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In retrospect, it’s surprising trail running took as long to catch on as it did. The sport offers the same basic form of exercise as road running, with the benefit of more natural and tranquil scenery. Many trail runners report finding the experience simultaneously more meditative and more mentally engaging, perhaps down to the fact your brain has to stay occupied hopping tree roots and skirting around rocks. Others are drawn in for purely practical reasons — running on trails can spare your knees and joints the strain of pounding pavement. Whatever the reason, the popularity of trail running has grown exponentially in the last few years.

If trail running hasn’t caught on in your area yet, now’s a good time to get in on it. Good routes are well-documented online, and organized races are becoming more common if you appreciate a little company. Starting out takes little more than a pair of shoes and a water bottle. Just know that the distances covered are typically shorter than a comparable road run in order to account for the more rugged terrain. Remember too that walking steeper sections is totally par for the course in this sport, so no need to knock yourself out sprinting uphill.

That might be all you need to trail run local parks and fire roads, but once you start getting ambitious it’s best to gear up. Outdoor companies now offer a wide variety of trail running shoes optimized for certain types of terrain. A trail running shoe differs from a traditional running shoe in that the firmer sole protects the feet from jagged rocks, and materials on the whole are more durable. Cleats or “lugs” on the sole provide added grip in dirt and mud. You’ll want to choose the exact length of lug based on where you’re headed – the deeper the lug the better the traction, but it’ll feel like overkill on smoother trails. There are other nuances to choosing the right trail running shoe, such as the amount of cushioning and whether the rubber is optimized for gripping rocks, but those are best covered by a specialist during a fitting.

As an adventure tourism company, we’re most interested in discovering exciting trails to run. The good news is that virtually all our hiking tours adapt well to trail running. We can also create custom guided trail running programs in Italy and Croatia for groups of six or more. This could be an incredibly exciting way to experience a place like Cinque Terre, where your runner’s rhythm will be regularly punctuated by sea views and olive groves. Practically speaking, you could also use trail running as a means to pack more into a shorter amount of time. You could experience our favourite stretch of Ireland’s Western Way in fewer than the typical hiker’s eight days, for instance, without sacrificing the stunning cliffside vistas of Connemara or evening pub stops in legend-rich County Mayo.

If the idea of taking in a destination from a fresh perspective appeals to you, or you’d simply like to cover more ground in less time, do reach out. We can go over the finer details, such as whether the elevations of a particular route are suited to your goals or when you’re most likely to hit the ideal running weather. Just drop us a line at 800-960-2221 or email info@pure-adventures.com and we’ll have you breezing down the trail in no time.

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First of all, remember it’s a good idea to get a teen’s input on what they’re looking for in a vacation. Since Pure Adventures tours are self-guided, we have a lot of leeway to customize the schedule to a traveler’s unique preferences. For active families, our multisport tours offer a great deal of variety and can be adjusted to include more of a favourite hobby: hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, etc. This can be an excellent option if your teens enjoy a challenge and pushing for new achievements. Not all kids are sports junkies, obviously, so customizing a trip may be a matter of including a destination that interests them, adding special meals to the menu, or simply budgeting in unstructured time.

Whatever route you choose, travel at a young age can be life-changing. Here are our top picks for a memorable family vacation.

France Loire Royal Valley Cycling Tour

We recommend the Royal Valley cycling tour for its well-balanced characteristics. The cycling distances are approximately forty kilometres per day, a satisfying length that most occasional cyclists can handle. The terrain is flat to gently rolling, and enlivened by impressive castles. A duration of five nights and six days, and good pricing on mid-range lodging, make it easy to keep the budget manageable.

The tour begins in the town of Amboise. There the museum at Clos Lucé, where Leonardo Da Vinci spent the last years of his life, has a selection of engaging, interactive displays. Or book a kayak trip around Castle Chenonceau for a unique perspective on one of the region’s most beautiful chateaus. History can be a hard sell for kids, but you might get some traction by introducing them to the story of Joan of Arc, whose campaign is commemorated at spots throughout the Loire Valley. The Château de Blois, which this tour visits on Day Four, also has many tales of intrigue and assassination to fire the imagination.

Italy – Dolomites To Lake Garda Cycling Tour

Despite beginning in the impressive Dolomites mountain range, this is a relatively easy tour thanks to a route that runs mostly downhill along bike paths. Scenic small towns provide numerous points of interest, not to mention classic Italian cuisine highly appealing to adventurous foodies without being alienating to a fussy eater.

Day Two of the tour takes you past Lake Resia, where the eerie sight of a semi-submerged tower jutting from the water will fascinate visitors young and old. Cycling through medieval alleyways near beautiful Lake Garda is also an incredible sensory experience and a gift to any teen who hasn’t yet been exposed to Europe’s centuries of history.

Italy – Sicily Mt Etna & Aeolian Islands Hiking

If your young traveler has any interest in hiking, this is a very solid choice. Adventure seekers and budding naturalists will enjoy the bragging rights that come with climbing Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Teens who appreciate novelty might also be intrigued to hear they’ll be shuttling between islands by hydrofoil. You can reassure them they’ll be seeing more than just pretty landscapes — hikes take you past steaming volcanic fumaroles and along the famous black beaches of the Island of Vulcano. Adults will probably be drawn to the Sicilian coffee and the ancient theatre of Taormina, which dates to the 3rd century BC.

Just be advised that the trails in this region isn’t easy, so everyone involved should be prepared for a physical challenge.

Italy – Sardinia Private Self Guided Bike Tour

Beaches! The Mediterranean waters are the big draw here, long sandy beaches complemented by high cliffs and Spanish watchtowers. You’ll visit tiny fishing villages, see pink flamingos gathered at ponds, and eat the freshest seafood possible. Some of the day’s rides are fairly challenging, but we can alter the itinerary for family looking to get ride distances down in favour of activities like enjoying gelato beachside.

Final Thoughts

Again, our approach to tourism allows for a high degree of personalization. With a few tweaks, one of our Vietnam tours could be a terrific all-ages cultural experience. The Croatia Bike & Kayak Tour might appeal to an athletically minded teen. We’ve also recently added two Ecuador/Galapagos tours to our roster of trips, sure to tempt to the animal lovers in your crew. Whatever the destination, if you’re curious about how to make a trip accessible and appealing just reach out with questions — call us at 800-960-2221, or email info@pure-adventures.com.

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We are both back home after our tour and reminiscing about our cycle days in Italy. Every single detail and question was handled so professionally by everyone involved. We would not have changed a single detail on our itinerary, everything was perfect and the cooking classes an absolute highlight!

I speak for both of us when I say you should list our itinerary as a permanent tour on your website, absolute winner!

You will soon be hearing from our envious friends for bookings!

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In North America, we tend to use “walk” in the same way we’d use “stroll” – a relatively easy excursion, usually along paved roads. We reserve the term “hike” for a more challenging trek through rugged terrain. The UK and the Republic of Ireland, however, use “walk” to describe any trip on foot, whether it’s to the corner shop or up the mountainside. Particularly if you’re talking to an older person, you may also hear the terms hillwalking, rambling, or fellwalking. When you get a hot tip at the pub about a lovely walk nearby, don’t set out in sandals until you’ve asked a few followup questions about length, difficulty, etc.

For instance, the tallest of the Connemara Mountains in Ireland, which we pass through on our Hiking the Western Way tour, reaches a maximum elevation of nearly 2,400 feet. Local guides may refer to the climb as a walk, or at most a “hard walk” or “hill walk.” All the same you’ll definitely want to bring hiking boots. Even less challenging stretches of trail may require appropriate preparations and footwear if the distances warrant. Especially at higher elevations, sunny weather can turn windy or misty on fairly short notice.

So how best to prepare for a day or more of walking, Irish or UK style? Hiking boots as opposed to shoes will give you the best ankle support and be suitable for the broadest range of conditions. If you don’t intend to carry a ton of gear, though, you won’t need the stiffest, heaviest variety available, backpacking boots. Some hikers even prefer lightweight, low-cut trail runners for the comfort and speed they offer. Either way a good fit is very important, so when shopping around make sure you try your intended pair on at the end of the day after your feet have had time to swell, and while you’re wearing the type of sock you intend to bring with you. Avoid choosing a pair so tight they chafe, as you should still have room to wiggle your toes. Speaking of socks, those need to fit well too in order to avoid blistering. Choose a thickness appropriate for the season – thick enough to give you some comfy cushioning, but not so thick as to be sweltering on a warm day. Merino wool is the go-to material for most hikers, sometimes blended with synthetics for durability and faster drying.

The standard outdoorsperson advice also applies to hiking in the UK, of course. Layering a t-shirt, fleece top, and jacket allows you to peel off as you warm up or stay toasty when the weather turns. A brimmed hat and sunscreen will probably leave you feeling less fatigued at the end of the day, and a spare pair of socks never hurt. Snacks, water, and a fully charged phone are reassuring additions to any pack. Just be aware that cell reception can be spotty on some stretches of trail, so it’s always best practice to download map data in advance or bring a good old-fashioned paper map along.

Lastly, if you’re referring to any guides written on hiking in the UK, you may want to make sure you’ve read them over in advance to make sure you haven’t glossed over any more unfamiliar terms (i.e. do you know a moor when you see one? Did you know a “permissive path” is a trail on private property which the landowner has granted access to?). If you travel with Pure Adventures, our local guides will bring you up to speed on anything you might need to know about trails or points of interest. Your job is to relax, enjoy the pastoral countryside and sweeping landscape, and then put your feet up after a long day’s ramble up hill and down dale. 

See all of Pure Adventure’s offerings in Ireland and the UK here.

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