Take a Hike – Top 4 European Hikes
July 27, 2010Dust off your walking shoes and get a taste of the great outdoors, with Headwater’s pick of the top ten places in Europe to take a hike. There are some places in the world that are best explored by foot. Leading walking and cycling holiday provider, Headwater, knows this fact all too well, with the company offering over 500 different walking tours throughout Europe. From strolling through beautiful scenery to trekking across snow-capped mountain ranges, here’s Headwater’s pick of the top four European locations to “take a hike”.
Ravello to Positano, Italy - Arguably Crete’s most famous walk, the 16km Samaria Gorge is the longest gorge walk in Europe and is simply breathtaking. As you descend through lush woods - crossing streams and cliffs carpeted with colourful rock lettuce and aubretia - keep your eyes peeled for golden eagles, lammergeiers (bearded vultures) and buzzards circling above you.
Chatel to La Chapelle d’Abondance, France - This high level alpine walk offers unbeatable views of the superb Dents du Midi, awesome Mont Blanc and the many varied peaks of the Bernese Oberland. Not for the faint hearted, this challenging hike follows old smugglers’ trails high up along the Swiss border, then down through flower-filled meadows to the pretty onion-domed church of La Chapelle.
Lake Oeschinensee, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland - Trek above and then alongside one of the most picturesque Alpine lakes in Switzerland - Lake Oeschinensee. Be mesmerised by the majestic beauty of tits shimmering emerald surface, which mirrors the surrounding Blümlisalp mountain’s rugged shape.
Eggishorn and Aletsch Glacier - A long-time favourite with Swiss hikers, take a hike up the Eggishorn Mountain - also known as the “mountain of views” - to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the 22km Aletsch Glacier - the longest in Europe and part of the UNECSO World Heritage Site.
Whether you want to take a leisurely walk or a climb a steep section, with over 1,000 km of mountain paths available there’s a number of routes you can take. For more information on tours just like the ones above click here