Trails/routes in other parts of the world

[biloute]

I've just finished my camino and don't actually want to go home tomorrow. I'm thinking of maybe walking another route somewhere, but maybe not so long a distance. The Grand Canyon in the US or Ring of Kerry or Wicklow Way in Ireland sound nice, but what other trails or routes are good for casual walking? Not backcountry hiking like the Appalachian Trail, etc. I don't necessarily want to have to carry a tent, especially for longer walks.

 

[Kitsambler]

France has 100,000 km of marked grand radonee walking routes, of which the GR65 from Le Puy to SJPP is but one. Germany has an equivalent network of marked routes, many designated as Jakobsweg, with others that are shorter or regional or circuit-loops. The Czech Republic and Switzerland ditto. If you decide what part of Europe interests you, then you can contact the regional tourism info center and inquire about walking routes. The towns are reasonably spaced, food and lodging are readily available, and bus or train service will fill in the gaps. The Peter Robbins site shows the network of routes related to the Way of St James, but doesn't have the capacity to show all the available walking routes in Europe. You have many options!

 

[michryan]

My husband and I last May walked the Coast to Coast last May in the UK. It was fantastic. Basically Inn to Inn. Starts on the west coast at St. Bees and goes across the Lakes district in Cumbria to the east coast and ends in Robin Hoods Bay in Yorkshire. Fantastic walk. And there are many more there to do as well.

 

[mralisn]

Yes. The Grand Canyon, Wicklow Way, and Ring of Kerry are great choices. I would also suggest looking at the West Highland Way and/or Great Glen Way in Scotland. Have no doubt you would enjoy these as well.

No matter where you wander, you will be wandering. There is all good in this.

Be free,
Simeon

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

Have you considered California's El Camino Real?

It's also called the California Mission Trail because it connects California's 21 missions follows roughly the same route missionaries and early settlers used traveling north through California. It's 850 miles (1370 km) in total, beginning Mission San Diego de Alcalá and ending at Mission San Francisco Solano (Mission Sonoma).

There is a small but ever growing number of people that have done part or all of the trail. It can be done as a 54 day through hike, but most of us do it in stages and use the Amtrak train system to get us to and from start and endpoints. The Amtrak Surfliner and Coast Starlight roughly follow the same route as the El Camino Real. The Surfliner starts in San Diego and terminates in San Luis Obispo (very near to Mission SLO) and the Coast Starlight starts in LA and goes all the way north to Seattle Washington. There are also local commuter trains and trolleys in the south between San Diego and LA and north between San Jose, San Francisco, and soon all the way up to Petaluma which is near to the end of the mission trail.

I wrote a guidebook covering preparation and planning for hiking the trail as well as maps and turn by turn directions for the first 267 miles from Mission San Diego to Mission Santa Barbara.. See my signature line for a link to it in Amazon.com USA or Camino Resources>Literature>Camino Books for links to the book in Amazon.com worldwide.

Here are some additional free resources

• On a mission: Hiker gains ample aches and insights along 800-mile trek on California’s El Camino Real (http://goo.gl/hlPHm1): An article by Maggie Espinosa published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on January 3, 2015. A wonderful article in which she describes her personal journey of discovery in completing the ECRT. Maggie is a personal friend and we shared hundreds of miles of conversation and friendship along the El Camino Real.
  
• Walking El Camino Real de California (http://goo.gl/KGqNpf): An open Facebook group for mission hikers with general information on the missions and the El Camino Real.
• Walk California's El Camino Real (http://goo.gl/AJfmk1): A website by Stephanie Dodaro with useful background, route suggestions, and resources for hiking the El Camino Real. Stephanie is one of the early hikers completing the ECRT.
• Edie’s Mission Walk (http://goo.gl/iO5WrX): A Facebook page chronicling one women’s celebration of life. Having survived six years with late-stage cancer, she decided to celebrate her victory by walking the 850 mile El Camino Real. A very touching story.
  
• Notes from the road (http://goo.gl/w8C1YG): One man’s experience hiking the El Camino Real in 53 days with many interesting photos.
  
• California Mission Walkers (http://goo.gl/G5kf8j): A Facebook group for people hiking the California missions. It is a closed group which means you need permission to join the group. It is a great forum for those seeking advice on routes and planning. You can contact the group leaders by email: californiamissionwalkers@gmail.com.
  
• MissionWalk.org: This web site is still in its infancy. We hope someday this will become the single source place to go for information on hiking the El Camino Real. However, as of this writing, the web site is still under construction and does not have much in the way of information. Check back periodically as the content grows
  
• My photo album on this web site for some of my favorite photos from pilgrimage along the El Camino Real: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/camino-photos/users/ca_pilgrim.12693/albums

Buen Camino, or as we say on the El Camino Real, Siempre Adelante! (Father Junípero Serra's motto: Always Forward!)

 

[JohnMcM]

I've just finished my camino and don't actually want to go home tomorrow. I'm thinking of maybe walking another route somewhere, but maybe not so long a distance. The Grand Canyon in the US or Ring of Kerry or Wicklow Way in Ireland sound nice, but what other trails or routes are good for casual walking? Not backcountry hiking like the Appalachian Trail, etc. I don't necessarily want to have to carry a tent, especially for longer walks.

Hello biloute,
You might be pleasantly surprised if you research the West Highland Way.
http://www.west-highland-way.co.uk/home.asp
Buen Camino

 

[KinkyOne]

I've just finished my camino and don't actually want to go home tomorrow. I'm thinking of maybe walking another route somewhere, but maybe not so long a distance. The Grand Canyon in the US or Ring of Kerry or Wicklow Way in Ireland sound nice, but what other trails or routes are good for casual walking? Not backcountry hiking like the Appalachian Trail, etc. I don't necessarily want to have to carry a tent, especially for longer walks.

Hi!
Try here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/#other-pilgrimage-routes.155

Ultreia!

 

[whariwharangi]

I've just finished my camino and don't actually want to go home tomorrow. I'm thinking of maybe walking another route somewhere, but maybe not so long a distance. The Grand Canyon in the US or Ring of Kerry or Wicklow Way in Ireland sound nice, but what other trails or routes are good for casual walking? Not backcountry hiking like the Appalachian Trail, etc. I don't necessarily want to have to carry a tent, especially for longer walks.

NZ has a thousand backcountry huts that range from refurbished miner shacks to five star albergues (though the last are more often found on the more famous walks). No tent required.

 

[KinkyOne]

@biloute
Friday two weeks ago @lovingkindness came to Trieste and we met there when I brought her guidebook about Ruta Jacobea through Slovenia. Week later, after walking RJ in reverse she came to Ljubljana (capitol, where I live). She had most wonderful time and was really surprised by hospitality of the people who offered her bed in their own homes. My father did that too. Now she's on her way on Hungarian branch through Slovenia to Maribor and heading to Austria. The route is marked but of course only in the direction to SdC Nevertheless she was able to find a way.
If you want to try it, I'll be in Slovenia until June 5th (heading to Valencia to walk the Levante ) and could help you with some logistics.

Ultreia!

 

[Maggie97520]

The Dingle Way is tremendously fun loop trek in Ireland. I remember seeing a Camino shell somewhere along the route (maybe it's part of the Camino de Santiago). If it's not long enough for you, you can easily link it with other treks and make it longer. The West Highland Way is my next destination.

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

NZ has a thousand backcountry huts that range from refurbished miner shacks to five star albergues (though the last are more often found on the more famous walks). No tent required.

Hiking through NZ is on my bucket list for sure!

 

[Melensdad]

I was going to suggest the California Mission Walk, but that was already posted.

Others to consider:

1. St Olaf's Way in Norway (several routes, some just in Norway, some crossing from Sweden to Norway) http://pilegrimsleden.no/en/map/st.-olavs-leden
2. St Olswald's Way in Northern England into Scotland http://www.stoswaldsway.com
3. The Way of St Andrew in Scotland http://www.thewayofstandrews.com
4. Mary/Michael's Way (connecting St Michael's & St Mary's Cathedrals and crossing southern England) http://marymichaelpilgrimsway.org

 

[dougfitz]

The St Olaf's Way route following the line of his ill-fated last campaign from the Swedish coast to the battleground at Stiklestad and then on to Trondheim was opened a couple of years ago. It is probably the northernmost pilgrimage route one could walk. I had planned to do it last year, until my son decided to get married, and I only had time to do the CI and then on to Muxia and Finisterre. It was on my list for next year, but my wife now wants to walk the CF next year. Doing another, more northern St Olaf's Way is still out there!

 

[lovingkindness]

The St Olaf's Way route following the line of his ill-fated last campaign from the Swedish coast to the battleground at Stiklestad and then on to Trondheim was opened a couple of years ago. ....!

...it was fabulous, dougfitz, fabulous... just arrived!

 

[dougfitz]

...it was fabulous, dougfitz, fabulous... just arrived!

I want Ivar to turn the text colour options back on so that I can do this in green just to show that I am a little envious.

Oops - how did that happen??