The United States of America is famous for its wide range of hiking trails - the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and of course, the grandfather of them all, the Appalachian trail, which stretches from Maine in the north down to Georgia in the south.
However, it's not necessary for British backpackers to get on a plane to enjoy the wonders of the wilderness; there a large number of well maintained trails and paths cross crossing the plains and mountains of continental Europe.
There are eleven long distance paths in Europe, numbered 'E1' to 'E11', and on these paths, it's possible to get pretty much anywhere.
E1, for example, runs North to South, from Norway to Italy; E7, on the other hand, runs East to West, from the most Southern tip of Spain all the way across to Bulgaria.
It's possible to follow the route that Hannibal and his Elephants took from Cadiz, along the Mediterranean, up through the Alps and down into Italy.
These routes and paths have been used by humans to get across Europe for thousands of years, so there is a real sense of following in the steps of our Ancestors, of experiencing the same conditions and urgencies.
Except, of course, with the promise of a roof and a hot shower at the end of the day, and not having to hunt down food for dinner.
Of course, being so far off the beaten path, it's important to have the correct coverage.
The right backpacking travel insurance policy is vital to ensure the safety and well being of any hiking party.
Getting the right coverage will allow backpackers to explore the wilderness with the peace of mind of having the right people behind them if something were to go wrong.
There are a number of good resources for planning everything from a short ramble to a cross continental through hike.
The European Ramblers Association is responsible for the designation and signage of the trans European routes, the 'GR' (Grande Randonnée), most of which are based on well established national and local trails.
For the reason, the paths are generally in good condition, especially in dry periods, such as summer or spring time.
However, it's not necessary for British backpackers to get on a plane to enjoy the wonders of the wilderness; there a large number of well maintained trails and paths cross crossing the plains and mountains of continental Europe.
There are eleven long distance paths in Europe, numbered 'E1' to 'E11', and on these paths, it's possible to get pretty much anywhere.
E1, for example, runs North to South, from Norway to Italy; E7, on the other hand, runs East to West, from the most Southern tip of Spain all the way across to Bulgaria.
It's possible to follow the route that Hannibal and his Elephants took from Cadiz, along the Mediterranean, up through the Alps and down into Italy.
These routes and paths have been used by humans to get across Europe for thousands of years, so there is a real sense of following in the steps of our Ancestors, of experiencing the same conditions and urgencies.
Except, of course, with the promise of a roof and a hot shower at the end of the day, and not having to hunt down food for dinner.
Of course, being so far off the beaten path, it's important to have the correct coverage.
The right backpacking travel insurance policy is vital to ensure the safety and well being of any hiking party.
Getting the right coverage will allow backpackers to explore the wilderness with the peace of mind of having the right people behind them if something were to go wrong.
There are a number of good resources for planning everything from a short ramble to a cross continental through hike.
The European Ramblers Association is responsible for the designation and signage of the trans European routes, the 'GR' (Grande Randonnée), most of which are based on well established national and local trails.
For the reason, the paths are generally in good condition, especially in dry periods, such as summer or spring time.
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