About Load Off Your Back
Specialists in Independent Walking Holidays
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Load Off Your Back offers self-guided walking holidays throughout the UK on some of the country's showcase long distance footpaths and National Trails. You'll walk from inn to inn with your baggage transported between overnight stops, so all the load you'll need on your back is a daypack carrying a jacket, your camera, perhaps a lunch and anything you really need when out on the trail.
It's your holiday, so choose where and when you want to go, for how long, and how far you want to walk each day. You can hike, ramble or stroll. You get the flexibility, we take the load of making all the arrangements for you. We'll book your accommodation, move your bags, provide the maps and guidebooks and give you the support you need.
Load Off Your Back is the self-guided holiday arm of walking holiday specialist Ramblers Worldwide Holidays; for 65 years we've have operated small-group guided walking holidays in spectacular locations throughout the UK and the world - currently about 140 holidays in 60 different countries!
With Load Off Your Back you can enjoy the same experience on your own or with your family and friends on these holidays for the more independent minded walker. You'll find plenty to get your pulse racing and your feet tingling for adventure.
There's simply no better way to explore and unwind.
When you holiday with us you not only get a fantastic experience but you help to give something back to the communities we visit too, thanks to the work of the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust. Unlike many tour operators, the profits that are not required for the running of the business are channelled back into the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust which supports environmental conservation projects in the UK and community projects overseas.
We also have our newest charity venture, Heart & Sole, which is administered by the Ramblers Worldwide Holidays office staff. One of the ventures that Heart & Sole proudly supports is Cockermouth Mountain Rescue.
Planned by us, walked by you.
Britain's more beautiful on foot.
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Responsible Tourism
Our Mantra
The well-known saying, "take only photographs, collect only anecdotes and leave only footprints" is certainly true. However, at Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, the parent company of Load Off Your Back, we try to ensure that we tread only softly in all the countries we visit. Since our earliest holidays 65 years ago, we have been committed to ethical tourism in all our destinations throughout the world.
What is Responsible Tourism?
Travel enriches lives and boosts communities who rely on tourism as their main economy. However, with increasing air travel and more people than ever travelling the globe, mass tourism inevitably brings with it some negative side effects. Issues such as global warming, degeneration of local environments, and the overwhelming of communities and cultures, mean it is important that we work to help slow the pace of these damaging effects and keep our world a beautiful place.
How we work at Load Off Your Back & Ramblers Worldwide Holidays
Our holidays are designed for you to discover the essence of the country you are visiting. Travelling individually or in small groups not only gives you an 'up close and personal' experience of your destination, but minimises impact on the immediate environment. We feel that the most important starting point to protect the environment is to be 'out in it'. Without being out there and having an awareness of its beauty, importance and vulnerability, there is no understanding or sense of loss when it is threatened.
- We aim to operate within the Travellers' Code set out by the Friends of Conservation and we try to ensure our holidays give consideration to local people and cultures.
- On guided holidays overseas, our tour leaders are usually familiar with local language and customs - some are residents. We often use local guides, transport, porters and food to benefit the local economy without exploitation.
- We try not to insulate you too much from the realities of getting away from it all. You'll be on holiday to gain new experiences and you'll have them in abundance.
- We like to develop long-term relationships with our destinations, hoteliers and other local partners. In order to achieve this, it is vital that we take care of the places we visit and support the people we work with at home and overseas to ensure that we can all keep enjoying these destinations year after year.
- We also help to put something back into the communities we visit by funding various environmental projects overseas and in the UK through the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust.
It's eco logical
Our commitment to responsible tourism initiatives starts right on our doorstep.
To become even more environmentally friendly, we installed a waterwheel into the refurbished mill we operate from the purpose of generating electricity by hydropower. It uses the flow of the River Lea which runs under our offices and is the first of its kind to generate electricity in Britain. This provides us with our own sustainable source of power, with any excess going to the National Grid. Currently we're running at close to 50,000 kilowatt hours per year which is the equivalent of saving 21 tonnes of CO2, 75,000 air miles, or enough to power around 10 homes for a year! We welcome visits by research and university groups too!
Find out more about our base at Lemsford Mill
Company with a Heart
When you holiday with us you not only get a fantastic experience but you help to give something back to the communities we visit too, thanks to the work of the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust. Unlike many tour operators, the profits that are not required for the running of the business are channeled back into the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust which supports environmental conservation projects in the UK and community projects overseas. We also have our newest charity venture, Heart & Sole, which is administered by the Ramblers Worldwide Holidays office staff. One of the ventures that Heart & Sole proudly supports is Cockermouth Mountain Rescue.
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Additional small-group guided holidays
If you'd like to join a group of like-minded travelling companions, take a look at our range of guided small-group walking holidays thoughout the UK, Europe, and other destinations around the world. All our small-group holidays are graded so that you'll know what to expect and range from gentle sightseeing on foot to some adventurous and energetic programmes in the high and remote parts the world.
Small group guided walking holidays worldwide
www.ramblersholidays.co.uk
Small group guided walking holidays in the UK
www.ramblerscountrywide.co.uk
Guided walking holidays based on cruise ships
www.cruiseandwalk.co.uk
Adagio. Explore the world gently
www.adagio.co.uk
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Contact Load Off Your Back
If you have any queries, would like us to send you a quote, or you would like to make a booking, please email us at: loyb@ramblersholidays.co.uk
Registered office:
Load Off Your Back
Lemsford Mill
Lemsford Village
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 7TR
United KingdomOur usual office hours are: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm
Holiday Feedback
We welcome all comments about your holidays with us and we particularly value ideas for future holidays and improvements.
Load Off Your Back
is operated by Ramblers Holidays Ltd, a leading operator of walking holidays throughout the world since 1946 and trading as:
Ramblers Worldwide Holidays www.ramblersholidays.co.uk
Small group guided walking holidays throughout the worldRamblers Countrywide Holidays www.ramblerscountrywide.co.uk
Small group guided walking holidays throughout the UKRamblers Cruise & Walk www.cruiseandwalk.co.uk
Small group guided walking holidays based on cruise ships with forays into the countryside ashoreAdagio www.adagio.co.uk
Explore the world gentlyRamblers Holidays Ltd is a company registered in England & Wales with company number 527266.
VAT registration number 490 2438 48.