We always had good experience with Hermes.
Same applies up here in the Pennines.
Local drivers who know the roads and their customers, and stay in the job long-term.
Safe place to leave parcels is perhaps less of a problem in a rural area as well.
It's a system that works well in a rural location like ours, where delays on the road are perhaps less likely.
In one local area, the drivers post on fb if they think there will be delays (usually at the collection depot).
And when it snows, we all know about it....
I appreciate that in urban areas it must be a lot more difficult to predict times, and to keep staff long enough for them get good at the job.