El Sud

A circular route at the western end of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Pleasant walking and the bonus of the waterfall (best seen in the spring). Some great views down to El Escorial and Madrid in the far distance. Also, on a clear day, views of the Gredos mountains to the west.

A classic route up and down one of the peaks that form part of the Three Peaks Challenge, from Horton-in-Ribblesdale, with good paths, majestic scenery and free-roaming sheep on the hillsides. The route starts and finishes at the railway station (regular trains from Leeds and Carlisle), but it also goes past the public car park. At 694m, Pen-y-ghent ('hill on the border') is the smallest of the three Yorkshire peaks, but its profile makes it stand out from the surrounding landscape. Great views from the top on a clear day. The route heads over Whitber Hill to pick up the Pennine Way to go back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

A testing circular route that starts and finnishes in the car-park of La Barranca (Navacerrada village). The climb is tough and without respite but as the tree cover thins out there are some great views looking towards La Maliciosa and behind, looking down to Navacerrada with it's reservouir and the village of Becerril de la Sierra. There's a detour to have a look down from the Paso de la Cagalera and an interesting passage through the Ventana de las Buitreras (the vulture's window). On the approach to La Maliciosa there might well be snow and ice (November to April) so crampones are recomended. Likewise, crossing over to the Alto de las Guarramillas there might be some snow but the terraine is quite accessible as the route reaches the head-waters of the river Manzanares (that flows through the city of Madrid). The descent is fairly straightforward once past the Collado de los Emburriaderos but the Camino de la Tubería might have some snow in the winter months.

A circular route that begins and ends at the car park next to the Puente de la Cantina, which spans the gorge over the river Eresma. A demanding mountain route with a steep ascent to Peña Citores, rewarded by panoramic views, historic civil war remains, alpine scenery, and a scenic descent along forest paths and mountain streams.

A tough circular route, starting and finishing in the car park at Canto Cochino. The route goes clockwise along the "Circular de la Pedriza", following the PR-M1 yellow and white markings through rocky landscapes and scenic viewpoints.

A pleasant route that starts and finishes at the abandoned railway station of Miraflores de la Sierra. A gentle climb over the Cabeza Cristina to Cabeza Arcón gives a 360º view of the Sierra de Guadarrama and the southern plains down to the city of Madrid. The walking is easy enough, on grassy slopes and higher up on stony plateaus. The approach to El Pendón takes the easier and greener route behind the summit, although there are more direct routes clambering up the rocks if that gets your adrenaline going. The Senda Buford straddles the Cerro de los Canteros to pick up the stream Arroyo del Mosquil and follow it down to the railway. There are no trains on this disused section of the old Madrid-Burgos line, so it's easy to go back to the station at Miraflores de la Sierra.

A circular route from the Tranco del Berrueco, into La Raja (a popular rock-climbing place, especially in the summer), along the GR-10 to the Gran Cañada in the Pedriza to find the Senda Maeso.This is the PR M-1 and is a real scramble through the rocks, typical Pedriza terrain, to reach the Cuatro Damas.From there, the route weaves through the rocky Peñas Sordas to reach the three mysterious pyramids.An easy descent to the forest track that borders the stream Arroyo de Santillana takes us past the Jaralón Youth Hostel and back to the car.

This is a pleasant stroll up to the lower regions of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Once in the pine forest, the walk is pleasant and the gradients are comfortable as the route hugs the hillside until reaching the Parada del Rey. The route back to Soto del Real is pretty straightforward. A good distance to stretch the legs without any major climbs.

A circular route that starts and finishes in the small village of Mataelpino, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, with plenty of parking in the village, and the 672 bus from the bus depot at Moncloa goes through Mataelpino.

A circular route starting and finishing in Canto Cochino. A testing route, but spectacular views. There is limited parking here as it's in the National Park Sierra de Guadarrama. For safety reasons, as well as to avoid the damage that this transit causes to natural resources, there is an entry control at the barrier located in the La Camorza area, which allows the entry of vehicles up to the maximum quota of 270 vehicles per day. Weekdays are normally fine, but at weekends it's best to get there early.

A circular route that starts and finishes at the small car park above the Palancares Reservoir in Soto del Real. On this route, you will cross multiple streams, some of them even several times. On your way, you'll enjoy the Hoyo Cerrado and El Hueco de San Blas.

A circular route that starts and finishes near the Convento de San Antonio, just outside the village of La Cabrera. There is usually enough space to park, and there are buses that go to La Cabrera from Madrid.

A circular route that starts and finishes at the car park Fuente del Cur in Miraflores de la Sierra. There's usually plenty of spaces in the car park and buses (725) run regularly from Madrid to the village.

This is a circular route starting and finishing in El Tranco (Manzanares el Real). There isn’t a lot of parking space at the start of the route, so it’s best to arrive early if you want to secure a spot nearby. If the main parking area is full, you can usually find additional spaces a little further up the road towards the village.

The Puerto de Cotos is easily accessible from Navacerrada or from Rascafría, and there is ample parking space. The route is simple at the beginning, but becomes complicated after crossing the Arroyo de los Cerradillos. The path is almost invisible in the overgrown vegetation but is easily navigated as it's mostly low heather, rock rose (cistus) and Pyrenean broom (Cytisus oromediterraneus). Although the map doesn't show any path, there are animal trails through the vegetation but you will have to navigate over the terrain, using the track to keep you on the route. There are also a number of National Park signs that will guide you along the edge of the Guadarrama National Park. The descent follows a stream, the Arroyo de Hierro, to reach the forest track. From there, the walking is easy and returns along the rushing stream Arroyo de las Guarramillas, passing by the Socrates Pool.

A challenging route due to the length, but not complicated technically. Although it finishes in a different place to where it starts, there is a bus that connects Manzanares el Real to Soto del Real (720). The Pedriza is an area popular with walkers but especially with rock climbers.

This is a simple walk in one of the most beautiful areas of the Sierra de Guadarrama, beginning and ending in the historical town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The route is designed to go past the old snow wells that were created in the 17th century and go around the Pico de Abantos.

The small rural village of Bustarviejo offers plenty of places to explore, but the highest peak is Mondalindo (also known as Cabeza del Cervunal). This circular route begins with a straight forward climb to the rocky outcrop that is the Cancho del Mondalindo and La Almohadilla. The route down is a bit less clear, next to the stream de las Ferminas.

This circular route starts and finishes in the small village of Quintana Martín Galíndez (Burgos). It links quiet villages, hilltop views at El Cotorrón and Altos del Portillo, the Ebro riverbanks, a Roman bridge, and the hamlet of Montejo de San Miguel.

A short circular route, best done in summer or autumn to avoid the skiers. The road up from the village of Valdezcaray is pleasant enough and well-maintained for the skiing activity in the winter months.

A circular route starting and finishing at the car park of Castroviejo. Drive up from Duruelo de la Sierra (or walk if you want to split the route into two days).This route links several prominent summits, with sweeping ridge views, dramatic rocky landscapes, and the source of the Duero River in a wild and scenic setting.

A gentle circular route along the River Duero in Soria, starting from the village of Duruelo de la Sierra, along woodland paths and historic bridges, passing hermitages and the village of Covaleda before returning through peaceful forest scenery.

A high-level and stimulating walk along the Grand Balcon Nord overlooking the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley. The route starts from the Montenvers train station (the Little Red Train) and passes the Refuge du Montenvers (worth an overnight stop). The Grand Balcon Nord terminates at Plan de l'Aiguille but the route drops down to Les Houche on the river L'Arve to reach the Chalet Les Méandres (ex Tupilak).

This 10th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) normally runs along the high ground above the L'Arve valley to La Flègere but here's the description of the variant to Lac Blanc. A shorter stage but full of excitement and challenges. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

This 9th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) offers three options, the North-West one that climbs up almost to the summit of Carraye (t 2,132m) and drops down to Valorcine, the South-West past Col de Balme (at 2,191m) then drops to Le Tour or the middle option that goes over Col de Balme and Aiguilette des Posettes (at 2,210m) to drop down to Tré-le-Champ. Here's the description of the classic middle option. Let's do it!The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

This 8th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) offers two options, the tough one via Fenetre D'Arpette and the somewhat easier option over Porte à l'Ô. Here's the second version, past Plan de L' au, over Alpage de Bovine and Porte à l'Ô, past the Col de la Forclaz to drop down to Trient. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

This 7th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) begins in La Fouly and gently descends alongside the Dranse de Ferret to Praz-de-Fort and Les Arlaches. It then leaves the valley to climb up to Lac de Champex. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.Follow the TMB signposts.

This 6th stage of the TMB continues to follow the stream Dora di Ferret from high up before dropping into the valley, for a while. From below the Pré de Bard Damon and all the way up to the Grand Col Ferret the ascent is almost 500m. Here the route enters Switzerland and it's pretty much downhill, around La Dotse to follow the stream Dranse de Ferret into La Fouly. The Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France. Let's do it!

This 5th stage climbs out of Courmayeur to coss the Torrente Sapin and head past Rifugio Giorgio Bertone and climbing to the Col Sapin. Then down to Tza de Sécheron and back up to the Col Entre Deux Sauts. Let's do it! The Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

This 4th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) begins with a descent to Val Veny before climbing up Arp Vieille and to the Fauvre Edge. The route hugs the mountain to reach the ski slopes and drops down 800m to Courmayeur. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France__.

This 3rd stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) follows the Torrent des Glaciers up 900m to the Col de la Seigne. Climbing gently, at first, for just over 10km before dropping down 300m to Lex Blanche. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

This 2nd stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) follows the river Le Bonnant upstream to climb over the Col du Bonhomme at 2,329m. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

This 1st stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) is possibly the toughest but the adrenaline is pumping and short-cuts are not on the agenda. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

The Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France. These 11 stages are one way of doing it but you can make your own version of the TMB. The classic route begins and ends in Les Houches and takes an anticlockwise direction around Mont Blanc and the adjacent peaks. There is a total of 164 km (102 miles) walking these 11 routes and a positive height gain of over 10,000m. Certainly a challenging adventure but well worth the effort. Let's do it! ⚠️ This route passes through nature reserves. Please respect the regulations in force. See practical information.

This 11th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) is practically all downhill (with obvious exceptions at La Flégère, up to the Col du Brévent and Le Brévent and the Tête de Bellachat). The Refuge Lac Blanc is at 2,352m and the Chalet Les Méandres is at 1,100m. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

The Ridgeway is linked at Ivinghoe Beacon by the Two Ridges Link (8 miles and included on OS mapping) with the Greensand Ridge Walk that in turn also connects with the Icknield Way Path. The Link uses the Grand Union Canal North from near Slapton. This route shows the link from North to South.

The Ridgeway the other way. The National Trail from NE to SW. The Stage 6 is a short walk as you will probably have to continue a bit further to get a place to stay and maybe head to Swindon or Trowbridge for onward travel. The countryside is a mixture of arable land, changing colour with the seasons, and areas of sheep or cattle grazed grassland. Some of the best views are from Smeathe’s Ridge as you climb gently up to Barbury Castle.

The Ridgeway the other way. The National Trail from NE to SW. The fifth Stage is probably the most remote section of The Ridgeway, with some wonderful views and prehistoric monuments to enjoy.

The Ridgeway the other way. The National Trail from North-East to South-West. The fourth stage is a broad track for a considerable distance, mostly with a natural surface and few hedges. Here the sky dominates but it can be particularly exposed in wet, cold or hot weather.

The Ridgeway the other way. The National Trail from NE to SW. This Stage 3 has a bit of everything. The route runs long the Upper Icknield Way on the way to the small hamlet of Swyncombe. Then crosses the Chiltern Way on it's way to the village of Nuffield. The route then runs on a narrow secluded path alongside the ancient Grim’s Ditch before reaching the River Thames. On the opposite bank, another National Trail runs, The Thames Path

The Ridgeway the other way. The National Trail from NE to SW. This Stage 2 is the most undulating with several climbs in and out of valleys and is, therefore, the most strenuous part of The Ridgeway. The route climbs Coombe Hill, passes by Pulpit Hill fort and over Lodge Hill. Goes around Bledlow Great Wood near Chinnor to go along a disused railway and go underneath the M40. It goes along the bottom edge of the Chilterns scarp and passes Watlington Hill.

The Ridgeway the other way. The NationalTrail from NE to SW. This Stage 1 goes over the Chilterns, across the Grand Union Canal, past Tring, through the Three Hundreds of Aylesbury to reach the market town of Wendover.

Here's a collection of routes starting or finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way are one Wainwright, one waterfall and one pub. This is a fairly simple route and a good way to say goodbye to The Lakes. The Stockghyll Falls are impresive and a certain Victorian atmosphere surrounds the place.

Here's a collection of routes starting or finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way, there are one Wainwright, two lakes and one pub. Explore Rydal Cave.

This is a walk from the Borrowdale Valley over to Easdale Valley but it's also a ridge walk with great views over Far Easedale Gill and the surrounding landscape. Helm Crag is also known as The Lion and The Lamb due to it's profile when seen from the A591. Here's a collection of routes starting or finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way, there are three Wainwrights, one lake and one pub.

Here's a collection of routes starting or finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way are 6 Wainwrights, 3 tarns,1 lake and 1 pub. This is a tough route but take time to enjoy the scenery around you and be careful on the high ground. Look around and take in the beauty that is The Lake District.

On this gentle route, you will be able to enjoy the scenery and explore Hawkshead and Hill Top. The ferry trip across Windermere is a short cut but also a quirky addition to the walk. Look around and take in the beauty that is The Lake District. Here's a route starting and finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way are a lake, 3 tarns, 1 pub and a ferry.

The YHA is a great institution and I guess most fell walkers have stayed at a hostel at some time in their lives. They were created "to help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, particularly by providing hostels or other simple accommodation for them on their travels". Here's a collection of routes starting and finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way there are 2 Wainwrights, 2 tarns, 2 pubs and a lake.

The YHA is a great institution and I guess most fell walkers have stayed at a hostel at some time in their lives. Funny how they were created "to help all, especially young people of limited means, to greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, particularly by providing hostels or other simple accommodation for them on their travels". Here's a collection of routes starting and finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. There are 6 Wainwrights, 1 lake, 3 tarns and a ferry.

Here's a collection of routes starting or finishing at a YHA in The Lakes. Along the way are 3 Wainwrights, 1 tarn and 1 pub