The Lofoten Islands were on my radar for decades – long before drool-worthy Instagram photos made an appearance. It all started with a slide show (remember those?) put on by a kayaking company in Boulder, Colorado. While we never did kayak, I think you’ll find this 7-day Lofoten Islands itinerary with a hiking focus has wide appeal. We had planned and booked a trip to the Lofoten Islands for August 2020. You know the rest of the story. It took us another three years to get here – and fortunately our seven-day itinerary in the Lofoten Islands lived up to our high expectations. Our three week tr ..read more

I love camping especially in the backcountry when I don’t have a cell signal – but scoring campsites – whether front country or backcountry – is getting harder with every passing year. Tourists are nothing new, but COVID showed the locals how much fun it was to be outdoors. Most recently Alberta has seen a surge in population growth. All of these factors combine to increase the pressure on the already limited number of campsites. Want to be spontaneous on a summer weekend with a great weather forecast? Read on for my tips on how to get campsites without a reservation in Alberta. TIP: Bring sma ..read more

One of the less well-know hikes in the Sedona area is the short Schuerman Mountain trail. The trail ascends to a viewpoint at the edge of an ancient volcano overlooking the full expanse of Sedona and Oak Creek. You can knock this out and back hike off in an hour. The Schuerman Mountain trail is quiet, so parking is easy and you won’t see many people. It’s a great hike to do around sunset as you’ll enjoy some grand scenery from the viewpoint, especially of Cathedral Rock lit up. This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I will receive ..read more

One of the most popular trails in Sedona, Arizona is the Soldier Pass Trail – Soldier Pass cave combination. The trail takes you past some of the top Sedona landmarks including the Devil’s Kitchen sinkhole and the Seven Sacred Pools on route to Soldier Pass. The Soldier Pass trail is perfect for families, beginner hikers, and dogs (take lots of water for them) – really anyone who loves hiking in Sedona’s spectacular red rock country. This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra c ..read more

Hike the Bear Mountain Trail in Sedona if you’re looking for a challenge. It’s the second highest point in Sedona County (6,463 feet), so you are assured of a workout, especially as the trail climbs close to 2,000 feet in just 2.5 miles. As official trail #54 in Coconino National Forest, you will benefit from good signage and trail markings, including white blazes painted on slick rock or the occasional cairn. We had absolutely no problem with route finding. Even though the Bear Mountain trail is steep, its broken up with short flatter sections where you can catch your breath. It’s also a colo ..read more

Years ago, I came across a post on the McGillivray Canyon hike and filed it away as a hike that looked interesting. And what a unique hike it turned out to be! The trail takes you from the parking lot near the noisy Trans-Canada Highway, through pretty woods with dappled light to the edge of McGillivray Canyon. A climb ensues followed by a steep descent – that can be challenging in winter. There’s about a 300-metre stretch with exposure where you really don’t want to fall. But once in the canyon, the hiking is easy, and the experience of walking past steep canyon walls is glorious. McGillivray ..read more

Cozy log cabins in Banff are perfect for romantics and those of you looking to reconnect with nature. The rustic charm of the Banff log cabins described below harken back to a simpler time when you didn’t rush back from a day outside to check your phone. In many cases you won’t be able to – so instead, take advantage of the spectacular scenery offered by the Canadian Rockies – and curl up instead with your significant other or a good book by a roaring fire. At night enjoy the golden glow of the Banff log cabins, especially in winter, when you know you’re in a safe, warm place. Take advantage o ..read more

The Rocky Mountain National Parks including Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay are not the only places with mind-blowing backpacking experiences in the Canadian Rockies. Head to Kananaskis Country and check out this range of amazing backpacking trips that will appeal to everyone from first time backpackers to families to seasoned backpackers who are comfortable on airy ridge hikes. For those of us that live in the Calgary – Canmore corridor, most of the trailheads are just 6o t0 90 minutes away. And many of the campsites you’ll want to book are easier to score than the ones in national parks. Mo ..read more

Hiking on Gran Canaria was better than I expected. However, what I didn’t realize before we visited was what a popular and busy island it is. Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, has a population of almost 400,000 and it’s a favoured cruise ship destination. Fortunately, on arrival we headed immediately to Cruz de Tejeda in the north – where there are lots of small towns and villages but no big centres. Agaete, a port and the biggest town we visited is home to only 5,500 people. Although the hiking is varied and often very beautiful, I don’t think it’s quite as good as hiking on La Gomera ..read more

Kananaskis Country in Alberta is home to the Blackshale Suspension Bridge, located on the southern section of the 80-kilometre High Rockies Trail that stretches from the Goat Creek parking area above Canmore to Elk Pass on the border with British Columbia. The addition of the suspension bridge increases the fun factor for hikers and mountain bikers alike and provides a more direct route along the High Rockies Trail. There are a couple of ways to hike to the Blackshale Suspension Bridge – the longer official 6.0 km return hike starting from the parking lot at Black Prince Cirque and the short a ..read more