special interest | hiking Europe
n WE SUGGEST: Transylvania n WHY: Tis huge pastoral section of Romania, located alongside a broad sweep of the Carpathian mountains, is a slice of old Europe, with horse- and-cart agriculture, orchards, scythes and homemade food. It’s wholly organic and very traditional. Te people (a mix of Romanians and ethnic Hungarians) are very hospitable, and cars are still relatively uncommon. While there are no particularly celebrated long-distance hikes, the whole place is ribboned with tracks and trails. A guide is essential, particularly as there are threats from bears and shepherds’ dogs. Particularly good areas for walking are Maramures, with its wooden churches, and the Saxon villages south of Sighisoara, home to historic German-speaking communities. Tere are castles too, of course, but the blood-sucking aristocrats of Transylvania are purely fictional. n WHERE ELSE: Spain’s Mediterranean islands of Mallorca and Menorca are especially lovely in spring, when the almond trees and orange groves are in blossom. Menorca has
inaugurated the
Cami de Cavells, a hiking route that goes all the way around the coast.
Africa
n WE SUGGEST: Morocco’s Atlas Mountains n WHY: Easily accessible from Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains aren’t fearsomely high, although the likes of Mount Toubkal (13,671ft) will be snow-capped in the winter. Te key attractions here are the landscape and the culture of the Berber people who live in mountain villages — some of which are fortified like something out of Game of Trones. Anyone who’s trekked in the Himalayas will find the Berber experience instantly familiar, with village homestays, porters and mule trains. Places like Kasbah du Toubkal offer comfortable accommodation well placed for day-long hikes in several directions, allowing hikers to take things at their own pace. Tis is a year-round destination, but the clear days of spring and fall are best, as there’s a high chance of snow and ice in winter. n WHERE ELSE: Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro is an intensely rewarding albeit tough six- day hike. Despite the name, there’s no actual mountaineering.
It has a well-developed
infrastructure with local guides and accommodation en route.
98 | ASTAnetwork | fall 2015
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140