Hiking in Europe? Posting this here in hopes that ...

[4shot]

if you read the thru hiker forum you are a long distance hiker yourself. My question is simple - can you point me towards a site similar to WB for European trails? I would like to start planning a hike for next summer. This site was a great resource for my AT hike and would love to find something similar for trails over there (assuming that they exist). I don't have time for a long hike - something in the 300 - 600 mile range would suffice. as always, thanks for any input or suggestions.

[fiddlehead]

Did a few good hikes in Europe back in the 90's.
My favorite one (by far) was the HRP Pyrenees (Pyrenees High Route) from the Atlantic to the Mediterrainian.
You can read about it here

And see our slideshow here

I also did some hiking in Scotland, Ireland, Poland and Switzerland.
Most of these I found from either Lonely Planet guides or just talking to people we met along the way.
Sometimes making minimal plans is best and going with the flow of folks you meet on the way.

Have fun. Our dollar is strong over there right now. (or should I say, the Euro is weak)

[T.S.Kobzol]

not many good english speaking forums on euro hiking but do this: search for Via Alpina Green trail, it traverses entire Switzerland.

[rocketsocks]

if you read the thru hiker forum you are a long distance hiker yourself. My question is simple - can you point me towards a site similar to WB for European trails? I would like to start planning a hike for next summer. This site was a great resource for my AT hike and would love to find something similar for trails over there (assuming that they exist). I don't have time for a long hike - something in the 300 - 600 mile range would suffice. as always, thanks for any input or suggestions.

One of the largest hiking groups in the UK is "The Ramblers", hope this helps.

http://www.ramblers.com/

Also Shoot "Mrs.Baggins" (here at WB)a post she has hike in the uk before and has some great trip reports/galleries

[Ladytrekker]

How bout the el camimo Santiago trail in Spain the movie "the way" is really good a fictional movie about the actual trail written by Emilio estevez.

[rocketsocks]

Really enjoyed the videos fiddlehead,wow, what a trip! like the knife edge shot with the down sloping area on one side and the clouds on the other side of the knife edge. real nice.

[fiddlehead]

Really enjoyed the videos fiddlehead,wow, what a trip! like the knife edge shot with the down sloping area on one side and the clouds on the other side of the knife edge. real nice.

Yeah thanks RS.
Was a really great trip. Unfortunately, we used film instead of digital (13 years ago now) so I had to take digital pictures of the slides to build that show and the quality isn't the same.
A lot of that music was from the Basque country and Spain too.
Glad you enjoyed it. Was truly one of the best hikes I've ever done.

[Mrs Baggins]

Not a forum like WB, but this will at least give you info on distances, terrain, and plenty of photos/videos about the trails.

http://www.macsadventure.com/us/walking-tours.php

[OzJacko]

Don't know of any like Whiteblaze and not sure you'll find one quite like it.
Following link is a Dutch based site I think run by an enthusiast not a company, and has some good info.
After I attempt the AT in 2013, my wife and I have pencilled in the Camino (about 500 mile - the same bit as Martin Sheen's movie) for 2014.
Other hikes in Europe that sound really good are the Mont Blanc circuit and a couple of the GR's (Grande Randonnez ?spelling) in France. This site has good info and links.
http://www.polle.net/tondemaagt/

[Marta]

When I was putting together a hike in northern Europe a couple years ago, I read a few hiking journals, found through Google, got some maps from The Map Store in Charlotte, and the like. Part of the excitement of the trip was leaping into the unknown. It was, after all, Europe, so the goods and services were definitely there, including things like public transportation.

We were doing a piece of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordkalottruta

What are you thinking of hiking?

[Marta]

I also got some information from the blog www.hikinginfinland.com

[4shot]

What are you thinking of hiking?

Really not sure. Manay of the places I've looked at are more "walking tours". I would prefer something a little more strenous, comparable to the southern AT, with mileage around 8 - 16 mpd. Don't want to hostel everynight.

Thanks for the replies. Some nice info and leads. Fiddlehead, nice slideshow. I will look into the PHR. I did see the Walk and that is what started my to think about hiking overseas.

[theoilman]

http://jesustrail.com/hike-the-jesus...national-trail

This page also has links for 10 different trails

[Snowleopard]

There is some very interesting hiking in places that are not often visited by Americans, especially in Eastern Europe:

The High Tatra Mountains (Vysoke Tatri), Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine.

The Caucausus Mountains in Russia (dangerous now because of political unrest -- think Chechnya) Maybe it's safe now climbing Mt.Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe, but elsewhere could be a real problem. From pictures, absolutely spectacular scenery. I had a friend who crossed 500 miles of the Caucausus on foot, probably trying to escape communism. If it is ever safe, this will be amazing hiking.

I think you could find some good hiking in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, but I don't know about long treks.

There are some long trails in northern Scandanavia and adjoining parts of Russia (Karelia). I've read a trip report of such a trip in Sweden that sounded really interesting.

There are long treks in Iceland (part of it is technically in Europe). There is at least one established trek with a few huts that crosses the Island north to south.

I haven't done any of these, but hope to someday try some of the easier ones.

There is a lot of amazing trekking in the former Soviet Union in Asia: the Tien Shan in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; eastern Siberia, especially Kamchatka. I've trekked in the Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan and highly recommend it if the ethnic violence has stopped; northern Kyrgyzstan and all of Kazakhstan are probably fine but do check with people who have recent knowledge of the situation.

Of the other places mentioned, I've hiked Cinque Terre and that is great fun but it's very civilized and you don't walk very far.

Views from the top http://www.vftt.org/forums/ has had some trip reports of hikes in Scotland.

[Marta]

Rocky and Swamp Fox had an interesting hike on the Via Alpina.

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=170908

[fiddlehead]

Really not sure. Manay of the places I've looked at are more "walking tours". I would prefer something a little more strenous, comparable to the southern AT, with mileage around 8 - 16 mpd. Don't want to hostel everynight.

Thanks for the replies. Some nice info and leads. Fiddlehead, nice slideshow. I will look into the PHR. I did see the Walk and that is what started my to think about hiking overseas.

Thanks.
Keep in mind "The Walk" and the Camino trek are totally different than the HRP.
One is almost a huge group walking on roads, sleeping in dorms every night and more of a social thing (or religious??)
The other is a strenous, sometimes steep, usually always beautiful hike, on trails often above treeline and if there are any Europeans on the trail, they tend to day hike and sleep down in the villages or in "gites" at night. We almost always had the mountains to ourselves at night (some shepherds and their sheep and dogs were the only others) or after 3 PM even.

Perhaps it could be said, the difference is similar to the AT in March in GA/NC/TN compared to the northern portion of the Long Trail. (without the shelters of course, unless you want to sleep in those stone huts the shepherds built to get out of the wind)

[on_the_GOEZ]

I've had my eye on this trail for a while now. I plan to be living in Europe by the end of the year, so the first step is underway

fiddlehead - looks like I'm putting another path on the list. Thanks for the great posts!

[T.S.Kobzol]

Now we're talking good stuff. I love that alpine region. :-)

I've had my eye on this trail for a while now. I plan to be living in Europe by the end of the year, so the first step is underway

fiddlehead - looks like I'm putting another path on the list. Thanks for the great posts!

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