Gestalten Publishing (May 2023) – From spectacular fjords in Norway, the arctic tundra and serene forests in Sweden, to a plethora of enchanting lakes in Finland and the Ice Sheet of Greenland —the Nordics offer a breathtaking variety of landscapes and endless options to hike.
Wanderlust Nordics invites you to boast into this distinctive wilderness with a wide range and appealing mix of trails. This is a book that will have you heading north.
Cam Honan has trekked across 61 countries and six continents, logging over 60,000 mi (96,500 km) in three decades. He has authored four bestselling titles for gestalten—Wanderlust, Wanderlust USA, Wanderlust Himalaya, and The Hidden Tracks. Cam has been described by Backpacker Magazine as “the most travelled hiker on Earth”.
Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is the backpacking experience of a lifetime. It encompasses the only remaining old growth wet forests on the Pacific coast of Central America, and 13 major ecosystems including lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, jolillo palm forest, and mangrove swamps, as well as coastal marine and beach habitats.
There is a good chance of spotting some of Costa Rica’s shyest and most endangered inhabitants here; Baird’s Tapirs, Jaguars, Scarlet Macaws, Harpy Eagles, Red-backed squirrel monkeys and White-lipped Peccaries. It is wet, remote and rugged, but the trails are relatively good, and the camping areas near the ranger stations are grassy and well drained.
A 3 day backpacking trip to climb Hermannsdalstinden Pinnacle, the highest mountain in the southern part of Lofoten.
Lofoten, island group, in the Norwegian Sea, northern Norway. Lying off the mainland entirely within the Arctic Circle, the group comprises the southern end of the Lofoten-Vesterålen archipelago and includes five main islands (Austvågøya, Gimsøya, Vestvågøya, Flakstadøya, and Moskenesøya) extending about 70 miles (110 km) from north to south. In addition, there are many small islands and skerries (rocky islets and reefs). The total length of the archipelago is about 110 miles (175 km).
A broad and deep fjord, the Vesterålsfjorden, lies between Lofoten and the mainland. The islands, composed of volcanic rocks (gneiss and granite), are the highly eroded tops of a partially submerged mountain range. The highest peak is Higravtinden (3,760 feet [1,146 metres]) on Austvågøya. North of the Arctic Circle, the islands are washed by the warm North Atlantic Current, which tempers their climate.
California’s Condor Trail winds through seven wilderness areas, rewarding intrepid hikers with spectacular nature—and even a glimpse at its endangered namesake https://t.co/AayUZlur5x
The rugged chaparral of California’s Sespe Wilderness lay hidden under the camouflage of mahogany and sage hues. Nearly a week into her thru-hike on the Condor Trail, Brittany Nielsen surveyed this scraggly landscape. She had already faced a downpour, severe flooding, and hypothermia. Now, she leaned against her pack in the spring sun, scanning the thickets and hoping the trail would emerge like a scrub jay.
“I learned a lesson about being calm while being lost on the trail,” Nielsen says. Earlier, behind on miles and low on her food supply, she had searched for the path in a frenzy, only to find herself exhausted. The trail on the side of Sespe Creek was fiercely overgrown in sections and required strong orienteering skills to navigate.
“When I opened my eyes I was looking at the sky,” Nielsen says, “And up above me—I couldn’t believe it—there was a condor.” She noted the telltale band of white feathers in the shape of a scalene triangle that decorated the bird’s nine-foot wingspan. When the condor drifted out of sight, Nielsen dropped her gaze into the chaparral where, directly in front of her, she discovered a small rock cairn that marked the trail.
Over the course of her 37 days on the hike, Nielsen would lose and gain the trail numerous times as she fought through menacing brush and screamed expletives that no one could hear in the most remote pockets of Los Padres National Forest. She would travel through seven wilderness areas, along the shores of central California, past colonies of elephant seals, and across the ancestral lands of the Chumash, Salinan, Esselen, Tataviam, and Costanoan peoples.
SOURCES: BRYAN CONANT; IUCN REDLIST
Unlike California’s well-established John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails, the Condor Trail is a thru-hiking “route,” meaning its course exists—as a continuous thread of trails and roads and cross-country travel—but that it lacks proper signage and maintenance. While these popular thru-hiking routes receive hundreds of hikers a year, Nielsen took on the Condor Trail alone in 2015. When she finished on June 18th, she was the first thru-hiker to complete it.
Grindelwald, a village in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps, is a popular gateway for the Jungfrau Region, with skiing in winter and hiking in summer. It’s also a base for mountain-climbing ascents up the iconic north face of Eiger Mountain. Gletscherschlucht, a glacial gorge just outside Grindelwald, features paths with interpretive signage, waterfalls and striated limestone walls.
Timeline: 0:00 Taking the Gondola up to Grindelwald Bort 1:46 Starting the hike at Grindelwald Bort 2:54 Back to spring in Grindelwald
“In September 2021 I visited the Highlands of Scotland for two weeks, capturing moments on video of the changing landscape – mist, mountains, rivers, lochs, Glencoe – as I hiked through various terrain.” Russ Weymouth
Chapters: 00:00 – Glencoe 01:52 – Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve 03:28 – Isle of Skye 04:05 – Images From The Mist 04:42 – Rivers and Lochs
Stretching from France all the way down to Slovenia, Europe’s most majestic mountain range encompasses eight countries. Wanderlust Alps charts the region’s most treasured routes and guides the reader every step of the way. Aimed at those with an appetite for adventure, this book offers a rich mix of treks for hikers who wish to brave the elements.
Through enlightening maps, first-hand tips, and breathtaking photography, Wanderlust Alps illustrates why the range’s craggy peaks and verdant plains make it an outdoor playground in any season. Expect dazzling content to inspire hikers of any experience and skill level, stunning landscape photography, and helpful hints and information on how best to enjoy more than 50 epic trails.
Alex Roddie is an active backpacker, mountaineer, and climber with over 15 years of outdoor experience. Based in England, he works as an editor, writer, and photographer for outdoor-related print publications and online media. Wanderlust Europe was released by gestalten in 2020.
Ross Lake National Recreation Area is a US national recreation area in north central Washington just south of the Canada–US border. It is the most accessible part of the North Cascades National Park Complex which also includes North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
The new long-distance path Tell-Trail wends its way across the scenic Lucerne-Lake Lucerne region – from Altdorf up to the Brienzer Rothorn. In eight stages, the trail passes by glittering mountain lakes, through historic villages and world-renowned towns, and takes in the “Big 6” mountains of central Switzerland: Fronalpstock (Stoos), Rigi, Pilatus, Stanserhorn, Titlis and Brienzer Rothorn. The varied flora and fauna and the spectacular mountain landscape are constant features of the itinerary. Stage 5, from Stans to Engelberg, is particularly impressive.
If the good William Tell had had more time, he would have chosen this route through Central Switzerland. The Tell Trail leads you on spectacular high-altitude paths, into small side valleys and along dreamy rippling rivers. You will discover the most famous vantage points and the most beautiful places in Central Switzerland.
You hike in a wide arc from the Tell monument in Altdorf to the Muotathal, storm Stoos, Rigi and Mount Pilatus and finish the tour after a visit to Engelberg and Melchsee-Frutt on the Brienzer Rothorn. The hikes are demanding and the views are dazzling: If it weren’t for the landvogt Gessler, Wilhelm and Walter would have loved to take on this tour.
Immerse yourself in Alberta’s wide-open spaces in this 360-degree experience as National Geographic Travel Photographer Kahli April hikes to Table Mountain in Castle Provincial Park. Follow her as she takes the trail through lush Aspen forest, up rocky scrambles and past waterfalls. At the summit, the wide flat table-like plateau (from where the mountain gets its name) opens up panoramic views from the vast prairies on one side to the peaks of the Canadian Rockies on the other.