Other Long Distance Trails

[efdoucette]

Hello all,

After walking Caminos the last 4 years in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy I continue to seek "fresh ground". Long distance walking is now in my blood, a big part of my life, from the planning, training to hitting the trail.
I guess exploration has become my draw now since my "pilgrimage" on the Frances in 2011.

This year I am considering these two trails and recently purchased the guidebooks:
1. Hadrians Wall Path (west to east) in England
2. West highland Way in Scotland

I was wondering if anyone who has walked these can share their opinion. Just curious about overall impression, thoughts about camaraderie, accommodations, terrain, towns etc. I will be walking early June.

Thanking you in advance,
Happy trails,
Eric

 

[wayfarer]

Hi Eric, there are a few on here who have walked both these routes and hopefully they will be on here soon to help with your questions.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Eric I'll be walking Hadrian's wall (West to East) in April (was March but had to be rescheduled due to facilitate one of the group of 4) I'll give you some feedback when I get back but I guess it'll be a little late for your planning stage at that point. Walked the Cotswolds Way last March and it's gorgeous and my cousin walked the Pembroke coastal path and was ranting about it………as for longer trails in Ireland don't get me started

 

[mralisn]

Perhaps combining the West Highland Way with the Great Glen Way?

The Shikoko Trail in Japan?

The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.

If not in the middle of summer, the Lycian Way in Turkey is quite nice.

 

[katdavis]

Hi Eric,

I walked the Hadrian's Wall path last August from East to West and if I could recommend anything, it would be to go West to East to have the wind with you, rather than against

If you wanted something slightly longer and very beautiful, I highly recommend the Coast to Coast, although not a national trail, it was quite well signposted and I only used a compass once, in addition to the Trailblazer guidebook.

Then even longer and further afield, as mentioned above, the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage... I did this in Oct/Nov 2013.

I wrote a daily blog (including accommodation, distances, gps elevation profiles etc) about these walks and a few more on my blog: www.followingthearrows.com

Happy to help if you have any questions.

Buen Camino!

Kat

 

[Thomas1962]

European Peace Walk?
http://www.peacewalk.eu

There are some threads about this walk on this forum.

 

[LoneStar]

Eric, the Colorado Trail is amazing and just around 500 miles. The best time to go is in mid-July so that the snows are gone or mostly gone from the high mountain passes. Recommend you start East to West, Denver to Durango.

 

[Houlet]

I've walked a few of the UK trails including the West Highland Way. I have not done Hadrians Wall but did the part of it which is common to the Pennine Way. I suppose the biggest difference between any UK long distance path and a Camino is the accomodation which is less plentiful, more expensive, and often quite a distance apart. Some of these are " wilderness trails" and to be safe you may need navigating skills in bad weather.

West Highland Way - Probably the most social of the UK trails I have done, and you can add Ben Nevis as well as the Great Glen Way on top.
Penniine Way - Probably need to book accomodation in advace, I had 2 days with max visibility of 100 metres so to be safe you need to be OK with navigation.
Southern Upland Way - More difficult than you would think, longish distances and although there are no major hills it is "corrugated"
St Cuthberts Way - Underestimated, lots of scenic bits, bu some road walking.
Borders Abbey Way - Nice circular route which can be accessed from several Borders towns.
Great Glen Way - Relatively flat, apart from one day, but very scenic.
Speyside Way - Flat and scenic.
Hadrians Wall - I only did the section on the Pennine Way but it is quite up and down although no great height.

Out of that lot my preference if for the Southern Upland Way which I did in nine days but without one drop of rain which for Scotland is amazing!

If I can help in any way just ask either in the forum or as a PM.

 

[jmcarp]

Eric, the Colorado Trail is amazing and just around 500 miles. The best time to go is in mid-July so that the snows are gone or mostly gone from the high mountain passes. Recommend you start East to West, Denver to Durango.

It should be stated that the Colorado Trail varies in elevation from around 6500 ft at the ends to upwards of 13,000 ft in places, which is a major concern for those from lower places. See http://www.coloradotrail.org/ for more info. Also, like many of the American long-distance trails (AT, PCT, etc), it's necessary to pack food, cooking gear, tents, etc, since there is little in the way of the infrastructure found on the Camino. I've never done any of the rails-to-trails walks (http://www.railstotrails.org/), but that might be an alternative for some longer hikes here in the US.
Jim
(S.A. native [AHHS '61] living in Colorado since 1989)

 

[Andpartner]

Hi, the 'what to do next!' We walked the Camino Frances last Sept/Oct (2014), carrying the back packs and using Municiple Alburgues, thanks to info from this forum. Walked the Northumberland Way in June as training/warm up and Hadrian's Wall June 2012 and 2013. Did Hadrian's the lazy way with baggage transfer and pre booked B and B. Not so much available accommodation. I think the real difference is the length and the camaraderie. Nothing really prepared me for the day after day walking of the CF and the living for nearly 6 weeks out of a back pack. The history and landscape of Hadrian's Wall is wonderful, but apart from Carlisle and Newcastle you don't walk through towns, a plus or a minus! And without the Alburgue culture, in my experience , the camaraderie just couldn't compare. There were far fewer people on the path too, which made it very different

We're wondering about walking the Offa's Dyke way this summer. A bit longer than Hadrian's,170 miles, and a bit more upping and downing. We'll do baggage transfer and B and B though. Just carry a day pack.

 

[supersullivan]

Hello all,

After walking Caminos the last 4 years in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy I continue to seek "fresh ground". Long distance walking is now in my blood, a big part of my life, from the planning, training to hitting the trail.
I guess exploration has become my draw now since my "pilgrimage" on the Frances in 2011.

This year I am considering these two trails and recently purchased the guidebooks:
1. Hadrians Wall Path (west to east) in England
2. West highland Way in Scotland

I was wondering if anyone who has walked these can share their opinion. Just curious about overall impression, thoughts about camaraderie, accommodations, terrain, towns etc. I will be walking early June.

Thanking you in advance,
Happy trails,
Eric

Walked W.H.W. in July 2010 in 7 days as my 1st long distance hike to mark my 50th and again in May 2011 in 5 days, numbers are considerably less than on the Camino but I had no difficulty in finding company to walk with each day when the mood was on me. There is a greater feeling of being away from villages/ towns on the W.H..W. and I usually had my lunch alfresco although there are reasonable options most days for a pub lunch, unlike the Offa's Dyke Path in Wales ( which is a far more demanding walk physically ), the villages you encounter on the W.H.W. usually have a pub or small shop where you can get food but they are more sparse than on the Camino. The day you go from Kings House to/ through Kinlochleven is the most demanding physically with a fairly long climb up the Devil's Staircase and a tiring descent into Kinlochleven although the descent from Conic Hill into Balmaha needs careful footwork in places.
PM me if you want to chat on the ins and outs of the W.H.W. but would definitely suggest Kings House Hotel above Glencoe and Bridge of Orchy Hotel too if not on a very tight budget.

Regards

Seamus

 

[mla1]

If you wanted something slightly longer and very beautiful, I highly recommend the Coast to Coast, although not a national trail, it was quite well signposted and I only used a compass once, in addition to the Trailblazer guidebook.

I second the suggestion of the Coast to Coast path. Beautiful. It is more or less two weeks of walking - I think it is a little under 200 miles. The scenery is spectacular. There are great villages and you will meet other people walking the route. The first few days in the Lake District are a little tougher (in terms of elevation) than anything on the CF - but the rest would be comparable.

 

[Walli Walker]

The Coast to Coast - wonderful, social walk.
Jacki.

 

[rometimed]

Uh... well I will be doing the Camino from SJPdP (36 days)... then Hadrian's Wall (7 days)... then West Highland Way (7 days)... then the Westweg Schwarzwald (13 days) this summer starting mid-may. Will have to come up with something on each when I am done.

 

[wayfarer]

Check this site, it has some great walks.

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/long-distance-routes.shtml

 

[mla1]

Cotswold Way also worth putting on your list (9 days, great views, beautiful villages, wonderful woodlands), some ups and downs but it is not hard and the signposting is fantastic. And Great Glen Way is very easy walking but gorgeous. We also have the West Highland Way on our list. The having to book accommodation in advance makes these walks feel very different from a camino. And they are more expensive. But very enjoyable and gorgeous. In the high season they are social - in low season there are always people out walking their dogs who will walk with you for a bit... The B&Bs cater for walkers very well.

 

[nalod]

Hello, in France they have so many gr. These are usually very well serviced with places to stay from hostel type accom to unmanned huts. I have completed the Pyrénées gr10, part of the Alps gr5, Stevenson way, Chemin St Guilhem le Desert (a pilgrim route), Provenve, Gorges du Verdon, the Cevennes etc. PM me for more info or dig in my bog where you will see some photos of it. The Camino Frances got me started four years ago and since then!!!, well I am still walking with my camera.
Dermot

 

[wayfarer]

Has anyone on here walked the Robert Louis Stephenson Trail in France, if so could you tell me is it waymarked or has anyone got GPS tracks for it.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Sheilajg]

I did a week on the Lycian way in Turkey in 2013 with Explore.co and it was great. The views are amazing and you stay in a variety of accommodation, from huts on the side of the mountain, family homes to hotels. The hiking was varied from scrabbling over rocks and loose bits to wide easy paths. There is definitely enough challenge to satisfy almost anyone though. The path is being developed to allow for through hiking and we met some people who were hiking with tents and gear and a guidebook. It would be a challenge but there are lots of villages along the way as well. We went in early October and had a couple of hot days which were challenging. Using Explore.co made the trek affordable and provided the security of a local (great) guide and the camaraderie of the small group. Loved it and would do it again.

 

[kmrice]

We walked the Cammino di Assisi last fall, 200 miles in the Apennines, from Dovadola to Assisi, Italy and loved it. Quite a bit harder than the CdS, though - the first five or six days were kind of like crossing the Pyrenees again and again and again. You can continue another 200 miles from Assisi to Rome, which we will be doing this fall. The elevations are quite a bit easier on this second leg. These are both somewhat similar to the CdS; you can get credentials, there is pilgrim lodging, sometimes in religious facilities (although more expensive than on the CdS) and certificates when you finish. A lot less pilgrims walking with you.

Karl

 

[nalod]

Hello Wayfarer. Yes I have done most of the Stevenson Trail as far as Florac then I made up my own route after Florac to take the beautiful Gorge du Tarn, Mont Aigoual later rejoins the main trail to finish in St Jean du Guard. Plenty of places to stay, lovely scenery.Yes it is waymarked (from memory I think it is mainly the gr70)I had no problems with waymarking. I do not use GPS so cant answer that. It is a well marked popular route. Book ahead for accommodation, because of my almost non existent French I got the gite owners to book ahead for me.

I used the Cicerone guide by Alan Castle, I am pretty sure Miam Miam Dodo do a guide also. The tourist office in Le Puy have info on gite de etapes. I f you search the archive section of my blog you will get some of my feelings for the route warts and all I hope this link will bring you to it ,http://www.dermotdolan.blogspot.ie/2013/09/now-on-stevenson-trail.html . I have also a section in my website just about 8 photos in the section Alps, Provence and other.
PM and I will answer any question you have.
Dermot

 

[simply B]

Are there any trails in Ireland that would occupy one's time (in a Camino-ish style) for - oh, 7-12 days or so?

In searching the forum, I could not find prior discussion of this. While there are many postings on the Web on the generic topic (Long Walks in Ireland), an awful lot are commercial. Reccos from the experienced here would be much sounder.

Thanks in advance for any help that you may be able to provide!

B

 

[tploomis]

I did the Coast to Coast walk in England in September, 2014. It is just under 200 miles long. This is a very beautiful walk, winding it's way through little British towns and across gorgeous countryside. The first part of the walk goes through the Lakes District, and the route goes over the tops of many mountains along the way, so there is more up and down (steeper, too) than the Camino Frances on that part of the trail -- the country-side is beautiful there. Also, at times the route is more difficult to follow than the Camino Frances, and I found a compass to be very useful. Even still, we got lost several times. The infrastructure is less developed than the camino. Towns are further apart and accommodations are less abundant. We pre-booked into bed and breakfasts about six months before the trip. I think it would have been difficult to consistently find a place to sleep without reservations, as most places were full. We had very pleasant weather, but apparently that can be the luck of the draw. A guide for another group showed us pictures from several years ago when everybody was walking in knee deep water. We had just one day of heavy rain.

 

[wayfarer]

Are there any trails in Ireland that would occupy one's time (in a Camino-ish style) for - oh, 7-12 days or so?

In searching the forum, I could not find prior discussion of this. While there are many postings on the Web on the generic topic (Long Walks in Ireland), an awful lot are commercial. Reccos from the experienced here would be much sounder.

Thanks in advance for any help that you may be able to provide!

B

Have a look here.
http://www.pilgrimpath.ie/

 

[simply B]

Thank you, Wayfarer!

B

 

[Patch]

West highland way was the last walk I did in the UK. The midges were horrendous and the behaviour of the scots was just as bad. I did it with me teenage daughter and my brother about 20 years ago. I see someone recommend the Annapurna in Nepal which I would second, another good one is the Virginia section of the Appalachian in the USA. If you want to go further afield then the Bibbulmun in western Australia, any number in Tasmania and New Zealand are all good. Tibet is also good but difficult to get in and out of if your Chinese isn't good.

 

[koknesis]

Just wonder whether anyone has walked GR10 from SJPP to Etsaut and then Camino Aragones to Pamplona or Puente la Reina?

 

[Kitsambler]

Has anyone on here walked the Robert Louis Stephenson Trail in France, if so could you tell me is it waymarked or has anyone got GPS tracks for it.
Thanks in advance.

Gitti did ... you can PM her or hunt up her blog.

 

[Kitsambler]

Just to broaden your scope of consideration, let me put in a plug for the numerous and quite well-marked routes in Germany. The many Jakobsweg routes are a spiderweb across the entire country, connecting through Cologne and Trier to the Vezelay route, or through Konstanz and Geneva to the Le Puy route. Rolling terrain, mixed forest, good walking weather in May and June without needing to book in advance. The towns come along at decent intervals, ie about 15 -20 km daily. Spring walks in May-June are surely not crowded, but that may be different in July-August.

 

[wayfarer]

Gitti did ... you can PM her or hunt up her blog.

Thank you Kitsambler.

 

[efdoucette]

Just to broaden your scope of consideration, let me put in a plug for the numerous and quite well-marked routes in Germany. The many Jakobsweg routes are a spiderweb across the entire country, connecting through Cologne and Trier to the Vezelay route, or through Konstanz and Geneva to the Le Puy route. Rolling terrain, mixed forest, good walking weather in May and June without needing to book in advance. The towns come along at decent intervals, ie about 15 -20 km daily. Spring walks in May-June are surely not crowded, but that may be different in July-August.

Hello Kitsambler, this has caught my interest, particularly the Konstanz to Geneva. Are there any guidebooks in english covering this route? Are the accommodations hostels or hotels?
Thank you,
Happy trails

 

[SYates]

..., particularly the Konstanz to Geneva. Are there any guidebooks in english covering this route? Are the accommodations hostels or hotels? ...

I am about to leave the house, so very quick reply:
No English guidebooks that I know of, but plenty of accommodation, albeit Switzerland is very expensive, budget at least 50 Euro/day, better more. Here two blog posts that I wrote about that bit of my little walk:

http://praguesantiago.eu/augsburg-germany-to-merligen-switzerland/
http://praguesantiago.eu/merligen-to-geneva/

Hope that helps, buen camino, running out of the house now, SY

 

[Kitsambler]

...particularly the Konstanz to Geneva. Are there any guidebooks in english covering this route?

Not in English, but the German-language guides from Conrad-Stein-Verlag ( https://www.conrad-stein-verlag.de/p/verlag/programm_jakob.html?t=1424789092058 and also available from https://www.amazon.de/?tag=) -- those famous "yellow books" -- are of a very high standard, have route maps and elevation profiles, and recommended lodgings with their contact information. Just as one doesn't need more than a half-dozen words of French to find Miam-Miam Dodo useful, you don't need to be conversant in German to get the basic information you need from these.

Are the accommodations hostels or hotels?

In the smaller towns in Germany, it's mostly a gasthaus ("guesthouse") (see how easy German is?) with perhaps 10-12 rooms upstairs and a restaurant on the main floor. In Switzerland, there are hikers' dorms and a few pilgrim refuges, as well as the usual assortment of B&B/Chambre d'hotes/Zimmerfrei rooms. The hiking/pilgrim associations have listings of those available. Of course the Swiss have hotels too , but my budget wasn't up to the expense involved, except the night before my flight home.

 

[barbaravan]

Eric, I walked both those trails last year. I was curious if secular trails would provide the same camaraderie as the pilgrimages. They definitely do! The only problem was that each of these trails are only about one week and so just as you meet people you say good bye. Give yourself time on Hadrian's Wall. The central forty miles are so interesting and I made the mistake of planning the trip at 20 miles a day. That is not enough time to explore the forts along the center part of the wall. The end of the trail in Bowness-on-Solway is actually an interesting place to stop although most people don't. I also found Carlisle to be a very interesting place to visit and take day hikes. The West Highland Way is very beautiful. It is worthwhile to spend a few extra days in Ft. William and hike Ben Nevis or just hike around the area. The Great Glen Way continues on from Ft William to Inverness. I also can recommend day hiking by staying at some of England's hostels such as Troutbeck in the Lake District, Whitby, Robin's Hood Bay or Durham. My biggest problem in Great Britain as a solo long distance hiker who prefers staying in refugios and gites, was the lack of continuous hostel accommodations along the trails which just made the trip a bit more expensive. I wrote some letters about the trip which I would be happy to send to you -- they are a bit more about the Scottish vote but perhaps you would find them interesting. Good luck, Barbara

 

[barbaravan]

Eric, I walked both those trails last year. I was curious if secular trails would provide the same camaraderie as the pilgrimages. They definitely do! The only problem was that each of these trails are only about one week and so just as you meet people you say good bye. Give yourself time on Hadrian's Wall. The central forty miles are so interesting and I made the mistake of planning the trip at 20 miles a day. That is not enough time to explore the forts along the center part of the wall. The end of the trail in Bowness-on-Solway is actually an interesting place to stop although most people don't. I also found Carlisle to be a very interesting place to visit and take day hikes. The West Highland Way is very beautiful. It is worthwhile to spend a few extra days in Ft. William and hike Ben Nevis or just hike around the area. The Great Glen Way continues on from Ft William to Inverness. I also can recommend day hiking by staying at some of England's hostels such as Troutbeck in the Lake District, Whitby, Robin's Hood Bay or Durham. My biggest problem in Great Britain as a solo long distance hiker who prefers staying in refugios and gites, was the lack of continuous hostel accommodations along the trails which just made the trip a bit more expensive. I wrote some letters about the trip which I would be happy to send to you -- they are a bit more about the Scottish vote but perhaps you would find them interesting. Good luck, Barbara

(New to posting I think I posted this in the wrong place)

 

[barbaravan]

Hello all,

After walking Caminos the last 4 years in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy I continue to seek "fresh ground". Long distance walking is now in my blood, a big part of my life, from the planning, training to hitting the trail.
I guess exploration has become my draw now since my "pilgrimage" on the Frances in 2011.

This year I am considering these two trails and recently purchased the guidebooks:
1. Hadrians Wall Path (west to east) in England
2. West highland Way in Scotland

I was wondering if anyone who has walked these can share their opinion. Just curious about overall impression, thoughts about camaraderie, accommodations, terrain, towns etc. I will be walking early June.

Thanking you in advance,
Happy trails,
Eric

Eric, I walked both those trails last year. I was curious if secular trails would provide the same camaraderie as the pilgrimages. They definitely do! The only problem was that each of these trails are only about one week and so just as you meet people you say good bye. Give yourself time on Hadrian's Wall. The central forty miles are so interesting and I made the mistake of planning the trip at 20 miles a day. That is not enough time to explore the forts along the center part of the wall. The end of the trail in Bowness-on-Solway is actually an interesting place to stop although most people don't. I also found Carlisle to be a very interesting place to visit and take day hikes. The West Highland Way is very beautiful. It is worthwhile to spend a few extra days in Ft. William and hike Ben Nevis or just hike around the area. The Great Glen Way continues on from Ft William to Inverness. I also can recommend day hiking by staying at some of England's hostels such as Troutbeck in the Lake District, Whitby, Robin's Hood Bay or Durham. My biggest problem in Great Britain as a solo long distance hiker who prefers staying in refugios and gites, was the lack of continuous hostel accommodations along the trails which just made the trip a bit more expensive. I wrote some letters about the trip which I would be happy to send to you -- they are a bit more about the Scottish vote but perhaps you would find them interesting. Good luck, Barbara

 

[nedspencer]

Hello all,

After walking Caminos the last 4 years in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy I continue to seek "fresh ground". Long distance walking is now in my blood, a big part of my life, from the planning, training to hitting the trail.
I guess exploration has become my draw now since my "pilgrimage" on the Frances in 2011.

This year I am considering these two trails and recently purchased the guidebooks:
1. Hadrians Wall Path (west to east) in England
2. West highland Way in Scotland

I was wondering if anyone who has walked these can share their opinion. Just curious about overall impression, thoughts about camaraderie, accommodations, terrain, towns etc. I will be walking early June.

Thanking you in advance,
Happy trails,
Eric

You could look at the Coast to Coast?
I did that last year and really enjoyed it
This year I'm doing St Cuthbert's way in May
Only 65 miles but looks to be very pretty countryside

Then there are other Camino routes?
I'm hoping to do Del Norte in September

Ned

 

[Houlet]

I haven't walked the Coast to Coast but met a group of very nice people while staying at Keld which is where the Pennine Way and the coast to Coast cross.

They were on an organised walk with their baggage sent ahead and were all en

You could look at the Coast to Coast?
I did that last year and really enjoyed it
This year I'm doing St Cuthbert's way in May
Only 65 miles but looks to be very pretty countryside

Then there are other Camino routes?
I'm hoping to do Del Norte in September

Ned

 

[Houlet]

Ned,

I live in a village right on the St Cuthberts Way, and walk parts of it several times a week, but I plan to be on the VdlP between Seville and Santiago in May.

You probably know that the St Cuthberts Way ties up with the Southern Upland Way, the Borders Abbey Way, The Berwickshire Coastal path, and the Pennine Way, so you could extend your 62 miles to several hundred if you are interested.

If you need any ;ocal Knowledge let me know.

 

[k1ypp]

Are there any trails in Ireland that would occupy one's time (in a Camino-ish style) for - oh, 7-12 days or so?

In searching the forum, I could not find prior discussion of this. While there are many postings on the Web on the generic topic (Long Walks in Ireland), an awful lot are commercial. Reccos from the experienced here would be much sounder.

Thanks in advance for any help that you may be able to provide!

B

You might check out the Irish "Appalachian Trail." I haven't done it yet, but it is on my bucket list. http://www.ireland.com/en-us/articles/whats-available/walking/appalachian-international/

 

[simply B]

@k1ypp -

Thank you very much for this!

B

 

[AJ]

I am planning to do this one in Southern England:

http://marymichaelpilgrimsway.org/

 

[newfydog]

Has anyone on here walked the Robert Louis Stephenson Trail in France, if so could you tell me is it waymarked or has anyone got GPS tracks for it.
Thanks in advance.

We walked it in May. It is marked very well, though there is one mistake many people make to turn a long day into something really long.
I already put the GPS track in the resources forum:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/chemin-stevenson-gps-file.145/

Snips of the Topo maps are here

https://picasaweb.google.com/116116...authkey=Gv1sRgCNydtfm2wJSS1AE&feat=directlink



Send me a pm for lots of other info.

 

[wayfarer]

We walked it in May. It is marked very well, though there is one mistake many people make to turn a long day into something really long.
I already put the GPS track in the resources forum:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/chemin-stevenson-gps-file.145/

Snips of the Topo maps are here

https://picasaweb.google.com/116116...authkey=Gv1sRgCNydtfm2wJSS1AE&feat=directlink



Send me a pm for lots of other info.

View attachment 16610

Thank you newfydog, this is really great info, I am looking at other walks at the moment and this was one that caught my eye, the online information classed it as a moderate walk so that would suit my needs at the moment.

 

[k-fun]

Eric,

My husband and I walked Hadrian's Wall Path from West to East in 2013 and loved it!. Take the time to read the information panels and stop at at least one fort. Doing so will enhance the experience and give you a better understanding of what life was like for the Romans almost 2000 years ago. I kept a blog about the adventure and hope to release a book about it by the end of March. Happy Trails!

 

[la tulipe]

Hello all,

After walking Caminos the last 4 years in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy I continue to seek "fresh ground". Long distance walking is now in my blood, a big part of my life, from the planning, training to hitting the trail.
I guess exploration has become my draw now since my "pilgrimage" on the Frances in 2011.

This year I am considering these two trails and recently purchased the guidebooks:
1. Hadrians Wall Path (west to east) in England
2. West highland Way in Scotland

I was wondering if anyone who has walked these can share their opinion. Just curious about overall impression, thoughts about camaraderie, accommodations, terrain, towns etc. I will be walking early June.

Thanking you in advance,
Happy trails,
Eric

Hi Eric, sorry I can't help you with those trails, but if you are looking for other wlaking trails have you consider doing the trails in South America. There is the Santiago trail in Chile, and my favorite is the Inca trail to Macchu Picchu (stunningly beautiful).

 

[promessi]

We walked the Cammino di Assisi last fall, 200 miles in the Apennines, from Dovadola to Assisi, Italy and loved it. Quite a bit harder than the CdS, though - the first five or six days were kind of like crossing the Pyrenees again and again and again. You can continue another 200 miles from Assisi to Rome, which we will be doing this fall. The elevations are quite a bit easier on this second leg. These are both somewhat similar to the CdS; you can get credentials, there is pilgrim lodging, sometimes in religious facilities (although more expensive than on the CdS) and certificates when you finish. A lot less pilgrims walking with you.

Karl

Karl, my husband and I are interested in walking one of the Assisi walks and haven't found a lot of information. I have purchased Revd. John N. Merrill's "Walking the Camino di Assisi" book and perused the Italian website. But, I'm concerned about the long distances between lodging. It seems you need to register and they pre-reserve lodging. Can you tell me, is it possible to shorten the long day walks with accommodation? I'm concerned about the six days between Biforco and Valfabbrica. I see distances of 27 to 40 km, but would like to walk about 20 km per day. Thanks for your help.

 

[StuartM]

I've been eyeing the Janapar trail in Nagorno Karabakh. Technically it is still a war zone.

I've done part of the Ridgeway in SW England, it follows a prehistoric road and goes via many ancient sites like Avebury, Wayland's Smithy and the Uffington White Horse. Well worth a look.

 

[mla1]

I haven't walked the Coast to Coast but met a group of very nice people while staying at Keld which is where the Pennine Way and the coast to Coast cross.

Keld -- on the coast to coast -- was worth the flight from Canada to the UK.

 

[kmrice]

I'm concerned about the long distances between lodging. It seems you need to register and they pre-reserve lodging. Can you tell me, is it possible to shorten the long day walks with accommodation? I'm concerned about the six days between Biforco and Valfabbrica. I see distances of 27 to 40 km, but would like to walk about 20 km per day.

"They" don't pre-reserve lodging, except for the first night in Dovadola. After that you have to do it yourself. They do provide a sheet which provides places and telephone numbers (also available on the website), so, if you have a phone, this is not too much of a problem.

The problem is that there are not a lot of places to stay between the stops they recommend. You tend to climb up into the mountains, walk, and then come back down to civilization at the end of the day. Some of the stages went through places with lodging, but this was the exception rather than the rule. There are certainly many days when you don't see any services at all until you finish the walk.

Our two longest days were about 33k (Sansepolcro - Città di Castello and Gubbio - Valfabbrica); nothing approached 40k. We averaged about 21k. Our two longest days may have been slightly longer than 33k (I know I turned my GPS on a little late a few times; not sure if it was on either of those days) but not much.

The climbing and descending, not the daily distance, was what made this a tough pilgrimage. All of the first five days, and 9 of the 13 days, had more climbing than any day on the CdS.

Let me know if there is any other information I can provide. There are GPS tracks on the website, but they used to only be on the Italian pages; they weren't on the English pages. I have those, as well as the tracks we recorded.

Karl

 

[Helen1]

This book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005S2DBF6/?tag=casaivar-21) gets me day dreaming. I had no idea that there were so many pilgrim routes/sites in the UK and Ireland. The routes in North Wales are stunningly beautiful.

 

[promessi]

"They" don't pre-reserve lodging, except for the first night in Dovadola. After that you have to do it yourself. They do provide a sheet which provides places and telephone numbers (also available on the website), so, if you have a phone, this is not too much of a problem.

The problem is that there are not a lot of places to stay between the stops they recommend. You tend to climb up into the mountains, walk, and then come back down to civilization at the end of the day. Some of the stages went through places with lodging, but this was the exception rather than the rule. There are certainly many days when you don't see any services at all until you finish the walk.

Our two longest days were about 33k (Sansepolcro - Città di Castello and Gubbio - Valfabbrica); nothing approached 40k. We averaged about 21k. Our two longest days may have been slightly longer than 33k (I know I turned my GPS on a little late a few times; not sure if it was on either of those days) but not much.

The climbing and descending, not the daily distance, was what made this a tough pilgrimage. All of the first five days, and 9 of the 13 days, had more climbing than any day on the CdS.

Let me know if there is any other information I can provide. There are GPS tracks on the website, but they used to only be on the Italian pages; they weren't on the English pages. I have those, as well as the tracks we recorded.

Karl

Many thanks Karl. That's very helpful. The Assisi - Rome section is sounding more doable for us. Quite a while ago I found a blog on the forum by a priest who walked that part and it sounded wonderful. I'll try to find that again. Best, Tatiana

 

[MaryLynn]

Just wonder whether anyone has walked GR10 from SJPP to Etsaut and then Camino Aragones to Pamplona or Puente la Reina?

In July 2013, I walked with a 2011Camino friend on about 500km of the Arles/Aragones Camino from Toulouse, France, to Obaños where it joins the Camino Frances, just a few km east of Puente la Reina. It was well-marked, but in most other ways it was different than the CF. We met very few others along the way, accommodations and bar/restaurants were further apart and more expensive, but the landscape, especially in Spain was beautiful. In France, it was essential to be able to speak French on the telephone to reserve beds a day or two in advance. It was a good experience, but not one I would want to do by myself.

 

[kmrice]

Quite a while ago I found a blog on the forum by a priest who walked that part and it sounded wonderful. I'll try to find that again.

Can't help you with a priest (although I am a Catholic) but if a Methodist minister will do I recommend Sandy Brown, whose blog is at http://caminoist.org/. Sandy is writing a book for Cicerone Press on the Franciscan pilgrimage from Florence to Rome via Assisi and is extremely helpful.

Karl

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Does anyone else follow the journies of Sarah Maquis. This is unrelated to the Camino de Santiago but her walks are unbelievable .

@sarah_marquis on twitter

 

[lovingkindness]

...is it possible to shorten the long day walks with accommodation? I'm concerned about the six days between Biforco and Valfabbrica. I see distances of 27 to 40 km, but would like to walk about 20 km per day. Thanks for your help.

Buon Giorno, Promessi. Last year, whilst heading north I followed Il Cammino di San Francesco from Perugia via Ripa to La Verna Sanctuary near Biforco. I walked in February experiencing rain, snow and watery sunshine. Each day I walked as far as able, made music in the streets for an hour or so then set about finding somewhere to sleep. Unable to book ahead, I trusted that I'd find somewhere inside to sleep and, amazingly, every night I did. I have quite a tale to tell . I won't bore you with the details except to say that essentially, if one asks and keeps on searching eventually somewhere inside is found. Most pilgrims hike this trail in summer. Some pre-book to Assisi. Others don't. Whilst there are pilgrims hiking in winter they are few. Aside from the Oratorio in Gubbio and the dormitory for pilgrims at La Verna Sanctuary, in February I found the usual places where pilgrims stay closed.

Cheers,
Lovingkindness

ps I didn't have a guide book. In Perugia I visited the Tourist Office and acquired a freebie brochure with distances and profiles. Signing is occasionally confused but, hey, that adds to the fun.

Here are the stages I walked:

Perugia -Ripa
Ripa-Biscina
Biscina-Gubbio
Gubbio-Pietralunga
Pietralunga-Citta di Castello
Citta di Castello-Citerna....Sansepolcro
Sansepolcro-Refugio la Spinella
Refugio la Spinella-Pieve S. Stefano
Pieve S. Stefano-La Verna

 

[mitch237uk]

I for one have not done this pilgrimage but here is a link to it, http://www.sacred-destinations.com/wales/st-davids-cathedral. Two pilgrimages to the small town although called a city is worth 1 to Rome.

John

 

[hecate105]

How about the South West Coast Path - fantastic scenery, hills to make your knees tremble and always a good pub on the horizon?
Wales now has a coast path all the way around - which could be a circular route if you added Offa's Dyke...
AJ - I have walked/cycled much of the south west part of the Michael Mary Pilgrim's Way and it is brilliant. So many interesting places to visit, whether it be a stone circle, church or Holy Well. I would be interested to hear your experiences.
What a wonderful selection folk have posted - now I have an even longer list to walk...

 

[rometimed]

Since I won't be able to fit the VDLP Camino into my 90 days in Europe window I am looking at walking the Lycian Way in Turkey. Has anyone on here done that trek? It seems more challenging than the Camino and it lines up nicely for me to start in October.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Since I won't be able to fit the VDLP Camino into my 90 days in Europe window I am looking at walking the Lycian Way in Turkey. Has anyone on here done that trek? It seems more challenging than the Camino and it lines up nicely for me to start in October.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lycian-way-in-turkey.21710/#post-268339

 

[rometimed]

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lycian-way-in-turkey.21710/#post-268339

Thank you

 

[irishgurrrl]

Are there any trails in Ireland that would occupy one's time (in a Camino-ish style) for - oh, 7-12 days or so?

In searching the forum, I could not find prior discussion of this. While there are many postings on the Web on the generic topic (Long Walks in Ireland), an awful lot are commercial. Reccos from the experienced here would be much sounder.

Thanks in advance for any help that you may be able to provide!

B

Hi,

The Kerry Way comes highly recommended by locals and international hikers alike. You would need to be reasonably fit to enjoy it as accommodation along the route can be relatively limited in places. Most people I've spoken to have recommended to add a couple of days to make it less of a challenge. Its high on my list of routes to do. I've hiked in the area and the scenery is nothing short of spectacular. Here is a link to the official website http://www.kerryway.com/

Aside from that the Sheep's Head Way is another one that comes highly recommended. Again in a naturally beautiful area... http://www.thesheepsheadway.ie/index.cfm/page/location

Also you could do the many other way-marked Ways in Ireland.... the Wicklow Way, the Connemara Way (stunning area!) ... Here is a link to ALL the national way-marked long distance routes in Ireland.... http://www.irishtrails.ie/National_Waymarked_Trails/

Happy hiking!

Eilish

 

[simply B]

@irishgurrrl -

Thank you VERY much for that information.

Evidence once again that this Forum has about the kindest, most helpful and most knowledgeable members extant!

B

 

[irishgurrrl]

I second the suggestion of the Coast to Coast path. Beautiful. It is more or less two weeks of walking - I think it is a little under 200 miles. The scenery is spectacular. There are great villages and you will meet other people walking the route. The first few days in the Lake District are a little tougher (in terms of elevation) than anything on the CF - but the rest would be comparable.

Hi, been looking at UK paths in recent years and this is one I have been considering. Just wondering if much of the coast to coast is on road?

 

[lovingkindness]

Hi, been looking at UK paths in recent years and this is one I have been considering. Just wondering if much of the coast to coast is on road?

Hi there, No, most of the Coast to Coast is on tracks and trails. It is superb.
Cheers.
LK

 

[irishgurrrl]

Hi there, No, most of the Coast to Coast is on tracks and trails. It is superb.
Cheers.
LK

Ah great - the ole road walking kills my knees!

 

[k1ypp]

Eric,

My husband and I walked Hadrian's Wall Path from West to East in 2013 and loved it!. Take the time to read the information panels and stop at at least one fort. Doing so will enhance the experience and give you a better understanding of what life was like for the Romans almost 2000 years ago. I kept a blog about the adventure and hope to release a book about it by the end of March. Happy Trails!

In followup to Jane's earlier comments, her book is now out there in print and eBook formats (Kindle, Nook, etc): Hadrian's Wall Path: Walking Into History http://tinyurl.com/pbcyy22 Hadrian's Wall is a really fine walk and for Americans stuck with just two weeks of vacation time, it fits that time format perfectly. I agree with the comment about going West-to-East and the prevailing winds.

Accommodations can be a bit more problematic than on the Camino, but there is a Hadrian's Wall bus and we found it useful to "slack pack" and get stationed at one location and then use the bus to pick up where we left off on the previous day.

 

[Melensdad]

Has anyone on here walked the Robert Louis Stephenson Trail in France, if so could you tell me is it waymarked or has anyone got GPS tracks for it.
Thanks in advance.

That one is on my TO DO list of walks!

We are walking Hadrian's Wall in May this year. The Camino Frances is on our calendar for May/June of '16. By "we" I mean my wife, myself and our college student daughter)

Might also sneak in the Robert Louis Stephenson Trail late summer/early fall of this year if schedule permits, but our daughter would likely be in school and unable accompany us for that one.

 

[GreatDane]

I retire in probably a little less than 5 years and hopefully by then will have my Camino Francis completed (in 3 parts)! I am familiar with the Via di Francesco (Florence to Assisi and Rome) but I am actually interested in arriving in Rome from the south. Are there any trails/caminos that start in the Naples area, through Campania and eventually head north to Rome? I specifically want to walk through the Avellino province and find the area that my grandparents farmed before they immigrated to the US.

 

[mspath]

For those who dream of zig-zaging 3000 km across European high country read Alone in the Alps a personal account of footsteps across space and time hiking the Via Alpina by James Lasdun in the current New Yorker....
Oh to be young again!

For practical info regarding these routes see the Via Alpina web.

 

[Michael Caleigh]

Uh... well I will be doing the Camino from SJPdP (36 days)... then Hadrian's Wall (7 days)... then West Highland Way (7 days)... then the Westweg Schwarzwald (13 days) this summer starting mid-may. Will have to come up with something on each when I am done.

The Westweg was my first LDT and I absolutely loved it. What an amazing countryside and stunning forest, hills and lakes. Would love to do it again.

 

[MaryLynn]

The 215km Kapakatan in Quebec is a beautiful but physically challenging walk at times that follows the Saguenay Valley. I took bear bells--we smelled one but never saw any! There are 14 accommodations along the way, often in someone's home, but also in a couple convents, a sports hotel, and (our favourite) the 'community centre' in a tiny town. It would be essential to speak French (preferably rural Quebecois French!) in order to make reservations along the way. My Danish Camino-friend and I walked the Kapakatan with two Quebec cousins we met in 2013 on the Arles/Aragones Camino and appreciated their language skills!
www.sentiernotredamekapatakan.org/

Last summer I walked ~300km on the Haervejen (Ancient Road) in Jutland Denmark from Viborg to Padborg at the German border, with my Danish Camino-friend. It was mostly rolling hills or flat land through beautiful agricultural land and historic towns. There are fourteen dorm-like accommodations with kitchen facilities, most often in beautifully renovated barns or stables. We spent an extra half-day in Jelling to visit the amazing Viking museum. In the second half of the walk, there were many burial mounds and some rune stones. It was a fantastic walk.
www.haervej.com

 

[rometimed]

The Westweg was my first LDT and I absolutely loved it. What an amazing countryside and stunning forest, hills and lakes. Would love to do it again.

Really enjoyed the Westweg as well. Quite different from the others I did.

 

[cher99840]

I plan to walk the Queen Charlotte Track in NZ in August. Does anyone have experience winter walking in the Marlborough Sound area? I'm thinking wet and above freezing. That's the impression I get from Mr Google but I'd really like to hear from a voice of experience.

 

[lovingkindness]

I plan to walk the Queen Charlotte Track in NZ in August. Does anyone have experience winter walking in the Marlborough Sound area? I'm thinking wet and above freezing. That's the impression I get from Mr Google but I'd really like to hear from a voice of experience.

Hi there, cher99840. Here's a link to the Dept of Conservation NZ, track info and an email address for asking about the track in August. The QC Track is an excellent hike in summer. The views are stunning. I haven't walked it in winter....

Cheers
Lovingkindness

DOC
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...ea/things-to-do/tracks/queen-charlotte-track/

Waitohi / Picton Office
Phone: +64 3 520 3002
Fax: +64 3 520 3003
Email: picton@doc.govt.nz
Address: Port Marlborough Building
14 Auckland Street
Picton 7220

ps here's another link: FAQs
http://www.qctrack.co.nz/track-info/frequently-asked-questions/