Hiking is about more than exercise, pleasant scenery or getting from X to Y; putting one foot in front of the other for hours, days or even weeks on end creates a special sense of connection to a place and its landscapes.
The Patagonian epic: Laguna de los Tres, Los Glaciares, Argentina
Hikers visiting Torres del Paine often add on an expedition to the national park of Los Glaciares, which offers equally stunning scenery, not to mention a wealth of day hikes and multi-day treks. This 14-mile (22km) hike is one of the classics, carrying you deep into the mountains of the Fitz Roy range.
The name – the Lagoon of Three – refers to the trio of mountains that lie in wait at the end of the trail: Cerro Fitz Roy, Aguja Poincenot and Torre, rising like rocky guardians around the lakeshore. It’s a long but rewarding day hike, with the added bonus that you get to sleep in a proper bed and get a good meal at the end of the day: the town of El Chaltén has plenty of accommodation options for hikers.
- Start/end: El Chaltén
- Distance: 14 miles (22km)
- More info: losglaciares.com
The sunrise hike: Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka
In world terms, this conical mountain isn’t all that high – only 7360ft (2243m) – but don’t let its size fool you. It’s a punishing climb, favoured by pilgrims who come to see the Sri Pada, or sacred footprint, said to have been left by either Buddha, Shiva or Adam, depending on which religion you happen to belong to.
There are six possible routes to the top, but the one most often used by trekkers is the Hatton Trail, a steep uphill slog involving numerous stairs cut into the mountain. To get there in time for sunrise requires both an early start and a hand from the weather gods: Sri Lanka’s jungly terrain means the peak is, unfortunately, often plunged in cloud. But with luck, at the top you’ll have a memorable view encompassing the island’s west, south and east coasts.
- Start/end: Dalhousie
- Distance: 9 miles (14km) round trip
- More info: sripada.org
The coastal walk: South West Coast Path, UK
England’s longest waymarked footpath, and the longest of the UK’s 16 National Routes, follows the beautiful coastline of the island’s southwestern-most peninsula. Hikers planning to tackle its entirety, from Minehead in Somerset through the quaint towns and geologically rich coastline of Cornwall and Devon to Poole Harbour in Dorset, are advised to allow at least a month. Twice that time is recommended if you want to walk at a leisurely pace and linger over the views – and cream teas – in spots such as Bigbury-on-Sea, where Agatha Christie penned her crime novels in the art deco hotel on Burgh Island.
With 22 miles (35km) of ups and downs, hiking this epic trail is equivalent to scaling Mt Everest four times, and it will eventually form part of the 2700-mile (4345km) England Coast Path, which will be the world’s longest coastal footpath when it opens (purportedly in 2020).
- Start/end: Minehead, Somerset, and Poole Harbour, Dorset
- Distance: 630 miles (1014km)
- More info: southwestcoastpath.org.uk
Trekkers following the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route © Hachi888 / Shutterstock
A Japanese journey: Tateyama-Kamikōchi hike
The classic hike covering the length of the North Alps takes around seven days in the most spectacular alpine scenery Japan has on offer. This hike starts at Murodo (8040ft, 2450m), the high point on the enthralling Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, which links the western and eastern sides of the North Alps with a series of cable cars, buses, trolley buses through tunnels and a walk over the Kurobe Dam.
Climb the sacred peak of Tateyama (9890ft, 3015m), then head south to climb spear-like Yarigatake (10,430ft, 3180m) and Oku-Hotaka-dake (10,470ft, 3190m) before dropping into the remote resort village of Kamikōchi (4920ft, 1500m). There are mountain huts with bedding and meals along the way, meaning you can take minimal gear, plus a number of camping areas. In the four days between Tateyama and Yarigatake you’ll likely see fewer people than on one Tokyo rush-hour subway carriage!
