Investment Plus Member News

"As we fast approach the festive season, we all look forward to spending time with family and friends, enjoying shared experiences – after all, that’s what Christmas is all about. 

HF Holidays has always strived to create the perfect environment for connection and belonging, not just at Christmas time, but every day of the year, whether over a shared meal in our country houses or the inspiring walks in the great outdoors. 

As a co-operative business owned by and for its members, we were very pleased to welcome nearly 2,700 new members this year, and as I settle into my new role as CEO, I have been tasked by the Board to look at ways to deliver enhanced benefits for the people who matter most – our membership. 

I recently attended an Investment Members’ break in the Brecon Beacons, where I had the pleasure of introducing myself and spending time enjoying great company, warm hospitality from our House Team, scenic walks, and plenty of laughter during the evening quiz. 

I was especially curious about what inspires members to increase their shareholding in the society. What I heard most was about the many happy holidays they had enjoyed, as children, as friends, as couples and as solo travellers, and that they strongly believed that this unique organisation must thrive for generations to come. 

So, in addition to the practical but very important job of conserving and maintaining the wonderful country houses that HF Holidays guests enjoy, we must also raise our ambition for the future to ensure we match this with the faith our members place in us. 

I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for your continued support. From all the team and me, we wish you a very happy Christmas and a wonderful new year."

Chris Simmonds

After an incredible 40 years of dedication and hard work, David officially hung up his HF Holidays boots on Friday, 29th November, as he began a well-deserved retirement. 

To mark this milestone, colleagues gathered for a heartfelt farewell celebration in the office on Thursday 28 November. During the event, we presented David with a special retirement gift to show our appreciation for his remarkable contributions over the decades. 

The gathering was filled with thanks, laughter, and shared memories, as we reflected on the impact David has had on HF Holidays and wished him all the best for this exciting new chapter in his life. 

David shared his thanks for all the support over the years and wishes everyone all the very best for the future. He added “You will see me from time to time on the holidays!”. 

As a proud co-operative, we put our members and guests at the heart of everything we do. Our member-elected Board consists of 12 volunteer Directors who are responsible for setting the strategic direction of HF Holidays. And now, we need you to get involved!  

By joining the Board, you’ll become part of a dedicated group that represents the diverse interests and backgrounds of our membership, helping to shape our Society's future.  

We want to broaden our Board's skills and expertise and are seeking members with experience in areas such as marketing and sales, hospitality management, travel and tourism, or operations. 

If you’d like to join a board with 111 years of history or nominate someone as a Director, you can  find out more online.   

The closing date for applications is 31 December 2024. For more details and to submit your application, please email Society Secretary, Manuela Gordea here.  

Save the Date: Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025 

We’re pleased to announce that our 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place at 14:00 on Saturday, 5 April 2025 at The Studio in Birmingham. While the formal notice and agenda will be announced closer to the date, we want to make sure this important event is already in your diary. 

Our AGM is a pivotal moment in the year, providing an opportunity to hear about our progress, celebrate our achievements, and look ahead to the future. Whether you're a seasoned attendee or thinking about joining for the first time, your participation matters. 

Thank you for your ongoing support. We’re excited to see you at the AGM and continue building the bright future of HF Holidays together. 

Our latest member Q&A video, recorded in September, is available to watch here. Introduced by Society Secretary, Manuela Gordea, your questions were answered in the video by outgoing CEO, David Harrington, Chair of HF Holidays, Ben Reid, and Board Director, Andrea Illingworth. 

Our next Q&A is scheduled for 27 March 2025. All members will be invited to submit their questions and a link to watch the Q&A will be shared, both via email and on the Society's website.

We would like to offer you a free Premium room upgrade on your next new UK country house booking, worth £20 per person per night. That’s £280 of extra value on a 7-night break for two! 

To claim your gift, please call our Sales & Support Team by Tuesday 7 January on:

+44 (0)20 3974 8865 (Mon-Fri: 9am - 5:30pm, Sat: 9am - 1pm).

Terms & conditions apply - please see the Christmas card for details. 

Simplifying our pricing for everyone

From 11 December 2024, we are changing how we display our prices to make them easier for members and new customers to understand.

Rather than publishing prices that automatically include the £30 member discount upfront, we will instead display the full ‘public’ (non-member) price.

Rest assured that changing how we display our prices doesn’t change the prices members pay. The £30 member discount you know and love remains.

Read more about these changes here.

With our waitlist facility, you can be the first to hear about new availability on currently sold-out holidays. And, if you’re an Investment Plus or Investment Member, enjoy the exclusive benefit of advance registration for new holidays before they open to everyone else. 

Our friendly Sales and Support Team is ready to assist. Give us a call at +44 (0)20 3974 8865 or email us (Mon–Fri: 9:00 am–5:30 pm, Sat: 9:00 am–1:00 pm).  

Let us help you plan your next walking holiday. 

We’ve listened to your feedback and revived our popular Rambles with a Sketchbook holidays.  

Returning this spring to our houses in the Southern Yorkshire Dales, Southern Lake District, and on the Isle of Wight, these breaks are back, and better than ever. You’ll enjoy short walks guided by an HF Holidays Leader and stop to sketch the stunning scenery with the help of an expert art tutor who’ll accompany you along the way.  

Perfect for those who’ve experienced our Introduction to Drawing breaks but also open to beginners, these holidays allow you to develop your artistic skills while drawing inspiration from the surroundings. 

Find out more and see dates & prices here. 

Join us to meet fellow members and discuss the society while exploring the great British countryside together.

Our next Investment Member Breaks take place on:

16-19 May 2025 - Peveril of the Peak, Dovedale, Peak District

7-10 Nov 2025 - Longmynd House, Church Stretton, Shropshire Hills, featuring a special HF Holidays 112th birthday celebration with SINGLE ROOMS STILL AVAILABLE.

And as an exclusive Investment Member break, there’ll also be a pre-dinner presentation from a Board member, plus a Q & A session with one of the Executive Leader Team.

Our Sales & Support team are waiting to help you secure your place. Call us on +44 (0)20 3974 8865 (Mon-Fri: 9:00am - 5:30pm, Sat: 9:00am - 1:00pm) or press the ‘enquire’ button on the holiday page.

Why stop at one unforgettable walking destination? We have a range of houses that are ideal for letting one adventure lead into another.

Extend your stay in the Lake District by hopping between our houses in Coniston and Keswick – a great way to explore both the north and south parts of the Lake District National Park.

Or why not discover the dramatic landscapes of Glencoe from our house in the Scottish Highlands before heading to the Isle of Arran - often called “Scotland in Miniature” - to experience its coastal trails, historic sites, and charming villages.

Offering even more adventure and variety, multi-centre trips are a great way to make the most of your time away.

Not sure where to start? Let our Sales & Support Team help you create your perfect multi-centre walking holiday.

You asked for more solo holidays during the summer season, and we’ve delivered. Exclusively for solo travellers, these holidays include a full board stay at our UK country houses and a choice of three walks a day led by our experienced HF Holidays Leaders.

Best of all, you’ll be in a group with other solo guests. So even if you start off alone, you’ll find that people are easily brought together by a shared love of the great outdoors.

25 August 2025 - 4-Night Shropshire Hills Guided Walking for Solos

22 August 2025 - 7-Night Shropshire Hills Guided Walking for Solos

Don’t miss out—spaces are limited.

For extra peace of mind, we offer our members a Price Pledge. This exclusive members-only benefit means you can be sure of the best price at the time of booking. In the unlikely event that you find an identical HF Holidays break, with the same duration, location, and date, advertised at a lower price, you can claim the difference.  

Click here to find out more

• Tuesday 24 December - Christmas Eve - 9.00-16.00
• Wednesday 25 December – Christmas Day – closed
• Thursday 26 December - Boxing Day – closed
• Tuesday 31 December – New Year's Eve – 9.00-16.00
• Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day - closed
• All other days 9.00-17.30 and Saturday 9.00-13.00 

Led by experienced chefs, the food and beverage teams at our 15 characterful country houses have been working hard to come up with an exciting new range of winter dishes. 

Using home-grown herbs and vegetables from our own gardens whenever possible, our menus change with the seasons to ensure we offer delicious food made with only the freshest ingredients. To supplement what our grounds and gardens provide, we select the best produce from around the British Isles wherever we can. 

With great quality, wholesome, and nourishing options that serve to set you up for the day ahead and satisfy your appetite after walking and exploring. Some of our favourite new winter dishes include homemade pumpkin and quinoa soup, a tasty turkey and ham hock pie served with creamy mashed potato and a rich onion gravy, and an indulgent dark chocolate tart complete with whipped cream and poached pear. 

Our warming winter menu is in full-swing and available until spring 2025. 

Check out our full menu here.
(Note this is the menu for holidays starting on Friday, other start days will have the same menu items served on different days). 

At the start of November, we celebrated our 111th birthday! But we couldn’t have made it this far without our 48,000-strong community of loyal members and the 55,000 people who choose to travel with us annually. So, we’d like to say a big thank you to all those who helped us reach this ripe old age.  

Here are some photos of our anniversary weekend at a variety of our country houses. If you have photos you are happy for us to use for marketing purposes, please send in using the link below. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and a huge thank you to the staff at our houses who organised a memorable weekend. 

Can't wait for next year when we celebrate over the weekend of 7-8 November? Book your 2025 anniversary break here.

Get set for winter: Exclusive Member Discounts on outdoor gear! 

Winter is on its way, and there’s no better time to update your kit with exclusive offers from our partner brands. Whether you’re planning frosty countryside walks or exploring further afield, our partner discounts help you gear up for the season ahead—all while saving you money. 

As a valued member, you’ll enjoy special discounts from leading outdoor retailers and brands offering everything from high-performance boots to weatherproof clothing and adventure-ready gear. 

Some of our winter favourites: 

• Cotswold Outdoor: 15% off outdoor essentials.
• Rohan: 20% off full-price items for all-weather clothing.
• Lowa: 20% off premium hiking boots.
• Hi-Tec: 25% off walking boots for comfort and durability.
• Cicerone: 25% off printed guidebooks for planning your next adventure. 

How to redeem your discounts 

Visit the member partner discounts page to find all the details you need to start saving today. Discounts are available both in-store and online, and redemption is easy—just follow the instructions provided for each partner. 

Enjoy the season in style and comfort, and don’t forget to check out our latest news, reviews, and blogs to stay inspired for your next adventure. 

We can’t wait to see where winter takes you. 

We’re proud to announce our agreement to donate the largest amount to date of £30,000 to help restore the pathways at Roseberry Topping, an iconic North Yorkshire landmark often visited by guests at Larpool Hall, our country house in Whitby. 

Our donation from the Pathways Fund will help to support the National Trust and North Yorkshire Moors National Parks Authority in making essential repairs and improvements to footpaths on our guided walks. The project aims to improve access for walkers, horse riders and cyclists ensuring the preservation of Roseberry Topping for future generations to come. We'll keep you updated with progress on this project. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported our work with the Pathways Fund which helps to protect and improve the countryside for all.

We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Fences & Frontiers – the charity that aims to make London a welcoming, supportive, and inspiring place for refugees and asylum seekers to live in and settle. 

Last month we hosted Lisette and her family on an assisted holiday in the Peak District.  

Lisette took time out of her stay to email us about her experience: “The week has been spectacular from the start; we have met some very nice and kind people. We have visited beautiful places such as the River Dove, the village of Thorpe, the village of Ilam, the Carsington nature reserve.  

The kids had a great time, made friends and played a lot, as well as seeing nature and animals. The most exciting thing was that they got a recognition of the number of kilometres they walked.  

The hotel staff has been extremely kind and helpful to us, we would like to give a special thanks to them for everything and to the team of hiking guides.”

Since 2018, HF Holidays have given staff a paid day each year to volunteer for causes close to their hearts. Throughout 2024 many members of our team have taken the opportunity to support a range of projects, and we love to shout about it! 

In early November, UK Product Manager, Hattie Holme, spent a long weekend volunteering with Netball Scotland at their inaugural Celtic Cup tournament in Glasgow. This new competition sees the three British ‘Celtic’ nations (Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland) compete against one another plus an invitational team. This year, it was Zimbabwe. 

Hattie used her volunteer day to serve as Team Liaison Officer (TLO) for the Zimbabwean netball team, ensuring they received a warm welcome to a less than sunny Scotland and had everything they needed to enjoy the competition. After four days of games, Wales went home with the trophy while Zimbabwe came third after Scotland.  

Hattie said: “It’s no secret that I absolutely live and breathe netball. So I had an absolute blast getting to see behind-the-scenes at an international netball tournament. I’ll be first in line to volunteer again with Netball Scotland and look forward to Commonwealth Games opportunities for 2026!” 

Watch this space for more fantastic Volunteer Day stories from our HF Holidays team.

We’re a membership community built on recommendations. So, as a thank you for the work you do to spread the word, we’re offering £75 off your next holiday for each friend you introduce who books with us. Your friend will also receive £75 off their booking.  

Find out more here and thank you in advance for sharing the benefits of being active and having fun in the great outdoors.