Hiking

10 Ways Adventure Seekers Are Catching Thrills On Norway’s Trolltunga Hike

September 9, 2017 by admin 1 Comment

Ok, so you have sat down and planned your hike, what you need to pack for Trolltunga hike and whether you can actually handle the hike so now you are thinking what else is there to do when I get to the top? What kind of fun do people have on a Trolltunga hike, anyway? Well, since you asked nicely I will let you in on a little secret on how adventure seekers are catching thrills on Trolltunga. If you haven’t been to Trolltunga yet and are dying to visit this beautiful landscape, I have a post with all the questions you might want answers to before heading to Trolltunga. I have answered all those questions on the Ultimate Guide to Hiking Trolltunga.

1. Catch Group Thrills

You have walked miles and miles up and down the Norwegian valleys with friends so what better way to end the hike that catching thrills in true thrill seeker style and gather on the edge.

2. Be At One With Nature

This was so funny to watch and I managed to see many a butt crack while editing these shots. As I shoot in RAW there was plenty of detail to zoom in on. I sound like a freak, don’t I? The guys walked across the tongue and everyone thought they were going to just pose like everybody else but they started getting naked while everyone looked on. Of course then the applause all across the area…

3. Fly Solo and Get on the Edge

After hiking for miles and miles, we finally made it to the very edge of the Trolltunga hike and there was no way I wasn’t going to sit on the edge of Trolltunga. It was just the two of us on the trip, so unless we left all our things with someone we would have to split up for pictures. I queued up for a couple of minutes but still wasn’t sure if I was capable of doing pulling this stunt until it was my turn in the queue.

4. Spend A Penny On A Mountain

There are no toilets on the Trolltunga hike trail its just you and mother nature. So much easier for men, don’t think I would recommend this method for women unless you have found an easy method you would like to enlighten me with. Yes, this is another one that I wasn’t expecting but after missing out on capturing a proposal on Trolltunga, I had my camera armed and ready for capturing the next shenanigans from adventure seekers on Trolltunga.

5. Take A Selfie

You queue for a while and when it’s your turn to take a few pictures on the Troll’s tongue, you cannot miss the opportunity to take a selfie when the views are this beautiful.

6. Catch Feelings and Propose

We slept on the mountain with views of the glaciers surrounding us and it was one of the beautiful views I have seen yet. For number 6 on adventure seekers catching thrills on Trolltunga, what I wish I had captured was a proposal. I was so caught up in the celebrations and waiting for the ‘yes’ that I forgot to capture, it so instead you will get this beautiful view we caught while camping on the trail to Trolltunga. Perhaps the beauty of this place has inspired many a proposal. A few months after this trip I had my very on… 🙂

7. Explore Surroundings

The views at the top are just amazing. You might also find that in some areas you are actually above the clouds which is just the prettiest sight. So while you are here take the time to explore before hiking back down.

8. Don’t Forget To Look Down

This one is not for the faint hearted. Time while sitting on the edge of Trolltunga goes by so quickly, so having been courageous enough to sit on the edge while not take a look at the earth below you and check out the views below you while perched on the edge.

9. Go To The Beach

Who knew you could head to the beach this high up in the mountains. Small waves created from the winds on that manage to sneak between the shielding of peaks in these Norwegian mountains meet with melted glacier water. Had it been a little warmer I might have been tempted to dive in for a swim.

However you catch your thrills, be sure to do it safely. So have you been to Trolltunga? Have I missed any of your thrill-seeking tricks on the mountains?

Also See:

The Best Adventure Quotes For Thrill Seekers

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Glacier Walks In Iceland – Exploring Svinafellsjokull Glacier in Iceland

June 20, 2017 by admin 24 Comments

A trip to Iceland is not without checking out a glacier in Iceland. We stumbled on this gem on the way to see Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, and with many Iceland Glacier Tours from Reykjavik one is never too far from glacier walks in Iceland. In our case running into Svinafellsjokull Glacier stopped us right in our tracks. Welcome to the land of surprises! After planning how much exploring time in Iceland we needed and reviewing our list of things to do in Iceland we thought we had our itinerary down to a T! (Scratch that! I thought I had it down to a T, I am more of a planner and Igal goes with the flow.) Then we arrived in Reykjavik Iceland, picked our campervan rental and embarked our a journey on Iceland’s Ring Road. All along thinking that we were going to be ticking off bucket list items one by one.

Also See:

Glacier Tours In Iceland

The moment we set off, plans were in a way thrown out of the window, because of the Ring Road. No matter how much planning you do, it will throw some surprises your way in that there is so much beauty and many stops you may not have thought you would want to include in your Iceland itinerary. One such surprise was Svinafellsjokull glacier. The beautiful glacier tongue that you can spot from across the Ring Road.

The call is so loud you just cannot ignore the sight. Just like Godafoss waterfall, we actually hadn’t considered, it but stumbled on it on the drive to our pinned map sights, not knowing just how easily accessible some of the natural wonders in Iceland are. Svinafellsjokull can be seen from the Ring Road. The road leading up to it is a gravel road but easily accessible. Although I imagine during the winter months be maybe quite difficult to get as close as we did. We had the places to ourselves but were soon joined by a couple of tour buses as this is a stop on a couple of glacier tours in Iceland.

Svinafellsjokull Glacier Walks In Iceland | Vatnajökull National Park

Located in Vatnajökull National park, Vatnajökull or Vatna Glacier as its sometimes called is Iceland’s largest ice cap and is among Europe’s largest glacier caps. The ice or snow that flows away from the main trunk of the glacier is what is referred to as glacier tongues. Svinafellsjokull is one of many glacier tongues in Iceland flowing from Vatnajokull. The makings of best glacier hikes in Iceland.

Although the pace of the fall of ice and snow is one that may not be visible to the naked eye. Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland is such a breathtaking sight. You can see the beautifully shaped ice cups and the deep crevasses of the glacier and in the distance, glacier ice slowly melting into the water like marshmallows in a mug of warm milk tea and glacier walkers in the distance meandering through ice ridges on Iceland glacier hiking tours on many of the South Coast tours of Iceland and goldern circle tours.

Vatnajökull national park is home to the largest glacier, that is Vatnajökull at 8,300 km square, with the second being Langjokull at just 953 km sq. It is situated in the west of the Icelandic interior or Highlands of Iceland and can be seen clearly from Haukadalur. The beauty of this place is just how easily accessible is if you are on a self-guided tour of Iceland. When we arrived here we had the place all to ourselves until the tour buses flowed in and left one by one. You can have an easy glacier walk around Svinafellsjokull. You need to come prepared with hiking shoes or a decent pair of trainers or walking shoes.

If you only have loafers or shoes of that type you can still walk around but would not advise going too far out as some parts require a bit of an uphill climb on slippery rock faces. As beautiful as this place is, just remember how remote it is and don’t over do it for the ‘gram and hurt yourself. I have linked to some tours above but you can also compare prices with other glacier tours found here. Many tours will take you closer and onto the glacial ice and the crevasses, especially on the ice cave tours or ice climbing tours. They will give you and show you how to use equipment crampons, and ice axes used for hiking such terrain.

If you planning on doing the majority of the exploring on your own then pack accordingly and only walk around the mountain and don’t attempt to get anywhere near the crevasses without a guide as glaciers tend to have parts that drop off into bottomless pits so just don’t do walk around that without a guide that knows the area. There are so many small group tours and glacier tours in the national pack that its not worth risking your life just for the sake of saving a few bucks.

Svinafellsjokull Glacier Hike - glacier hiking iceland reykjavik

What To Wear For Iceland Glacier Walk or Hike

We visited in the summer but as you may know that Icelandic weather can change without warning, so pack accordingly. Reykjavik, although cold, gave us summer midnight sun and the south of Iceland had mysterious low hanging clouds, rain, hale and all sorts. You don’t have to pack everything under the sun, but picking clothes you can layer up as well as items suitable for all weather as well is my advice.

I came layered up in thermals, a jumper dress, and my trusted lightweight Mountain Equipment jacket. I bought this jacket a long time ago and it has seen me through hikes inSnowdonia, Norway, and a few other places. It’s waterproof, keeps body heat well and can handle pretty much all the mountain can throw at it without being bulky or weighty and can fold into a nice little ball. So if you are going to be taking part in any Iceland glacier tours from Reykjavik or embarking on glacier hiking in Iceland, guided or self-guided, I would highly recommend you check the weather in Iceland before leaving and pack accordingly. Below is also a few items you might want to pack on your trip. If heading to Iceland in the winter, make sure you pack for the Iceland winter which can be harsh.

What I Wore

Mountain Equipment – Gore-Tex Waterproof Jacket /Similar here

Thermal Leggings / Similar here

Keen Hiking Shoes/Similiar here

Very Jumper dress / Similar here and here

What to Pack For An Iceland Glacier Hike

Socks

Thermals

Jumper

Hat

Hiking Boots

Waterproof Jacket

First Aid Kit

Svinafellsjokull Glacier Hike - Glacier In Iceland

Iceland Glacier Tours From Reykjavik

If you want to add a little adventure to your experience of the land of fire and ice. There are at least 13 large glaciers in Iceland and with many Iceland glacier tours from Reykjavik, you can jump on a tour easily even if on a short visit. There are tours offering Iceland walks in Iceland’s Skaftafell nature reserve. This is Iceland’s second largest national park and home to Skaftafellsjökull glacier. You can do glacier hiking, easy glacier walks as well as ice climbing in Iceland glacier caves.

glacier iceland - Svinafellsjokull Glacier Hike

Coming from a hot country, where the temperature can soar into the 40s. Sights like these are just so hard to imagine. I have never seen anything like this in my entire life. Then again unless you live here it’s always a first for anyone. This is one of the reasons why I love combining my city travels with adventures that take you so close to nature like this. Nature and sights like this let “You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” Whatever worries and cares in the world are suddenly forgotten and you are just left speechless and in awe of just how wonderful this world is and how much more of it you just need to see while you are still here.

How To Get To Svinafellsjokull

An Iceland glacier near Reykjavik, Svinafellsjokull Glacier, much like many places in Iceland has been part of a movie set. Joining the ranks of Jokuluson featured in not only one but two James Bond movies, Batman Begins and Tomb Raider. The likes of Thor, Star Wars – Rogue One, Prometheus have all been filmed in Iceland. Svinafellsjokull is where Interstellar was filmed. Getting to this beautiful movie set couldn’t be easier as its an of few glacier in Iceland near Reykjavik. You can see Vatna ice cup and it’s glacier tongue in Iceland that is Svinafelllsjokull from the Ring Road.

You will see the signage in the image below from the Ring Road and once you turn into the road, it leads to a dirt road with a small parking lot right at the end of it. There is a little gate with an entrance to a walking path to explore. You can walk around and hike up the rocks for a better view but bare in mind that you will need suitable shoes to go further on the path and even better gear for the glacier walks but do not attempt the glacier walks without a guide. There are safe paths around with the area providing great views of the glacier that putting yourself in danger for the ‘gram would be a bit of an overkill. See what I did there 🙂

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Trolltunga Hike Guide – Everything You Need To Know

May 2, 2017 by admin 36 Comments

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Your Questions Answered! || trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

Recently I shared a post with shots from hiking Trolltunga. Here, I provide a detailed Trolltunga hike guide with everything from Trolltunga camping, car park and parking in Trolltunga, a Trolltunga packing list with what to pack, what to expect and when the best to hike Trolltunga and everything in between about the hike in Norway.

Many have this trail on their sights so I wanted to address many of the questions I had before doing the hike and answer them for those that want to know about camping on top of Trolltunga, what to pack for Norway and Trolltunga, where to park and all that good stuff.

Also See:

Norway Trolltunga Hike Guide Q&A

Norway has so many beautiful landscapes and so many amazing hikes in Norway to add to your list, that it is hard to imagine how a country could have such amazing scenery all to itself. Our drive to Trolltunga from Bergen involved a stop in Odda, which is the starting point from most on the little expedition that is the Trolltunga hike.

All along the way, the road trip from Bergen to Trolltunga had us oohing and ahhing at waterfalls, lakes and beautiful mountains that you drive past. A lot of people want to do this hike so I thought a to Trolltunga blog post answering as many of the questions I get in addition to those I had myself. So my second post on a Guide to Hiking to Trolltunga a Q&A aims to answer as many of the answers you might want to know when planning a trip for a Trolltunga hike.

Hiking Trolltunga In Norway

What is Trolltunga Hike (Norway)?

Trolltonga is a miracle of nature that literally means the ‘Trolls Tongue’. Hopefully, my previous post answered this one but if still unsure, read on. Trolltunga is one of the most spectacular scenic cliffs in Norway. Trolltunga is situated about 1100 meters above sea level, hovering 700 meters above lake Ringedalsvatnet. The view is breathtaking. The hike starts in Skjeggedal and goes through the high mountains, takes 10-12 hours (23 km in total to Trolltunga and return) and the ascent is about 900 meters.

Which city is Trolltunga located in?

Trolltunga (Troll tongue) rock formation is situated about 1,100 meters above sea level in the municipality of Odda in Hordaland county, Norway.

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Your Questions Answered!

Trolltunga Hike Difficulty, Duration And When To Hike Trolltunga

What’s the Trolltunga hike like?

What can I expect? Is Trolltunga hard or How hard is Trolltunga – Trolltunga Hike Difficulty

To address all questions asking questions around Trolltunga hike difficulty like; is Trolltunga a hard hike, how hard is Trolltunga, is Trolltunga easy hike?, or how hard is Trolltunga? The Trolltunga hike is 11km up and 11km down so a total of 22km for the whole trail. They used to have the funicular that made the first and last 1km a lot easier – alas it has been shut down a long time ago and the trail the cable car went on is now blocked off and it is too unsafe to use.

This means that you now have to climb up the 1km with your own two feet. Let me tell you this: the first 1 km is the hardest part of the trial especially if you are carrying a heavy backpack! Your feet will be swearing at you all the way through the 1km BUT when you do see the 1km sign at the top you will be surprised where that little burst of energy comes from for the little happy dance that you will no doubt be doing. The trail between the 1km sign and the 2km sign is fairly flat.

As far as the first 1km is concerned it is a mix of stone steps and steep inclines with a rope to support you. The last 1km down is also a lot harder to do on the way down than it is going up. Having done 21km your legs will be a bit wobbly for the big stone steps down in that last 1km. Saying that you will be on such a high with encouragement from other walkers that it won’t seem as bad as I am making it out to be. As a rule of thumb if I did it so can you!

trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

Can you hike Trolltunga in the rain | How do Trolltunga hike?

The answer is yes, you can you hike Trolltunga in the rain. When we hiked it had rain heavily the days before so the trail was covered in so much mud from the tail. This is one of the reasons I insist that you have really comfortable and suitable shoes. Don’t be one of those people that turns up on this trail with flip-flops.

How long is the hike to Trolltunga? – (Trolltunga Hike Duration)

For hiking Trolltunga how many hours it takes depends on your fitness levels. You will see some breezing through the trail as if it is a walk in the park and some that are taking each step as it comes. I was not the fittest one out there, I found it hard at times. I slowed down at some spots and picked up the paces on the flat areas. The part that takes the longest is the starting point as it’s a very steep 1km but starts to level out as you get higher. You have spots that incline but this is a lot more gradual than the start. The next 3km took us about 2 hours if I remember correctly. We set off around 4 or 5 pm.

When we reached the 4km it was around 7 pm. We set off late in the day because we knew we were going to be camping overnight. We camped at the 4.5km mark and woke up at 6 am to restart our hike. Weather, fitness and Equipment play a role. Also, bear in mind that how long it takes you will also be determined not just by your fitness level but by weather as well.

It had rained heavily during the day hence part of the first 1km was covered in mud with some of the trail somewhat challenging as you had to pick and choose where to place your foot on almost every step. Make sure you bring hiking shoes with you. This is also one of the reasons by you need a spare set of socks. You need to be careful and ensure to take easier alternatives during challenging parts of the trail.

I imagine such a hike would be just as difficult after or around the time of snowfall. There were some muddy patches in other parts of the trail but it was fairly simple to navigate those as the incline was not a concern. Just make sure you check the weather update leading to your trip. This will help you figure out what sort of weather patterns to expect as well as what to pack. For day hike it can range from 10-15 hours on the trail. This all depends on your fitness and the time you hike as I said. For the day hike you also need to make sure you set off early enough for the start of the hike.

Also, note that the time it takes to climb down is almost the same as the climb up so factor that in if you are using public transport. Also I get questions around how many steps to Trolltunga, considering how many hours I mentioned above you can just imagine how many steps are involved.

trolltunga hike info - The Best Time To Hike Trolltunga - Do you need a guide for Trolltunga?

When Is the best time to hike Trolltunga? Can you hike Trolltunga in Winter?

Whatever time you visit be sure you are equipped for the hike. You can read my post tips on what to pack for Trolltunga Hike. Whatever you do, do not attempt the Trolltunga hike in winter time (unless of course, you have Everest under your belt – Trolltunga should be a breeze). Also from Mid March, it is still covered in snow and the only people taking on the trail are those on a guided tour with Trolltunga Active guides. It was hard enough doing the trail when it’s covered in mud in August. I wouldn’t dare an attempt it the winter.

The best time to hike Trolltunga is between June and mid-September. We hiked towards the tail end of the hiking season. We were there the last weekend of August as it was part of an adventure weekend birthday present to my boyfriend, now fiancé.

Trolltunga Hike Info: When Does Trolltunga Open?

Can you hike Trolltunga in September: From mid-September you need a guide to hike Trolltunga.
Can you hike Trolltunga in October: You need a guide to hike Trolltunga up until October 15. After that no hiking is allowed in October due to weather.
Can you hike Trolltunga in November: No hiking is allowed in November due to weather.
Can you hike Trolltunga in December: No hiking is allowed in December due to weather.
Can you hike Trolltunga in January: No hiking is allowed in January due to weather.
Can you hike Trolltunga in February: No hiking is allowed in February due to weather.
Can you hike Trolltunga in March: No hiking up until end of March when the trail starts to thaw and open season starts. You need to hike with a guide in March when the trail opens.
Can you hike Trolltunga in April: Hiking Trolltunga allowed but only with a guide.
Can you hike Trolltunga in May: Hiking Trolltunga allowed but only with a guide.
Can you hike Trolltunga in June: Trolltunga early June can only be hiked with a guide. After June 15 You can hike on your own.
Can you hike Trolltunga in July: You can hike Trolltunga without a guide.
Can you hike Trolltunga in August: You can hike Trolltunga without a guide.

Is Trolltunga Hike Dangerous

Can you hike Trolltunga without a guide?

Can you hike Trolltunga alone? Do you need a guide? Is there a Trolltunga hike tour?

Can you hike Trolltunga without a guide, the answer is providing you are hiking Trolltunga early June to September. So, no, you don’t need a guide, especially if you are hiking to Trolltunga within the safe seasons when there is hardly any snow. We hiked as a pair but did spot solo hikers. Both male and female solo walkers. You will still have plenty of people along the way to talk to.

On the way to hike Trolltunga from Odda, we did camping in Odda before our hike and recognised quite a few faces from the camping site in Odda who were finishing the trail as we were starting. These guys started off around 6 am and were heading down by 7.30pm when we were reaching the 4.5km mark. So, to answer that question. No, I don’t think you need a guide nor do I think you need to go on a Trolltunga hike tour as the trail is very well marked and maintained. We didn’t have a guide. I did, however, do an incredible amount of reading before planning the hike. I would happily do Trolltunga alone but bear in mind that it’s a difficult hike and needs not just physical strength but mental strength too which is a lot easier if you have a hiking partner with you to cheer each other on.

Make sure you plan your trip well and that you have all the equipment needed and that you have the latest weather forecast. Once you are up on the trail it is an amazing slice of wilderness to raise your soul to new heights. The entry ticket is being prepared.

trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga norway images

What happens when you get to the top of Trolltunga?

What happens when you get on the Troll’s tongue itself? Is Trolltunga worth it?

Once you arrive a the top of Trolltunga you have to go down via a few metal steps and this is where the queue to Trolltunga starts. The rest of the crowd are scattered around the area taking pictures and congratulating each other for making it that far. The majority stay there for an hour or 2 before heading back down.

Note that there is a queue to get on the tongue itself. When I climbed down to queue the queue was about 30 minutes long but during the peak periods, I have heard it can go up to 2 hours. It does go quickly though as you have people doing all sorts of stuff on the tongue that will keep you entertained as time goes by. From people stripping naked to marriage proposals, it all happens in Trolltunga! It Trolltunga worth it? Hell Yes! If for the views alone!

Is Trolltunga dangerous? Who do I call in an emergency – Mountain rescue?

Even when you have no reception for normal calls, you should still be able to great through to emergency services. A majority of countries use 112. For Norway and UK, you can dial 112 for mountain rescue. For other countries refer to this table. Just make sure you do your research before your hike to make sure these numbers are still the same.

Do I have to sit on the edge of Trolltunga cliff, is it scary?

No, you don’t have to sit on the edge Trolltunga cliff or Norway tongue as some call Trolltunga. Plenty of people don’t. It’s really up to you and how well you deal with heights. I had every intention of sitting on the edge but didn’t know if I was going to actually do it. I was going to sit there on my own and my boyfriend was way on the other side with instructions to take as many pictures as possible.

Only until it was my turn to walk on Trolltunga did I just press the ‘fuck it’ button and say it’s now or never so put you big girl panties on and let’s fucking do this. That is usually my pep talk when I am doing something that freaks me out, whether it’s a scary meeting at work or rock climbing somewhere. So I sat down first and inched myself to the edge and then stuck my legs out. It’s as easy as that! I wasn’t going to leave without taking a selfie!!

Recently I shared a post with shots from hiking Trolltunga. Here, I provide a detailed Trolltunga hike guide with everything from Trolltunga camping, car park and parking in Trolltunga, what to pack, what to expect and when the best to hike Trolltunga and everything in between about the hike in Norway. Many have this trail on their sights so I wanted to address many of the questions I had before doing the hike and answer them for those that want to know about camping on top of Trolltunga, what to pack, where to park and all that good stuff.

Celebration at the summit?

Hell yeah! You have just done 11km on your own two feet, why not celebrate. Shortly after the celebration it soon sinks in that you have to do another 11km back down. Although, its not as bad as most of the uphill battle is over and done with.

Trolltunga Hike Parking, Toilets And Facilities

What facilities (toilets and bathrooms) can I find at the base of the Trolltunga Hike?

Both cars parks have toilets. The first one has a toilet and a little shop. The second car park at the Skjedggedal where the hike begins has the car park, toilet, and a cafe. Note that the cafe doesn’t open early so don’t bank on getting food here for the hike. Bring snacks with you.

Are there any toilets along the trail to Trolltunga?

No sweetheart, it’s just you and mother nature!

Is there parking at Trolltunga?

Wondering about where to park in Trolltunga? Yes, there are two car parks in Trolltunga.

There are two parking sites when you arrive at Skejeggdal, one is the information site. The second is elevated high up the mountain just where the actual trail starts. If parking at the top has run out you will be asked to park at the first parking lot and then take the free bus to the second car park. We parked our car in the first car park and took the bus up. Boy, was I glad we got the bus!

The road up to the second car park is one lane in most parts, the bus had to manoeuvre in tricky parts and guess what, you only have a bit of a barrier between the bus and meters and meters of a deadly drop! So yeah, I was glad it wasn’t us in the driver’s seat! There were points where the bus had to reverse back to make room for another car to pass in what is already a narrow and dodgy cliff edge road. I am a lover of heights but this road had me on high alert that I actually forgot to record the journey.

So, yeah there is parking in Trolltunga! We were also parked overnight in the first car park. If you are hiking and leave your car in the first car park just make sure you know when the last bus is so that plan to get off in the right time. Otherwise, if you are parked on the top level car park next to the trail then you only have to worry about the drive back on the crazy cliff road in the dark.

– Coins for parking – Parking in Skjeggedal is 200 NOK/day or 100 NOK in Tyssedal. The machines don’t take notes so take coins or a bank card. We paid cash to the car park attendant on site when we arrived and parked in a different spot to the day hikers car park.

Travel & Transport | Trolltunga Hike From Bergen Or Oslo

How to get to Trolltunga hike?

For how to get to get to Trolltunga via public transport, there are buses from Bergen that take above 3 hours to Odda and from Odda you can either take a shuttle bus to Skjeggedal. If you are staying in Odda check with your place of accommodation if the shuttle bus picks up from your hotel or campsite. I have also provided extensive detail in this post on how to get to Trolltunga.

What is the closest/nearest airport to Trolltunga?

Trolltunga is located in the town of Skjeggeda, about 7km from Odda. Hikers and visitors typically stay in Odda or use this larger town as a base before embarking on the 8-12 hour hike to Trolltunga. The nearest airport you likely would fly into is Bergen, a 3-hour drive from Odda. I have shared a post on our stay and exploration of Bergen in addition to our overnight camping in Odda.

Oslo to Trolltunga and Bergen To Trolltunga Travel

You can search for flight deals on Kayak, Momundo or Expedia. Our flights arrived in Norway via Bergen. I shared a post recently on what to see and do in Bergen if you have a bit of time to kill before starting off for your hike. From Bergen we rented a car, actually, we rented the car from the airport. I also shared some tips on car rentals in that post. We drove from Bergen to Odda. By the time we arrived in Odda is was early evening.

We had pre-booked at the campsite in Odda. There are local hotels and guest houses too. We camped overnight in beautiful Odda. I will share a post soon on this beautiful little town soon. In the morning made our way to Skejeggdal, the starting point of the hike. For more details on buses, travel by shuttle or if you are arriving via Voss, Geilo, Bergen or Oslo check out Trolltunga Active.

Are there hotels near the Trolltunga hike? (Accommodation near Trolltunga)

If you are looking for accommodation near Trolltunga, I would highly recommend booking early! I have shared and additional post on where to stay when hiking Trolltunga. We stayed at a campsite before we set off for our hike. If you want to stay at a hotel, guest house or rent an apartment you need to do that well in advance as there aren’t a lot of places nearby.

When we tried to book, a lot of places had already sold out that were nearby. Also bear in mind that there only about 5 places within 10mins of the starting point. The list hotels and guesthouse can be found here. Book early! Otherwise, your second option would be camping in Odda.

Where can you camping before your Trolltunga hike?

When heading to Norway for a hike to Trolltunga, you will most likely have to stop by Odda before heading to your Trolltunga hike. Odda is a beautiful little town and actually quite a few walking trails to ease you into the mother of trails in the region that is Trolltunga. In Norway, you can camp anywhere on public land but on this trip, I wasn’t about to start hunting out which spots I can and cannot camp on. I sought out to research on camping sites in Odda and we found one. Odda has ridiculously beautiful views that we decided to camp right on the edge of the lake. We camped at Odda Camping and left later on in the day to head to Skegjjedgal, the starting point of Trolltunga.

Trolltunga Camping – Is camping on the top of Trolltunga allowed?

Where can you camp on the Trolltunga hike trail? Is camping allowed on Trolltunga? If so, where? (Many of the questions I receive)

To address the above any more around, Trolltunga where to sleep, Trolltunga where to camp are just some of the questions most people want to know about. I searched and scoured the internet for the answer to this questions but could not find any details Trolltunga camping. Yes, you can camp anywhere on the trail, that is, apart from the last 3kms. People being people, they disobeyed the rule from what I could see with a few tents in the last 3km of the trail to Trolltunga hike. I don’t know the reasons why you are not allowed to camp in the last 3km of the trail, all I know is that there is no way I was going to be hiking all the way up to the top with all my camping gear on my back! Camping anywhere else one the trail is fine.

There isn’t a lot of shielding from the mountain winds as most parts on the Trolltunga trail are flat. It gets really windy and cold at night so layers and thermals are your BFF!(see what to pack here.) Pack accordingly. Apparently, they tend to have quite a few rescues on the trail and we had quite a few helicopters fly past at night in what we hoped would be a quiet and serene place to chill. I put that down to helicopters flying in for rescues. You don’t want that to be you, so pay attention to the warnings and pack all or some of the items above if you are planning to spend the night.

As far as camping is concerned on our hike to the Troll’s tongue, we found a spot to pitch our tent on the Trolltunga trail. Once we pitched our tent, got some food going and chilled out with a little wine and a view – it was a birthday celebration after all- we had a great time! The views were breathtaking.

It was the first time I spent such quality time up a mountain. It was after we chilled out that we decided that in the morning we would leave our tent as-is and continue the hike with just food, camera, first aid, torch and all the smaller necessities. Once we finished our hike, on the way down, at the 4KM point we found our tent and took it down to finish the last leg of the hike. We weren’t the only ones with this idea, a few people left their tents on the trail.

If you want to camp at the top of Trolltunga just bear in mind that you will have to lag all your equipment 11km up the trail and back down again. If you are hoping to do an overnight stay I would highly recommend at least pitching your tent maybe half way up. the trail.

What To Pack For Trolltunga Hike And Norway

Trolltunga day hike Vs Trolltunga overnight hike

For the Trolltunga day hike, you have to be on the trail nice and early. The latest time recommended to start is 8 am, in the summer months when it gets dark later in the day I think you can push this until 9 or 10 am. Just bear in mind that you definitely do not want to do the last 1km in the dark. Some spots are steep and challenging even in daytime. When you pack your equipment be sure to pack a torch regardless whether you are a day or overnight hiker. For the overnight hike, we started off late in the afternoon.

Again, make sure you don’t set off when it’s dark as you need decent visibility for the 1km up the start of Trolltunga trail. If the car park is full at the top then you need to factor in the bus ride up to the start of the trail. If you start off after the bus running times end then you will either have to face adding 2-4km of walking to the starting point of Trolltunga trail or face canceling your hike for the next day.

If I had to do it over again I would still go for the Overnight hike as I like the camping in nature side of it and the views were out of this world amazing without a whole host of people on the trail. One thing to add is that if you are going for the overnight hike then that is an addition of camping equipment you have to carry with you on an already hard hike.

What to pack for Trolltunga hike: Trolltunga packing list

Tent
Water bottle
Thermals
Spare clothes
First aid kit
Comfortable hiking/walking shoes
You can check out my detailed post with tips on what to pack for Norway as well as what to pack for the Trolltunga Hike. Everything around Trolltunga what to bring, Trolltunga what to wear, are all questions I answer in more detail in that post. The post details packing for a day hike and one for camping Trolltunga.

Tips on hiking and more equipment:

More can tips and equipment can be found in my previous post on hiking in Snowdonia or my post on what to pack for Trolltunga and Norway.

Trolltunga Hike Guide - What to pack - From Bergen trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Your Questions Answered! - From Bergen / Oslo | trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Trolltunga Camping - trolltunga norway images

Travel Essentials: Travel Insurance

If you are setting off on Trolltunga adventures consider Travel insurance!

Never skimp on Travel insurance. So many times in facebook groups I read about people thinking they don’t need it. Unless you are psychic just don’t travel without it. Especially when doing activities like this. Be sure to check the insurance includes outdoor activities like this.

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Our Experience Hiking Norway’s Famous Trolltunga Trail

April 26, 2017 by admin 3 Comments

Bergen to Odda - how to get to trolltunga from bergen

Having done the drive from Bergen to Trolltunga I thought I would provide a couple of sights for anyone wishing to hike Trolltunga. A hike to Trolltunga in Norway should be on every outdoor lover’s list. Last week I shared with you a post on a weekend in Bergen,a beautiful city in Norway that is surrounded by 7 mountains. Our trip to Norway late last year was a trip to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday. It was not going to be an easy trip by a long shot.

This was going to be an adventure-filled weekend that included hiking to Trolltunga in Norway’s Hordaland region. The previous year we had spent his birthday hiking in Snowdonia so I was determined to top the next one. I researched and toiled over how I was going to plan this trip as a surprise. In fact, he only knew we were going to be heading to Norway and hiking to Trolltunga about 2 weeks before our trip. What he also didn’t know that I had Trolltunga on my bucket list for a while now, as he is into the outdoors as well it was a win-win.

We didn’t really need to buy much equipment for this trip as we have done similar trips before. The only difficulty was finding out how we were going to get to Trolltunga having arrived in Norway Via Bergen. I had down tonnes of research and decided car rental gave us the freedom to move as and when we wanted. I have had quite a few road trips around the world now that I am starting to prefer this mode of transportation when I travel. For more on road trips, you can check out posts on Namibia, Zambia, Spain, Wales, Iceland and many parts of England via the destinations page.

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From Bergen To Trolltunga | Hiking Norway's Famous Trolltunga Trail

Bergen to Odda - how to get to trolltunga from Bergen / Oslo

HOW TO GET TO FROM BERGEN TO TROLLTUNGA

We rented a car in Bergen and drove out to Odda, which is about 3 hours away by road and ferry rides across Norwegian fjords. Passing beautiful waterfalls, lakes and mountain vistas. Norway is truly beautiful! I had heard so much about how expensive it is but actually, didn’t seem any different from London. It wasn’t any more expensive than London in my opinion.

Our hike to Trolltunga was done in two parts. When we arrived in Odda we booked a camping spot in advance at a campsite in Odda and then set off to drive to Skjeggedal the following day, where the hike to Trolltunga starts. There are two car parks there. One right at the start of the trail and the other about a mile or two down the winding roads. We parked in the first car park as the spaces on the top car park had run out. We left the car there overnight and got the bus to the top car park where the 11km Trolltunga hiking trail begins. From here it is an arduous and steep 1km up the trail before the trail began to stabilize.

It was as challenging as I had imagined and then some! As we chose to do the hike in 2 parts we hiked about 4.5km before deciding to stop and pitch our tent. I should also state that we started our hike around 4pm. By the time we stopped to pitch a tent on the trail to Trolltunga, it was about 7.30pm. On the way up a lot of people who were hiking for the day were now heading back down. The trail up was muddy as the heavy rain days before made some parts almost unpassable. This is one of the reasons why you have to be well equipped when hiking such a trail. I did see people in trainers and flip-flops at some point.

They were slipping and sliding all over the place risking injury. Going down was almost as challenging as the hike up. People on the trail are friendly and cheer you own as you walk the trail. As hard as the hike was the views more than made up for it. We didn’t have a guide or anything. The trail is easily marked. I was actually worried about this before we hiked but there were plenty of people on the trail and signage was clearly visible.

Adventures in Norway | Hiking To Trolltunga

CAMPING ON TROLLTUNGA TRAIL

We camped overnight and then in the morning started our hike to complete the trail. The rest of the tail wasn’t so bad. It was a gradual include in most places. The first 1km is as bad as most people have said in posts I read. They used to have a funicular for this part but that was shut down a long time ago. They still have the tracks which people used to walk on but for safety reasons that is now sealed off and the first few steps removed to deter people from using it. You will pass beautiful lakes and will be above clouds in some spots. You will have nothing but beautiful mountains to look at. Social media will be far from your media. It is such a good feeling to be outdoors and be surrounded by such beauty. Truly breathtaking!

With each signpost marker with a ‘T’ you would get a sense of relief that you were walking in the right direction. With each marker sign showing how many KM you had down, you had a little mental countdown to how many more KM you still had to do. It took a couple of hours to get get to the summit. It was such a relief to be able to get to the end after all the walking we did. The crowds gathered around the edge of the cliffs. Some brought out their drones, there were a whole lot of selfies being taken. I then spotted the queue to walk on Trolltunga. You have to climb down a few metal bars. The queue was about 30 minutes long to get to the front. After all that walking I was not going to leave without getting to sit on the edge of Trolltunga or the tongue as its sometimes referred to.

The Trolltunga hike is challenging but all so exhilarating, so I thought I would split the post on Trolltunga into a couple of posts where I share tips and answer some of the questions I had when I was researching. I will be sharing another post this weekend with tips and a guild to hiking to Trolltunga. I will also be answering questions that you might have if you are thinking of hiking to Trolltunga. Until then I hope you enjoy the views below.

TROLLTUNGA – WHERE TO STAY IN

As I mentioned above that we stayed at a campsite before we set off for our hike. If you want to stay at a hotel, guest house or rent an apartment you need to do that well in advance as there aren’t a lot of places nearby. When we tried to book, a lot of places had already sold out that was nearby. Also, bear in mind that there only about 5 places within 10mins of the starting point. The list hotels and guesthouse can be found here.Book early! Otherwise, your second option would be camping in Odda.

For more information on what to expect on the hike before, during and after and help with planning on what to pack I answer a lot of questions on a guide to hiking Trolltunga. As always you are more than welcome to email me or leave your questions in the comments below.

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What To Pack For Trolltunga ( A more detailed post on what to pack)

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Things To Do In Lulworth Cove – An English Gem Not To Miss

September 12, 2016 by admin 2 Comments

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove pictures

Two days ago I shared the first post on our visit to the Jurassic Coast at Durdle Door in Dorset. In this post, I am going to share a little about our Lulworth Cove Walks. This place is so beautiful, if you are have not visited then you need to add Lulworth Cove holidays to your list of summer activities. One of the best weekend destinations in the UK.

Having planned on spending a weekend in Dorset, we moved on from Durdle Door to Lulworth Cove after spending the day before exploring Durdle Door and the surrounding area. Lulworth Cove is a shingle beach with amazing views out on the Purbeck Isles and features some the well know and beautiful Lulworth Cove formations on the rocks. When the weather is good it has some perfect spots for swimming as you will see in the pictures below.

As the English summer was in full swing we headed out for a little break in Dorset. An opportunity to get out of London, enjoy less polluted countryside views and enjoy the outdoor activities available on the beautiful Dorset coast.

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove INN

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove KAYAKING

Cool Lulworth Cove Activities | Top Things To Do In Lulworth Cove

There are so many amazing and beautiful spots in Dorset and even more so is the list of cool activities you can get involved in while exploring the Jurassic coastline of Dorset.

There is plenty to do for those that love the outdoors or just beach-bumming on the Lulworth Cove beach. You can hire Kayaks, they also have Lulworth Cove kayaking tours, we opted for Rib Ride on the bay which takes you to sea and you get to see Durdle from the other side.

With the Rio Olympics happening at the time we also had swimmers training on the coast, which I guess may have inspired the swim or they could be future Olympians in training. You can spot some of the heads sticking out of the water in the images below. There are also shallow spots to swim at dotted around the area so make sure you bring your swimming gear.

If you prefer an easy weekend to just chill out you can start the day with breakfast and sea views at Lulworth Cove cafe that is right on the beach. Take in the views and people watch while sipping coffee. We had out caffeine doses at the Boat Shed Cafe set with views of the cove.

While on the Rib Ride we also managed to get close to Durdle Door, you get to see the back of the rock face arch while riding on the coast.

If you love paddle boarding this is also a great spot to do that or try it out. There are rental shops dotting around where you can either do a tour or just rent the equipment yourself and go.

For more tours in Lulworth Cove or even day-trip tours from London, you can compare prices here.

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove beach cafe

Lulworth Cove Walking Trails – Walking From Lulworth Cove To Durdle Door

While we drove from Durdle Door to Lulworth Cove, you can also do your journey the other way around and do Lulworth Cove to Durdle. Both by walking or driving. Our drive from Durdle Door to Lulworth Cove was maybe 10-20 minutes. There is a walking trail from Durdle Door that leads you all the way to Lulworth Cove.

These are clearly marked and are popular with people so you will not get lost. There are many Lulworth Cove walks to choose from, all with varying difficulty from easy to difficult. For more on the Lulworth, Cove trails check South-West Coast Path.

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove beach

Lulworth Cove Weather & The Best Time To Visit Lulworth Cove

By far the best time to visit Lulworth Cove is in June and July. July is the hottest month when it comes to Lulworth Cove weather and June offers warm and long days to enjoy a day trip or even holiday week or weekend in Lulworth Cove. The temperature is usually between 12° and 22° .

Visiting Lulworth Cove in:

December: This is the coolest month in Lulworth Cove when the average maximum temperature is 9°, the average temperature is 5° and the average minimum temperature is 2°. December also has the shortest days with an average of 8 hours of daylight per day.
June: The sunniest days in Lulworth Cove are in June which has the most hours of sunshine per day with an average of 7.9 hours of sunshine per day, making it a quite sunny month with some cloud cover. With the longest days in Lulworth Cove also being in June, with an average of 16.4 hours of daylight per day.
October and November: The wettest month in Lulworth Cove is October with 1.9cm of rain and November has the most days of rain with 18.5 days with some rain, a wet time to visit the beach.
March: The driest month in Lulworth Cove is March with 0.6cm of rain and the least days of rain with 12.7 days with some rain, a slightly wet time to visit the beach.

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove rib ride

What To Pack For A Day Trip For Lulworth Cove Holidays

Below I have also detailed the best times to visit in terms of Lulworth Cove Weather as this also gives you an idea of what to expect so you can pack accordingly. Worth visiting for a day trip from London or elsewhere in the UK or are on your very own Lulworth Cove holidays there are plenty of activities to take part in so same sure you pack some of the following as there aren’t a lot of shops around to buy something like a swimsuit if you don’t pack one.

Be sure to Pack:

Swimsuit – As you can see there are plenty of beautiful spots to swim or even paddleboard.
Walking Shoes – Comfortable walking shoes are a must as the coastline has some of the most amazing walking trails in the UK.
Sun Hat
Sunglasses
Suncream.

Getting to Lulworth Cove | Lulworth Cove Parking

If you are driving the Lulworth Cove postcode to set on your Sat Nav is BH20 5RQ as this gives you an address to aim for. Ther is a pay and display car park when you arrive. Lulworth Cove parking can be really busy during the popular months, so I would suggest getting there before 11 am as the car park fills up quickly and the single road leading up to the Lulworth Cove develops a queue.

There is also a tourist information site nearby for directions to Durdle Door although that is clearly marked trail and easy to follow wither driving or hiking between the two sites. Lulworth Cove directions from Durdle are also fairly easy to follow, although there are plenty of people moving between the two that if you miss a turn like we did, there is always someone to ask for help.

How To Get To Lulworth Cove By Public Transport

We drove but did consider using public transport to get to Lulworth Cove. To use public transport, you can get to Lulworth Cove by bus service no 103 from Wool and Dorchester Stations, leaving 4 times a day from May to September, or bus service no 30 from Weymouth Station, departs 4 times a day from May to September. For more information and timetables check out Traveline.

Lulworth Cove Hotels and Accommodation Options – Where to Stay in Lulworth Cove:

We camped at the YHA in Lulworth Cove as most places had already sold out by the time we decided to go. It’s ok though. I love camping. You may have read about my camping adventures in Norway. You can also book dorms and have a room all to yourself at the YHA. There are cute Lulworth Cove Inns, luxury B&Bs, hostels, and Guesthouses, in addition to pub restaurants with accommodation like Lulworth Cove Inn nearby.

You also have the option to book Lulworth Cove cottages just nearby. Just bear in mind that they sell out very quickly so you will have to book well in advance. There is also caravan park in the holiday park right next to Durdle Door which is a fantastic location but sells out quickly as well.

On this occasion we chose to camp on the YHA ground, so brought our own camping gear. The YHA does have showers, a kitchen and dining where you can make and store your food, especially if staying the area for a few days. Lulworth Cove hotels tend to sell out pretty quickly especially in the busy periods. Compare prices for hotels, inns and guess houses here for Lulworth Cove hotels and West Lulworth hotels.

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door Exploreing | Beach Cove, Accommodation and Parking

Lulworth Cove Camping | Lulworth Cove Campsites

There are two Club campsites near Lulworth Cove in Dorset. You have Moreton Campsite and Corfe Castle both of which have camping and caravan facilities. Also close by is The YHA linked above where you have dorms and camping on the grounds of YHA but just bear in mind that it’s not big so does sell out quickly in the summer. More more Lulworth Cove camping sites check out PitchUp.

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door Exploring | Beach Cove, Accommodation and Parking

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove formations

Details of how was Lulworth Cove Formed

lulworth cove walks in Dorset England | lulworth cove rock formation

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Things To Do In Dorset – Sights Camping & Adventures!

September 8, 2016 by admin 10 Comments

One of the past summer weekends we set off for a little Durdle Door camping in Dorset. The UK has some pretty amazing places, one place we have been meaning to explore Dorset. Durdle Door weather was set to be so warm so perfect timing for checking out outdoor activities in the area while the weather was playing ball. If you are one of those that visit the UK and only go as far as London then you are missing out on stunning countryside towns that come with amazing views. A visit to Dorset’s Durdle Door on the Jurassic Coast is one you have to add to your list when you visit the UK.

This beautiful limestone arch is called Durdle Door and is located in Dorset, which is in South-East England on a beautiful coast that is now known as Jurassic Coast on a count of the number of fossils found in the region. A visit to Durdle Door Beach anytime of the year is great but even better when the weather is better.

I will provide details on Durdle Door weather periods you may want to consider visiting. In addition to checking out Durdle Door from London, also consider adding some of the stunning places in the UK I have had the pleasure of exploring; East Sussex, Thorpeness, Snowdonia, Gloucester, or Portsmouth, just a shortlist of places to inspire your explorations of Great Britain.

You need to see this beautiful arch before it disappears like the Azure Window in Malta.

Durdle Door Camping - 5 Things To Do Durdle Door Jurassic Coast | Durdle Door postcode

Durdle Door Camping - 5 Things To Do on Durdle Door Jurassic Coast | Durdle Door postcode

About 2 weeks ago, we ventured off to the Jurassic Coast, mainly because I wanted to do the Durdle Door walk to Lulworth Cove, another stunning location in Dorset perfect for chilled spring and summer getaways. It sits on privately owned land but accessible to the public. The Jurassic Coast is a now a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of Southern England. It stretches out for nearly a 100 miles. So plenty of trails for hiking! It’s about 3 hrs drive from London but easily accessible by train as well.

Jurassic Coast is one of UK’s popular destinations in Britain for many Britons, but not many tourists venture out to this part of England, which such a shame. If you didn’t know, now you know about it! Whether you are after fossils, hiking, cycling, kayaking, paddle-boarding with plenty of Durdle Door campsites and holiday parks nearby. You may just want a chill out weekend to take in the views of the coastline, there is plenty to and take in the area. Below are plenty of pictures of Durdle Door, directions and activities to inspire you to visit this stunning countryside.

Durdle Door Walks + Things To Do In Dorset’s The Jurassic Coast

Walking The Jurassic Coast – The best way to experience the scenery is definitely by walking the coastline. The 95 miles from Old Harry Rocks to Exmouth offers up some amazing and stunning views. All that’s need is a good pair of walking shoes. For more on trails check out South West Coast Path.
Cycling The Jurassic Coast – Many of the towns and villages along Jurassic Coast are connected via National Cycle Network offering a great way to explore the area at your own pace. Even better if you can transport light camping gear and camp along the routes through Jurassic Coastal towns.
Take A Rib Ride from Lulworth Cove – We took the Rib Ride from Lulworth Cove which also takes you behind Durdle Door. You can also take city cruises from Poole and Lyme Bay. I will be showing you more of Lulworth Cove in the next post.
Fossil Hunting – There are fossils right along the Jurassic Coast. There are guided fossil walks from Charmouth Heritage Center or Lyme Regis Museum. The Visitor Center in Lulworth Cove and some of the museums will also display some of the most important finds yet.
Kayaking – You take part in kayaking tours while in the area. These activities start off from Lulworth Cove which I shared a link above.
For more information on visiting this beautiful place, check out Jurassic Coast’s official website. For additional inspiration on things to do beyond Durdle, check out this post on things to do in Weymouth by Emily.

Durdle Door Camping and Campsites (& Durdle Door Holiday Park)

Although the arch sits on private land it is accessible to the public and therefore you will see one or two people camping out on the beach of Durdle Door or Old Man of War Cove which is right next to door. Durdle Door campsites are popular summer destinations for many in the UK, so even these can run out as quickly as Durdle Door holiday park which is just above the arch via a walking path. You have to go through Durdle Door holiday park to get to the arch.

There is a variety of accommodation options available in Dorset but what you need to know is that you need to book the majority of these well in advance as they sell out fast. There are campsites, camping pods, caravan parks, holiday homes, guesthouses, and inns but again there aren’t many to go round for the demand this beautiful place has. When we were looking for Durdle Door accommodation, we couldn’t find many in a decent budget, granted we were only looking about 2-3 days before driving to Durdle so a lot had already sold out. We instead considered Durdle Durdle camping, hence how we ended up at Durdle Door YHA.

The YHA not only offer dorms but private rooms as well as camping on site. The campsite only has room for about 10 tents so even that sells out quickly. You also have the option of Durdle Door campsites on the holiday park which has an area for caravans, luxury holiday homes, and camping. Other camping sites in the area include Moreton Campsite and Corfe Castle Campsite in addition to a few others a few miles away. You can compare prices on Campsites and Campsites and Caravans.

Durdle Door Accommodation – Where To Stay In Dorset

As I mentioned above, right by Durdle Door you will find a Durdle Door Holiday Park with caravans with a variety of different options for accommodation right by Durdle Door beach. We booked at the YHA camping but if you book Durdle Door accommodation early enough you should be able to save money too on the variety of accommodation available. Most of the hotels, guest houses and inns can be found in found in West Lulworth and Lulworth Cove. Check out the links to read reviews and compare prices. Below is a guide price of the accommodation options at Durdle Door holiday park which also has a shop, bar, restaurant, and takeaway on site.

Room / Unit Type	Room / Unit Tariff*
Caravan Holiday Home	from £305.00 to £810.00 per unit per week
Camping Pod	from £245.00 to £385.00 per unit per week
Tourer or Motorhome Pitch	from £126.00 to £350.00 per unit per week

Durdle Door Dorset | 5 Things To Do In England's Jurassic Coast | Durdle From London

Durdle Door Weather And The Best Time To Visit Durdle Door

By far the best time to visit Durdle Door weather-wise is in May, June, July and August:

March: The driest month in Durdle Door is usually March although there are about 10 days in the month when it rains.
June: This month provides the longest days in Durdle Door where there is an average of 16 hours of daylight per day. With December having the shortest days with an average of 8 hours of daylight per day. Junes is also when you have the sunniest days in Durdle Door which has the most hours of sunshine per day with an average of 8 hours of sunshine per day, making it a sunny month with few clouds.
July: The hottest month for Durdle Door is July when the average maximum temperature is around 22°, with minimum averages around 12°.
August: The warmest sea water temperatures in Durdle Door Cliffs are found in August when they peak at 23° and lowest in January when they dip to 10°.
December: The coolest month in Durdle Door Cliffs is December when the average maximum temperature is 9°, the average temperature is 5° and the average minimum temperature is 2°. December also has the least sunshine with an average of 2 hours of sunshine per day.

“The sea is best for swimming between June and December when the temperature is above 17° which is cool for swimming, shorty wetsuit may help you extend your time in the water. “

Directions To Durdle Door From London (Post Code)

Getting to Durdle from London doesn’t take long. The Durdle Door postcode to aim for is BH20 5RQ. Although this will take you to Lulworth Cove it’s easier to aim for that and then when you get close to it start using the road direction going Durdle Door camping or holiday park. The postcode for Durdle Holiday Park is BH20 5PU. We drove from London to Durdle in about 3 hrs. It really depends on when you leave or how much traffic there is.

Durdle Door Parking | Car Park

We drove to Durdle from London. The beauty of driving to Durdle Door is that the car park is only a short walk down to the beach. I believe we paid £4.50 for the day. Driving down to this beautiful part of England means that you can also easily get to Lulworth Cove in a short time. Just bear in mind that parking in Lulworth Cove is tricky as it’s popular but doesn’t have a huge car park.

Durdle Door By Train From London

You can also take the train from London which involves having to take the bus as well as the nearest train station to Durdle Door is Wool Station. The nearest railway station is Wool (on the London Waterloo to Weymouth line). Bus numbers 15 and 104 connect Wool Railway Station to West Lulworth and Durdle Door. The 15 bus operates on school days only. The 104 bus operates all year Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays.

What To Pack For Durdle Door Getaway Break

There are a number of activities in Dorset from horse-riding, kayaking, paddle-boarding, and Durdle Door walks offering some of the most stunning views. So, when it comes to packing you need to make sure you have:

Swimming suits and trunks
Beach towels
Hiking or walking shoes
Sun hats
Suncream
Light clothing

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El Caminito Del Rey | Guide To Hiking Spain’s Most Dangerous Hiking Trail

February 22, 2016 by admin 8 Comments

El Caminito Del Rey | Hiking Spain's Most Dangerous Hiking Trail

I learned about El Caminito Del Rey through some climbing articles I was reading a couple of years ago. I have been rock climbing on and off for a couple of years now and being the adrenaline junkie I can be, this was just one of those climber’s bucket list items. Sure, El Caminito Del Rey was touted as Spain’s most dangerous hike and that’s what made it all that much more attractive.

romantic destinations then be told I would be needing hiking boots. Uh Oh! Thoughts of kisses under the twinkling Effiel Tower quickly dashed as no one ever needed hiking boots to explore the streets of Paris while scoffing down macaroons faster than smarties.

The time came and we were headed for sunny Spain, as lovely as Paris is, its never guaranteed sunshine to anyone. So a trip to Malaga, Spain’s sunniest city was just what the London weatherman ordered. If you haven’t been to Malaga or Andalucia for that matter then I have 7 reasons why you should visit Andalucia.

I learned about our planned activity to El Caminito Del Rel about 2 days before we were leaving so in my excitement I researched a little only to find out that it had been repaired so I would not be needed any of my climbing gear never the less I was still reeling in excitement of the thought of exploring a dizzying trail on the cliff edges of that were in use since 1921.

About El Caminito Del Rey

El Caminito del Rey translates to The King’s Little Pathway among many cool interesting facts about Spain. Its a walking trail pinned along the narrow gorge in El Chorro’s in the province or Malaga. The trail runs for about 7 Kilometers, but depending on where you start can be 5 km. The cliff-hanging path is about 3 km. It was as a supply route for remote mining operations. Following decades of erosion of the original metal frames that formed the path, had left the walkway in a state of disrepair; the recent deaths of 5 climbers finally brought to the trail the refurbishment it so desperately needed. The trail closed off for refurbishment before being re-opened in 2015.

Hiking Shoes – Keen // Leggings – ASOS // Top and Jean Shirt – H&M

The start of the walk in El Chorro with beautiful scenery from the small town where we parked the car for the day.

A short cut straight through the mountain to walk to the start of the trail.

Is It Dangerous?

Is El Caminito Del Rey dangerous? For a place that was opened in 1921 with little maintenance, as expected its condition and safety dwindled with each passing year. Like many dangerous climbing routes, you know one slip out and you are seeing the white light. There were many deaths on the original route. The missing parts on the trail and the big gaping holes didn’t help much. Spain closed it off for maintenance and restoration and reopened in early last year.

Fifteen 15 years after a deadly incident and a €3 million restoration program, it was finally opened to hikers. In answer to the question, it’s not as dangerous as it used to be. It’s a lot safer now, much of the old paths are still visible and you can see just how mindbogglingly crazy the trail was. Sections of the tail with big holes, metal is eaten away by rust, paths that just disappeared or probably fell into the 100-meter deep canyon.

If it’s not dangerous why bother?

Many books about Spain might inspire you to visit this beautiful country but nothing prepares you how beautiful it is close up. Dangerous or not this is one place not to miss especially if you are a lover of hiking and adventure. Am I glad I was walking the trail after it had been fixed up? Hell yes! Now that I have seen how crazy and probably medicated I would have to be to take it on, I am glad that I didn’t have to pay with my life for it to be fixed up either. Safer doesn’t also mean less scary. There are some parts that still had me saying my hail Marys and I am not even Catholic. Towards the end of the Trail there is a metal mesh bridge.

Unless you start your trail for this side I would save this for last. This bridge was dancing with the wind about as we crossed it. I thought it was going to break! Holding on to my boyfriend for dear life but when we got to the end, guess what, I wanted to go on it again! As we were the last people to cross before closing for the day, that wasn’t going to happen. Not like the rest of the trail is a breeze, but this part is the thing nightmares are made of for anyone afraid of heights. These days the trail is safe but very exciting and is a unique experience full of amazing sights.

How Much Is it To Hiking El Caminito Del Rey?

The tickets are FREE to walk El Caminito del Rey, but may soon be chargeable at 10€. Tickets are released for online reservations in monthly batches on the official website. All tickets are now for the Ardales and North entrance.

Registration and collection of helmets. When you figure out a way to make helmets look cute, let me know.

What Do You Need To Pack When Visiting El Caminito Del Rey?

Walking shoes are a must. Yes, I saw people in trainers but I would highly recommend sensible walking/hiking shoes. Always check the weather before heading there. Also A MUST is your passport. You may not be allowed to go there without it. I guess just for safety in who they would have to contact if you did anything stupid that would cause you to meet your maker. You should also consider packing some food/snacks, water, sun cream, sunglasses and some mosquito repellent.

Where To Stay in Andalucia?

I shared details about where we stayed in Andalucia, which was a short drive to the starting point of the hike but you can search for deals below as you can base yourself in a few towns and villages in the Andalucian region.

Booking.com

See the little people? Perspective on just how big this place is.

Old and new trail above. Below the added a new glass platform. As if the trail and its soaring heights were not scary enough they added a glass platform.

The dancing bridge! This bridge dances with the wind as you cross which adds an element of yet more fun if you thought the newly restored trail was too tame.

Safety Equipment Required?

You should pack a pair of walking shoes and sensible clothing depending on what time and season you visit, they will supply you with a helmet. Yes, it doesn’t do much for looking cute as you walk around but if any loose stones fall over, your head is safe. As it is sunny much of the time there you should also consider sunglasses, sun block and mosquito replant. Also, note that there are no bathrooms throughout the entire route.

How Do I Book?

We got our hotel to call up and book for us. The whole walk takes about 2 hours without too much rest. We arrived late and were the last people to walk on it before they closed. They also have people walking the trail with walkie-talkies to make sure no one is left on the trail when it closes for the day so camping out there is out of the question unless you hide in the woods. Even if you try , they will only send out a search party as they know who has completed the walk and passed the exit points. Sometimes they only accept a number of people a day so be sure to inquire early.

Old and new trail.

El Chorro, Spain - El Caminito Del Rey | Hiking Spain's Most Dangerous Hiking Trail

El Chorro - Poema De Roca - El Caminito Del Rey | Hiking Spain's Most Dangerous Hiking Trail

How Do I get there?

We flew in from London to Malaga. We based ourselves in Ardales, I posted pictures recently and will post more on our stay shortly. Ardales is an Andalucian village with typically whitewashed buildings and is 20 minutes drive from El Caminito Del Rey. You can stay here or base yourself in El Chorro as there are a few hotels there too but not many as they are small towns. For more detail on the trail, when it opens and how to book check out the main El Camino Tourist Site Page.

If you are coming from Malaga, the drive is about 2.5 hours. You can also take a train from Malaga which stops in El Chorro. There are two trains that leave daily from Malaga’s Maria Zambrano station to El Chorro – Caminito del Rey. The first leaves at 10.05 – destination Ronda – and the second at 16.48 – destination Sevilla Santa Justa. Journey time is 40 minutes and a ticket costs 6€. There are three trains that return from El Chorro back to Málaga. Leaving at 9.33, 15.03 and 18.03 from El Chorro. When you finish your walk you can take the bus back to the starting point. These buses leave every 30 minutes. Also be sure you check the time for the last bus if you are starting your walk in the late afternoon.

Are there any tours to El Caminito Del Rey?

If you don’t want to do the hike alone, or perhaps you want to do the hike but have no one to go with there are tours available picking up from Malaga, Cadiz, and a few other cities nearby. See below.

Make sure you do not miss the last bus otherwise you will be waiting a while to get back to where you parked your car. So check the times of the last bus before starting your walk. We caught the bus back to where we are started the walk (top pictures and below.)

Back in time to see the colours of the sunset.

Video of our Walk on the Kings Little Pathway – El Caminito del Rey

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El Caminito Del Rey | Guide To Hiking Spain's Most Dangerous Hiking Trail

Hiking & Camping In Snowdonia | Packing Tips & Campsites Near Snowdon

December 2, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Hiking & Camping In Snowdonia | Packing Tips & Campsites Near Snowdon #outdoors #nature #adventure #lakes #mountains #packing #snowdon #camping #tips #wales #uk #trails #routes #itsallbee #adventureawaits

In my last post climbing Snowdon, on a trail to Cadair Idris I showed you our hiking trail to the summit. In this post, we will be talking about hiking tips, camping Snowdon trails and camp sites near Snowdon. Firstly their are many flat spots on the trail to camp.

The only thing you need to be aware of is the weather when planning camping Snowdon trails or any part of Snowdonia National Park. Most parts that are flat on the trail are fairly elevated and some spots are susceptible to low hanging clouds so you dont want to camp on a trail on Snowdon and end up catch a cold and dying of hyperthermia. This is where checking the weather before you go camping is important as that will allow you to pack accordingly.

Also See:

Hiking And Camping In Snowdonia

Camping Snowdonia trails can also be made easy by way of campsites near Snowdon. Snowdonia National Park is pretty huge so there are many campsites near Snowdon to choose from. What would help you pick one is by way of which trail you want to take.

This can depend on how long you want to hike. Whether its a 5-hour, longer or over a day or two. If you want longer hikes then you are in the category of perhaps camping Snowdon trails. If it’s a day hike then campsites near Snowdon trail starting points are best. This way you don’t have to hike with heavy equipment on the trail to the summit.

The campsite near Snowdon

Our hike to was in Cadair Idris. There are 3 campsite near Snowdon trails to Cadair Idris. These are:

Bryn Y Gwin Farm Camping And Caravan Site
Torrent Walk
Owen Tyddyn Farm

For more on campsites in Snowdonia check out Coolcamping as it has a list of campsites near Snowdon and you can filter out by map to see how close they are to some of the trails you wish to hike.

Hiking Packing List For Snowdonia

A couple of days before the embarking on a hike and camping Snowdon, my boyfriend and I dropped by Ellis Brigham in Covent Garden and updated some of our items as I need a new pair of boots and waterproof jacket.

Its one of my favourite outdoor shops as they also have an ice wall to test out some of the ice climbing gear. What I love about the store is, for the money you are spending you get to fully try out and test out some of the items in addition to the really knowledgeable advice from their stuff.

I feel like I should be getting paid for this but that is how much I love this store. Next is Snow+Rock which I have been waiting on to open up, has also recently opened a new store in Canary Wharf where I am based during the week. I spend a lot of time in these stores as most of my rock climbing gear is from these two shops.

So if you are heading out for a hike or adventure sports be sure to pop into these or any good outdoor store near you and get expert advice before taking to the mountains. Below are some items to pack as well as some tips for hiking below.

1. Hiking Boots Mens/ Ladies

2. Walking Socks

3. Base Layers

4. Waterproof or Mountaineering Jacket

5. Walking Trousers

6. Head Torch

7. Water Bottle/Camel

8. Maps – Snowdonia Guides To Walking Trails

9. Whistle

10. Hat

11. First Aid Kit

12. Phone

13. Camera

14. Food(food, water camel and flask with hot tea/coffee)

15. Compass or digital compass watch with GPS

16. Gloves

Hiking & Camping In Snowdonia | Packing Tips & Campsites Near Snowdon #outdoors #nature #adventure #lakes #mountains #packing #snowdon #camping #tips #wales #uk #trails #routes #itsallbee #adventureawaits

Tips For Hiking and Camping Snowdon

1. Have the right gear – the list above includes the basics and some essential items. This list will grow if your hike includes camping outdoors. An all-important one for me is having the right pair of shoes as you will be walking for hours sometimes.

Get this wrong and your walk will be cut short before really getting the benefit of being at one with nature. Equally important is a good jacket. Make sure this is rainproof and not just shower proof. If it rains for a few hours will get seriously wet and may end up hypothermic. “If you are up the mountain, this will quickly become a serious situation”. So make sure you invest in a good jacket and warm layers suitable for your activity and weather.

2. Make a plan of the route you will be taking, inform someone as it will make it easier for others to find you if you don’t report back.

3. Pick clothing colours that are bright which will make it easier for others to spot you.

4. Beware of your surroundings, weather changes and plans for signaling for help should anything happen. This is why point 2 is important. Plan your route well and how long you think it will take because the weather can sometimes change dramatically and so quickly so if you don’t have the right gear(point 1) then it can make a simple hiking situation and turn it into a dangerous one.

Remember that cold weather can also kill you, so have those gloves and base layers. (Not obvious in pictures but soon after we started walking I become too hot and ending up taking my hiking trousers off and hiking in my base layer leggings which were warm enough to climb to the peak – key is to peak merino wool base layers but check advice for the right base layer material for the activity and terrain of you activity)

5. Know a few basics of map reading or orienteering so you can navigate from point to point on your hiking unless you have pro map readers in your group. Lucky our group had 3 experience map readers to coordinate our routes and manage any changes to routes as well hiked.

Knowing the basics will help, should the weather change(or any other reasons that may cause you to change course) you can easily make adjustments to your planned route.Below are some of the pictures from our 2 days hiking through Snowdonia National Park.

Also See:

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Beautiful Hiking Trails In Wales | Minffordd Path Hike To Cadair Idris

November 30, 2015 by admin 10 Comments

Climbing Snowdon - Hiking to Cadair Idris

If you spend enough time with Londoner or those in the UK for that matter, you will notice how much we go on and on and on and on again about the weather. This summer like every summer everyone is was dusting off their bikinis and flop flops in search for sunny horizons (we all know those don’t really come around the UK that often or long enough). Booking holidays to Spain, Greek Islands, Caribbean islands. Having just taken on the heat wave in New Delhi and Agra this May, dosed up on sunshine sailing around Santorini and while exploring Athens in July, I was in the mood for something different. Say, a little adventure close to home. Climbing Snowdon was very much on the list by way of a hike to Cadair Idris.

One of my boyfriend’s friends had been trying to get a group of us to go away on a hiking trip for a long time now and after voting on dates when everyone was available and it was then time to decide on
whether to head to Lake District and Snowdonia National Park (think soaring mountains with peaks playing hide and seek in the clouds). Lakes spread across national parks, hiking routes with breath-taking views, small towns filled with cozy little cafes with local pubs and traditional food. Yep, I was up for all of that and then some. It was as if the stars seemed to have aligned as everyone’s diaries cleared up for the long August Bank Holiday, which also happened to be my boyfriend’s birthday week.

Friday came and the road trips started for a weekend climbing Snowdon, with a meeting point set for a beautiful house by the lake side and overlooking the Welsh mountains. With people driving from London and one as far as Cornwall(another place I want to visit next summer). My boyfriend and I got delayed so we didn’t leave London until later in the evening and then 20 minutes into the drive we punctured a tyre just before we joined the motorway out of London, which put us an hour behind schedule and a climb to Cadair Idris in jeopardy. In a way it turned out great as we had the roads to ourselves for the rest of the journey into Wales when we go underway. And as if being guided by the light, I remember us driving way past midnight, the sky was pitch black, the moon was high and really really bright as if guiding our path into the Welsh countryside.

We were the last to arrive at close to 2am in the morning, we were met with a quiet house, but the stairs
where decorated with little paper arrows left behind by friends to direct us to our room as we didn’t know which was left after everyone chose a room. When morning came I was greeted with views of the lake and mountains right from our room!…Let’s just say I was sat there in awe for a while until I
had someone bring up a cup of tea to rustle me out of the room.

The last time a group of us made a similar trip was for another birthday trip camping (with a dash of glamping) in a beautiful part of the English country side. This time around we were going to be climbing Snowdon, taking on Minffordd Path trail to Cadair Idris. There are many routes you can take to the top and each with varying degrees of difficulty depending on your fitness levels. For anyone taking to the mountains, you should always come prepared with the right equipment as well as making sure you take safety precautions, but I will share in another post some of the things to consider taking with you.

One the reasons I was dying to see this part of Wales is due to its beautiful elevated lakes that you have to hike up to first then a further hike up another thousand meters you get a birds-eye view of the elevated lakes. We hiked up to have lunch close to the lake but as the clouds were starting to move in so we moved on to get to the Cadair Idris peak before that was totally covered in clouds. We then made another stop for a cup of tea with views of the mountains to one side and on side with views of the sea miles into the horizon. I always try and encourage visitors coming to the UK, especially if you love the outdoors, to visit not only city limits but to go beyond that as UK has some of the best landscapes out there but a lot of people don’t usually venture out past Big Ben, which is a real shame. There is so much to see and do…and Wales, as the pictures below show, will hopefully show you is just a marvel for those seeking an adventure with mother nature’s of eye-popping, mind-blowing views while climbing Snowdon. You will definitely want to stay longer and pitch up a tent to further cling to the calming surroundings before you. Who needs the city anyway when you have these views?!…

Above is Llyn Cau – A huge, dramatic glacial cwm in the crater of Cadair Idris set beneath 400m high mountain walls. (You also have to hike up to get to it. Its an elevated lake)

Climbing Snowdon | Hiking Trails To Cadair Idris Summit

This part of Snowdonia National Park is known as Cadair Idris. It lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park near the town of Dolgellau. The peak is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hikers, with classic glacial erosion features such as cwms(starting point of a glacier), moraines, striated rocks, and roches moutonnées. From what I have heard in colder months climbers come here for ice climbing too or at least with more complicated gear than a hiker.

There are several walking trails in Cadair Idris. I can’t even remember which one we took but had to change trails as the weather was starting to change and we were getting tired with another person having also sprained an ankle. The map above(in my Instagram picture), which we bought from Ellis Brigham has several options for trails. Some of which my friends took on the second day while I went solo on a more flat route along the lake. Below are some of the trails you can find, but I would highly recommend you by the map or print a few options before heading out.

Pony Path

This route, which begins in the north from either Dolgellau or the Mawddach estuary, is the easiest but the longest of the main trails. Its length from the mountain’s base is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) with a 600 metres (2,000 ft) climb.

Fox’s Path

This is the most direct way to the summit as the trail leads straight up the northern face. The 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) ascent involves a climb up a 310 metres (1,020 ft) cliff-scree face. However, this part of the Fox’s Path has been heavily eroded in recent years making the descent dangerous.

Minffordd Path

This route starts on the southern side of the mountain near the glacial Tal-y-llyn Lake. Hikers using this ascent climb past Llyn Cau and along the rim of Craig Cau (rockwall) to Penygadair. Its length is 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi) and involves two climbs of over 300 metres (980 ft).

The Reward After The Hike – The Perfect Sunset

Sunset Views From Outside Our Lakeside House Overlooking Welsh Mountains

The Drive Back To London

England On The Left and Wales On The Right

The Excitement of Realising You Are Standing In The Road That Separates Wales From England.(We found out by mistake when we got lost trying to keep our car convoy together on the way back to London )

Weekend Getaway In Seven Sisters East Sussex | Exploring South Downs Trails

October 24, 2015 by admin 4 Comments

Seven Sisters Sussex | Exploring The South Downs With YHA

Visiting the UK is not all about seeing London. If you are looking for the perfect weekend getaway from london with walking trails then Seven Sisters is one you should consider. There is more to the UK than just London, explore the countryside, take in Seven Sisters in Sussex, explore Dorset’s Durdle Door, take in beautiful mountains in Wales, and many other beautiful cities and towns around the UK.

Living in a city that never sleeps, like the bustling capital of London, one is always in short supply of peace and quiet. In addition to both my partner and I working in the IT industry with a constant jiggle for work-life balance, I always try to make our weekends as relaxed as imaginably possible. This means being creative in seeking out relaxation weekend getaways in the UK both in the country and outside.

My current favourite lately are getaways in and around the English countryside. The fact that we don’t have to go through security gates, hold miniaturised bottles of beauty products or be patted downed because an underwire bra triggered the alarm is always a plus, if we can avoid this.

When I mentioned to my partner that I was challenged to spend £100 for a weekend for both of us, he wasn’t really surprised as he as seen some of the travel deals I rustle up at crazy prices, even at short notice(check out my trip to Copenhagen where we travelled to for under £100).

We were going to be driving to one of the UK’s most beautiful coastal regions; South Downs. Remote, ravishingly beautiful landscapes of farm lands with rolling hills in the background, a national park that stretches over 100 miles and stunning beaches to boot. It was a no brainer. Of course he said yes!

Guide to exploring Seven Sisters In East Sussex. Hiking in the beautiful white chalk hills of East Sussex. Perfect weekend getaway from London. #Eastbourne #BirlingtonGap #Newhaven #Seaford #traveltip #beaches #britain #LondonGetaways #daytrip

One can come here for a day, but you really need to spend the night to really tune in and stifle out a hectic city life. We chose to stay at the YHA South Downs for its ease of access to the hiking trails, the views of farmlands and proximity to the famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs that I have been dying to see for a while now.

Not to mention, if you are coming by train, the train station is a few meters from the YHA. It was officially opened by the Queen in October 2013, it’s a great base for cheap family breaks close to traditional Sussex towns such as Lewes or Newhaven, which also has ferry connections with continental Europe. The culture of Brighton is also not far away and the great outdoors of the South Downs National Park is right on your doorstep.

Accommodation is by way of dorms, camping or cute little wooden camping pods. I used to be against hostels but they have stepped up their game in recent years that you will actually have an amazing stay without burning a hole in your pocket.

Booking.com

Exploring Seven Sisters In East Sussex - Weekend getaway from london with walking trails #Eastbourne #BirlingtonGap #Newhaven #Seaford #traveltip #beaches #britain #LondonGetaways

YHA South Downs - Foot Path /Byway instructions

Our explorations of the trails took as to the Coastguard’s cottages just before sunset. Wonderfully remote, peaceful and quiet. We had a good portion of the coastline to ourselves, bar a few dog walkers now and then. The sound of the small waves crushing as the sunset was lowering for the day, we couldn’t help but find a bench and just take it all in for a moment.

With many options for entertainment we thought of heading to Anchor Inn to rent a boat and roll around the River Ouse for an hour at a cost of £6 per adult for one hour or picnic inGlyndebourne but all of that was dashed as we settled into a picnic on the beach at Birling Gap with our very own unplanned, but free entertainment. We had two red arrows from the yearly Eastbourne air show doing their routine right in front of us. Free entertainment also meant we were within budget of our £100 spend, of which £65 went on a private room at YHA.

This left us with £35, of which £14.86 went on the evening’s take-away and eaten on the beach with sunset views. The following day we decided to head to Eastbourne and see the rest of the Airbourne show, having had a private preview.

We spent another £12.50 on seafood and ice creams on the beach as the planes took to formations in the skies. Our hearty full English on the farm converted YHA was surprisingly (but welcome)on the house! Had we paid the £10 for the breakfast we would have been over by £2.86 which is not bad if I my bargain-hunting self, can say so.

Red Arrows performing stunts at Birling Gap during our picnic on the beach.

Here you will find beautiful and tranquil beaches and if you are lucky you may even have a mile or two to yourself. There is so much to explore at Newhaven Fort, including the vast, echoing tunnels built into the chalk cliffs. Breathtaking panoramic views of the South Downs and Sussex Coast.

Guide to exploring Seven Sisters In East Sussex. Hiking in the beautiful white chalk hills of East Sussex. Perfect weekend getaway from London.

Each year Eastbourne hosts the worlds biggest free seafront airshow. We were lucky to have struck luck as our trip to East Sussexs fell on the week of the show. So it was just a matter of grabbing a spot on the beach for the show.

The RAF Red Arrows and international deplay teams do their best to entertain. I have never seen so many beautiful airplanes in one swoop! The kind of staff that is truly inspiring and clear evidence that the mind sure is a beautiful thing when we can create these beautiful and lasting machinery considering how old some of these planes are today.

Eastbourne air show | Exploring The South Downs With YHA

Eastbourne air show | Exploring East Sussex With YHA

3 Tips for Exploring South Downs and Surrounding Area:

● Lovers of hiking, cycling and walking: There are some beautiful trails along Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, with even more beautiful views so allow yourself time to stop and breath the beauty in.

● Lovers of theatre, wine and dine and leisurely exploration, there are a 3 places in the area that are a must! Glyndebourne which offers plays and shows in beautiful surroundings where you can picnic in between plays. There are two vineyards in close proximity to YHA, check out the Rathfinny Estate for wine tasting and vineyard tours. For a relaxed and day head to Anchor in and rent a boat and have a picnic on the river River Ouse.

● If you love to explore coastal towns then Seaford, Newhaven and even Eastbourne are all close by with independent little cafes offering that cosy and homely feel to them, perfect after long walks exploring the beautiful trail in South Downs.

So have you been to this part of the English coast?

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