Footscape Holidays

Family Walking Holidays

Many parents are looking for less traditional, more active family holidays in England. Some may just want to try something new. That is why we are pleased to offer special services for families, who are coming to us in growing numbers, and finding it a fun experience. Several parents have told us that their Footscape holiday was a wonderful way of spending quality time and bonding with their children.

Sometimes even very young children have had less difficulty walking 8 or more miles a day than their parents. We have therefore dropped the minimum age on our hiking tours to 5.

To walk from one place to another along a trail, whether short or long, can provide children with a huge sense of achievement, as well as a load of surprises along the way. All children, therefore, who have been on one of our scheduled or custom walking holidays in Dorset, are presented with a smart “Certificate of Achievement” at the end of their last day.

Our most child-friendly holidays

Whilst our scheduled walking holidays are the most popular choice for families because of the flexible services that we provide, our independent hiking tours are also very suitable for children. Those that include parts of the Jurassic Coast are of particular interest, because there are several safe and beautiful beaches along its length. So instead of just spending all your holiday time on a beach, why not walk part or all of a Footscape trail, stopping off for a short swim at those beaches that you cannot resist?

Children who enjoy hiking will be happy on any of our self-guided walking tours in Dorset, England. However, here is a list of those that we consider to be especially appropriate for children, the coastal trails being the most popular (have a look at our map to identify key places along the way):

Scheduled holidays (fixed dates):

Jurassic Coast – stunning coastal scenery and beaches, flexible walking distances (with our vehicle available all day), child-friendly pubs at midday and award-winning ice-cream.

Independent holidays (centre-based), all with walks along the Jurassic Coast:

• Purbeck – a beautiful part of Dorset; most of the 5 superb walks can be shortened; lovely beaches; plenty of things to do in the area.
• Lyme Regis – a charming family seaside town with lots to do; all four varied and fascinating walks can be shortened; good beaches; the best fossil-hunting in England.
• Abbotsbury – a village near Chesil Beach, popular with children for its Swannery and children’s farm; four great coastal & inland walks (three can be shortened).
• Weymouth – a popular beach/harbour town with masses of things to do and see; idyllic beaches; two of the three spectacular walks can be shortened.

Inn to inn walking holidays:

Jurassic Coast West and Inland Heritage – gorgeous coastal and inland scenery; unspoilt villages. You can choose your average daily walking distance and your number of rest days, if any. Children enjoy the experience of discovering a new place to stay each evening, as well as the sense of accomplishment when they reach the end of the trail.