On my trips, I often go hiking. Since I cannot carry hiking poles onto planes in my carry-on pack, I’ve always had to check at least one piece of luggage.
At the sporting-equipment store REI, I found Black Diamond-brand poles, which have three telescoping sections.*
I still need to check a bag, but the poles will fit in a bag that’s much smaller than the one I used to have to check through.
SAMANTHA SARTAIN
Colorado Springs, CO
by Marvin Silverman; Carmel, CA
A 3-day walking break featuring three circular walks through the peaceful Cotswolds is offered in the village Bourton-on-the-Water by Compass Holidays (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England; phone + 01242 250 642).
With departures year-round, this tour includes accommodation in a bed-and-breakfast (£128, or near $214, per person, double occupancy) or hotel (£196, or $328, per person), route directions, a map and emergency telephone assistance. A 2-day option is also available.
Near the birthplace of conservationist John Muir in East Lothian, Scotland, the trail John Muir Way opened in April.
From Helensburgh in the east to Muir’s birthplace of Dunbar in the west, the route is 134 miles long and takes seven to ten days to walk in its entirety. The trail is divided into ten sections, and the website has listings of hotels, campsites and attractions for each part. For maps, call 0845 370 0067.
Frank Cunningham — South Haven, MI
New Zealanders like to refer to the Milford Track as “the finest walk in the world,” and they have a point. I’ve had the good fortune to take some terrific hikes over varied terrain — restful countryside, awesome mountains, captivating seascapes and even the Grand Canyon, rim to rim — and I found the Milford Track stunning.
Visitors to Königsleiten, Austria, in the Wald-Königsleiten hiking area, can ride the cable car to the top station on the Gerlospass and walk back down to town, via Larmachalm, on the Jodel (Yodel) Trail (www.jodelweg.at).
At each of eight stations, a tape can be played that teaches a bit more yodeling technique. Practicing, you can hear your echo. At one station, you can play cowbells, and another has a huge alpine horn to blow.
11-day/10-night tour of FRANCE, April 8 & Sept. 23, 2014. Longest walking day, nine miles. Highlights: Nice/Grande Randonnée trails/explore sandstone caves in Beaumes-de-Venise pine forest/lavender fields at 12th-century Abbaye de Senanque/Village des Bories/TGV to Paris to visit Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Hades. Land, $4,290. Single supp., $1,490. Adventures Abroad (Blaine, WA; 800/665-3998).
My wonderful Italian cousins are always finding different day trips for us to enjoy when I visit them. On a trip to Italy in August ’12, we visited two very different places.
One was Anzio, site of the famous WWII battle about 56 miles southwest of Rome. From Stazione Termini in Rome, the train ride took about an hour.
Right outside the Anzio train station was a beautiful fountain of Neptune. Surrounded by palm trees, I found it difficult to imagine this beautiful, serene seaside resort besieged by war.
Free guided walking tours are now being offered in Barcelona by Sandemans New Europe (phone +49 0 30 510 500 30). Every day, rain or shine, 3-hour tours with up to, perhaps, 25 people depart at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. from the Plaça de l’Àngel, visiting the Gothic Quarter, Barcelona Cathedral, the historic harbor and other sights.
It was my friend Claire’s idea. From her home in Australia, she planned the details of our June 12-30, 2012, hiking vacation along Offa’s Dyke Path for us and four of our friends.
Named for the King of Mercia (who reigned AD 757-796 and caused the dykes to be built), Offa’s Dyke Path lies along the border of Wales and England. We walked 150 miles of it, north to south, from Prestatyn to Chepstow, in 19 days.