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Finding your way through verdant forests and narrow mountain paths is, for many, the very essence of adventure, and a major part of many family activity holidays. There are many advantages to a hiking trip: hiking needs very little training and equipment, making it more affordable than many adventure sports. Additionally, hiking is suitable for almost all ages, and even the little ones can come along if you’re happy to carry them. And most of all, there’s just nothing as satisfying as exploring the countryside under your own steam, with nothing but your boots between you and the ground. Hiking can be done almost anywhere in the world, although mountain ranges have proved enduringly popular among hikers. The Alps attract a huge number of climbers and hikers every year, and one of our favourite regions to visit for a walking holiday would have to be the Dolomites. The Dolomites The Dolomite mountain range is legendarily picturesque. Located within the Italian Alps, the landscape ranges from gentle, lush valleys to near-vertical jagged rock faces. As well as a varied appearance, the region offers myriad hikes of varying difficulty, able to accommodate the most experienced walkers as well as those seeking some gentler family activity holidays. In summer, the weather is typically sunny and mild, making for optimal hiking conditions. The region’s popularity as a hiking spot means that hikers are very well catered to: the region is full of rifugi, mountain cabins where you can get a good, hot meal and a cosy bed for the night. In fact, plenty of people undertake multi-day hikes, spending each evening at a different rifugio, although before doing this make sure to plan your route carefully. Snowshoeing In the winter months, the Dolomites receive significant snowfall, and indeed the region is popular among skiers. If you’re hoping to explore on foot, we’d recommend incorporating snowshoeing into any family activity holidays you plan in the region. Snowshoeing is essentially hiking, but you use snowshoes to walk on top of the snow rather than trying to force a path through it. Not only does this save energy, but there’s a certain sense of ethereality and peace to be found in gliding over the top of a thick snow layer. If you’re travelling with children, they’ll absolutely love being able to walk on top of deep snowfall, surrounded by magnificent, snow-accentuated mountains. The area’s popularity among skiers also means that you can use the gondolas (you can use them even outside the skiing season) to cut time and distance off your hikes, meaning that you’re not limited to a certain radius of your base: especially valuable if you’re travelling with younger children who may not have the stamina for long hikes. The Dolomites are a wonderful place to go hiking, but they’re far from the only one. You can hike almost anywhere, and family activity holidays are a fantastic opportunity to go off the beaten track and explore your own itinerary. Richard Edwards is the Managing Director of Summit & Blue, an adventure holiday company offering independently crafted family activity holidays to exciting destinations around the world, including France, Italy, Portugal, the USA and Canada. With unique itineraries and exciting activities like biking, hiking, white water rafting and canoeing, we create holidays for those looking for an experience a little more off the beaten track.
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