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Today’s guest post gives us tips on where to hike in Europe.

It is summer holiday time again but if endless hours of sunbathing on a beach seem boring to you, then this year might be the right time to search for a holiday adventure that involves more than just sun, sand and sangria. Hiking destinations and holidays are a marvelous way to make the most of some time away, offering relaxation of a different sort and allowing you to get better connected to the natural world.

The Right Gear

Hiking through unfamiliar territory in a cool, dense forest or across a majestic mountain range is exciting, exhilarating and life-affirming, but also requires the walker to be well prepared. The right clothing, footwear, navigation tools and safety items are necessary for a hiking trip and they are not always cheap. However, you can always shop around for good 0 percent credit cards so that you can spread the cost over a longer period.

Every hike starts off with the need for good hiking shoes

Mesmerising Scenery

Spain is often the first choice for a beach break but there are some spectacular hiking trails across the country, too. The Camino de Santiago trail is a 500-mile walk that actually begins on the French side of the Pyrenees then crosses over the top of northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the relics of the Apostle James are interred. It can be taken in sections, with a walk that can easily be done in a weekend or a slightly longer trail in two weeks. If you want to add a little bike to your walk then check out Purely Pyrenees.

For a walk that covers a considerably shorter distance, La Gomera, the second smallest of Spain’s Canary Islands, offers two trails. A 15km hike through the Barranco De Argaga canyon takes in the mesmerising multi-coloured rock-face strata left behind by the island’s ancient volcanic history. There is also an 11km trail through the cool laurel forests of the Garajonay National Park.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Four hundred kilometres north of the Canary Islands, on Portugal’s Madeira Islands, are two trails that also make excellent day-trip destinations. The 14km Caldeirão do Inferno trail takes walkers through a laurel forest and into several levada tunnels. A good head for heights is needed, though, as the path rises to 1000m above sea level, with heart-stopping sheer drops to the side and few or no railings in places.

Beautiful Flora and Stunning Sea Views

If you like the idea of taking a hike that can be spread over your entire holiday, then the 90km trail through the Dolomites in Italy is the ideal choice. Taking around 7-8 days to complete, with overnight rests, the walk allows you to take in some of the beautiful flora as well as the awesome Tre Cime di Lavaredo – the three mighty peaks of the Dolomites that overshadow the landscape

The Dolomites

For those who prefer a more difficult trail, the Isle of Skye in Scotland has a short but quite demanding trail of 6-7 km which takes walkers to an altitude of 990m above sea level through ruggedly handsome mountain terrain with magnificent sea views.

Wherever you choose to go hiking, it is important to bear your own safety in mind and be well prepared for rapid changes in weather conditions at all times.

TT

The goal of Traveling Ted is to inspire people to outdoor adventure travel and then provide tips on where and how to go. If you liked this post then enter your email in the box to get email notifications for each new entry. Daily travel photos are excluded from your email in order to not flood you with posts. There is no spam and email information will not be shared. Other e-follow options include Facebook (click on the like box to the right) or twitter (click on the pretty bird on the rainbow above).

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