DESTINATIONS WALKING HOLIDAYS | ACTIVE & ADVENTURE


LIKE THIS? JURASSIC COAST, UK


This is one of the jewels of southern England. Stretching from Dorset to Devon, it combines sweeping sea views along craggy cliff edges with rolling countryside, iconic sights such as Durdle Door, the remnants of Iron Age forts, the shingly marvel of Chesil Beach, plus old-fashioned seaside towns such as Lyme Regis and pretty villages where quaint tea rooms and old-style pubs abound.


KERRY WAY, IRELAND AUSTRALIA


LIKE THIS?


It probably isn’t the first destination that springs to mind for a walking holiday, but Australia’s diverse scenery – from rainforest to red desert, wine country to winding coast – is prime territory to explore on foot. Great Walks of Australia has a host of incredible routes, including a newly extended five-day Scenic Rim Trail, one of Queensland’s biggest-ever ecotourism projects, as well as shorter day hikes.


WHY GO: Ireland’s west coast is well known for the spectacular scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way, but home in on smaller sections of the route and there are some pleasant surprises in store. The Kerry Way is a well-signposted, 130-mile trail that starts and ends in Killarney, adjoining the famous Ring of Kerry road. Along the way, walkers pass billowing hills carpeted in every possible shade of green, centuries-old stony paths where they’re more likely to encounter a sheep than another human being, and an undulating coastline where every turn reveals another breathtaking view.


HIGHLIGHTS: Killarney National Park is worth the journey alone, being home to Ireland’s highest mountain range and its only population of native red deer, three renowned lakes and impressive 19th-century mansion Muckross House. It’s also worth making time for pretty towns and villages such as Sneem and Waterville, then have cameras at the ready on the final day of walking for knockout views of the Dingle Peninsula and Rossbeigh Strand.


BOOK IT: Headwater offers a week-long self-guided route, The Kerry Way and Killarney National Park, from £1,179 in September, including seven nights’ B&B, maps and luggage transfers; flights not included. A four-night option is also available. headwater.com


TRY THIS NEW ZEALAND


WHY GO: It’s hard to imagine not falling in love with New Zealand’s landscapes, whether the glacier-carved valleys and fjords of the South Island, or volcanic interior and beach-edged coasts of the North. There are nine Great Walks, such as the Milford Track, offering multi-day itineraries through glorious scenery, but all except the most-dedicated hikers will find it easier to link together shorter hikes as they tour the islands.


HIGHLIGHTS: Choosing your favourite New Zealand landscape is like choosing a favourite child, but highlights of HF Holidays’ tour (see below) include the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing (setting for The Lord of the Rings’ Mount Doom). Then there’s Abel Tasman National Park, a coastal route with views over Tasman Bay; numerous trails offering views of Aoraki (Mount Cook); and a chance to hike part of the Kepler Track.


BOOK IT: HF Holidays’ epic 23-day New Zealand Guided Walking Holiday takes in Auckland, Rotorua, Tongariro National Park, Abel Tasman, Aoraki, Te Anau, Milford Sound and Queenstown. Prices start at £6,499 for a March 6, 2021, departure, excluding flights. hfholidays.co.uk


TRY THIS


travelweekly.co.uk


21 MAY 2020


27


PICTURE: Camilla Rutherford; Spicers Retreat/Great Walks of Australia; VisitBritain/Charlotte Fowler; Valerie O’Sullivan; Shutterstock


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