Walk Works

Meet Caroline and Liz, two trailblazing women who aren’t just building a successful business, they are curating meaningful travel experiences that brings a Chilterns community together.

If there is one thing that the entrepreneurs I have featured in this Talking Travel & Tourism interview series have in common, it’s their instinct for getting things right for their customers. In the face of macro economic factors that buffet our tourism and hospitality industry and make our lives difficult. But, it’s where creativity springs.

In this the seventh interview, I talk to co-founders Caroline Gratrix and Liz Bradbury from Walk Works whose walking business operates in Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and in the Buckinghamshire Chilterns.

Walk Works co-founders Caroline Gratrix and Liz Bradbury. Photo courtesy of Walk Works.

From the endless Covid lockdown months and local walks that ensued, Walk Works has flourished, bringing innovation and a fresh perspective to our industry. Active Chilterns Tourism Network members, Caroline and Liz get why strong partnerships are key to business success and key for destination development and marketing. They do this effortlessly. What brought them together? Their passion for the great outdoors and commitment to sharing what they have discovered.

Pushing at an open door

They are doers, their enthusiasm infectious! Whilst their business has grown organically, their focus has always been on experiential and transformational travel. “It goes beyond merely passive sightseeing, we incorporate cultural immersion, wellness and personal growth” says Liz. “We are keen to encourage women out in the countryside, many are reluctant because they lack confidence and local knowledge.” They are part of growing number of women-led walking business offering this initiative as the countryside is not always a welcoming, comfortable space.

They place their community at the heart of their business, and do this successfully with Corporates too, delivering a weekly walking tour of Reading town centre for local businesses and their employees to get to know Reading beyond their desks.

It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a community to host a visitor

Talking with Caroline and Liz in the cosy Stoke Row Store, got me thinking about how many new tourism and hospitality businesses are owned and run by women.

There is a dearth of reliable statistics that doesn't focus just on CEO’s, housekeeping staff at large hotel chains and tech start-ups. Some of the reports are rich in platitudes, whilst others are very excited to announce an upward trend in the number of women employed in our industry - so often in low paid low skilled roles. Anecdotally most of my network is filled with SME’s, but it is difficult to establish UK-wide figures for women who found and own small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s). If you know, please share the information.

Hospitality and tourism play a key role in the UK economy, often (quietly) operating at the heart of communities, creating jobs and contributing to national GDP. But as Caroline pondered: “on our weekly walking tours of Reading town centre, introducing the local workforce to the retail and tourism offer, I wonder what our contribution to Reading’s economy is?”

Because their leadership is more collaborative, empathetic, and relationship-driven, they know it leads to higher customer satisfaction - their social media is testament to this with customers who quickly jump in to dispel myths or misconceptions! Such as: from those who moan about having to “pay to go for a walk”: to them I say, off you go then! But if go with Walk Works, you are going to have a countryside experience developed by two entrepreneurs who are aiming high, yet with feet firmly in the Chilterns chalk.

Develop a unique, genuine experience and they will come

Their business is typical of women who consider it important to support local artisan producers in a responsible and sustainable way. Caroline and Liz have successfully launched their brilliant new wine tasting experience, inspired by this tourism network. The first event in July was an instant sell out, despite having no advertising budget and a reliance on existing contacts and social media channels. Amazing! It shows what can be done with creativity and partnership.

Additional dates have being added to their guided 8-mile walk through the beautiful Henley Chiltern’s, stopping off at four favourite vineyards including, JoJo's, Stonor Valley, Oaken Grove and Fairmile vineyards. All the elements right there: a popular experience in a new accessible destination packed full of local flavours, led by expert guides, vintners and producers. I think the pricing point is spot on as it gently but firmly puts blue water between it and the typical Chilterns walking product.

What a beauty! Photo courtesy of Walk Works.

In their extensive natural network, where do they go for downtime?

Like so many women business owners, they have other lives and jobs. Caroline volunteers at Ethical Reading, a not-for-profit working with organisations in Reading to help them become more ethical in how decisions are taken. Caroline is also a photographer and goes tree-hugging, which she can easily incorporate into her countryside walks. Liz is a musician and professional violin teacher and finds her escape in Bones Wood near Henley-on-Thames, a woodland full of oak, beech, ash, hazel and silver birch. It sounds like there’s inspiration a-plenty there.

Walk Works is not only a testament to entrepreneurial drive—it’s a celebration of accessibility, innovation and a fresher, more kinder perspective. These two trailblazing women aren’t just building a businesses, they’re curating meaningful travel experiences that brings an entire South Chilterns community together.

It doesn’t mean that male entrepreneurs lack creativity or empathy, far from it, it’s just that women tend to favour holistic and socially responsible approaches that are thankfully transforming the travel industry. We need more of this please as it takes a community to host a visitor.

Reading is really on my radar now, and I’ll be joining Caroline and Liz on a Reading tour before I set off on my walking adventure to Portsmouth in the spring. I am dying to see all 70 metres of the Victorian version of the Bayeux Tapestry in its magnificent entirety in the Reading museum.

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Links you will need

Walk Works offers an active walking and event programme throughout the year, if you are in the area give them a call.

If are not already subscribed, head over to my Chilterns Treasures newsletter, my discovery of the Chilterns from A - Z. This week, we’re O for Outside.

There’s more for you from earlier Talking Travel & Tourism conversations including; Puddingstone Distillery, Pipsticks Walks and life in the woods with David Willis amongst other local entrepreneurs.

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