Hike: Overseas

Our first overseas backpacking trip was in 2002 and since then we have taken 17 more. Many American hikers have heard of the heavily used Camino de Santiago but are not aware that there are tens of thousands of kilometers of fine way-marked paths in Europe; France alone has over 60,000 km of walking trails in their Grande Randonnee network. We have met few Americans on overseas hikes and we hope our reports might encourage others to branch out and try something new.

An excellent source for overseas trail ideas, particularly for Europe, is Waymarked Trails. This website maps numerous routes in an OpenStreetMap format and offers gpx and kml file downloads for all of them.

Australia: Bibbulmun Track

Amy&James2020-11-09T20:41:01-08:00Hike, Overseas|

What: Thru-hike of the Bibbulmun Track.
Where: the southwest corner of Australia.
When: Sep 7 to Oct 8, 2015 (32 days).
Distance: 602 miles.

Australia: Cape to Cape Track

Amy&James2019-07-10T14:57:58-07:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas|

What: Thru-hike of the Cape to Cape Track.
Where: the southwest corner of Australia.
When: Oct 13-18, 2015 (6 days).
Distance: about 98 miles.

Australia: Great North Walk

Amy&James2023-05-14T11:11:12-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: Thru-hike of the Great North Walk trail.
Where: Newcastle to Sydney, Australia.
When: Sep 14 – 22, 2011 (9 days)
Distance: about 156 miles.

Australia: Great South Coast Walk

Amy&James2021-09-27T20:58:28-07:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas, Top10|

What: excellent coastal hiking with many interesting river crossings.
Where: Sydney to Mallacoota, Australia.
When: Sep 22 – Oct 15, 2011 (24 days)
Distance: about 416 miles.

England: South West Coast Path

Amy&James2022-10-02T19:00:00-07:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas, Top10|

What: Padstow to Falmouth on the South West Coast Path.
Where: Cornwall, England.
When: May 15-28, 2022 (13 days).
Distance: about 186 miles.

France & Italy: Maritime Alps

Amy&James2017-10-20T06:08:02-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: short backpacking trip in the Maritime Alps.
Where: France and Italy.
When: Aug 15-20, 2017 (5 walking days).
Distance: about 64 miles.

France & Spain: Haute Route Pyrenees

Amy&James2018-07-09T18:48:59-07:00Hike, Overseas, Top10|

What: thru-hike of the Haute Route Pyrenees.
Where: the border of France and Spain, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
When: Jul 8 – Aug 11, 2010 (35 days).
Distance: about 480 miles.

France: Coastal Walking in Brittany and Normandy

Amy&James2021-02-20T11:06:20-08:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas|

What: easy coastal hiking on the GR 34 and GR 223.
Where: Roscoff to Cherbourg, France.
When: May 10 – June 2, 2007 (23 days)
Distance: about 540 miles.

France: the GR-34 in Finistère

Amy&James2021-11-09T11:50:37-08:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas|

What: coastal hiking on the GR-34.
Where: from Roscoff to Lorient, Brittany, France.
When: May 14-June 12, 2019 (30 days).
Distance: about 570 miles.

France: the GR5 from Thonon to Modane

Amy&James2023-01-29T20:23:18-08:00Hike, Overseas|

What: Hiking the GR5 and nearby trails.
Where: French Alps, from Thonon-les-Bains to Modane.
When: August 6-22, 2022 (17 days).
Distance: about 198 miles.

Italy, Slovenia, & Austria: Alpe-Adria Trail

Amy&James2018-06-30T20:40:54-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: thru-hike of the Alpe-Adria Trail (AAT).
Where: from Trieste Italy to Grossglockner Austria.
When: May 2 to Jun 2, 2014 (32 days).
Distance: about 575 miles.

Italy: Alta Via 1

Amy&James2023-09-21T10:16:03-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: thru-hike of the Alta Via 1.
Where: Dolomite mountain range, Italy.
When: August 24-31, 2022 (8 days)
Distance: about 92 miles.

Italy: Cammino delle Dolomiti

Amy&James2023-01-29T20:29:11-08:00Hike, Overseas|

What: hiking on the Cammino delle Dolomiti and associated trails.
Where: Dolomite mountain range, Italy.
When: September 1-11, 2022 (11 days).
Distance: about 174 miles.

Italy: Grande Traversata delle Alpi

Amy&James2021-11-16T10:56:43-08:00Hike, Overseas|

What: thru-hike of the Grande Traversata delle Alpi.
Where: Western Alps. Primarily Italy; a bit in Switzerland and France.
When: Jul 5 – Aug 14, 2017 (41 days).
Distance: about 562 miles.

Japan: Izu Peninsula Coastal Walk

Amy&James2019-07-10T14:55:56-07:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas|

What: easy coastal hiking on a mix of paths and roads.
Where: from Shimoda to Heda Port, Japan.
When: May 14-18, 2018 (5 days).
Distance: about 77 miles.

Japan: Tōkai Shizen Hodō (Tokai Nature Trail)

Amy&James2019-09-22T09:38:32-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: thru-hike of the Tōkai Shizen Hodō.
Where: Osaka to Tokyo, Honshu Island, Japan.
When: Apr 7 – May 12, 2018 (36 days).
Distance: about 590 miles.

Scotland: West Highland Way, Cape Wrath Trail, North Coast

Amy&James2020-02-29T14:41:36-08:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas|

What: thru-hike of the West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trails, the North Coast, and more.
Where: Scotland.
When: Apr 24 – May 27, 2013 (34 days).
Distance: about 530 miles.

Slovakia: A Week in the Carpathian Mountains

Amy&James2021-04-12T14:38:41-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: hiking in Slovakia and a bit of the Czech Republic.
Where: from Žilina to Trenčín, Slovakia.
When: May 5-11, 2019 (7 days).
Distance: about 131 miles.

South Georgia Island: Shackleton Walk

Amy&James2022-12-29T21:15:43-08:00Hike, Overseas|

What: Shackleton Walk.
Where: South Georgia Island.
When: Nov 15, 2022 (4 hours).
Distance: about 3.5 miles.

Spain: the GR-7 from Tarifa to Elda

Amy&James2020-08-09T09:48:33-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: the southern half of Spain's GR-7 trail.
Where: Tarifa to Elda, through Andalucia, Murcia, and a bit of Valencia.
When: Apr 7 – May 11, 2012 (34 days)
Distance: about 660 miles.

Turkey: Kaçkar Mountains

Amy&James2021-02-20T11:20:27-08:00Hike, Overseas, Top10|

What: on and off-trail backpacking in snowy mountains.
Where: northeastern Turkey.
When: May 10-17, 2011 (8 days)
Distance: about 96 miles.

Turkey: Lycian Way

Amy&James2019-07-10T14:55:37-07:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas, Top10|

What: thru-hike of the Lycian Way.
Where: southwest Turkey.
When: Apr 8-25, 2011 (18 days).
Distance: about 273 miles.

Turkey: Saint Paul Trail

Amy&James2018-11-05T08:29:44-08:00Hike, Overseas, Top10|

What: thru-hike of the Saint Paul Trail.
Where: southwest Turkey.
When: Apr 26 - May 8, 2011 (13 days).
Distance: about 208 miles.

Wales & England: Cambrian Way, Offa’s Dyke Path, Cotswold Way and more

Amy&James2017-10-22T21:04:03-07:00Hike, Overseas|

What: a circuit walk of Wales with an extension into the Cotswolds.
Where: Wales and England.
When: Jul 15 – Aug 18, 2009 (35 days).
Distance: about 660 miles.

Wales: Wales Coast Path

Amy&James2020-03-13T12:03:54-07:00Coastal, Hike, Overseas|

What: easy coastal hiking on the Wales Coast Path.
Where: Chester to Chepstow, Wales, and onto Gloucester, England.
When: Jul 25 - Sep 7, 2018 (43 days).
Distance: about 830 miles.

Hike: Overseas

England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Turkey, Australia, Japan

What: Thru-hike of the Bibbulmun Track. Where: the southwest corner of Australia. When: Sep 7 to Oct 8, 2015 (32 days). Distance: 602 miles.

What: Thru-hike of the Cape to Cape Track. Where: the southwest corner of Australia. When: Oct 13-18, 2015 (6 days). Distance: about 98 miles.

What: Thru-hike of the Great North Walk trail. Where: Newcastle to Sydney, Australia. When: Sep 14 – 22, 2011 (9 days) Distance: about 156 miles.

What: excellent coastal hiking with many interesting river crossings. Where: Sydney to Mallacoota, Australia. When: Sep 22 – Oct 15, 2011 (24 days) Distance: about 416 miles.

What: Padstow to Falmouth on the South West Coast Path. Where: Cornwall, England. When: May 15-28, 2022 (13 days). Distance: about 186 miles.

What: short backpacking trip in the Maritime Alps. Where: France and Italy. When: Aug 15-20, 2017 (5 walking days). Distance: about 64 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Haute Route Pyrenees. Where: the border of France and Spain, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. When: Jul 8 – Aug 11, 2010 (35 days). Distance: about 480 miles.

What: easy coastal hiking on the GR 34 and GR 223. Where: Roscoff to Cherbourg, France. When: May 10 – June 2, 2007 (23 days) Distance: about 540 miles.

What: coastal hiking on the GR-34. Where: from Roscoff to Lorient, Brittany, France. When: May 14-June 12, 2019 (30 days). Distance: about 570 miles.

What: Hiking the GR5 and nearby trails. Where: French Alps, from Thonon-les-Bains to Modane. When: August 6-22, 2022 (17 days). Distance: about 198 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Alpe-Adria Trail (AAT). Where: from Trieste Italy to Grossglockner Austria. When: May 2 to Jun 2, 2014 (32 days). Distance: about 575 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Alta Via 1. Where: Dolomite mountain range, Italy. When: August 24-31, 2022 (8 days) Distance: about 92 miles.

What: hiking on the Cammino delle Dolomiti and associated trails. Where: Dolomite mountain range, Italy. When: September 1-11, 2022 (11 days). Distance: about 174 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Grande Traversata delle Alpi. Where: Western Alps. Primarily Italy; a bit in Switzerland and France. When: Jul 5 – Aug 14, 2017 (41 days). Distance: about 562 miles.

What: easy coastal hiking on a mix of paths and roads. Where: from Shimoda to Heda Port, Japan. When: May 14-18, 2018 (5 days). Distance: about 77 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Tōkai Shizen Hodō. Where: Osaka to Tokyo, Honshu Island, Japan. When: Apr 7 – May 12, 2018 (36 days). Distance: about 590 miles.

What: thru-hike of the West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trails, the North Coast, and more. Where: Scotland. When: Apr 24 – May 27, 2013 (34 days). Distance: about 530 miles.

What: hiking in Slovakia and a bit of the Czech Republic. Where: from Žilina to Trenčín, Slovakia. When: May 5-11, 2019 (7 days). Distance: about 131 miles.

What: Shackleton Walk. Where: South Georgia Island. When: Nov 15, 2022 (4 hours). Distance: about 3.5 miles.

What: the southern half of Spain's GR-7 trail. Where: Tarifa to Elda, through Andalucia, Murcia, and a bit of Valencia. When: Apr 7 – May 11, 2012 (34 days) Distance: about 660 miles.

What: on and off-trail backpacking in snowy mountains. Where: northeastern Turkey. When: May 10-17, 2011 (8 days) Distance: about 96 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Lycian Way. Where: southwest Turkey. When: Apr 8-25, 2011 (18 days). Distance: about 273 miles.

What: thru-hike of the Saint Paul Trail. Where: southwest Turkey. When: Apr 26 - May 8, 2011 (13 days). Distance: about 208 miles.

What: a circuit walk of Wales with an extension into the Cotswolds. Where: Wales and England. When: Jul 15 – Aug 18, 2009 (35 days). Distance: about 660 miles.

What: easy coastal hiking on the Wales Coast Path. Where: Chester to Chepstow, Wales, and onto Gloucester, England. When: Jul 25 - Sep 7, 2018 (43 days). Distance: about 830 miles.