Our top tough walks

We categorise our tough walks as strenuous, walking between eight to ten hours a day, often in elevated and exposed regions. Those are the tangibles. The intangibles are elation and satisfaction, escapism and individualism – just a few of the feelings one can experience on epic walking trails. Just as you may experience four seasons in a day while trekking on the Isle of Skye, you can go from daunted to delirious within minutes on Corsica’s GR20 or on Mount Toubkal. If you’re feeling ready for an adventurous challenge, the majority of which are guided by local experts, here are our top toughies, but always goodies.

Corsica’s GR20, France

Corsica is, in many ways, like a natural kingdom all of its own, its colossal peaks towering over the Mediterranean, 170km from the French mainland. Its crowning glory for hikers is the GR20 trail, which takes both training and a good head for heights. GR stands for Grandes Randonnées walking trails, a network covering over 35,000km of waymarked ways in France. The GR20 is considered one of the toughest, but you are rewarded with some of France’s most exquisite elevated landscapes, such as the route between Vizzavona to Calvi on the north coast where you have to really work out to bliss out. Most of our GR20 tours are self-guided, with the exception of this guided one, which is also open to solo travellers, and all of these tours are available between June and September. You may also enjoy our blog on GR routes in France. For more information, see our GR20 blog.

Lac de Capitellu on the GR20 trail, Corsica.

Mount Toubkal, Morocco

The local name is Jebel Toubkal, and its towering summit is just 60km from Marrakech. Toubkal is a strenuous hike with a fair amount of scrambling involved and takes two days to ascend and descend. The first day involves a hike up from Imlil through Mizane Valley to Mouflons Toubkal Refuge (3,207m), where the snowline begins, depending on the time of year. You start your ascent before dawn, clambering over rocks and scree to the pinnacle at 4,167m, with views across the Atlas to the Atlantic. As well as getting an opportunity to hike through Berber heritage, which is a joy in itself, this trip is also excellent value for money and available all year round. They are also fully guided and open to solo travellers.

The Skye Trail, Scotland

The Isle of Skye is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides archipelago and a bit like a microcosm of the mainland’s natural highlights, with its lochs, rugged peninsulas and valleys wrapped around the foothills of its mountainous interior. The Skye Trail goes the length of the island along the eastern side, passing through some of the best hiking areas of the island, including Black and Red Cuillin, Trotternish Ridge, Loch Coruisk, and Skye’s most northerly point, Rubha Hunish. This is a challenging Caledonian adventure over nine days and one that requires plenty of wild walking experience. With tours available between June and September, if it’s wilderness you’re after, the Skye’s the limit.

The Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. If it’s wilderness you’re after, the Skye’s the limit.

Tour du Mont Blanc circuit

Unlike the climbs to the summit of Mont Blanc, which we don’t offer at The Natural Adventure, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a circumference of the mountain and not a technical climb. However it is one of our tough walks, especially on our classic Tour du Mont circuit, staying mostly in mountain huts. This is the traditional 12 day, anti-clockwise Tour du Mont Blanc circuit, starting and ending at the village of Les Houches in the Chamonix Valley. Highlights along the way include crossing Col de la Seigne from France into Italy, reaching the tour’s highest point at Fenêtre d’Arpette (2,750m) followed by a descent alongside the Trient Glacier. In general, you walk anything from five to nine hours a day, or 11-18km, and trek every day for ten days. There are ascents every day too varying from 500m and 1,200m, depending on the day. So, it’s all about endurance really, but with so much enjoyment along the way. For all our Tour du Mont Blanc options, see here.

Aconcagua, Argentina

Aconcagua is actually the highest trekking peak in the world (6,960m), as you don’t need technical climbing skills, and it is also considered one of the planet’s most spectacular treks. Walk for 18 days with a small group, guided by a team of mountain experts on a seriously strenuous but extraordinary journey. Located in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes, close to the border with Chile, you trek on what’s called the Normal Route, although there is nothing banal about this beauty. The tour is available between November and February, we build in plenty of acclimatisation and contingency days on our itinerary, where the focus is on safety, as well as spectacular views such as from Plaza Francia (4,000m), Nido de Condores (5,560m) and of course the great summit itself.

Trekking on Aconcagua Mountain, Horcones Valley, Argentina.

South West Coast Path, England

This is a coastal spectacle on steroids, and also the UK’s longest walking trail at over 1,000km that clings to the coasts of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. It’s a piñata of peninsulas, a celebration of coves and joined up thinking at its most joyous. The South West Coast Path national trail is also one of the most outstanding walking adventures in England, with our self-guided tours taking you along five segments of the Path. It’s the section between Westward Ho! and Padstow that’s the toughest for many, however, with some stupendous but strenuous undulations and valleys, and definitely one for strong knees and walking poles. Especially covering 12-19km each day. But the headland and remote coastal views are regular rewards, as is the pretty fishing town of Padstow, where the trail comes to a close. For more information on all the sections, see our South West Coast Path blog.

Tintagel is one of many treats along the walk to Padstow on the South West Coast Path.

The Snowman Trek, Bhutan

Trekking in Bhutan doesn’t get more tremendous than this. It’s also our longest trekking holiday – a month of pure mountain magnificence. The Snowman Trek gives you an opportunity to enjoy the Himalayan highs over a long period of time and really immerse yourself in their greatness. It’s a clockwise circuit around Jigme Dorji National Park and the ten main passes that form a natural border with Tibet. You start off taking the same route as the Jomolhari Base Camp trek but then continue with daily pass challenges such as to Gubu La (4,420m), Jere La (4,750m) or Shingela (5,010m), and valley descents with great sights such as Teri Kang glacier. The tour is available between March and May, September and November.

Hadrian’s Wall in four days, England

Most people choose to take it easy along Hadrian’s Wall, England’s historic Roman ramble of 135km between Newcastle on the North Sea and the Solway Firth on the Irish Sea over ten days. However, Hadrian’s Wall Challenge is more of a race than a ramble, taking only four days. Many of our more experienced hikers use this as a practice run for a much longer expedition. There are no steep ascents and descents, but you do cover some colossal ground, including the spectacular terrain of Northumberland National Park. Walk between 29-39km each day, self-guided with luggage transfers, and stay in a mix of B&Bs, guesthouses or 3-star hotels. This trip is available between March and October and is open to solo travellers. For all our other Hadrian’s Wall tours, see here.

Crag Lough in Northumberland National Park, just one of many places to conquer along Hadrian’s Wall Path.

Our walking holidays come in all shapes and sizes, and this blog only scratches the surface. You may also want to check out our walking holidays, which are categorised as moderate to strenuous. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information. If you enjoyed reading this, do check out our blogs on How to prepare for a hiking trip or Staying in a mountain hut on walking holidays and Hiking safety tips for mountain landscapes.