STAR TREKS
THE POET GARY SNYDER reckoned “Walking is the great adventure, the first meditation, a practice of heartiness and soul primary to humankind.”
We’re all familiar with the power of a good leg-stretcher to reset and restore, provide clarity and even meaning to our lives. But now the world is tentatively opening up again, it feels timely to cast an eye to the horizon and be inspired – not just by walks closer to hand, but also by some of the bigger, bolder adventures further afield.
Here, we’ve gathered some of most interesting and varied hiking ‘big trip’ ideas across the world for the year ahead – the kind of adventures you can conceivably squeeze into a normal holiday window, give or take a week or two here or there if you can swing a bit of extra annual leave. These trails range from pristine pine forest to tropical jungle; from canal towpaths to alpine extremes; from coastal trails to desert landscapes.
Some of these picks are way out in the wilds, while others opt for some sleepy back lanes. Some are all about big mountain thrills; others emphasise cultural exchange. And we’ve included a broad geographical spread, too, with a mixture of trails on home turf and others much further afield; but even a few of the overseas treks are reachable overland by public transport.
It’s particular exciting to be featuring a few trails that are just finished or nearing completion, built in partnership with local communities. Some are big, some are small, some new, some tried and
