Those that crave adventure are likely feeling a strange sensation right now, perhaps only comparable to waiting for a bus in South Somerset. We love the fierce beauty of the mountains, the exertion, the seclusion, the nature and the lack of litter- remote lands have a wonderful way of filtering out dummies and garnering respect.
The problem is many of our much-loved playgrounds are still ice-cubes. There’s adventure and then there’s re-enacting the movie the Revenant. We let those prepared to spend hundreds on winter equipment dodge avalanches, whilst we endure another month of waiting for snow to melt.
Wait no longer. Fellow adventurists, there are lands out there not only accessible, but optimal for an April trip. The bonus, these trips don’t have to break the bank.
Here’s are our very best picks for an April adventure near, and one afar.
The Black Cuillin, South Skye
Forget pandering newspaper lists with every corner of the shire on them. Forget appeasing the Welsh, Yorkshiremen/ lasses, or the Cumbrians. And whilst we’re at it, no more reassuring Londoners about their rent. The pretences of skyscrapers being anything other than tacky stop here. No.
In reality, every spot on a top 10, 15 of the UK’s most spectacular views or scenic hikes goes to one place and one place alone.
There’s a time for climbing nipples in Yorkshire or strolling to a café on Snowdon but if you want scenery with a damn good adventure to earn it, nowhere on this sceptred isle fulfils your needs more than the West-Highlands of Scotland. Come on! Let’s be real.
The Hills of Torridon, Horns of Alligin, Knoydart peninsula , Mull, Wester Ross etcetera. They’re all competition-killers. There’s just something about that combination of sea, rugged terrain, and a very long journey to a convenience store (or hospital) that unquestionably forges Britain’s finest adventure playgrounds.
For you, we prescribe a particular gem in the mix. Few British-bound adventurists would question the royalty of South Skye’s Black Cuillin range as a place of both exceptional sexiness and scariness.
Weren’t all the world’s gnarliest landscapes volcanoes at some point? This mini alps in Alba is no exception. A mix of gabbro, basalt and seismic glacial stirings has birthed 11 kilometres of magnificent Toblerone-esque peaks to keep your Instagram happy and your legs hating you. Eleven out of twenty-seven summits are Munros, measuring over 3000 feet.
In April, duck the swarms of midges and campervan glampers without catching frostbite- pack no thermals and waterproofs at your peril though. Fair weather often occurs around this period, but in Scotland… Who knows. Isn’t that part of the adventure?
Easily one of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys (Glasgow to Mallaig), an often dolphin-blessed ferry journey from Mallaig to Armadale, and bus journeys from Armadale to Broadford to a carpark in Kirkibost stand between you and your destination. You won’t be disappointed.
West over a heathery hump, Camasunary Bay awaits. Descend into your first views of the Cuillin ridge for a perfect beach camping spot at the base of Sgùrr na Strì, southern views out to Mull.
Don’t be surprised to be woken by deer eating food from your tent’s side compartment. Adders on your towel after a bathe in one of area’s pristine burns might also be a problem. Welcome to remote Scotland.
From here, a hike round the base of Sgùrr na Strì to Loch Coruisk is a ramblers favourite (find out more here), otherwise head north through the spectacular mountain cradles of Glen Sligachan to join a classic path up your morning campsite’s shadow (information available here).
Sgùrr na Strì’s panoramic views over the Black Cuillin ridgeline are often hailed as THE best in the UK. In the right conditions the summit is also one of the best campsites in Britain.
Tired, hungry and in need of a dram the next day, Seumas’ bar will do the trick, a few hours walk north in Sligachan. Rest easy. From this watering hole, northern summits of the ridgeline like Bruach na Frìthe could be a day job (experience permitting). What are you waiting for?
South Sinai, Egypt
For those spawned in concrete grey or rural green, the majesty of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is unquestionable, it’s an adventure destination to remember.
Cobalt shadows carve crags from sea to sky as a fierce sun ignites reds and ochres. Winding towards and away from views over a turquoise Gulf of Aqaba, words are barley utterable on a maiden taxi ride. Silence accompanies the realisation that to its very sand particles, this scorched bridge between North Africa and the Middle East is a desert paradise like no other.
Camels and keffiyehs combine with beach huts to remind a visitor that they are both in a tourism economy resuming growth since unrest and a well-woven tapestry of Bedouin tribal cultures, communities and customs. The future hopefully combines both.
The seaside town of Dahab holds the title of adventure capital in this emerging paradise. Above sea-level, its towering mountains, shimmering waters and perfect beaches provide scenic backdrops for coastal hiking and wind surfing (link these activites for more info). Below, Dahab’s coral reefs are diving/ snorkelling destinations of international renown (click here for more).
Swim to your hearts content but don’t neglect terre firma. The surrounding area offers some great day excursions, with jeep safaris, coloured canyons like Salama, and one of the oldest continuously running monasteries in the world at Saint Catherine’s all well worth some travel time. Besides, the desert roads en route are part of the package really.
Back at the hostel, the town’s curious harmony between locals and outsiders provides all the answers for that end of day change of pace. In an oasis at once Bedouin and bohemian, vistas over Saudi coastline set the scene for strolls by local and foreign food aromas, beachside bars, and a smattering of shops to satisfy that search for a souvenir. The hum of commerce, bar music, and lounger conversations are free.
Smoke shisha on the beach for too long at your peril though. Sinai’s soul and your hunger for adventure belong in the interior ultimately.
Be it Moses’s diversion up Mount Sinai for the ten commandments, the pilgrims that have visited nearby St Catherine’s Monastery for centuries or the Bedouin that’s historical nomadism seems almost timeless in the region, this land is about grit and breath-taking rewards… When in Rome.
Enter the Sinai trail. This shining example of a grass-roots initiative will provide all the views, hikes, and camps across wadis and jebels of your wildest adventure dreams.
Founded by Brit Ben Hoffler and Jebeleya tribesman Faraj Mahmoud, the trail has become an award-wining pan-tribal operation that provides employment, preserves knowledge, and gives you the opportunity to hike over as much as 550km of stunning Bedouin lands with local guides.
We can’t recommend this route enough and with Sinai only just starting to open up again after political unrest and COVID, communities need you now more than ever. To find out more about the trail and it’s organisers, visit the official website. Breath-taking desertscapes and incredible hospitality await your arrival.
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