The length of Hadrian’s wall makes for an interesting, if lengthy hike. Recently RAF Airman Charlie Hammerton set off to tackle the 84 mile walk but his was no ordinary journey. He was looking to raise funds for charity and to get over the loss of his mother by breaking the record for the fastest hike of the wall by a human-animal duo! Continue reading
No matter how many trails that you hike there is always one that remains your favourite and that you always hope to return to. In my case it is the Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park. I have never encountered another hike which offers the serenity, the drama and the variety of scenery that you find on The Mist Trail and I think that I could take on this route every day for a year and never tire of it. Continue reading
Last year a hike in the Julian Alps of Slovenia resulted in the most bizarre interlude at a small croft in the mountains. I had taken a lengthy and steep hike up to a beautiful lake and was making my way down again when I encountered the most extraordinary individual. The whole episode began when I saw a gorgeous ginger cat perched on a post outside of the small farm. Continue reading
I have always marvelled at how the majority of visitors to Yosemite National Park remain in the valley rather than exploring further afield. There is no doubt that the full majesty of the park can only be experienced by expending some energy and taking a hike but some of the walks on offer are rather testing if your fitness levels are not up to par. I am a keen hiker and just have to take on the Four Mile Trail when in Yosemite but it can provide a severe test especially in the heat of the Summer. Continue reading
Sometimes things don’t go entirely according to plan when you are hiking in the mountains. I have learnt to my cost that it pays to be prepared for all eventualities and one thing you should always do is check the weather forecast which is exactly what I didn’t do when a hike turned into a nightmare. What started as a pleasant walk in the sunshine to one of my favourite beauty spots quickly descended into a highly unpleasant experience. Continue reading
The new Discovery channel programme Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell tells the stories of those who have been lost in dangerous territory and survived. You would think that these would be tales of intrepid daring do and would feature mainly people who live life on the edge but most of the stories are actually about normal people doing relatively normal things. These are ordinary folk who have found themselves lost whilst out trekking or skiing not explorers in search of remote civilisations. The more I watch, the more it has hit home how easy it is to find yourself in trouble on even a comparatively mundane trip. Continue reading
There can be few places on earth as breathtakingly beautiful and serene as the Soča Valley in Slovenia. The portion of the river near the town of Bovec was used as the filming location in the movie “Chronicles of Narnia – Prince Caspian” and it is not difficult to see why the director chose this wonderful place for the film. Continue reading
Are you looking for something a little different for your next holiday? Perhaps a world of action and adventure awaits!
Of course, even if you want to take on an activity holiday, it’s not always the case that your partner, your family or your friends want to do the same. That’s when compromises come in. Perhaps they don’t fancy something as active as skiing, but might prefer a walk that takes in a lot of the local scenery. There’s a lot of variety when it comes to activity holidays, and you can choose the perfect break to suit you. The great thing about holidaying in the UK is that you’re always comparatively close to a somewhere that has the right set up or facilities for such activities.
Here are four activity holiday ideas for your next trip! Continue reading
There are few places on earth with such a striking and beautiful setting as Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps. Situated just a short drive or train ride from Interlaken, Grindelwald is a small town at the foot of the magnificent Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains and is blessed with some of the finest hiking trails on the planet. There is an excellent network of railways and cable cars to get you to and from the trails with glorious views all around you. Here are some of the great walks in the Grindelwald area. Continue reading