Ryan Shirley was back in 2024.
Here are his favourite spots in the fantastically scenic Lofoten Islands — with bonus destinations within driving distance.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Vancouver Island Dawn Beach Photos
by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
When I’m visiting Parksville on Vancouver Island — my parent’s home — most mornings I pick up coffee and head to Rathtrevor Beach, my favourite on Vancouver Island.
Walk with coffee.
Most mornings I take some wonderful photos.
The Wet, Wild, West Coast Trail
Backpacking on Vancouver Island, Canada
Backpacking on Vancouver Island: The Essential Guide to the Best Multi-Day Trips and Day Hikes, was selected top guidebook at the 2024 Banff Mountain Book Competition.
Author Taryn Eyton.
I’m spending most of the year on Vancouver Island myself and can heartily recommend the destination and this guidebook.
In fact, the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island is our #1 hike in the world.
Faroe Islands in 90 Seconds
The Faroe Islands are one of the most scenic places I’ve ever hiked. No place is more than 5km from the sea.
I was there for 12 days summer 2024, arriving by ferry from Denmark en route to Iceland.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
Here’s my advice for Cycling / Hiking the Faroe Islands.
This edit was Inspired by Experience the John Muir Trail in Just 2 Minutes.
Hiking Lake Sørvágsvatn, Faroe Islands
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Almost every tourist to the Faroe Islands goes to see the lake hanging over the ocean. Unique and spectacular.
Sørvágsvatn is the largest lake in the Faroe Islands.
… surface is about 40 m (130 ft) above the level of the sea.
It is surrounded by a higher cliff which prevents it from emptying fully into the ocean, the waterfall Bøsdalafossur being the outlet.
The greater height of the cliffs on either side of Bøsdalafossur can give the illusion from certain perspectives that the lake is higher above sea level than it is.
The waterfall vista is great. But personally I liked even better walking the Trælanípan cliff — aka the ‘Slave Cliff’. Supposedly where slaves were pushed to their deaths.
There are many, many birds nesting on those vertical sides.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
In 2024 the hiking fee was 450 kr (USD $42) / adult (ages 15+) for a guided walk. 200 kr (USD $20) / adult (ages 15+) to hike on your own, as I did.
Price is $teep. And has been going up in recent years. Know that there are other great cliff walks free in the Faroe Islands. 😀
official website – tralanipan.fo
related – Moon and Honey – Lake Sørvágsvatn (Floating Lake above the Ocean) and the Trælanípa Hike, Faroe Islands
Moon and Honey – entrance
Rathtrevor Beach, Vancouver Island PHOTOS
Most mornings at dawn I walk the most scenic beach on Vancouver Island IMHO. 😀
Here is a SLIDESHOW of some of my favourite PHOTOS over the past 4-5 weeks — late summer 2024.
Alone in the Faroe Islands
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
British Columbia Marine Trails Code
I spend a lot of time on the B.C. coast. Love it.
Our #1 hike in the world is the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island.
Often I’m on First Nations Traditional Land. And I want to be respectful of each First Nations rules.
Here’s the Marine Trails Code Of Conduct.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Hiking Iceland’s Plane Wreck
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Increasingly popular is hiking out to see the 1973 US Navy C-117D Sólheimasandur Crash.
You might have seen it in Justin Bieber’s 2015 music video I’ll Show You.
- 7.4-km out-and-back hike from the parking lot on the southern Highway 1 Ring Road
- in high season you can pay to take a shuttle to and from the parking lot
- close to Vik and Skógafoss, two of the most popular tourist attractions
- flat black sand
- many tourists on a nice day in high season
I found the wreck fairly interesting — but enjoyed more continuing to the big black sand beach on the ocean. I had that to myself.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The flight encountered severe icing and the crew were forced to land on a frozen river at Sólheimasandur.
All 7 crew members survived and were rescued by helicopter, but the aircraft was written off. The unsalvaged remains of the aircraft were left at the scene.
In January 2020, two Chinese tourists died of hypothermia near the wreckage after getting caught in a storm that went over the area.
A month later, SAR units had to rescue several tourists that had ignored a warning from the police to not trek to the wreckage due to deteriorating weather in the area.
besthike.com 