After this really hot summer, we are hoping for a nice fall with many perfect hiking days. Tired of your usual routes? Ready for a challenge? The last few weeks we presented 10 Naturefriends’ #Treasured Trails on Facebook!
Here you find an overview of all trails. Thanks to everyone who sent in their favourite TreasuredTrails – quite the collection!
United Kingdom
Long distance hiking is a fantastic challenge and sometimes a Treasured Trail also “feeds your soul” – recharge your batteries and enjoy some solitude!
The Cleveland Way National Trail is one of those special paths – do the whole 9 days or break it up into smaller sections. Naturefriends will appreciate the stunning scenery at the coast, ancient abbeys and the moorland.
More pictures and information:
Cleveland Way | North York Moors National Park |Overview of all UK National Parks
Photos: Friends of Nature UK
Germany
Especially when hiking with kids, having a fun destination can make the activity more fun. On the Glauberg, Naturfreunde Bad Vilbel created a trail that not only offers great views and chances to watch animals. It also goes passed the new museum “Keltenwelt”, dealing with the time of the celts in the area!
Check out the NaturaTrail here.
Photos: NaturFreunde Bad Vilbel
Italy
Hiking can bring you closer to history: When GIAN found out about old places for flint stone trade they created the Flint Way. 6 days in Northern Italy – stay in three different Naturefriend Houses (Baito 359 in MonteBaldo; Scuri Rossi in Ledro and Saviore dell’Adamello) on the way. The trek can be divided into three shorter sectors: Montebaldo area (2–3 days); Ledro area (2–3days) and Adamello area (2–3 days).
For more details or information please have a look here or write to: info@amicidellanatura.it
Photos: Gruppo Italiano Amici della Natura GIAN
Austria
Did you know about gold digging in Austria? It might have been a while ago, but at the Naturefriends House Neubau from Naturefriends Austria you can learn more about that fascinating history on the “Tauerngold Rundwanderweg” and visit the old digging sites. More information: Tauerngold Rundwanderweg
Photos: Naturefriends Austria
Czechia
Hiking can only be done on mountains? Not true, Naturefriends Czechia said to themselves and created “Malá liška” in Olomouc. The, in total, 50 km trail invites you to get to know the city and discover the forgotten stories of the town. It leads into the suburban area which is full of natural habitats, innovative architecture and forgotten stories. This Treasured Trail is completely accessible with public transport and invites you to find some “Urban Nature” in the city!
The project website provides further information (on the history, sights etc.) and is also available as a smartphone version.
Photos: Přátelé přírody
Switzerland
“Oh, what kind of tree is this?” “I don’t know – a tall one?”
If this is a familiar conversation for you, check out the “Waldlehrpfad” created by Naturfreunde Schaffhausen. Learn about the local trees and bushes and then impress your fellow hikers over a drink at the Buchberghaus. Definitly a Treasured Trail, because naturefriends need to pass on this important knowledge to the next generation!
More information
Photos: Naturefriends Schaffhausen
Belgium
Beware! This is Frog Country! One of Naturefriends Belgium favorite trails run through the nature reserve De Langdonken in Herselt, a wetland with all the biodiversity that comes with this kind of swampy biotopes: amphibians, dragonflies and mosquitoes (lots and lots of them). It takes some time before you start loving to walk these paths: in winter you better bring your boots and in summer there’s the constant buzzing and pricking of the mosquitoes. But once you fall in love with those Treasured Trails … you want to see how it changes every season. More information
Photos: De Natuurvrienden
Romania
To wrap up this hiking tour around the world, we head to Retezat National Park where Naturefriends Romania present the “Retezat Avenue“. The all-day roundtrip from and to Naturefriends House Codrin takes you past waterfalls and lets you enjoy the rugged wilderness of the UNESCO Bisophere Reserve and one of the best-preserved wilderness areas of the Carpathians.
Retezat National Park is a must for passionate hikers and wilderness enthusiasts. It´s the first national park of Romania, a UNESCO Reserve of the Biosphere and one of the best conserved wild areas in the Carpathians.
Photos: Naturefriends Romania
“Feel Good Trails” in Austria
Sometimes we all need that challenge: Up the mountain and on the trail all day. Sometimes, not so much. Then it is time for one of the “Feel-Good-Trails” in Austria! For example, take a stroll on the WohlfühlWeg Ennsweg and enjoy the activities designed to help you relax and experience your surroundings. Most WohlfühlWege are accessible and allow the whole family, from young to old, to enjoy the trail. Because all naturefriends need to be able to enjoy Treasured Trails!
More information.
Photos: Naturefriends International
The Gambia
The current Landscape of the Year in Senegal/The Gambia has sparked many new ideas and concepts! One of them is a new long distance trail at the Gambia river to enable naturefriends to connect with the Landscape of the Year and the local communities. More information (german).
Photos: Gernot Henn
