Sometimes I don't feel like becoming an expert…read more For two years running now, I've used the services of Gates Travel to find and purchase train tickets for travel throughout the United Kingdom. Not only are they prompt to respond via email but they know the ins and outs of train travel in a way that I don't and that I don't care to learn. One year ago I needed to get from a town in the North Cotswolds to a town in Wales and was growing uneasy with the process and baffled by my options. Gates Travel to the rescue. Not only could they tell me exactly which trains ran when but they could also tell me which were the best deals. They even went further when they realized that I was traveling in a party of two: they did the math and determined that the "two together" card was a worthwhile investment for my trips. I doubt I'd even know of the "two together" pass and benefits without it having been recommended by Gates Travel. All of my train tickets and the "two together" card have been secured and paid for online and Gates Travel sends me the physical documents via email and/or the postal service. With the help of Gates Travel I don't have to become an expert. I'm uncertain what other travel services Gates Travel provides as I've only used them to secure train tickets and advice. But based on this, I feel comfortable that they could help with any of your United Kingdom travel needs.

This travel agency is part of a local group based in Kendal. The staff know what their doing and,…read morewhen I've been there very patient and obliging. They have the concession for selling train tickets, and will try their hardest to find a convenient route at the right price. They also do all the other things from Cruises to Coach trips, via package holidays. I find the atmosphere there relaxing and also noticed a coffee machine in use for another customer. I highly recommend the staff, and shop.

Mickledore Travel recently handled my arrangements for a 6 day, 44-mile self-guided walking tour…read morealong the Thames River Path. They're in the business of arranging walking/hiking tours and their web site is fun to use in helping you whittle down your options. Once you decide on the number of days you wish to hike and the type of terrain you wish to hike in, Mickledore's web site will show you your options. When you have questions, their staff will quickly respond via email or phone. When you've settled on a hike and made a down payment to Mickledore they'll make your arrangements which include lodging and luggage transport along your hiking route. As your travel date approaches and you make your final payment, Mickledore will send you the details of your trip: dates, lodging, maps, luggage tags, and meals when applicable. Depending on where you've chosen to hike you could possibly handle all of this on your own but Mickledore takes you out of the planning business and sometimes that's worth paying for. To say that this hiking tour was one of my best travel experiences ever isn't an understatement. This rubs off on my feelings about Mickledore in a positive way. The services they provided on this particular trip weren't perfect but I so enjoyed my trip that I'd consider using them again in the future. Here's the details: * Mickledore booked 6 nights of lodging in 5 different locations. Of those, 3 were great or good, 1 was just okay, and 1 was bad. I provided post-trip feedback to Mickledore, as they requested. The route I chose is not as traveled as some of the more popular trails; for this reason I think Mickledore may not have had great data on some of the places they booked me into. * Each morning, your luggage must be downstairs and ready for transport by 8:30 a.m. Each afternoon, when checking in at a new place of lodging, my luggage was waiting. This part went off without a hitch. * In the UK, each place of lodging included a full English breakfast. In 2 places Mickledore had arranged for bag lunches to be included as well. I would not want the bag lunches again. I was hiking through areas that were easy to find food and drink and it is that I prefer. * Mickledore provided a book (outlining the details of the trail), a water-safe map of the trail, printed pages of places to eat/public restrooms/emergency service info and the like. They also have an app on which you can see much of your trip info. The trail I hiked was easy to follow and I'm good at searching out my preferred dining options. The only part of this that I found useful (and mostly just because it was interesting) was the map. * Although they don't verify it, Mickledore requires that travelers get trip insurance. I did and thankfully had no need to use it. Not including trip insurance, the services Mickledore provided for this trip (including the 6 nights of lodging and the luggage transport plus everything else mentioned) ran $967 per person which wasn't cheap but also wasn't at all unreasonable. Mickeldore Travel isn't the only company specializing in organizing self-guided walking tours but in this space, the offerings are similar. If I were planning another trip like this I'd again consider using them.

These guys helped me plan and complete my coast to Coast walk last year! Amazing thank you Rick for…read moreall your information and booking all the stops. How did you know already how long some of the legs would take genius! Again if you are planing UK walking holidays use Mickledore travel!

Visited with a friend with dementia - on Thursday 1st June 2023. The young man who served us was…read morewonderful - great service and brilliant attitude

The local Tourist Information Centre in Carlisle has very helpful, and friendly staff. They are…read moreextremely knowledgeable about everything round about, from local activities, to B&B's, and where to visit. Everythingthat you would expect from a Tourist Information office. The office itself is located in the old Town Hall, which at first glance is difficult for a disabled person to access, however there is a lift provided. Inside, besides local advice, you can also purchase souvenirs, local maps, and book accommodation and local attractions. There is a notice board inside, from which upcoming events can be advertised. For local business' there is also a fax and photocopying service available, for a small fee.

This is a good tourist information for locals and visitors alike. It acts as a booking office for…read moreentertainment at the Coronation Hall. There is a wealth of information on public transport. You can find and book accommodation. There are maps to buy for exploring this wonderful part of the world. I always feel welcome when I walk through the door even when the staff are busy.

First class service from Thomson on this visit. Myself and…read moreAdam Y had spent a couple of weeks deciding where we should go on holiday this August and couldn't come up with any ideas within budget so we wandered around Bolton one day and picked up some brochures from various travel agents. Eventually we resorted back to the internet and just doing any old search with the main search being 'Adult only hotel' - we hate children. We found a 5* hotel within (almost) price budget on the Thomson website, but decided to go in-store to see if they could better it. Of we popped down to the late opening Thomson shop on the Fort shopping park on a Wednesday evening and we were warmly greeted by a young chap who happened to be the manager. He asked us to sit down and explain what we wanted. He searched and unfortunately the price his system was giving him was £250 more than the website. Not to worry he said, he would price match for us and even waiver the admin fee because he could. How nice! However, he was going away in two days so if we wanted it we would need to book with him before Friday to get this deal. We couldn't decide there and then so had a wander around the car park and came to the conclusion that we would only spend the next two days looking on the internet more and only coming back here. So we walked back in and booked it. The young man was very friendly and gave us advise on the resort and travel tips without being patronising as some travel agents can be. I would definitely recommend using Thomson, this one in particular.

I've used Hays Travel for every holiday I've booked since I've lived in Bolton (10 years). Although…read moreI can only speak for the Horwich branch, I've found the staff to be helpful, incredibly friendly, and enthusiastic. They've helped us travel all over the world, including our honeymoon, and kept us updated with any relevant details, as well as getting us the best options and prices available. We also regularly get our foreign currency through their bureau de change. The shop itself is on a main street, with a free car park literally a 1 minute walk away), there's usually 2 or 3 consultants available at any one time, and the shop is clean, comfortable, and has a wide variety of holiday brochures, promotions, and multimedia about places you can visit on holiday. I've never felt compelled to book a holiday through anyone but Hays Travel. They're the best for us.

Timewell's Travel is a local Merseyside operator that offers a variety of day trips or short…read moreexcursions. You can book your desired trip by simply phoning the company or by visiting your local travel agents. I have used this service many times before and visited many parts of England including Windermere, York and Snowdon which were all absolutely worth paying for as not only do you get to your required destination but your coach driver/tour guide will pass by several points along the way meaning you will visit a number of places during the trip. The service is suitable for all ages and the types of trips are relaxing ones and not like Theme Park related so it does attract a lot of the older generation. I would definitely be using this service every once in a while as I have a passion for travelling and this is the best way to do short escorted trips.

I had a trip to Buxton , I called the office to ask about the cleaning of the bus , due to corona…read morevirus , they said in quite a aggressive attitude we clean our buses every day , no attempt to deliver customer care , I was the first pick up in the morning ,and to my utter disbelief the bus was not cleaned ,the toilet had no water to wash my hands , my sister is a high risk person if she catches the virus ,no point complaining , they are not interested ,seems to me money is more important to them .I will not be using this company again ,,very disingenuous ,beware others travellers ,there was mostly elderly people and disabled people , all high risk .