Three splendid hikes
Explore majestic fjords in Norway and the forests of an Ionian island. Jasper Spires reports
Exploring Middle Earth
“Norway’s central-west coast, and the Sunnmøre region in particular, is dense with the kind of glaciers and waterfalls, perennial woodland and remote woodhouse villages that tend to crop up in the mind’s eye when Middle-earth is invoked,” says Maria Shollenbarger in the Financial Times. It’s a supremely romantic exploring destination. “Norwegian private-travel and adventure designers at 62°Nord know this terrain well, and create multi-day hikes and on-foot explorations of all levels,” weaving from the peaks of mountains to the quaint hamlet towns dotting the peninsula. In particular, the town of Øye is seeing the old Hotel Union Øye grandly renovated in 2022, looking to open later in the year to serve as an opulent hub for hikers between exploits. The hotel has been a famous spot for European royalty for generations. Rates to be confirmed, see unionoye.no/en
The most charming hotel in Wales
“Surrounded by 26 acres of woodlands and meadows, with the Preseli Hills just visible in the distance on clear days, The Grove in Narberth is without doubt one of Wales’s most charming hotels,” says Hayley Maitland in Vogue. An idyllic spring escape, Pembrokeshire offers a wealth of places to hike and explore on foot, from the nearby hills to glorious beaches, “from Presipe Bay, with its fossil-studded sandstone cliffs, to Church Doors Cove, formerly the province of smugglers”. For the most adventurous guests, you can even take a ferry to Ramsey Island, and catch a glimpse of the local wildlife, including peregrine falcons and seals. The Grove itself offers arts and crafts-inspired rooms, roaring log fires, fragrant walled gardens to stroll in and deep roll-top baths to ease aching limbs. It also has a three-rosette restaurant in The Fernery, serving up locally inspired dishes, while the quirky Artisan Rooms offers a more relaxed dining experience. From £240 a night. See thegrove-narberth.co.uk
A trek through the forests of Ithaca
“There’s a little-visited Ionian island to the north [of Greece] where tourism is much less developed and the atmosphere altogether more peaceful,” says Oliver Smith in The Telegraph. Ithaca, where according to myth Penelope awaited the return of Odysseus from the Trojan wars, allows latter-day explorers to take in the best of Greece’s iconic seaside landscapes without the hustle and bustle of tourists. “You can hike through wonderful forests of pine trees and cypresses to half-empty villages such as Kioni and Anogi. Discover deserted pebble beaches, churches and monasteries, and then dine at Ageri, in the little port of Frikes, a contender for the best restaurant in Greece.” Stay at the Perantzada 1811 hotel, overlooking the “sparkling” Vathi harbour. Around €135 a night, see perantzadahotel.com