Posts

Posted on

washed out hiking Portugal

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

I’ve always seen northern Portugal on lists of the best hikes in Europe.

Yet I knew nothing about it.

Miserable after a couple of weeks in rainy Netherlands, I booked a next day flight to sunny Lisbon, Portugal, my first visit.

How did that work out for me?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Record rainfall, I was told.

Unflapped, I headed north to Peneda-Gerês National Park (PGN), the only National Park in the nation. … Certainly this squall would blow itself out quickly.

… An important feature of the landscape is the constant presence of water. Brooks and waterfalls are common at every mountain slope and the park is crossed by several rivers, namely Cávado, Lima, Homem, Rabagão, Castro Laboreiro, and Arado. There are dams across most of these …

My first day I took 2 day hikes, learning by the second to bring along an umbrella. This was my only photo in perhaps 7hrs walking. (I didn’t want to get the camera wet.)

Stashing a Summit Stone atop the boulder at this reservoir lookout:

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

I wanted to take photos like this of the famous stone granaries, protecting the corn harvest. They look like tombs.

Soajo Granaries

It rained all night and continued next morning. Here are a couple of pics of my day hike up to the top of one of the ridges. A group of photographers had driven up, attracted by the weird light.

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

Could the weather finally be clearing?

This long trip might have been a complete wash out, … except that I was rescued by a couple of students from Canada, one now living in Portugal.

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

Suddenly life improved. The rain stopped. And we enjoyed a terrific hike and scramble, finally able to see the entire vista.

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

more of my photos

We could easily claim we were in the U.K.

My memories now are of PGN are of a wonderful chance encounter with new friends, rather than of wet, mildewed clothes.

photos tagged peneda-geres hiking

Peneda-Gerês National Park photo group on flickr

Posted on

free Gronell boots

Matthew Huff emails:

Gronell is famous for their traditional stitched leather-lined boots. The brand has been in Europe since 1937 but we are only introducing them in North America now.

As a promotion, we are offering 3 people who have interesting treks planned in 2011 free Klondike boots ($349 retail value). We will ask they they update the Gronell Facebook page from time to time. Anyone who wants to apply for this promotion should go to our site, sport-hansa.com , for more information.

Posted on

President Palin did something STUPID

OK, it’s a slow news day.

In her television show tonight, Sarah Palin casts herself as a can-do superwoman of the natural world. She fishes, hikes across glaciers and preaches “respect for the elements” from a speedboat while clad in a yellow cagoule. But the programme has already plunged the Mama Grizzly-in-chief into controversy after a leading conservationist in her adopted home of Alaska accused her of flagrant irresponsibility by fishing too close to protected brown bears. …

Find out whether she survived the encounter on Guardian – Sarah Palin accused of breaking countryside rules in TV nature show

Posted on

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour

The new Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour preview video has just been posted. Thanks BluePeak for the link.

… coming to a location near you.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Wend posted the list of winners in 12 categories of adventure movie making..

Jason Burlage took the top prize for Mi Charcra and A Life Ascending by Stephen Grynberg nabbed three awards including People’s Choice.

Posted on

hiking in Jeju, Korea

by site editor Rick McCharles

We’ve completed the 3 day “World Trail Conference”, superbly presented for a first ever event. In Asia they really know how to do conventions. Kudos to organizers.

I’m off the next few days hiking the Jeju Olle trail as part of the walking festival.

Posted on

Expedition Idaho Race 2011

Website is now live.

From Dave Adlard of Adventure Sports Week, a NEW expedition race: coed teams of four racing 600km (372 miles) out of the gorgeous and rugged northern Idaho panhandle.

… The new website has more information about the format of the race, how volunteers can get involved, a preliminary schedule of events, and much more. The registration form is also in place, as well as a description of what your entry includes.

There is also an early bird registration process that lasts until 12 teams sign-up or January 1st, which ever comes first. During that period there is a discounted rate for competing. 

via The Adventure Blog

Posted on

new movie – 127 Hours

Recall Aron Ralston, the hiker trapped by a boulder in Robbers Roost, Utah for nearly five days in 2003?

… I actually refused to read his book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, not wanting to even think about the possibility of being forced to amputate my own arm with a multitool.

But Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and James Franco, who plays Aron Ralston are getting good early reviews.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

… Ralston still climbs mountains prolifically, including a 2008 expedition to climb Ojos del Salado in Chile and Monte Pissis in Argentina.

In 2005, Ralston became the first person to climb all 59 of Colorado’s mountains over 14,000 feet in elevation, solo in winter, a project he started in 1998 …

Posted on

Journey on the Wild Coast documentary

The Adventure Blog got me started following the adventures of Erin McKittrick and Hig Higman, self-powered 12 months, 4000mi up the west coast of North America into truly scary Alaska.

The movie is coming SOON.

Click PLAY or watch a preview on YouTube.

(via TAB)

Posted on

Discover Dominica in a Minute

A new video promoting the Caribbean island of Dominica makes me even keener to get there for hiking.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube

Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-ee-ka) is a spectacular green island of rugged mountains, lush rainforests and rushing rivers in the Eastern Caribbean, lying south of Guadeloupe and north of Martinique.

For more information about Dominica please call 0800 0121 467 or visit www.discoverdominica.com