."
(Tour du Mont Blanc)

Happy West Highland Wayfarers

"Very friendly and accommodating. Good food."
"Lovely welcome, great accommodation, bags in your room, great porridge and very helpful."
"Excellent food, friendly and helpful staff. A nice hot bath at the end of a long walk."
"Nice friendly staff. Amazing views and good food."
(Janice MacNamara on her group's accommodation, WHW)

"Loved cottage accommodation... Glencoe - great place, welcoming. Terrific food + breakfast choice."
('Knoc-yir-Panin', West Highland Way)

"Service and organisation was very good."
(David, West Highland Way)

"Couldn't fault food, accommodation or welcome!
Highlight - seeing pine martin eating off bird table at breakfast time."
(Jo, Brian & Meg (Border Terrier), West Highland Way)

"Very satisfied."
(Peter Burnie, age 77, West Highland Way)

Our info packs - like Green & Black's!

One customer compared the experience of opening our info pack to eating a bar of Green & Black's chocolate, "savouring each square in a meditative fashion rather than wolfing down the entire bar!"

	A client writes from Chamonix

A week in the Lake District

"This has been a superlatively researched and planned package.

"Sadly back from the lakes, and though I have posted the feedback form did just want to write an additional thankyou.

"I was most impressed with the whole organisation and service of this trip from you; clearly you have put a huge amount of thought into your holidays.

"Because you so thoughtfully provide the full map, it was perfectly possible for me to do self-designed add ons to your walk as I could see where I would end up if I followed tantalising paths!"

(Victoria, London)

More about the Tour du Mont Blanc

"We had a brilliant time; great itinerary & great service from you."
(Diane & Paul, Bath, on the TMB South)

"We thought the service was excellent."
(Mr & Mrs I Cook, on the TMB North)

"Arrived like drowned rats, after a serious storm. No problem thanks to the helpful receptionist and spacious drying room."
(Bob & Clare, on the TMB North in Argentiere)

"Great hospitality, beautiful hotel."
(Limor & Eitan, on the TMB, about our Courmayeur hotel)

"The contact with you was very good and efficient. The information we got prior to the trip and the info package were very good and helpful. In general we are very pleased, we had a great trip and holiday, everything went smoothly (including the weather)."
(Michael Berger, on the TMB North)

And finally...

Which hotel on the Tour du Mont Blanc prompts so many of our clients, every summer, to mention its great breakfast? You'll have to find out yourself!

Guided and Self-Guided Holidays - see them all