Europe is the perfect introduction to walking holidays for children. The popular walking areas include plenty of easier terrain with a wide variety of family-friendly accommodation. If you are considering a family holiday with the kids – then please check out the “Walking with Kids” section on our website. If you enjoyed walking holidays before … Read more
The story behind Neuschwanstein is no fairy tale. Nor is the “Schloss” (castle) really a castle – more a fantasy that Walt Disney himself would have been proud of. The force behind Bavaria’s most famous castle was Ludwig II of Bavaria. Although built over the ruins of an earlier, genuine, castle, Ludwig’s castle was more … Read more
Zermatt’s fabled Mt. Matterhorn (4,478m/14,692ft) has always been a draw for those who love mountaineering and the Alps. Unfortunately with beauty often comes danger, and the Matterhorn has seen fatalities each year since it was first climbed by British climber Edward Whymper in 1865, who lost 4 of his party on the descent. These days … Read more
The area around Zermatt in Switzerland is both famed for its water and formed by it. The Zermatt region is well-known for the quality of its drinking water, as well as for the number and beauty of its streams and lakes. Zermatt boasts over 50 lakes and nearly 1,000 springs! Indeed the original name of … Read more
Switzerland’s Zermatt is easily accessible to both the serious walker (who will enjoy the 400km/249mi of trails) and the less fit visitor (who will enjoy the mountain railways which give easy access to some areas). For such an accessible region, it’s an alpine flora treasure trove for even the most serious botanists. As a bonus, … Read more
Do you even need to break in your boots these days? The answer is, maybe. If you have lightweight Gore-Tex fabric or similar walking boots, you may be able to wear them as soon as you get them out of the box. However, if you have a new pair of leather boots then you probably … Read more
After boots, one of the other important items for a walker is the backpack. A poorly-fitting or poor quality rucksack can make walking a miserable experience, so it’s worth taking the time, and spending the money to make the right choice of backpack for your walking holiday. If you don’t have to be self-contained and … Read more
When you walk in the hills you should be aware of the symptoms and treatment of hypothermia. Even more importantly, you should know how to avoid it in the first place! What is Hypothermia? Sometimes called “exposure” hypothermia can be fatal. If a person is hypothermic their core body temperature drops lower than 35 C. … Read more
Hardly the last patches of snow on the Italian Dolomites Seiser Alm are melted away, when the great flowering begins. The grass still pale and straggly is transformed into a glimmering sea of purple hue by countless spring crocusses, and the violet tinted spring anemones, still wrapped in their silky little pelts, stretch in between … Read more
Planning a walking holiday in Europe is an exciting proposition. But excitement can quickly give way to information overload as your research a myriad of walking tour operators, mountain regions, hotels, and transport connections. Although search engines will give you a lot of information – that’s not quite the same as useful information. Trying to … Read more
If you’re strolling around Zermatt, you will immediately notice St. Peter’s, a cosy, country-style church up on the hill with Matterhorn looming in the background. Go inside to see the plaque-lined walls that honour past mountain climbers and outside to visit the Mountaineer’s cemetery. You can also go inside if you’d like to attend a … Read more
If you are looking for a unique way to spend an outdoor winter holiday, why not embrace the traditions of the Inuit people, and build or even sleep in your very own igloo! “The interior of an igloo is like its own little world — a green yellow light seeps in through the walls and … Read more
