Category: steep
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Nagelfluhkette – Immenstadt
A string of more than a dozen mountain peaks is connected by a fantastic, challenging ridge-line trail and forms the Nagelfluhkette that crosses the heart of the Allgäuer Alpen. My route takes on the first eight mountain tops, aided by a chairlift for the initial ascent, before looping back to the starting point through the…
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Taganana to Afur Gorge
This coastal hill run shows off the stunning beauty of the Parque Rural de Anaga in the north of Tenerife. The route takes us up into rugged green hills dotted with cacti, down to the coast through the lush Afur Gorge, and along a perfect coastal flow trail. It is on the short side, but…
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Sintra Coastal Hill Circuit
A sheer endless network of lonely trails branches through the western part of the Sintra Hills. In a magical, overgrown forest, nestled between tourist hotspots on the coast and Palácio da Pena, one really gets away from it all on this short circuit. It is but one variation of many possible routes that I suggest…
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Teide National Park – Portillo to Montaña Negra and Blanca
One of my absolute favorite Tenerife routes runs through the heart of the Teide National Park heading up towards the volcano along the edge of a high altitude plateau. Meandering through a lunar landscape, it passes the rugged La Fortaleza rock formation and several minor, ancient volcanic peaks on perfect flow trails that are moderately…
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Oberammergau, Pürschling, Laubeneck
Stunning vistas across the beautiful, famous village of Oberammergau and the Linder river valley, which is home to world-renowned Linderhof castle, from a sheer endless ridge-line trail are the best features of this route. On the other hand, the trails are highly technical and dangerously exposed in places featuring quite a few steep climbs. For…
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Alfama to Monsanto Forest
This Lisbon 20k loop starts in picturesque Alfama, runs through lively Graça, to leave the city center along the strict lines of Parque Eduardo VII for Monsanto Forest, its largest green space high above the city. Intricate trails lead through dense riots of vegetation down to the Rio Tejo and back along its broad promenade.…
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Cabo da Roca Lighthouse – Praia da Ursa – Praia da Adraga
This loop around the picturesque coastal village of Ulgueira touches the westernmost tip of the European mainland with its striking lighthouse, before following one of the most stunning stretches of the Portuguese Atlantic coastline featuring sweeping cliff-top views and strikingly beautiful beaches. Running the largely easy to moderately technical trails is great fun, but they are…
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Vilaflor to Paisaje Lunar
Starting in the picturesque mountain town of Vilaflor this excellent circuit gains a fair bit of elevation in two steep ascents through fragrant pine forests reaching impressive natural formations and columns of eroded ash and pumice deposits. It takes an interesting, little-used trail, away from other hikers, for the last part leading to the famous…
