day hikes

Peter bogshoeing in Ķemeri National Park, Latvia

Bogshoeing in Latvia: silly but outrageously good fun

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Bogshoeing in Latvia? Nope, we hadn’t heard of it either. But the wetlands of Ķemeri National Park are more than a bog-standard destination

It’s a cliché I know, but travel never ceases to surprise me. I’ve hiked all over the world – from high-altitude treks in Nepal and Pakistan to remote expeditions in Greenland and Norway – so when I was invited to the tiny Baltic nation of Latvia with its highest point just 312m (1,024ft) above sea level, I wasn’t expecting to find much in the way of expansive wilderness. But, despite its size, Latvia devotes a substantial amount of space to nature and outdoor pursuits.

best hiking trails in every US state

Top three hiking trails in every US state according to hikers

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We share the three best hiking trails in every US state, according to America’s most popular hiking app

The US knows how to do wilderness. Wedged between the two great oceans of the world, it is home to practically every landscape under the sun. Beaches, lakes, mountains, rainforest, deserts, canyons and glaciers all rise and fall across this continent-sized country. And thanks to the outstanding National Park Service, huge swathes of it are readily accessible.

best hikes in the Lake District National Park lead Windermere

100 greatest hikes in the Lake District National Park

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From the shores of England’s deepest lake to the summit of its highest peak, we share the greatest hikes in the Lake District National Park

England’s Lake District is home to some of the nation’s most picturesque panoramas. The park’s craggy ridges, hidden tarns and glistening lakes have enticed walkers ever since the first ‘Lake Poets’ of Wordsworth and Coleridge put pen to paper in the 19th century.

Porlock Bay and heather in Exmoor

10 best hikes in Exmoor National Park

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The best hikes in Exmoor National Park showcase one of England’s wildest and most diverse landscapes

My first experience of Exmoor was in youth when I read a children’s illustrated version of Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. The historical novel of high adventure is set in the 17th century and features a lawless clan (the Doones) roaming a wild landscape (Exmoor).

best hikes in New Forest national park lead image

10 best hikes in New Forest National Park

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The best hikes in New Forest National Park reveal a quintessential slice of English countryside

Despite its name, the New Forest is neither new nor much of a forest. The region was first declared a royal hunting preserve in 1079 by William the Conqueror and the landscape is more heathland (the most extensive area remaining in Europe) than contiguous woodland. The word ‘forest’ actually descends from Old French for ‘hunting ground’.

Descending Calf Top after climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales

Q&A: Climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales

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Between lockdowns, I wrapped up a challenge that started nearly two years ago: climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Just over a year ago, I was stood atop Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America and the highest outside of Asia. It was my third – arguably fourth – peak of the seven summits. As I descended the scree slopes, I was in high spirits and full of optimism for the year ahead.

Buttermere Fell is home to some of the most popular hiking trails in England

England’s 100 most popular hiking trails

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From the South Downs to Hadrian’s Wall, we explore England’s most popular hiking trails

Whether you’re an experienced hiker in need of fresh ideas or a first-timer hoping to get outdoors more, our list of England’s most popular hiking trails offers a wealth of options.

Boardwalks through Ķemeri

Hiking in Latvia: where to find the best trails

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Hiking in Latvia is an ideal way to explore a land of peaceful lakes, fairytale forests and exceptionally unspoilt countryside

Latvia is perhaps best known for the cosmopolitan city of Riga. Beyond the clamorous capital, however, lie delightful small towns like Cēsis and Sigulda that offer hiking, cycling, canoeing and myriad other outdoor adventures.

Naejangsan in autumn is one of the best hikes in South Korea Naejangsan

Best hikes in South Korea: 8 stunning trails

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The best hikes in South Korea offer a portrait of idyllic countryside as well as 5,000 years of distinctive culture and history

Mountain culture runs deep through the history of South Korea. Thousands of years before modern religion made its way onto the peninsula, Koreans worshipped mountain spirits known as Sansin. Today, much of the population remains strongly connected to mountains, albeit in a different way.

The Watzmann massif towers above ‘Berchtesgadener Land’

13 best hikes in Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany

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A selection of the best hikes in Berchtesgaden National Park, from serene day trips to thrilling via ferrata climbs and challenging multi-day tours

Berchtesgaden National Park in the heart of the Bavarian Alps accommodates nine lofty mountain ranges as well as Germany’s most photogenic body of water, Lake Königssee.

Hiking the Watzmann Traverse looking towards Südspitze

Hiking the Watzmann Traverse – a Bavarian classic

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Hiking the Watzmann Traverse offers a breathtaking scramble across one of Germany’s classic Alpine ridges. Here’s how to complete the Bavarian thriller

One of my oldest and best friends lives in the Netherlands and over the course of nearly 20 years of friendship we have managed to meet up fairly regularly – usually at least once a year either in the UK or the Netherlands. Over the last few years, however, as our schedules became increasingly crowded with work, family and mortgages, we’ve struggled to find the time.

Roseberry Topping is one of the best hikes in the North York Moors National Park

12 best hikes in the North York Moors National Park

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The best hikes in the North York Moors National Park are a wonderful way to explore the region’s rich and vibrant landscapes

The North York Moors might be England’s most diverse national park. Home to striking stretches of unspoilt coast and the largest area of heather moorland in England and Wales, the North York Moors is one of the country’s foremost hiking destinations.

the Dragon’s Back is one of best hikes in the Peak District

12 best hikes in the Peak District National Park

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The best hikes in the Peak District National Park showcase some of England’s finest and most accessible hillwalking countryside

When we made our move to the country, we very nearly ended up in the Peak District. It was a toss-up between there and the Yorkshire Dales, but in the end, the pull of the Dales was just a touch too strong.

The Peak District, however, came a very close second. Wedged between the northern cities of Manchester and Sheffield, the Peak District National Park may well be England’s most accessible wilderness.

Hadrian's Wall Path and the best hikes in Northumberland National Park lead image

12 best hikes in Northumberland National Park

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The best hikes in Northumberland National Park reveal an underappreciated but utterly delightful expanse of English countryside

Amid the ancient rolling hills between the Scottish border and England’s industrial northeast, you will find Northumberland National Park. England’s most northerly national park is also the least visited in Britain and the least populated in England and Wales with just over 2,000 residents.

Gunnerside is one of the best hikes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

12 best hikes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

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The best hikes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park criss-cross one of England’s finest beauty spots

In the 18 months since our move to the market town of Richmond in North Yorkshire, we’ve spent much of our free time exploring the national park that sits on our doorstep. Whether discovering the best views or climbing the highest mountains, we’ve fallen utterly in love with the landscape of the Dales.

Mont Blanc is one of Europe's best hikes

Europe’s best hikes for first timers

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From easy city walks to harder challenges in the great outdoors, we share 10 of Europe’s best hikes for first timers

When Peter headed to Argentina in January to climb Aconcagua (his third of the seven summits), a friend of mine asked why I wasn’t joining him.

Climbing mountains is his thing, I explained. I’m perfectly comfortable below 4,000m. She frowned and said, ‘I thought you’d want to go because you’re always out hiking.’

Ella Rock how to hike it yourself lead image and view from top

Ella Rock: how to hike it yourself (unguided)

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A guide to hiking Ella Rock by yourself, including detailed directions, a downloadable route map, a video and a list of essential tips

Ella in Sri Lanka is beautiful, they said. ‘The closest thing to an English country village’ and the perfect place to slow down, we’d read.

I dolefully thought of this when darting across the thundering traffic to dodge yet another taxi driver insisting on taking me somewhere I didn’t want to go. The main street, stacked with milkshake huts and charm-free cafes, is a loud and roiling stretch of conveniences set up for the tourist alone.

Hiking-Sørvágsvatn-Lake-house-2

Hiking Sørvágsvatn Lake, Faroe Islands

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Blessed with a spell of good weather, we set off to Sørvágsvatn where the largest lake in the Faroe Islands stretches into the ocean

Sometimes, in the dead of British winter, I’ll console myself with the fact that at least I’m not on Cotopaxi. At least I’m not on Cotopaxi. Our 2015 glacier hike on Cotopaxi Volcano was probably the coldest I’ve ever been. My fingers were rendered immobile and my feet were hunks of ice and still we trudged on through rain, sleet and snow.

The view from the summit of Sheeps Tor best hikes in Dartmoor National Park

10 best hikes in Dartmoor National Park

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The best hikes in Dartmoor National Park showcase the very finest of England’s wildest landscape

I’ve always been fond of Dartmoor. I first visited as a child on a family holiday and I’ve returned regularly ever since to scope out the best Dartmoor hikes. Famous for its wild ponies, open moorland and craggy granite tors (free-standing rocky outcrops that rise abruptly from the surroundings), it is one of the few genuinely wild places left in England.

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