Steve Backhouse, HF Holidays’ head of holidays, based in Penrith, con-tinues his history of the Holiday Fellow-ship and founder TA Leonard . . .

The Holiday Fellowship was established a century ago in 1913 by Thomas Arthur Leonard, who was widely considered to be one of the fathers of the outdoor movement in Britain.

Leonard invented group walking holidays and chose the Lake District as the location for many of his first excursions. The area was a favourite spot of his.

The Newlands Centre near Keswick was one of the first houses he bought and offered accommodation for walkers and school groups until 1987.

In 1937 Derwent Bank, on the shores of Derwent Water, was purchased. With its stunning views over the lake it is still one of the most-visited country houses owned by HF Holidays.

Leonard died in 1948, aged 84. He was instrumental in establishing many organisations, including the YHA and was elected the first president of the Ramblers Association in 1938 and continued in this role until a couple of years before his death.

Not far from Derwent Bank is Cat Bells, where a plaque dedicated to T.A. Leonard sits on Skelgill Bank. I thoroughly recommend talking a walk to see it. The ever-popular path to the summit is well worth the effort as the views over the lake to Skiddaw and Blencathra can be breathtaking. The plaque is placed on the rocky top of the lower summit.

In 1945 the Holiday Fellowship leased Monk Coniston, overlooking Coniston Water, from the National Trust. It remains an outstanding country house from which to explore the southern Lake District.

In 1982 the society changed its name from the Holiday Fellowship to HF Holidays, and in 1988 Thorns Hall in Sedbergh became its third country house in Cumbria.

Leonard’s legacy continues today with 50,000 people a year travelling with HF Holidays, making it the largest provider of walking holidays in the UK, with almost 35,000 members and 700 experienced volunteer walk leaders.

As innovative as 100 years ago, HF Holidays remains at the fore in developments, continuing to play a major role in promoting walking holidays and the use of the countryside for walking and outdoor adventures nation-ally and internationally, championing issues relating to walking.

Most recently, this has been to support the Outdoor Industries Association’s Britain on Foot campaign, aimed at encouraging people to get involved in outdoor activities, increase the exercise taken and improve health – all values in line with HF Holidays’ ethos.

To find out more about HF Holidays visit www. hfholidays.co.uk or call 0845 470 8559 for a brochure.