I have noticed comments on other threads about the price of JY holidays having increased.  I assume this is due to the fall in the value of sterling over the past two years. I think this is an issue across the travel industry with companies' margins being squeezed. I have compared JY prices with many of the other large companies which offer solo traveller holidays and they are broadly similar.  It is difficult to do an exact comparison as some companies include all excursions, others don't.  Some also use higher grade hotels, others don't.

Do people find the standard of hotels used by JY generally good?  On the holidays where dinner is included, is the hotel food varied and good?  I am a bit of a foodie, so food is an important part of any holiday to me as I like to try local specialities.  Some hotel food can be boring and bland.  On the other single traveller holiday I went on, there was a mix of hotel meals and meals in local restaurants which seemed to work quite well.

I have also noticed in the JY brochure that there is no maximum group size given, which other companies do state. I read some reviews of the JY American trips and there were 40 on the tour which is far too large and no doubt leads to logistical issues.

I really want to give JY a try, so would be pleased to hear any reviews or comments on the above. Thank you.

I haven't been on a JY holiday before, although have been on a solo traveller holiday with another company, the one named after a famous explorer, which was very good.  I am thinking of trying one of the walking holidays with JY and am interested in walking in Northumberland, in Lake Garda in Italy and in the Swiss Alps. However, I can't find any reviews of these trips.  Reviews would be welcome.

I have noticed comments on other threads about the price of JY holidays having increased.  I assume this is due to the fall in the value of sterling over the past two years. I think this is an issue across the travel industry with companies' margins being squeezed. I have compared JY prices with many of the other large companies which offer solo traveller holidays and they are broadly similar.  It is difficult to do an exact comparison as some companies include all excursions, others don't.  Some also use higher grade hotels, others don't.

Do people find the standard of hotels used by JY generally good?  On the holidays where dinner is included, is the hotel food varied and good?  I am a bit of a foodie, so food is an important part of any holiday to me as I like to try local specialities.  Some hotel food can be boring and bland.  On the other single traveller holiday I went on, there was a mix of hotel meals and meals in local restaurants which seemed to work quite well.

I have also noticed in the JY brochure that there is no maximum group size given, which other companies do state. I read some reviews of the JY American trips and there were 40 on the tour which is far too large and no doubt leads to logistical issues.

I really want to give JY a try, so would be pleased to hear any reviews or comments on the above. Thank you.

See my review on the Yorkshire Dales walking holiday this year.  It was certainly very good.  Only 11 in party -not all serious walkers ! The Northumberland holiday sounds good, walks and location wonderful - I have been doing walking holidays in that area for many years with a specialist walking company (not JY!) Only thing I have noticed with JY walking tours is that they dont detail exact terrain, height and difficulty of walks - only length of walks so be careful on that. Many years ago I had a wonderful walking holiday in Crete with another company (four letters in their name!!), quite basic accommodation and we ate in local tavernas at night but we felt we touched base with the real Crete!! so shop around. If you are a serious walker then I would recommend  specialist walking holiday, especially in Britain in the winter, as they will have drying rooms etc for wet clothes!!

Generally food in hotels varies with JY - its the old saying - you get what you pay for!! I personally like the mix of eating in hotel/eating out which JY are gearing towards but it does seem unpopular with some.....my friend did a river cruise this year with JY and she said the food was outstanding!! It was an expensive holiday though!!

I would say study brochures very carefully....and think about your priorities.. ie food/walking/socialising/sightseeing.I have posted several reviews on here -  all good!!

All in all JY holidays are very sociable and well organised.  I have met some lovely people and still keep in touch with some occasionally especially when talking about our next adventures!!

Hope this helps?

I haven't been on a JY holiday before, although have been on a solo traveller holiday with another company, the one named after a famous explorer, which was very good.  I am thinking of trying one of the walking holidays with JY and am interested in walking in Northumberland, in Lake Garda in Italy and in the Swiss Alps. However, I can't find any reviews of these trips.  Reviews would be welcome.

I have noticed comments on other threads about the price of JY holidays having increased.  I assume this is due to the fall in the value of sterling over the past two years. I think this is an issue across the travel industry with companies' margins being squeezed. I have compared JY prices with many of the other large companies which offer solo traveller holidays and they are broadly similar.  It is difficult to do an exact comparison as some companies include all excursions, others don't.  Some also use higher grade hotels, others don't.

Do people find the standard of hotels used by JY generally good?  On the holidays where dinner is included, is the hotel food varied and good?  I am a bit of a foodie, so food is an important part of any holiday to me as I like to try local specialities.  Some hotel food can be boring and bland.  On the other single traveller holiday I went on, there was a mix of hotel meals and meals in local restaurants which seemed to work quite well.

I have also noticed in the JY brochure that there is no maximum group size given, which other companies do state. I read some reviews of the JY American trips and there were 40 on the tour which is far too large and no doubt leads to logistical issues.

I really want to give JY a try, so would be pleased to hear any reviews or comments on the above. Thank you.

See my review on the Yorkshire Dales walking holiday this year.  It was certainly very good.  Only 11 in party -not all serious walkers ! The Northumberland holiday sounds good, walks and location wonderful - I have been doing walking holidays in that area for many years with a specialist walking company (not JY!) Only thing I have noticed with JY walking tours is that they dont detail exact terrain, height and difficulty of walks - only length of walks so be careful on that. Many years ago I had a wonderful walking holiday in Crete with another company (four letters in their name!!), quite basic accommodation and we ate in local tavernas at night but we felt we touched base with the real Crete!! so shop around. If you are a serious walker then I would recommend  specialist walking holiday, especially in Britain in the winter, as they will have drying rooms etc for wet clothes!!

Generally food in hotels varies with JY - its the old saying - you get what you pay for!! I personally like the mix of eating in hotel/eating out which JY are gearing towards but it does seem unpopular with some.....my friend did a river cruise this year with JY and she said the food was outstanding!! It was an expensive holiday though!!

I would say study brochures very carefully....and think about your priorities.. ie food/walking/socialising/sightseeing.I have posted several reviews on here -  all good!!

All in all JY holidays are very sociable and well organised.  I have met some lovely people and still keep in touch with some occasionally especially when talking about our next adventures!!

Hope this helps?

Thanks so much. This is really helpful. Unfortunately JY don't seem to be running the Yorkshire Dales walk next year or I would try that. Take your point about walks not being graded which specialist walking holiday companies do. I've got a brochure from a walking company which has been recommended to me (they've got 2 letters in their name) and they give lots of exact details and also offer the option of two differently graded walks a day, which sounds good. I might try them for a walking holiday in Northumberland and JY for a walking holiday in Europe.

Basically I like to stay in good hotels (I know you get what you pay for), eat good food, including local dishes, and be both sociable and active. I think small groups work better than large ones. The other solo traveller holiday I went on had 12 in total and the dynamics seemed to work well.  I've also been on a river cruise with a friend and the food was absolutely fantastic!  It wasn't specially for solo travellers but everyone seemed to mix well and there was a kind of "house party" atmosphere so it was really sociable with different nationalities as well.  I love looking through the JY brochure and looking at the reviews on line so I'll book something for next year.  I think I will avoid the American ones though, the group size sounds far too big.

There should be a review for Yorkshire Dales somewhere. I had a great time, let down by an old knee injury which did not like coming down hills etc. I missed the last day to Grassington which was annoying, so I walked into Skipton and back along the canal path. 

I agree with Jintzky about heights and terrain, would have helped me as I was puffing on some of the hills  :blush:

I agree with the food in hotels, out of 12/13 holidays, everyone has been different. Like Jintzky's friend, I was on the Douro River Cruise in July. Food was excellent and very varied. My sister was not impressed with the one meal choice unless you told them in the morning. Gazpacho is a cold tomato soup- she hated it, should be hot tomato soup  😛

Jan

Much depends on how serious a walker you are and what type of holiday you are looking for. I'm a serious walker (eg Iceland earlier this year with a specialist walking company) but also like easier walking to explore new areas as I have a strong dislike of coach travel and being bussed from place to place (which is why I've booked Walking on the Amalfi Coast, and the Loire Valley with JY for 2019).

I'm not a foodie, but as a pescatarian just happy if I get reasonable meals, which I did. I do remember the impressive dining room in the hotel at Alnwick -  the wood panelling came from a transatlantic liner.

Would be surprised if large numbers were an issue for walk safety reasons. On both holidays the tour managers were excellent.

Northumberland - I would describe this a serious walking holiday, with the walk along the coast and the crossing to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) using the Pilgrims route very enjoyable in spite of the poor weather.

Lake Garda - easy walking with the exception of one day because of the heat - this area can become very hot. The people I walk with locally would not be impressed with it as a walking holiday, but is better than some in the JY brochure such as Walking the Camino de Santiago which appears basically to be a coach tour. Lake Garda is a lovely area and it was a very good holiday overall, the ferries can be used to visit other areas around the lake.

These are two very different holidays, both were enjoyable.

Like Roby102 I don't like being bussed from place to place so need to choose the itinerary carefully. I also like the sound of the Loire walking trip but can't make those dates unfortunately. It also has the huge of advantage of going by Eurostar and avoiding airport queues.

Love the comment about the gazpacho! I really like eating gazpacho on a hot day in Spain, but think it's one of those things which only tastes good on holiday in it's country of origin. A bit like ouzo in Greece!

Northumberland :- I didn't take wellies to minimise luggage on the train but that was a mistake as they are definitely needed on this holiday. I would normally never walk in wellies but they are necessary on the crossing over to Holy Island. When the water retreats the walk takes the Pilgrims Way, not the causeway, and wellies are needed for that section as it is mudflats with some pools of water.  I had to buy some plastic garden shoes and gaffer tape them to my ankles so they weren't lost in the mud. Do take wellies.

Walking poles :- it's individual choice, I don't like or use them. With one exception though, I do sometimes use one pole (never two) for steep descents especially when it's rocky or wet, but the type where the top of the handle is T shaped not straight. That way the handle sits in the palm of my hand and the pressure goes into my hand and not my wrist.

Rob

I'm enjoying looking through the JY brochure and planning my holidays for 2019. Apart from the walking one, I'll probably do a long-haul as well such as Kenya or Namibia.