After our long, cold, snowy winter, a hiking holiday in the south of France, with sojourns both in the Provençal countryside and on the Mediterranean coast, had me, a novice trekker, signing on the dotted line and rushing out to buy hiking shoes and a backpack.

As a single woman, it’s not always easy to find a compatible travel companion. So this year I decided to take matters into my own hands and book a holiday all by myself.