The 230-mile Swiss Alpine Pass Route hike, by far the most challenging of our Trekking Europe adventure, crosses numerous alpine passes, alternating between climbing up mountainsides and descending to valleys. Over the first six days of the trek, we crossed three passes. Each one was different, and we quickly learned to take the passes one at a time.
Two months into our Trekking Europe journey, Sandy writes about how our gear has held up to the goal of keeping our weight to a minimum, yet satisfying all of our hiking and traveling needs.
Sandy provides an overview of our final trek in Europe – the Swiss Alpine Pass Route (230 miles, 23 days) through Switzerland.
The Lech River flows 158 miles through the countries of Austria and Germany before it merges into the Danube River. It also forms the backdrop to one of Europe’s newest long-distance trails, called the Lechweg. We spent six days hiking the 125-kilometer (78-mile) path, from Fussen, Germany, to the source of the river, at the Formarinsee Lake in the Austrian Alps.
The Alsace region of Northeastern France has a rich history, with roots in both French and German culture. The area is dotted with Medieval castles and quaint villages. It is also home to the Northern Vosges Regional Park, a UNESCO Biosphere with lush forests. We spent six days hiking a little over 100 kilometers (65 miles total) on the northern two-thirds of the GR53 trail.
As with any international trip, staying connected while being on the road has had its own set of challenges. Whether it be hiking on the Camino Portugues in Portugal and Spain or with our more recent travels through Spain and Andorra, we have had to deal with the challenge of staying as connected as possible without breaking the bank on calling and data charges.
The Camino de Santiago is not a distinct path with a designated starting point. Instead, it refers to the destination – the city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. How you walk there is up to you, as pilgrims historically began from their homes. But no matter where one begins, all paths lead to the Santiago Cathedral, where the relics of St. James are said to reside.
We are currently in Tui, Spain, just across the border with Portugal. After 79.4 miles and six days of hiking the Camino Portugues, we are taking a rest day to relax and explore the city.
Sandy details our packing and training strategy for this summer’s Trekking the Planet Europe journey.
Sandy writes about creating our travel itinerary and the unique planning challenges associated with our new Europe adventure, starting in June.
This summer we will be traveling to Europe to seek authentic adventure by trekking in seven countries over a three month period. We are planning four different hikes, totaling over 500 miles, to experience the best of Europe’s history and beauty.
One of the practices that Darren and I follow is to maintain a master packing list. This practice makes it easy to tailor our list for a particular trip, including backpacking, international travel, car-camping, or simply an overnighter at a friend’s house.
