One of our BEST hiking videos on the BestHike.com YouTube channel.
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Knox Mountain via Apex Trail, Kelowna, Canada
Visiting friends in Kelowna, I saw the Apex Trail listed #1 for the city on AllTrails.
- 4.2km return
- 267m elevation gain
It is super popular with walkers, runners, and mountain bike cyclists.
My friends there walk trails on Knox Mountain every day of the year.
Steep trails lead to great views of both Kelowna and Okanagan lake.
Check the official website.
Could “E-Bikepacking” Become A Thing?
YES.
I saw guided groups on e-bikes in Tuscany 2023. They had accommodation and recharging booked for a multi-day tour. And had a maintenance van following. 😀
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Hiking Vancouver Island Mountain Biking Trails
by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Having done all the local hiking trails many times, this winter I’ve been mostly exploring mountain bike trails — but on foot.
Pretty much everywhere in the Pacific Northwest has dozens of use trails made by cyclists, mostly unofficial.
This video shows the kinds of challenging and entertaining terrain you might encounter.
Some trails are unsafe. Be careful.
In this video I’m hiking close to Parksville. The trails beneath Little Mountain cliffs.
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Greg in Parksville 2025
Greg and Lori had a week long holiday on Vancouver Island.
Greg and I got out for an electric bike ride to Goats on the Roof. And a hike on the Little Mountain cycling trails.
Does Greg look happy? He should — having retired the end of last year. 😀
Outdoor Adventure on Vancouver Island
by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
I’d argue that the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region is the best place to live in Canada — for year round outdoor recreation.
My parents live in Parksville. And — when visiting — I can cycle and hike year round.
Protected by Mt. Arrowsmith, the coast gets very little snow. And temperatures rarely drop below freezing.
Of course this is a rain forest. 😀
Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR) is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve located on the east coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
It was designated in 2000 by UNESCO to protect a large second-growth coast Douglas fir ecosystem in the watersheds of the Little Qualicum and Englishman Rivers from being developed. …
Protected areas located within the biosphere reserve include:[5]
- Arbutus Grove Provincial Park
- Englishman River Regional Park
- Englishman River Falls Provincial Park
- Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park
- MacMillan Provincial Park
- Mount Arrowsmith Massif Regional Park
- Qualicum National Wildlife Area
- Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park
- Spider Lake Provincial Park
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Cycling / Hiking Arctic Norway
➙ Lyngen Alps to Lofoten
One of our BEST VIDEOS.
Tromsø, Norway is a terrific jumping off point for cycling and hiking the gorgeous west coast. I started there summers of both 2022 and 2023.
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Cycling, Hiking Lofoten Islands, Norway
One of our BEST VIDEOS.
HIGHLIGHTS of 2 weeks on the Lofoten Islands, Arctic Norway. Summers of 2022 and 2023.
Lofoten is my favourite destination in that wonderful nation.
You can camp FREE almost anywhere. And most ferries are FREE for cyclists and pedestrians.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Cycling / Hiking the Faroe Islands
Challenging Logistics
The best way to travel the 500km of roads over 17 islands is by personal vehicle. This gives you the flexibility to go when the weather forecast looks … better. 😀
Otherwise you are limited by the infrequent public buses and ferries. AND ferries often don’t run when it’s too windy.
On the other hand, with a motor vehicle, you pay a fee for every undersea tunnel you drive through, and any ferry you need to take. It adds up quickly.
I went with gravel bike — but was too cowardly to cycle through most of the many narrow tunnels. It is allowed, however. Locals told me they don’t mind bikes in tunnels.
I did cycle 2 of them.
It’s easy to put your bike under the bus — and I did it every day.
BUT the buses run infrequently, especially on weekends and holidays. There are very few locals on them, only a few cheapskate tourists.
If you like coastal scenery, there is no place on the Faroe Islands more than 5km from the seas.
I had a bike shop in the capital do a tune-up and replaced the chain. Bike ran great — until the new chain broke. It was Sunday and there was no bus service. I had to hitchhike with my disabled transport.
Note: A number of the most famous hikes on the Faroe Islands cross privately owned land and have expensive fees. Similar attractions in Norway and Iceland are free.
There are campgrounds, but I’d recommend booking a roof over your head. I had an inexpensive room in a Vestmanna guesthouse, happy to be warm and dry my clothing every night.
The Faroe Islands are great. But logistics are challenging. Book as many days as possible.
The easiest way to hike is with your own motor vehicle. Either rent — or take the only ferry to the Faroe Islands.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
related – 15 things to know before visiting the Faroe Islands
Cycling Vancouver Island
One of the main attractions of the Pacific Northwest is the opportunity to hike and cycle year round.
The climate is relatively mild, even on Vancouver Island.
Getting ready for my hiking / cycling adventures in Europe summer 2024, I put together this video in Parksville, B.C.
Mainly I wanted to test my NEW DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone “follow me” capabilities — as well as the obstacle avoidance.
Does it work? 😀
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube to find out.
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