The Michinoku Coastal Trail (MCT) is a newly-created long distance trail on Honshu’s northeast coast in Japan. It has immediately become one of Christine’s favorites among all of the trails she has ever hiked, and gave her many new experiences. The MCT’s 1000+ KM can be thru-hiked, but frequent access to train lines and towns also make logistics extremely easy, it is ideal for section-hiking. The coastline is spectacularly beautiful, but this trail’s cultural value is also very deep. Traveling through the region that was devastated by Japan’s 2011 tsunami, the MCT is simultaneously a memorial ..read more

In March 2023, Vladimir Eremeev accomplished a great feat: he was the first person to ever complete the Everglades Challenge in a Pacific Proa, which he designed and built himself. A Pacific Proa has no bow, and uses different concepts to sail than any other boat. Vlad has a history of accomplishing great things in unorthodox boats. Join us as he explains what led him to these boats and how he has done it. #evergladeschallenge #raid #adventurerace #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #pacificproa #proa #catamaran #multihull ..read more

Japan’s Kumano Kodo is a 1300-year-old network of sacred pilgrimage routes through remote mountains and along a beautiful coastline. The Kumano Kodo’s sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain Range are registered with UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Kohechi is the second most remote and most difficult of the Kumano Kodo’s routes. Although it passes through remote, sacred mountains, the Kohechi is still accessible by public transportation and one can stay in pleasant lodges every night. The Kohechi takes 4 days or less to complete. All of the Kumano Kodo’s routes are extraord ..read more

The Trails Around the World podcast will be on hiatus this summer. I am already working on new episodes, and I will return in the Fall ..read more

The Haute Route Pyrenees (HRP) runs along the spine of the less-crowded of Western Europe’s two major mountain ranges, between France and Spain. Stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, the HRP is one of three long distance trails traversing this range, with the GR10 and GR11 providing less challenging alternatives with their own charms. With spectacular vistas, deep history, and ancient villages along the whole route, this is a trail that speaks to my soul. #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #thruhiking #enigma #pyrenees #hauteroutepyrenees #GR10 #GR11 #dill.on.dice ..read more

Southern islands have long distance trails that can be hiked during the winter.  Christine Thuermer describes hiking on Crete and the Canary Islands during the winter season.  Both have stunning scenery as well as beautiful beaches. #christinethuermer #christinethurmer  #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #crete #hiking #canaryislands #winterhiking #thruhiking #wintervacation ..read more

The Northwest Territories’ Canol Heritage Trail has spectacular scenery and wildlife, as well as interesting historical significance.  220 miles/350 kilometers long, it takes about 3 weeks to hike, and is the most remote and challenging long distance hiking trail that this podcast has ever discussed.  It is normally accessed by bush plane.  J. Robert Harris hiked this trail in 1997, and wrote about it in his book “Way Out There: Adventures of a Wilderness Trekker”.  Check it out on the latest podcast episode of Trails Around the World, available on most podcast platforms or ..read more

Greg Stamer circumnavigated Iceland and Newfoundland by Kayak, and has succeeded expeditions and adventures in his life.  We discuss his expeditions, how he fits adventure into his life, and how one prepares for such expeditions and adventures. #GregStamer #Kayaking#trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #Iceland #Newfoundland #paddling #circumnavigation ..read more

Steve and Ginny set off on an adventure, and kept going for five years.  In a small boat, they went from the United States down the entire coast of Central America.  Then they penetrated the rivers of South America, crossed the equator, and crossed the majority of the South American continent’s interior river system north to south, then again south to north.  Encountering many varied places and cultures, they even had a baby along the way.  Stephen Ladd, known for his earlier book “Three Years in a 12 Foot Boat” about an epic voyage in the 1990s, has just published his late ..read more

Japan’s Kumano Kodo is a 1300-year-old network of sacred pilgrimage routes through remote mountains and along a beautiful coastline.  The Kumano Kodo’s sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain Range are registered with UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.  The Omine Okugake is the most remote and most difficult of the Kumano Kodo’s routes.  Traversing the region’s highest peaks, the Omine Okugake’s difficulty is such that it takes 6-10 days to walk it’s 100 km (60 miles).  There are no resupply-points-- one must carry enough food to last the entire route.  Al ..read more