Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...

[neoboy]

Nothing overly exciting but doing Snowden in April to complete the Three Peaks, done Scafell last year and Ben Nevis the year before. Be the first "major" thing I've done physically since my ACL reconstruction in May.

Do have some friends in Transylvania one of whom has completed six of the Seven Summits (got appendicitis while at base camp in Everest!) so they can show me around the Carpathian Mountains. Did a road trip with them during the last summer and some of the mountains did look amazing so looking forward to that, hopefully this summer coming.

 

[Glaucus]

Looking at what to do this year, as now on really tight budget. Was looking at artic circle trail in Greenland but flights are omg expensive.

Going to do Hadrians wall, but anyone know any other ~100 mile trails, that are both remote so not many people and have huts along the way but cheap to get to, never done the hut thing, which is one reason artic circle appealed to me, as well as trying to fish along the way.

 

[RoboCod]

Bothy hopping round the cairngorms

 

[King4aDay]

Portion of the Cape Wrath trail?

 

[Glaucus]

I do want to do cape wrath trail at some point as done west highland way.

Just been looking at Jotunheimen park in Norway, seems to fit the bill as well. Wild camping, huts, very cheap flights and easy to get to from Oslo(dedicated bus 4 times a day). Haven't found any pacific multi day route yet, although plenty of sites say such trials exist.

 

[beh]

Bothy hopping round the cairngorms

Aye, a nice loop would be Ryvoan/Hutchinson > Bob Scotts > Corrour.

 

[Glaucus]

just seen this, some of you may be interested to sign up for a back up.
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/walkers-urged-to-register-for-999-text-service/002852/

although I carry a findmespot, so should be good as long as I don't fall down something and block satellite signal.

 

[andi]

I'm not much of a walker, so nothing compared to some of the other stuff in this thread, but some pics from my walk out last week. Bitter cold, but beautiful views.







I've never really done any walking. I used to enjoy mountain biking, but a few years off the bike and I've lost all my fitness. I loved the peak district, and I've wanted to get back up there for a while, so whilst I had a day off thought I'd go for a walk. Only intended to be a short one up to Whinstone Lee Tor, but was enjoying it so kept going and did Derwent Edge. Gorgeous day, although according to the met it was -5c with the windchill. Certainly felt it!

Given me the bug though, been looking for places to go on my next day off since!

 

[RoboCod]

I'm currently on a motorhome tour of the Highlands. It's lovely at this time of year. Will post pics soon.

 

[Street]

I'm currently on a motorhome tour of the Highlands. It's lovely at this time of year. Will post pics soon.

Slightly jealous, I'd love to be up there! It seems to be the only place any of the routes are in winter conditions at the moment.. North Wales has been a wash out so far so not ticked off any climbs I had planned.

 

[RoboCod]

Slightly jealous, I'd love to be up there! It seems to be the only place any of the routes are in winter conditions at the moment.. North Wales has been a wash out so far so not ticked off any climbs I had planned.

To be honest I've not been able to enjoy the snow and ice fully, only site see it. I've tried to cram too many places in to too short a period to fully commit to a day mountain climbing and I'm with the GF so the walks have been low land and steady still, the views have been spectacular and I'm currently sat at Invercoe overlooking the Loch framed by snowy mountains.

invercoe campsite
Invercoe campsite view

 

[a66as]

Do you guys go camping on your own?

 

[RoboCod]

Do you guys go camping on your own?

I have done a few times, with a bivvy. Do it.

 

[kiteloopy]

How much did it cost you in may?

Anyone done any of the long distance walks in USA? What l'm interested in learning is things like parcel drops for food. And how easy is it to hitch hike to the towns. The guide books say hitchhike from here to this post office.
And anyone carried enough food for like 7 days.
As well as any tips about logistics or things you would have done differently.

Wanting to do the john Muir trail. Got to apply for permits in Feb, for august hike.

Someone on this forum has done PCT but I cant remember who. Raymond?

I saw a video on reddit a week or so ago which has got hiking and PCT in the forefront of my mind. Im curious how parcel drops work too.

I need a new challenge, just depends if work would allow me to take 6 months off.

 

[kiteloopy]

Doh, Messiah Khan.
Post 8 on this thread.

 

[Mulder]

Climbed Kilimanjaro last October which was tough but a great experience. Some of the views were incredible.

Also did the 3 peaks 24 hour challenge in the UK a couple of years ago, not quite as tough but still worth doing.

 

[Glaucus]

He doesn't appear trot post anymore.
I'm now very keen on walking Europe. Wouldn't need food drops, see far more culture.

Just don't know what to di with work, keen on quitting as I hate it, but then I keep thinking what i'll do when I get back.
I'm pretty sure I can do a sabbatical at work, need to get in to HR and see what rules and chances of doing it are,

However also seen a cool city in India I could go volunteer for and live a different life for 6months and learn about eco farming. Which also sounds really good. But does cost money.

Why doesn't money grow in trees.

 

[Amp34]

Avoid "volunteer" opportunities that charge large sums like the plague IMO, they're probably designed for gap yeah people wanting a holiday. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities that you can do for free, with them either providing free food and accommodation for your labour or requiring you to pay a nominal amount for food* but that being it.

Prime examples would include the long trails in North America. You could spend a season doing trail maintenance on the Appalachian trail (each state has a different volunteer group). You'll have to pay for transport costs to the base camp at the beginning of your time there (I.e. Flight and bus fare to nearest big town most likely), but after that everything is usually provided. Most of the long distance trails have similar volunteer opportunities. I'm actually thinking of doing a few weeks volunteering on the Great divide trail.

You won't get a huge amount of Ike to actually hike the trail, it'll be maintaining small bits of it, but you'll have fun doing it and can always hike weekends or a few weeks at the end, possibly with people you met in the work groups.

Or you could look at woofing if you are interested in farming (although I always have conflicted opinions a about that. Free food and board to work for someone on what is essentially still a commercial farm...? Make sure you check out the farm carefully before doing so...

* I.e the going rate for the cost of food in that country. Not as many places seem to like doing charging $60-100 a week for "food" in a country where you could live like a king for a week on $10...

 

[Glaucus]

It's something very different to that sort of volunteering.

http://aviuk.org/
The reforestation or organic farm are both interesting, as is the whole project in general.
Could just experience a totally different life for 6months. It's about £500 a month for everything.

 

[Amp34]

Very spiritual. Rather you than me I think.

I've heard of that place before, just seems like a reputable cult (not necessarily meant in a bad way).

Either way, there are plenty of opportunities to do volunteering in mountains and wilderness areas for low costs (not £500 a month), if you can't afford to pay large sums to volunteer.