How to brighten up a cold, wet and miserable day in the Italian Alps. In the unlikely event that an extraterrestrial were to land in front of my house, driven by the need to find out what earthlings found so recreational by walking from one place to another and demanding the briefest possible explanation of…
An expedition down the Toce river reveals that the Orridi di Uriezzo are actually quite beautiful One of the main forces that have shaped the landscape of the Ossola valleys is water. During the last ice age, all valleys – main valley and seven side valleys – were covered by approx. 1 km of ice…
Volcano Boarding in Cerro Negro Guest post by Claudia Tavani * I had never seen a volcano before until I travelled to Central America for the first time. Yes, there are many in southern Italy – but none in Sardinia, where I live. As you could imagine, I was really excited to find myself in Nicaragua,…
What does a hiking festival in Italy need to do to attract the punters? Serve a five-course lunch along the way, for example – and do not skimp on the wine Not everybody loves hiking in large, organized groups, … … but whatever their drawbacks, these “hiking festivals” clearly have their advantages, too. One such…
A walk to the birthplace of Dartmoor’s most famous son gives you a taste of both town and country The southwest corner of Dartmoor is Drake country: Sir Francis is still the most famous and most glamorous local boy, with a reputation that has lost little of its shine after more than 400 years. Many…
Whether you are spending 2 days or 2 weeks in the Southwest of England, there are a few things you should consider before tying up your walking boots for a South West Coast hiking trip: 1. The South West Coast Path appears to be made for long-distance hiking, but … … while a strategy of…
The Sacra di San Michele near Turin is Northern Italy’s grandest and most sacred abbey. Italy’s industrial heartland lies within a triangle formed by Genoa, Milan and Torino, but, this being Italy, these three great industrial towns are hardly the equivalent of Dortmund, Manchester or Cleveland and pack a powerful “triple punch” of beautiful architecture,…
If you want to accompany us on the last stage of our Ligurian hill walk, you’d better be ready for some serious climbing In our most recent post, (perhaps a little misguiding) headlined The Five Walks of Finale Ligure, we ultimately gave you only three: a beach promenade, a stroll through the historical centre, and…
This small Riviera seaside town has something for every hiker: two legs, three legs or four This past winter, we have been exploring hiking trails on our local coast, on either side – French as well as Italian – of the Riviera, and what better place to end this series of walks, as the winter…
Apricale may well be the most beautiful but is certainly the most visually stunning of all the towns on the Ligurian hills. It is not only picturesque but also a great base for hiking trips into the Riviera’s mountainous hinterland. Growing out of the cliffside like something perhaps not altogether benign … … the town…
