colourful and rocky scene from the fimmvoreuhals, one of the hardest long-distance treks in Europe

10 hardest long-distance treks in Europe

From the remote tundra of the Nordkalottruta to the gruelling heat of the Trans-Pyrenean Trail, these are the hardest long-distance treks in Europe

As someone who has spent weeks striding across Europe’s most rugged trails, I know the thrill – and exhaustion – of long-distance trekking. From the wilds of the Arctic north to the baking bowls of the Mediterranean south, I’ve tested my stamina, my navigation skills and my sanity.

A lone house surrounded by rolling hills on the High Scardus Trail

High Scardus Trail in Albania: everything you need to know

The High Scardus Trail in Albania is a wild alternative to the well-trodden Peaks of the Balkans Trail. Here’s all you need to know

“Welcome to Hotel Radomirë Korab,” Agron greets me with an enormous smile as I arrive at my lodgings. It’s the end of my second day on the High Scardus Trail and I am in dire need of a drink. “Can I get you a beer?” he adds, clearly reading my mind.