Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy by Antonio Castagna

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced walker, you will find the right track for you. The terrain of the Apennines is diverse and there are hundreds of hiking trails of all levels of difficulty to choose from, ranging from walks in sandy pine groves on the shore through rustic farmland plains and shadowy forest lanes to paths winding high in the alpine meadows and rough rugged paths leading to steep rocky peaks 3000 metres above the sea.

Abruzzo is home to three National Parks and over thirty nature reserves protecting more than a third of its area, making it the greenest region of Europe. You will find striking, awe-inspiring sceneries in any place you visit. The trails to the stunning Zompo Lo Schioppo and Morricana waterfalls offer fascinating views as a reward for completing the hike. Maiella’s deep canyons, narrow gorges and vast karstic plains are great for a bit more adventurous tours around their extraordinary landscape forms. Grassy highlands with ancient dry stone huts, wooded slopes with castles and ruins to discover on hilltops and wildflower-scented alpine meadows where you may run into a grazing herd of chamois blending into deep forests where Apennine wolves and Marsican bears roam are other wondrous features of Abruzzo. Its mountain lakes – Scanno, Vivo, Campotosto and Bomba – are also delightful destinations for pleasant walks in the heart of nature. But above all, you must not miss the opportunity to trek in the pastoral landscapes of the Little Tibet of Europe – the vast Campo Imperatore plateau that resembles the Asian steppe.

Campo Imperatore, Abruzzo, Italy by Stefano Maule

The 2900 metres high peaks of Corno Grande, the highest mountain of Gran Sasso, are accessible even to unexperienced mountaineers and offer spectacular views and breathtaking panoramas of the whole region. But if you’d like to train in nature trekking before setting out on your first hike, you have four nature trekking schools and mid-mountain guides in L’Aquila, Spoltore, Villeta Barrea and Caramanico to choose from! Abruzzo is now easily reached by road, rail or air from most parts of Italy and Europe.

For more information on Abruzzo visit the official Tourist Information website www.visitabruzzo.co.uk.

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Photo by Elliott Brown

1. Peddars Way

Route description

Peddars Way stretches along 46 miles between Knettishall Heath and Holme-next-the-Sea, where it connects with the Norfolk Coastal Path. For the most part, Peddars Way follows an ancient Bronze Age route that later became a Roman road. The path runs past intermediate towns like Blackwater Carr, Little Cressingham, Castle Acre, Sedgeford, and Ringstead.

The main highlights of the Peddars Way include the extensive pine and oak forests near Blackwater Carr and the heathlands in the Breckland area, which are a prime location to spot the local bird species.

Peddars Way, Norfolk: Knettishall Heath by Michael Perryman

Practical information

The trailhead at Knettishall Heath can be reached from Harling Road train station. From there, trains connect the Peddars Way with Norwich, Cambridge, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Liverpool. The northern trailhead at Holme-next-the-Sea is connected by bus with Sheringham and Kings Lynn, where onward train connections are plentiful.

Between Easter and the last week of September, the Brecks bus shuttles hikers between the main towns and villages along Peddars Way. The bus originates in Thetford (served by a rail line) and continues on to Knettishall before terminating at Swaffham. From this point and until the end of the path at Holmes, bus connections are limited.

Art on the Peddars Way is an interesting project that combines music, poetry, and sculpture with the outstanding natural beauty of the area. Some of the sculptures function as waymarkers.

Accommodation

There is a caravan park and campsite near River Thet, by Thorpe Woodlands. Alternatively, bed and breakfast and cottage accommodation are available at Castle Acre, Sedgeford, Thetford, and Swaffham. Some of the cottages offer amenities like wifi Internet, washing machine, TV, and microwave.

2. Norfolk Coastal Path

Route description

The Norfolk Coastal Path runs along 45 miles between the towns of Hunstanton and Cromer. Along the way, the route traverses some of eastern England’s most stunning coastal scenery, including areas that have been designated Areas of Outstanding National Beauty.

The trailheads are located at Cromer and Hunstanton, and intermediate towns include Holme-next-the-Sea, Titchwell, Brancaster, Burnham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney, Salthouse, Weybourne, Sheringham, and Beeston Regis.

Some interesting things to see while walking the Coastal Path include the Victorian architecture in Hunstanton, the salt marshes near Brancaster and Blakeney, the beaches and wildlife at the Holkham National Natural Reserve, and the Sheringham cliffs.

The sea cliffs at Hunstanton: Norfolk Coastal Path by Andrew Dunn

Practical information

The Coastal Path can be easily accessed by car or public transportation from two main towns: Norwich and in Kings Lynn. At Kings Lynn, trains link this Norfolk town with London and Cambridge. Those who prefer to start their walk on Norfolk’s Coastal Path at an intermediate point can take one of the hourly Coasthopper bus services, which depart from Kings Lynn train station and go all the way to Hunstanton, stopping at the main points of interest for walkers. Coasthopper buses also link Norwich with Cromer, Cromer with Wells-next-the-Sea, and Wells with Hunstanton.

There is an information centre in Sheringham, which can provide walkers with leaflets and local transportation and accommodation advice. The path is safe to walk on all-year-round, although it is important to keep in mind that the high season (which runs between April and September) brings an increased number of visitors and therefore it is wise to book accommodation in advance.

Written on behalf of Potters Leisure Resort – Holidays in Norfolk

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