Our snowy natural adventures are a pure tonic for those who love to hike rather than hibernate in winter. They are at the other end of the snowy spectrum to downhill skiing and are all about going slow in the snow. Winter walks are not all for hardcore adventurers either, but categorised as easy or moderate, often following snowy trails that local people have trodden for generations. However, it is recommended that you have some winter walking, snowshoe and crampon experience to make the most of these trails. Trails where you might see nothing but deer tracks in the forests of the Făgăraș Mountains or a fleeting glance of a ptarmigan in the Dolomites, whose feathers turn completely white in winter as camouflage. You too can merge with nature on one of our snowshoeing and winter walking holidays. We still just have a flurry of such adventures at the moment, but watch this snowy space for more in future..
“The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.”
Robert Frost, Stopping by woods on a snowy evening
Winter walking in the Dolomites, Italy
These are a bit like the godfathers of Italy’s natural heritage, watching over the country from a craggy, majestic northern throne. And the Dolomites don handsome, white cloaks in winter too, as you will see on our Dolomites winter walking holiday, which takes place between January and March. Walk in the snowy shadow of the UNESCO-listed Three Peaks (Drei Zinnen), which envelop the valleys of Sesto and Braies where you get to walk on winter trails. On this trip, you also get to trek up to the summit of Strudelkopf, also known as Monte Specie (2,307m), from where you get great views of the Drei Zinnen peaks and many more. This is one of the best natural Christmas cakes you could imagine.
“The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.”
Robert Frost, Stopping by woods on a snowy evening
Transylvanian Alps, Romania
If squeezing into busy bars and packed pistes in Tignes or the Trois Vallés doesn’t appeal, Transylvania may well do the trick this winter. The Transylvanian Alps is the popular name for Romania’s Făgăraș Mountains, as they are in the beating heart of this historic central Romanian region. Your heart may skip a beat too when you see it, especially in winter, with multiple white peaks of over 2,500m. On our winter walking holiday it’s more about snowshoeing than summiting, however, crampons over cols, but you still need to have significant winter walking experience to take on this one. Especially when you hike to the likes of Vânătarea lui Buteanu (2,507m), starting out from one of its other glacially gorgeous spots at Balea Lake and Waterfall. You also get to spend time in the traditional Transylvanian cities of Sibiu and Brașov on this winter walking holiday.
Snowshoeing in Finland
Snowshoeing is just one of many winter wonderland fun that you embrace on our outdoor extravaganza in Finland, a centre-based tour, packed with adventures all on the doorstep of where you are staying. Your base for this winter week is a small, lakeside hotel, just 3km from Kuhmo, in the east of Finland, and gateway to Finland’s Wild Taiga region, the vast subarctic forests of the north. Your trip gets off to a high, learning to cross-country ski, soon to be followed by snowshoeing, husky sledding and a snowmobile safari, all fully guided.
For more information on winter holidays, you may enjoy our blogs on Cross-country skiing holidays and Winter sun walking holidays. Don’t let winter stop you walking.
