Making tracks

Five epic new trails for the year ahead

Whether cycling or hiking, these epic new trails for 2020 are a byword for adventure

Slovenia

The new 186-mile Juliana

Trail loops around the lesserexplored, mountainous northwest of the country, bringing off-the-tourist-path spots to the fore. Not that the whole route has to be attempted in one go — the trail has been split into 10-mile stretches: some you can hike, others you can cross by train or bus, pulling in at tiny villages to refuel at family-run restaurants and holing up in off-grid mountain huts. julian-alps.com

Andorra

Come winter, the tiny landlocked state is a haven for skiing and other winter sports, but in the height of summer, Andorra becomes a walkers’ wonderland. The new Coronallacs Trail is a circular, 58-mile walking route linking Andorra’s four remote refugis guardats (mountain refuges), where hikers can bed down in hammocks or bunks. Days, meanwhile, are spent tackling tough ascents amid the spectacular scenery of the Pyrenees. Macs Adventure offers a full hike of the Coronallacs Trail on its Lakes and Mountains of Andorra trip, from £565 per person. macsadventure.com coronallacs.com

Nepal

One of the Himalayas’ bestknown regions, the Annapurna, is hardly fresh territory for trekkers, but the new Dhaulagiri Sanctuary Trek offers amateur climbers the chance to be among the first to reach Dhaulagiri South Base Camp. So remote is this trail that it’s unlikely you’ll pass any other Western hikers at all. Mountain Kingdoms’ 16-day Dhaulagiri Sanctuary Trek starts at £2,395 per person, excluding flights. mountainkingdoms.com HELEN WARWICK