What is your idea of easy hiking
Hiking near Paris The Parisian Banlieue – a term covering anything from just outside of the city limits to villages and small towns a one-hour railway journey away – has a bad reputation, not all of it undeserved. But for every town over which a pallor of tristesse – actually, the bitterness of exile –…
Hiking in Barcelona Atop Montjuic Whereas the sea, all over the world, is made of one piece, mountains are nature’s true individuals. You have to meet them in person to properly know or even get a first meaningful impression of them. Statistical information of whatever sort or content is of no assistance here and can, at…
Easy hiking trails in Barcelona I have found my perfect easy hike on the Montserrat Rocks! Now, if I were on a spiritual, Leonardo-di-Caprio-inspired quest to find “The Hike”, I could happily retire and lay down my quill (and my computer, too), leaving you in peace to find your own way around the best hiking…
Hiking the old German Industrial Heartland Hiking in Germany We continue our exploration of the Ruhrgebiet: The Emscherweg This walk is short, just right for the time of the year when there are so few hours between dawn and dusk. It features a park, a river promenade and a lake. But beware: nothing is quite…
On a Day Hiking Trail The Ruhrgebiet, Germany’s old industrial heartland, may not be rich with cultural sights, but Villa Hügel – the former residence of the Krupp family – on the shores of Lake Baldeney (popular day hiking trail and site for local day trippers) is a must see for anybody with even a…
Day hiking in Germany Guns and Forest on a Hiking Trail? Over the next few months, I am going to tell you – in a loose series of posts – a little bit about day hikes in the Ruhrgebiet, Germany’s old industrial heartland. The Ruhrgebiet may not be an area that many foreigners will want to…
Hiking trails near Paris The Parisian banlieue has a bad reputation, not all of it undeserved. At its worst, the urban sprawl beyond the Parisian city limits is an uncomfortable and possibly even dangerous place (for those of you who haven’t seen the movie La Haine, think of the South Bronx or Tower Hamlets), while most…
Hiking near Paris Easy Hiking in Compiegne Compiègne is a handsome market town 60 km north of Paris. It houses Napoleon’s favourite castle, a beautiful Renaissance Town Hall and a 13th century church. I bet you did not know that Compiegne has a proud history as an Olympic town, too – it hosted the golf competition…
Hiking in Germany Where Witches Go Hiking Trail The Harzer Hexenstieg in North Germany, about 200 km (130 miles) west of Berlin, with a total length of 97 km (in 5 to 7 stages) from Osterode to Thale across what was once the most fiercely protected border in Europe. Profile The Harz is the wildest,…
Hiking near Paris A Parisian Hike along the Canal de l’Ourcq Paris would not be what it is without its canals. A walk along the Canal St Martin on a sunny day is a highlight in the itinerary of any visit to the French capital. For the true Parisians, the Canal ends at the Bassin de…