THE GOLIATH EXPEDITION. A DECADES-LONG JOURNEY

In 1998, former British paratrooper Karl Bushby began a journey around the world on foot, dubbed the "Goliath Expedition," from Punta Arenas in the southern tip of Chile to his hometown of Hull, England. He made it a point to make the journey entirely on his own, without any means of transport. One of the most challenging sections of his journey was the swampy Darien Gap on the border of Central and South America. Bushby became the first person to cross the Bering Strait on foot and by swimming without any means of flotation (2006). In 2024, he swam across most of the Caspian Sea, a journey that took 31 days (resting on a boat at night, then resuming the journey in the morning). Bushby plans to complete his journey this year, having covered 58,000 kilometers.

Yes, you might argue, but he was 29 years old when he began the expedition. How about this: Emma (Grandma) Gatewood, the first woman to solo hike the 3,540-kilometer Appalachian Trail, which runs through 14 states in the eastern United States, from Georgia to Maine. She was 67 at the time. Or George "Billy Goat" Woodward, who has been hiking since he was 49: by the age of 77, he had hiked over 50,000 kilometers, completing the Pacific Crest Trail (4,265 kilometers) eight times, which stretches along the west coast of the United States from Mexico to Canada, covering California, Oregon, and Washington. All this proves that hiking is an endeavor to which one can devote years of one's life. Or it can be a short vacation or a couple of hours. Hiking trails exist everywhere in the world, for every taste and fitness level. After all, the Pacific Trail is divided into 29 "climbing" stages. Like any long-distance route, really.

The famous Nietzsche Trail on the Côte d'Azur. The paths trodden by Mark Twain in the Swiss Alps and Heidelberg. Romantics of the past who strolled through the countryside, lost in their dreams, and pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago or Kumano Kodo. Modern-day hikers who rack up the miles for health or to admire the views from the Lycian Way in Turkey or the Sentiero del Viandante near Lake Como. There's a huge variety of trail formats, routes, and difficulty levels. Along the way, you can discover a country beyond the tourist hotspots. For example, in Greece, Zagori, in the Pindus Mountains on the border with Albania. Getting there is like exploring 600 years of history. Even the largest of the 46 villages in the UNESCO-protected Zagori region have a population of no more than 100.

A road was built here only half a century ago, and the central areas are still served by trails used by shepherds, traders, pilgrims, and farmers since the 15th century. Plane trees were planted at the same time, and they still tower over the village squares. Observant hikers can stumble upon fascinating finds, such as those made by Claudia Steffensen, who in 2023, while hiking in the Italian Alps, discovered footprints of animals that inhabited the planet before dinosaurs, 280 million years ago. This was determined by scientists, who have repeatedly demonstrated the health benefits of hiking. It's no coincidence that Palazzo Fiuggi considers hiking one of the keys to longevity. Creative individuals, meanwhile, see it as a source of inspiration and consider a love of walking part of their genetic makeup. And how could it be otherwise, after all, as humanity, we were once nomads.

RECORD-BREAKING ROUTES
Hiking trails are everywhere: in national parks in the US and Canada, in Patagonia, and on the Scandinavian Peninsula. In Western Europe, a network of 12 routes has been developed: the E1 runs from the North Cape in northern Norway to Sicily, the E2 connects Inverness in Scotland and Nice, the E4 runs from Tarifa on the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar to Cyprus, and the E8 runs from Ireland to Turkey. Any of these routes can be broken down into sections, such as a hike across Cyprus from Paphos to Larnaca.

Similar initiatives exist on other continents. The Trans-Canada Trail spans all of Canada's territories, provinces, and three coasts, offering opportunities for hiking, biking, jogging, horseback riding, canoeing, and, in winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest hiking trail, connects 500 waterfalls along its route from Niagara Falls to Bruce Peninsula National Park on the shores of Lake Huron. New Zealand's Te Araroa ("The Long Way"), a 3,000-kilometer trail, runs through the North and South Islands. France's HexaTrek, a similarly long route, stretches from the Vosges Mountains in the country's northeast to the Pyrenees, linking 14 national parks. The Via Dinarica trails run through the Dinaric Alps across Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, and Macedonia. The "White Trail" winds through mountain peaks, the "Blue Trail" along the Adriatic coast, and the "Green Trail" through forests.

TRAILS BY INTEREST
As mentioned earlier, there are hiking trails for every taste and level of difficulty. Hiking in Germany, you can discover fairytale castles. The "Rota Vicentina" (Fisherman's Trail) on the west coast of Portugal offers breathtaking ocean views. In Norway, you can whale watch or climb the world's longest wooden staircase, consisting of 4,444 steps, above the fjords! In Swedish Lapland, you can see the midnight sun in the summer and the Northern Lights in early autumn. In the Nordic countries, there are Viking trails, and in Tuscany, you can retrace the filming locations of Gladiator. The Nakasendo Samurai Trail in Japan harks back to the Edo period, connecting 69 post towns over a distance of 534 km and forests. Sri Lanka recently launched the Pekoe Tea Trail – the country's first long-distance trail (300 km): from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya in the central highlands. Its 22 sections are united by the theme of tea, but each has its own unique charm: a colonial-era cricket club, vibrant statues of deities, Anglican churches, picturesque waterfalls or breathtaking distant panoramas, pine or healing eucalyptus forests.

Hong Kong's Dragon's Back Trail, one of Asia's most beautiful urban walks, winds through the hills above the coast, offering views of the southern part of the island and the coastline. You can finish the walk with a swim or surfing in Big Wave Bay. Starting next year, the 849-kilometer Dongseo Trail will be available to cross South Korea from the west to the south coast. Currently, 17 of the 55 stages of this route are accessible. The route passes through dozens of key cities, introducing visitors to their history, cultural, and religious heritage, and offering the opportunity to relax in forests and on magical beaches.