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The Times (London), UK
July 13, 2013 Saturday
How to be a mountaineer for a day
by Nicholas Roe
You don't have to scale Everest or walk the Haute Route to score a big
mountain high - far easier summits offer huge rewards. Here are five
great small peaks that offer a real challenge- and all of them are
walkable within a day.
Mount Aragats Armenia
At 4,090m, Armenia's tallest mountain sounds daunting, but is no more
than a moderately hard walk lasting seven hours, starting with alpine
meadows before zigzagging up steeper paths to the volcanic peak with
views to Turkey.
How to do it
Walks Worldwide (0845 3014737, www.walksworldwide.com) has an
eight-day trek that costs from £1,499pp; flights, meals and guide
included.
Mount Teide Tenerife
This gaunt volcano in Tenerife's centre presides over a Mars-like
landscape. At 3,718m it's high enough to induce altitude sickness, but
the five-hour walk to the top, with its crater and sulphurous fumes,
is wonderful.
How to do it
There's a tiny carpark and signposted trail at the 40km mark on Route
TF21; plus a Parador hotel ten minutes' drive away within Teide
National Park (paradores-spain.com). Allow ten hours' walking; take
food, water and extra clothing. You need a permit beforehand
(http://tinyurl.com/bh79fyn) and you must carry your passport. You can
overnight at a mountain refuge half-way up
(www.telefericoteide.com/altavista) or take a cable-car and walk the
last hour with a guide (gaiatours.es).
Mount Krn Slovenia
Mount Krn's 2,244m peak offers fantastic views over the Triglav
National Park, dotted with pastures, cut by the Soca River and with
glimpses of the distant Adriatic. It takes eight taxing hours to reach
the summit and descend but the bonus is a mountain hut just below the
top selling refreshments.
How to do it
Base yourself at Bovec, 90 minutes from Ljubljana, then it's 20
minutes to the Lepena Valley, where the walk begins. Bovec guides cost
150 to 220 euros a day (socahiking.
com or trek.si). Hotel Dobra Vila Bovec has doubles from 125 euros
(dobra-vila-bovec.si).
Montagne Sainte-Victoire France
Cézanne loved this mountain so much he painted it 60 times, and it's
certainly beautiful and worth the moderate effort required to reach
the top, which is at barely more than 1,000m . There are fantastic
views over Provence. How to do it Headwater's seven-night independent,
hotel-to-hotel walk "Aix-en-Provence to the Med" begins with this
five-and-a-half-hour trek, with a 30-minute transfer from Aix. It
costs from £1,028pp including flights, B&B, and maps (0845 527 2410,
headwater.com).
Ben Nevis Scotland
Britain's highest mountain stands at 1,344m but don't sneer as the
peak offers some of the best views in the country. It's a steady,
draining walk, sometimes crowded in summer, potentially dangerous in
winter. Most will do the seven-hour trek alone, but a guide can be
useful. How to do it West Coast Mountain Guides charges £210 per
couple (01397 719120, westcoast-mountainguides.co.uk). See a route
description at walkhighlands.co.uk. Wilderness Scotland's self-guided
breaks include a trek up Ben Nevis, three nights' half-board
accommodation and maps from £480pp (01479 420020,
wildernessscotland.com). Nicholas Roe
From: A. Papazian
July 13, 2013 Saturday
How to be a mountaineer for a day
by Nicholas Roe
You don't have to scale Everest or walk the Haute Route to score a big
mountain high - far easier summits offer huge rewards. Here are five
great small peaks that offer a real challenge- and all of them are
walkable within a day.
Mount Aragats Armenia
At 4,090m, Armenia's tallest mountain sounds daunting, but is no more
than a moderately hard walk lasting seven hours, starting with alpine
meadows before zigzagging up steeper paths to the volcanic peak with
views to Turkey.
How to do it
Walks Worldwide (0845 3014737, www.walksworldwide.com) has an
eight-day trek that costs from £1,499pp; flights, meals and guide
included.
Mount Teide Tenerife
This gaunt volcano in Tenerife's centre presides over a Mars-like
landscape. At 3,718m it's high enough to induce altitude sickness, but
the five-hour walk to the top, with its crater and sulphurous fumes,
is wonderful.
How to do it
There's a tiny carpark and signposted trail at the 40km mark on Route
TF21; plus a Parador hotel ten minutes' drive away within Teide
National Park (paradores-spain.com). Allow ten hours' walking; take
food, water and extra clothing. You need a permit beforehand
(http://tinyurl.com/bh79fyn) and you must carry your passport. You can
overnight at a mountain refuge half-way up
(www.telefericoteide.com/altavista) or take a cable-car and walk the
last hour with a guide (gaiatours.es).
Mount Krn Slovenia
Mount Krn's 2,244m peak offers fantastic views over the Triglav
National Park, dotted with pastures, cut by the Soca River and with
glimpses of the distant Adriatic. It takes eight taxing hours to reach
the summit and descend but the bonus is a mountain hut just below the
top selling refreshments.
How to do it
Base yourself at Bovec, 90 minutes from Ljubljana, then it's 20
minutes to the Lepena Valley, where the walk begins. Bovec guides cost
150 to 220 euros a day (socahiking.
com or trek.si). Hotel Dobra Vila Bovec has doubles from 125 euros
(dobra-vila-bovec.si).
Montagne Sainte-Victoire France
Cézanne loved this mountain so much he painted it 60 times, and it's
certainly beautiful and worth the moderate effort required to reach
the top, which is at barely more than 1,000m . There are fantastic
views over Provence. How to do it Headwater's seven-night independent,
hotel-to-hotel walk "Aix-en-Provence to the Med" begins with this
five-and-a-half-hour trek, with a 30-minute transfer from Aix. It
costs from £1,028pp including flights, B&B, and maps (0845 527 2410,
headwater.com).
Ben Nevis Scotland
Britain's highest mountain stands at 1,344m but don't sneer as the
peak offers some of the best views in the country. It's a steady,
draining walk, sometimes crowded in summer, potentially dangerous in
winter. Most will do the seven-hour trek alone, but a guide can be
useful. How to do it West Coast Mountain Guides charges £210 per
couple (01397 719120, westcoast-mountainguides.co.uk). See a route
description at walkhighlands.co.uk. Wilderness Scotland's self-guided
breaks include a trek up Ben Nevis, three nights' half-board
accommodation and maps from £480pp (01479 420020,
wildernessscotland.com). Nicholas Roe
From: A. Papazian