Tag: hiking
Yufuin: An Idyllic Japanese Getaway
Nestled in the rolling hills of Oita Prefecture, Yufuin is a charming little town. It is known for its hot springs, picturesque scenery, and laid-back atmosphere. Located about 10 kilometres inland from the Beppu and near Mt Tsurumi, Yufuin has long been a popular destination for travellers seeking a break from the hustle and bustle…
Exploring Sakurajima – Japan’s Most Active and Beautiful Volcano
Sakurajima, located in the Kagoshima Prefecture of Japan, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. With a rich history of volcanic activity dating back over 22,000 years, this stunning volcanic island has played a significant role in shaping the landscape and culture of the region. The history of Sakurajima The earliest recorded…
Climbing Mt Tsurumi in Beppu, Japan
Located in the northeastern portion of Kyushu (one of Japan’s largest 4 islands – the southwestern one), Mt Tsurumi overlooks the onsen town of Beppu. While Beppu is primarily known for its abundance of hot springs, especially the Beppu Hells, it is also well-placed to explore some of Kyushu’s natural areas. Mt Tsurumi is one…
Hydrangea Festival at Takatôyama Park (Kitakyushu, Japan)
If you know anything about the Japanese, it is that they love their monoculture gardens. Many Japanese people also know when different flowering plants are in full bloom. Plum blossoms early in the year, cherry blossoms in April, Wisteria in mid-May, Peonies in late May/early June, etc. So what about mid-June? In mid-June the hydrangeas…
Pen y Fan, Wales – At the head of the Valleys
In the centre of Wales lies Brecon Beacons National Park, which contains a mountain range of the same name (Brecon Beacons). One of these mountains is Pen y Fan. Pen y Fan is the highest mountain in central and southern Wales. It sits just southeast of the town of Brecon, which is related to the…
Vienna Wine Hiking Day (Wiener Weinwandertag)
Although you wouldn’t necessarily associate Vienna with wine (or “Wein” and “Wien” in German), it is amazing how much wine this part of Austria produces. As a result, Vienna has a day known as the Vienna Wine Hiking Day (Wiener Weinwandertag). I had the opportunity to do the Vienna Wine Hiking Day when I went…
Brean Down, England – Down to the Sea
On the Somerset coast just outside Weston-Super-Mare is a small holiday village: Brean. Apart from the beach and holiday homes, there really isn’t much there. There is just one exception: Brean Down. History Brean Down formed about 60,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age in southern England. Glaciers retreated across the…
Caumasee, Switzerland – Ice blue water in winter
Like the Rheinschlucht nearby, the Caumasee is a lake formed due to the largest known pre-historic landslide in the Alps. The lake itself (which is how See translates from German in this case) sits upon the debris deposited by the landslide. The lake is located near the ski resort town of Flims in the Swiss…
Rheinschlucht, Switzerland – The Grand Canyon of Switzerland
The Ruinaulta or Rheinschlucht is a large canyon in the Canton of Grisons in Switzerland. It was formed approximately 10,000 years ago. when a landslide brought millions of tonnes of debris into the valley, creating this canyon area. The term Ruinaulta refers to this high heap of rubble (the literal meaning), while the name Rheinschlucht…
Bohemian Switzerland (Böhmische Schweiz), Czech Republic – A Walk in the Park
On the German-Czech border lies a national park split by the two countries. The German side is Saxon Switzerland, named so by two artists employed by the court in Dresden who were from Switzerland (the Saxon part comes from the name of the state in which Dresden lies, Saxony). The Czech side is Bohemian Switzerland.…
Peak District, England – The land of inspiration
The Peak District in England is a national park that draws an estimated 20 million people every year. They hike around the rural areas, including farmland, moorland, hills and the peaks themselves. History Historically this area has been very important to England and the UK as a whole. Settlements of the area have been dated…
Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, Germany – The sea is calm tonight
You may not connect Germany with the ocean in your mind. However you would be remiss to forget that Germany actually has two coasts. One the eastern side of the country, directly north of Berlin, lies the Baltic Coast. On the Baltic Coast lies the Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, or the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National…
Cap Norfeu, Spain – A small peninsula in the large Mediterranean
If you are ever near Girona in Spain and have some time, check out Cap Norfeu! It is a area of natural beauty on the Mediterranean coast in Catalonia, Spain.
Schiefergebirge, Germany – My Heart’s in the Highlands
The Thüringer Schiefergebirge, known as the Thuringian Highlands in English, is an area of the German federal state Thuringia (German: Thüringen) featuring steeply hilly areas on the border between Bavaria and Thuringia, through which the Saale River cuts. As the German name suggests, this area contains a lot of slate rock. There are very few…
Crestasee & Felsbachschlucht, Switzerland – Winter Wonderland
When you say “Grisons, Switzerland”, what comes to mind? For most people this Swiss canton conjures up images of skiing in the Swiss Alps, for example the ski resort in Laax/Flims/Falera. But what happens when you can’t or don’t want to ski? What else is there to do? Here is one option:
