Fastpacking Japan’s Hardest Hiking Route

The RAB film In the Footsteps of Banryu follows athletes Jake Baggaley, Aoi Chan, Yusuke Tannaka, and Sam Hill as they attempt to fast pack a route known as the Kamikochi, Yarigatake, and Hotaka Circuit. This path, following knife-edge ridges and climbing jagged peaks …

GearJunkie

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Fastpacking Ireland’s Wicklow Way

Jeff Pelletier:

The Wicklow Way is the oldest and most long-distance trail in Ireland.

Stretching 130 km through the Wicklow Mountains, it winds through forests, open moorland, glacial valleys, and through its largest national park.

Our journey would take us through some of the most remote and scenic parts of the trail over 3 days, passing old villages, farms, and ancient ruins—offering a unique glimpse into Ireland’s rural past.

related – WicklowWay.com

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Trail Run, Vancouver Island

by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Part of my off-season conditioning for hiking is running about 30 minutes / day during the winter. Happily, I can do that easily on Vancouver Island as the climate is so mild. We don’t get much snow.

Most days I run Rathtrevor Beach.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I also like running around Englishman River Falls. VIDEO.

If I don’t run, I do 10 sets of stairs. instead. VIDEO.

My best pace this winter was about 5:47 minutes / km. BUT I mostly run leisurely, stopping for photos whenever I want.

#1 Day Hike in the World – Harder Ridge

Harder Ridge in Switzerland, also known as Hardergrat (… grat is ridge in German) is our pick for the very best day hike on Earth.

  • 24km total … about 18km on a sharp ridge
  • 10+ hours. Physically and psychologically challenging.
  • no water available. Carry all you need.
  • not an official trail, but it’s easy to follow in good visibility
  • about 1500m above the lake
  • permits not required
  • it’s popular with trail runners who do about 35km entirely on foot.


Check our Harder Ridge information page.

let’s go outdoors is posting flyovers of some of the world’s best hikes on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch one route on Harder Ridge on YouTube.

Running Qualicum, Vancouver Island

Qualicum Beach has a population of about 10,000.

It’s a charming retirement community — median age of 65.9 in 2016 — in one of Canada’s best winter climates.

Temperate rain forest is ideal for hiking, cycling or running year round. One highlight of Qualicum are the 400 year old Douglas Fir in their Heritage Forest.

Click PLAY or watch a December run on YouTube.

Qualicum is situated at the foot of Mount Arrowsmith, along the Strait of Georgia on Vancouver Island‘s northeastern coast.

By marneejill

Enos Lake, Vancouver Island in Winter

A confusing network of wetland trails is owned by the Fairwinds Community of Nanoose Bay near Nanaimo.

Happily, they are open to the general public. No fishing. No swimming.

Easiest way to get there is from Island Highway 19, turning at the Petro Canada gas station east onto Northwest Bay Road.

I went early December.

Click PLAY or watch my trail run on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch some drone footage on YouTube.

Details – Vancouver Island View – Enos Lake Trail

Englishman’s River Falls B.C.

BestHike editor Rick McCharles. 

Many, many times I’ve walked the spectacular 2km loop at Englishman River Falls Provincial Park near Parksville B.C.

Often I cycle there from Parksville. Then walk or run the loop a number of times.

Click PLAY or watch a November run on YouTube.

B.C. Parks website.  The campsite has over 100 spaces.

Read more – Bikepacking.com – Miles Arbour – ENGLISHMAN RIVER OVERNIGHTER

Click PLAY or watch a summer run on YouTube.