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Hike the Malerweg (Painter’s Way) in Germany

I met a young German hiker who had just completed the (approximately) 116 km adventure on the eastern border of Germany near Dresden.

He really enjoyed it.

It’s not well known outside Germany. Within Deutschland, some consider it the most beautiful hike in the nation.

Highlights include:

Schrammsteine

The official guide spits the trail to 8 stages / days. This is a very easy-going pace which allows for lots of options for side trips or drinking delicious German beer (or both for the ones who dare). I found 4-5 days just enough for a fully-loaded hiker who wants to enjoy hiking, not rush too much but also not sit in pubs for too long either.

Get in

It’s fairly easy to get to the trail or to any of its sections. There are many train connections from Dresden or Prague and public buses or trams operate within the area itself in some sections.

Eating & drinking

Resupplying food is not easy. The trail goes through very touristic places with many pubs and cafes but there aren’t any groceries. … The only food stores we found were a tiny bio bakery in Schmilka (very pricey – but great – pastries and bread) and a small grocery shop in Kroppen …. It’s not hard to make a bus trip to a nearby town to visit a supermarket ….

Navigation

Navigation is easy. Even though the trail is well marked with painted Ms, there were still some crossroads where we weren’t sure which way to go. Not having GPS or printed maps, we used only the mobile app Mapy.cz – it’s free and it has a tourist offline map of Germany with great resolution and precise, visible trails. …

Hiking is Good
Bastei Bridge

Details on the hike.

Click PLAY or watch Lennart Schoors‘ hike on YouTube.

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Exped Ultra SR 3 Camping Mattress = My Review

By BestHike editor Rick McCharles

The Ultra 3R sleeping mat is just one of a number in the Ultra series.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

My Medium (20.5 in wide) weighs 16.4 oz so I don’t take it for multi-day hiking — only car camping and bikepacking where weight is less an issue.

I got the heavier rectangular shape to completely cover the bottom of my 1-man-tent.

Exped offers 1R to 7R. I’m a warm sleeper and — so far — the 3R option has been plenty warm enough.

After about 30 nights on the mattress, I’ve already had 2 punctures. Happily, they are easy to repair with the included glue. The system does not require a patch on top — only the glue. So it’s quicker to seal the hole.

The Schnozzel Pumpbag does not work nearly as well for me as in the Exped video. 😀

I do use the Schnozzel as a waterproof dry bag, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Iceland Active Volcano – Camping & Hiking


Harmen Hoek is one of my favourite hiking videographers.

In July 2023 he spent 5 days hiking over 110km on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. At the time the most volcanically active area of Iceland.

Litli-Hrutur crater eruption started on July 10, 2023 around 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Iceland’s capital Reykjavik.

I’m headed to Iceland in September — but this particular eruption has been declared OVER.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (22min)

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#8 best hiking region in the world is …


The Italian Dolomites.

by site editor Rick McCharles

I write from Europe. This is the first adjustment to our Top 10 hiking regions since we first published them. Northern Italy has been added.

High altitude adventure and colourful sunsets. Wow! The Dolomites are far better than I expected. This was my first trip.

At besthike we rank all mountain vistas in the world against Paine in Chile, and Fitz Roy in Argentina.

The scenery in the Dolomites may be just as good. And there are far, far more stunning jagged peaks in Italy than in all of South America.

click for larger version
click for larger version

Many, many Europeans get out hiking during the Summer. Trails are crowded everywhere throughout the Dolomites and the Alps. There’s a great shared sense of community here.

Instant gratification. You can ride chair lifts up to the very tops of some of these peaks. How convenient is that? Almost anyone can find a best hike for themselves in this range.

WW I history in the Dolomites is sobering. German, Austrian and Italian soldiers were stuck digging tunnels through these mountains through several winters. This was the “Front”. Needless to say, far more young men died from the elements and falls than by fire fights. There are reminders of the Great War everywhere.

Here is the home of via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”). (In fact, our next trip to the Dolomites will be dedicated to doing some of the best of those assisted climbing routes.)

click for larger version
click for larger version

Not everything is perfect in the Dolomites. I prefer the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, overall.

In the Sierras I can put up a tent anywhere I want. Fantastic.

Unfortunately, in the Dolomites you are required to sleep in alpine buildings called Refuges. (Refugios – Italian). Their locations are stunning. Many people love them. But – personally – I prefer my tent over sleeping on the floor. Or in bunk beds.

Happily you can reach almost any place in the Dolomites by day hike. Public transportation in the valleys below is good!

The two regions – the Sierras and the Dolomites – are similar in that everywhere is a best hike.

Rifugio Locatelli - click for larger version
Rifugio Locatelli – click for larger version

I do like the food and drink at Refugios. Prices are regulated.

The main reason I had not hiked in Europe in 30yrs is cost. Italy can be expensive.

It’s possible to hike on the cheap. Putting up my tent in a campground in Cortina only cost 9€ (US$12.80) / night in 2009.  Ryan tells us it’s up to 44€ / night summer 2023!

Bread, chocolate, soft cheese and wine are inexpensive. What more do you need?

Dan & Janine Patitucci relocated from California to the Dolomites. A good site in English for inspiration. A partner offers Dolomite hiking and biking tours.

For specific information on how to hike these limestone mountains, check our Dolomites Information page.

Leave a comment if you have your own favourite hike in the Dolomites.

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Hiking Røren / Ytresandheia, Lofoten, Norway

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

In 2022, I enjoyed hiking Sandbotnen beach to Ryten Summit out of Fredvang.

Definitely one of the best hikes in Norway. Almost every hiker has Ryten on their Lofoten list.

In 2023 I was back — but the weather was overcast.

Staff at the Lydersen Rorbuer hostel suggested the nearby Røren / Ytresandheia hike as a good alternative when Ryten is covered with clouds.

With no real expectations, I headed up. And it was excellent.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Røren / Ytresandheia is not so much a mountain peak, but rather a long flat ridge on the northernmost tip of Moskenesøy. 

With only a small amount of elevation gain and a good trail, this short little hike provides fantastic views over the turquoise waters of Yttersand beach and across to the distant mountains of Flakstadøy.  …

68North – RØREN – YTRESANDHEIA HIKING GUIDE

I had seen this hike on World Wide Hearts.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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BestHike #3 – Tongariro Circuit, New Zealand

Tongariro Northern Circuit is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

Click PLAY or watch a 1 minute introduction on YouTube.

Tongariro Circuit

Our favourite multi-day tramp in our favourite hiking region of the world — glorious New Zealand.

AND our top volcano hike worldwide.

by Jeff Pang

AT A GLANCE

  • one of our top 10 hikes in the world
  • non-stop superb hiking
  • mostly volcanic & desert environs
  • 34+km (19+mi) depending on route
  • 3-days, 2-nights minimum
  • option to climb a volcano, or two
  • medium difficulty hiking, with challenging sections
  • wonderful variety of scenery
  • Dec – Mar best months
  • maximum elevation Red Crater 1886m (6188ft)
  • very crowded on the Tongariro Crossing section

Read more on our Tongariro Northern Circuit information page.

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Hiking Schrammsteine, Germany

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I’ll bet you’ve never heard of the Schrammsteine rock formation close to Dresden.

Located in Saxon Switzerland National Park on the eastern German border.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Though it’s a long, strung-out, jagged rock formation, most hikers head up to this view point at a height of 417.2 m.

To get there, I followed signs saying “Schrammsteinaussicht” (Schrammstein view) until close to the top when they switched to “Wildschützensteg“.

There are many ways up, however. I doubt you could easily get lost.

Be psyched for many ladders and some scrambling. No exposure, however. Typically you are wedged into the rock.

I came to this National Park for the much more famous, nearby Bastei Bridge hike. But I’d say Schrammsteine is equally good.

And I had the view point to myself while nearby Bastei is thronged with tourists.

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Climbing FANJINGSHAN, China

This would be an experience. 8000 steps.

The Fanjingshan (Chinese: 梵净山; pinyin: Fànjìngshān) or Mount Fanjing, located in Tongren, Guizhou province, is the highest peak of the Wuling Mountains in southeastern China, at an elevation of 2,570 m (8,430 ft).  …

Fanjingshan is considered a sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism,  ranking just below the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.