Hikes
... the hills are alive
The benefits of hiking are well documented. It tones your muscles, reduces body fat, prevents heart and other diseases, and is excellent for your mental health, and gives you a sense of achievement when you have finally conquered that mountain top. But there is also the simple joy of stepping into nature, of breathing fresh mountain air, of admiring a panoramic vista, of listening to bird song, of feeling the warmth of sunlight on your skin: you can take hiking as a sporting challenge, but it is also a true feast for your senses.
I have listed some hikes that should not be tackled without a decent level of fitness, in particular the cable-climb up Mount Maglić, or the tougher climbs at Teide on Tenerife, or on Mount Pico in the Azores. But there are also entries, for instance those in England and Wales or on Skye that do not require you to be a super fit athlete. Sorry, but there really are no excuses …
The highest mountain in Bosnia & Herzegovina is located in the country's oldest National Park Sutjeska: Solitude, wilderness, and a challenging climb aided by strategically placed cables.
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park is located in the Spanish region of Aragon, pretty much right in the middle of the Pyrenees. A dozen peaks over 3,000 m tower above a lush landscape (with Perdido coming top at a height of 3,550 m). I have listed 4 hikes that bring you closer to the action.
Portugal's highest mountain is located on the Azorean island bearing the same name. A tough scramble across volcanic rock, though the 360 degree views at the top are well worth the arduous climb.
The Highlands in miniature, and arguably the jewel in the crown of the natural wonders that Scotland has to offer. I have chosen 3 easy hikes that will get you closer to its natural beauty.
Island-hopping of the unusual kind in this archipelago: 7 islands, 8 ferries, 7 buses, 5 rental cars (and one bike rental) in the attempt to get to the top of the highest peak on Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Tenerife (with Teide at a whopping 3,700 m), El Hierro, La Gomera, and La Palma. Sorry La Graciosa, your highest elevation did not make the cut.
I have listed 4 hikes that get you close to this awesome glacier; the biggest in the European Alps, with starts and finishes at Bettmeralp, in the Swiss canton of Valais/Wallis.
Itineraries for 2 easy to moderate hikes around the area of the 'Three Peaks' (drei Zinnen in German), famous as the backdrop for many Hollywood movies. The location scouts were right; one of the most spectacular places in the Alps.
Lake District, England
The pearl of England's many national parks. If you can beat the crowds, it doesn't get much better than this. Scafell Pike, Helwellyn and Blencathra.
Another of northern England's many gems, the Yorkshire Dales offer some truly supreme hikes: Buckden Pike, Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and Whernside; the latter three also representing the original Three-Peak Challenge.
The UK's least visited country offers wonderful hiking adventures in often far-flung corners. Yr Wyddfa (formerly known as Mount Snowdon), Pen-y-Fan, Haybluffs and Sugarloaf Mountain.
