USA Walks and Trails

Walks in the United States including the Coastal Redwoods and the Grand Canyon. Click on the walk to read the post or use the interactive map to see the route.

A walk to Grand View Point Overlook, Canyonlands National Park

A walk to Grand View Point Overlook, Canyonlands National Park

Our campsite, just outside Moab, Utah is in the middle of the Colorado Plateau. The plateau varies between three to ...
Walking in The Arches National Park, Utah

Walking in The Arches National Park, Utah

The Arches National Park is like no place I have ever walked in before. Set high on the desert plateau ...
A walk along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

A walk along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

‘Don’t worry Mom, I know all about cannibalism, I saw it on TV’. Like Danny in The Shining, it’s all ...
Walking with giants, the coastal redwoods of northern California

Walking with giants, the coastal redwoods of northern California

Reading the news recently that there are now more redwoods in the U.K. than in California (read here) reminded me ...

 

A walk to Grand View Point Overlook, Canyonlands National Park

Our campsite, just outside Moab, Utah is in the middle of the Colorado Plateau. The plateau varies between three to twelve thousand feet above sea level and stretches over four states. Consisting of high, sparsely populated and arid desert land it’s home to no less than nine National Parks, including the Grand Canyon. Even if you’ve never visited you will have seen the plains, canyons, red rock towers and buttes of the Colorado Plateau in countless movies about the ‘Wild West’ from The Searchers to Forrest Gump. In fact, the opening scene from Mission Impossible II was filmed on the trail we will be walking today.

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A walk along the Grand Balcon Sud, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

My first visit to Chamonix was in 1993 when I walked there from the shores of Lake Geneva doing a section of the GR5. Thirty years later I walked there again taking the long way round from Les Houches when hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc. Last summer I actually got to drive into town when Mish and I headed off on our summer road trip to the French Alps.

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A walk to The Falls of Kirkaig

The car park for the Falls of Kirkaig is empty when we arrive with two steak pie and mashed potato dinners purchased twenty minutes earlier from Lochinver Larder but still hot. “How many other vans do you think will turn up, three, four?” I muse over our meal. Mish looks out of the window at the April showers and lowering temperature and confidently predicts “none”. Surely not, we’re in beautiful Assynt, surrounded by ancient woodland with the Kirkaig river not twenty feet from us. When I look out the window in the early hours the rain has stopped and we are alone, with just the owls, the roaring river and a billion stars twinkling in the ink black night sky to keep us company. Wives, why are they always right.

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Lingmoor Fell from Great Langdale

My walk up Lingmoor Fell starts conveniently at the National Trust campsite at the head of Great Langdale. I don’t even have to move the van and take full advantage by having a lazy breakfast. This may be my first walk of book four but it certainly won’t be my last from this location as Great Langdale is the launch pad for some of the big ones and a place I will get to know well over the coming months.

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Tramping In New Zealand

My Walks in beautiful New Zealand including two of the world’s ‘Great Walks’ The Milford Track and The Routeburn Track. Click on the walk to read the post or use the interactive map to see the route. 

Milford Track Day One Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut

Milford Track Day One Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut

The Milford Track is remote, so remote in fact that you have to get a boat to the start and ...
Milford Track Day Two Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut

Milford Track Day Two Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut

Sometime during the night the rain had stopped and when we left the bunk room the sun was breaking through ...
Milford Track Day Three Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut

Milford Track Day Three Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut

As forecast we awake to a completely different scene from the Sunshine and clear blue skies of yesterday. Cloud and ...
Milford Track Day Four Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point

Milford Track Day Four Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point

It’s our final day on the Milford Track and there is a sense of anticipation in the air. Today, the ...
Routeburn Track Day One, Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Falls Hut

Routeburn Track Day One, Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Falls Hut

Driving to the start of the Routeburn track I was wondering if the walk we were about to do could ...
Routeburn Track Day Two, Routeburn Falls Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut

Routeburn Track Day Two, Routeburn Falls Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut

Day two on the Routeburn Track dawns bright and clear. All twenty or so bunks in our room were full ...
Routeburn Track Day Three, Lake Mackenzie Hut to The Divide

Routeburn Track Day Three, Lake Mackenzie Hut to The Divide

All was quiet and still in the valley as I paid a visit to the outside toilet during the early ...
A walk along the Hooker Valley Track

A walk along the Hooker Valley Track

After completing two of the ten ‘Great Walks’ in New Zealand we’re working our way slowly up through South Island, ...
Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara, New Zealand. A Walk on the other side of the world.

Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara, New Zealand. A Walk on the other side of the world.

It’s only sitting at home, a few weeks after my return from New Zealand that I have time to reflect ...
A walk along the Three Mile Pack Track, Okarito, New Zealand

A walk along the Three Mile Pack Track, Okarito, New Zealand

We are nearing the end of our month walking and travelling through the beautiful South Island of New Zealand / ...

 

 

Hiking The Tour Du Mont Blanc

My hike along one of Europe’s classic long distance trails. Click on the walk to read the post or use the interactive map to see the route. 

The Tour du Mont Blanc - An Introduction

The Tour du Mont Blanc – An Introduction

It’s been a long two days in the driving seat, it turns out the Alps are a long way from ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day One - Les Houches to Refuge du Fioux

Tour du Mont Blanc Day One – Les Houches to Refuge du Fioux

The storm eventually passed over in the early hours leaving behind a dry but overcast morning. Steve slept right through ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Two - Refuge du Fioux to Refuge de Nant Borrant

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Two – Refuge du Fioux to Refuge de Nant Borrant

The Tour du Mont Blanc and the Alps in general are perfect for hut to hut walking. In France they ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Three - Refuge de Nant Borrant to Les Chapeiux

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Three – Refuge de Nant Borrant to Les Chapeiux

If day one of the Tour du Mont Blanc was an hors d’oeuvre and day two a starter, day three ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Four - Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Four – Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta

The small village of Les Chapieux sits at the western most point of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Although it’s ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Five - Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Five – Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur

Dawn brings with it another gloriously sunny day on the Tour du Mont Blanc. We are now in the Italian ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Six - Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Six – Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti

“The beauty of adventure is to dream of it, to give air to the imagination, then you also try to ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Seven - Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Seven – Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

Today we will enter the third country on our walk around Mont Blanc. This country is a land of mountains, ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eight - La Fouly to Champex

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eight – La Fouly to Champex

For the last week we’ve been in the heart of the mountains. Walking along narrow rugged trails surrounded by snow ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Nine - Champex to Trient

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Nine – Champex to Trient

When we step outside to boot up for day nine of our Tour du Mont Blanc there are ominous dark ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Ten - Trient to Tre Le Champ

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Ten – Trient to Tre Le Champ

Today we have the third and final border crossing of our Tour du Mont Blanc when we say goodbye to ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eleven - Tré Le Champ to Refuge la Flégère

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eleven – Tré Le Champ to Refuge la Flégère

Stepping onto the wooden balcony that adjoins our room at 6am all is silent in the valley. The cool, still ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Twelve - Refuge la Flégère to Chamonix

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Twelve – Refuge la Flégère to Chamonix

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, For ...

 

 

Trekking In Nepal

Trekking in Nepal. From Lukla to Everest Base Camp and then a taste of ‘real’ Nepal walking out to Jiri. Click on the walk to read the post or use the interactive map to see the route. 

Nepal - A Journey of Discovery

Nepal – A Journey of Discovery

Everest (centre) juts up from behind the Lhotse Wall with Ama Dablam on the Right I have travelled before, to ...
Kathmandu

Kathmandu

“Katmandu I’ll soon be seeing you And your strange bewildering time will hold me down” I am not sure if ...
Nepal - Epilogue

Nepal – Epilogue

We walked for twenty three days on our Nepal Trek. The Germans have a word for it, Zielwanderung or 'destination ...
Nepal - Lukla to Phakding

Nepal – Lukla to Phakding

Lukla 9,283ft to Phakding 8,701ft Up at 6.30am. A cup of tea was followed by finishing off packing the rucksack ...
Nepal - Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Nepal – Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Phakding 8,701ft to Namche Bazaar 11,306ft Up at 7.10am. A breakfast of porridge with honey, toast and jam does the ...
Nepal - Khunde and Khumjung

Nepal – Khunde and Khumjung

Namche Bazaar walking to Khunde 12,602ft and Khumjung 12,402ft Namche Bazaar is known as the 'Sherpa capital'. If you are ...
Nepal - Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Nepal – Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Namche 11,306ft to Tengboche 12,687ft The walk from Namche Bazaar to Tynbouche (or Tengboche) is a pure delight every step ...
Nepal - Tengboche to Pherice

Nepal – Tengboche to Pherice

Tengboche 12,687ft to Pheriche 13,911ft including rest day acclimatisation walk to Dingboche 14,272ft It was very cold in the lodge ...
Nepal - Pherice to Lobuche

Nepal – Pherice to Lobuche

Pherice 13,911ft to Lobuche 16,175ft The aim of the day is to get to Lobuche all in one piece and ...
Nepal - Lobuche to Kala Patar

Nepal – Lobuche to Kala Patar

Lobuche 16,175ft – Gorek Shep 17,008ft - Kala Patar 18,192ft – Lobuche I slept fitfully and not very well at ...
Nepal - Lobuche to Dzongla

Nepal – Lobuche to Dzongla

Loubuche 16,175ft to Dzongla 15,846ft Today has that feeling to it, the feeling that you have after your own wedding, ...
Nepal - Dzongla to Dragnag via Cho La Pass

Nepal – Dzongla to Dragnag via Cho La Pass

Dzongla 15,846ft to Dragnag 15,387ft over the Cho la pass 17,782ft We were up early, 5.30am for what will be ...
Nepal - Dragnag to Namche Bazaar via Phortse

Nepal – Dragnag to Namche Bazaar via Phortse

Dragnag 15,387ft back to Namche Bazaar via Phortse (12,467ft) There is no rush to get out of bed today as ...
Nepal - Namche Bazaar to Jubing

Nepal – Namche Bazaar to Jubing

Namche Bazaar 11,306ft to Choplung 8,727ft After the hard work of the last week we enjoyed a well earned rest ...
Nepal - Jubing to Junbesi

Nepal – Jubing to Junbesi

Jubing 5,499ft to Tragsindho 9,612ft I'm sitting in the lodge in Tragsindho watching sport on a Television, Aston Villa v ...
Nepal - Junbesi to Sete

Nepal – Junbesi to Sete

Junbesi 8776ft to Sete 8448ft We were up early for what is going to be a hard day compared to ...
Nepal - Sete to Bhandar

Nepal – Sete to Bhandar

Sete 8448ft to Bhandar 7198ft ​After our efforts getting over the Lamjura La Pass yesterday we are in no mad ...
Nepal - Bhandar to Jiri

Nepal – Bhandar to Jiri

Bhandar 7,198ft to Shivalaya 5,905ft It's another leisurely start to the day. Breakfast outside in the sunshine again and we ...

 

 

Book Three The Central Fells

All the hills of the Central Fells listed in height order with the eleven walks that took me over them and interactive map showing hill location and route. Click on the hill or the walk to read the post. Scroll down to use the interactive map.

1. High Raise 762m 2,500ft 8. Loft Crag 680m 2,231ft 15. Calf Crag 537m 1,762ft 22. Grange Fell 415m 1,362ft
2. Sergeant Man 736m 2,415ft 9. High Seat 608m 1,995ft 16. High Tove 515m 1,690ft 23. Helm Crag 405m 1,329ft
3. Harrison Stickle 736m 2,415ft 10. Bleaberry Fell 590m 1,936ft 17. Eagle Crag 525m 1,722ft 24. Silver How 395m 1,296ft
4. Ullscarf 726m 2,382ft 11. Sergeant’s Crag 571m 1,873ft 18. Armboth Fell 479m 1,572ft 25. Walla Crag 376m 1,234ft
5. Thunacar Knott 723m 2,372ft 12. Steel Fell 553m 1,814ft 19. Raven Crag 461m 1,512ft 26. High Rigg 357m 1,171ft
6. Pike of Stickle 709m 2,326ft 13. Tarn Crag 550m 1,804ft 20. Great Crag 450m 1,476ft 27. Loughrigg Fell 335m 1,099ft
7. Pavey Ark 700m 2,297ft 14. Blea Rigg 541m 1,775ft 21. Gibson Knott 420m 1,378ft  
A walk up Walla Crag and Bleaberry Fell.

A walk up Walla Crag and Bleaberry Fell.

It's the second day of a settled weather pattern that has brought crisp, calm and ...
Four Wainwright's from Thirlmere Dam

Four Wainwright’s from Thirlmere Dam

Commitments and the never ending rain which makes planning clear summit days difficult have kept ...
A walk up High Rigg

A walk up High Rigg

From the campsite I can see a fair chunk of today's walk from the van ...
A walk up Tarn Crag (Easedale)

A walk up Tarn Crag (Easedale)

I have some personal rules which guide my journey through the Wainwright’s (here) one of ...
Four Wainwright's from Grasmere

Four Wainwright’s from Grasmere

I’ve had company over the last couple of days. A Robin arrives regularly at the ...
Great Crag and Grange Fell from Rosthwaite

Great Crag and Grange Fell from Rosthwaite

Over the last few years I have become familiar with every twist and turn of ...
Silver How and Loughrigg Fell from Grasmere Village

Silver How and Loughrigg Fell from Grasmere Village

It’s summer, or at least that brief moment in time that passes for summer these ...
A walk up Eagle Crag and Sergeant's Crag

A walk up Eagle Crag and Sergeant’s Crag

It’s the second time I’ve stopped at Chapel House Farm campsite in the last few ...
A walk up Ullscarf from Thirlmere

A walk up Ullscarf from Thirlmere

My last visit to Ullscarf was thwarted when the clouds which had been hovering above ...
The Langdale Pikes

The Langdale Pikes

Just as autumn seemed to have arrived, summer sunshine and warmth has returned for one ...
An Outer Langdale Round

An Outer Langdale Round

'If I should bow my head let it be to a high mountain' Maori Proverb ...

 

 

An Outer Langdale Round

‘If I should bow my head let it be to a high mountain’ Maori Proverb

I’m back in Great Langdale just a couple of weeks after my previous visit when I was fortunate to walk the Langdale Pikes in glorious weather. The weather isn’t so good today but it’s dry and the tops are clear which is what matters. I’m heading for a group of hills that form an outer circle around the rather compact Pikes, Blea Rigg, Sergeant Man, High Raise and Thunacar Knott. And in visiting these, I’ll also bring to a conclusion my journey through Wainwright’s Book Three, The Central Fells.

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