Walking and hiking traveler? Then look at taking a walking holiday in the Scottish Highlands.

Steve Hulmes wrote this guest post about a ramble through the Scottish Highlands.

Imagine if you will, a deafening sound. Two in fact; distinct, yet inseparable. A crashing of relentless, violent, water on rock, followed by stinging foams of spray. This is accompanied by a relentless high pitched squawking, that only ceases when it gets dark. The screeches cease, yet the crashing continues, and the purple darkness is interrupted, rhythmically with a swoosh and a disc of blinding light.

You are standing at the foot of a ninety-year-old lighthouse in Gairloch, on the west coast of Scotland. Gairloch is an unspoilt wilderness and one of many incredible places to stay if you are thinking of self catering in Scotland.

Landscapes of Brave Scotland. Video courtesy of VisitScotland.

This part of the Western coast is just one of many stunning parts of the Scottish mountains. It’s a great place for you to explore the wilds of the coastline and surrounding highlands, either by car or in sturdy walking boots.

A small path heads east away from the lighthouse towards the coastal edge. Here you can see a landing stage that used to receive boats containing supplies. Once the path used to have rails running on it, evidence for this can be seen by the abandoned railway carriage that is still lying there. Further on the path and you find the beautiful and hidden Camas Mor Beach.

Sturdy walking boots: these boots were made for walking in Scotland.

Or head down the steep hill on foot or in your car until you get to the scattered settlement of Melvaig, which consists of a smattering of crofts, an interesting rare breeds farm and The Melvaig Inn. Here, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Isle of Skye and Outer Hebrides.

Next you come to Big Sand, a broad beach of sand and rock that looks out across Caolas Baeg and Longa Island. A single track road leads you onto the main road northwards toward Gairloch, a wild expanse containing the haunting Loch Gairloch and a number of smaller settlements including Lonemore, Charlestown and Smithstown, each with their own special charm. Gairloch itself, however, is a Highland village that sits right on the western coast.

There is a heritage museum in the village and tucked away round the corner, a sheltered beach. Gairloch Harbour itself is quiet and peaceful. The pier and harbour are still used by fisherman heading out to sea and then bringing in their catch. Pleasure boats can take you out to see the whales and seals that thrive off the coast.

Or while away the time watching the sea and skies darken in this rugged and beautiful part of the world.

Wild beauty in the Spanish Pyrenees: The Aigualluts waterfall below the Aneto Peak. Photo credit: Miguel303xm.

Dave van Deudekom wrote this guest post on Walking in Spain: the Pyrenees versus Andalucia.  He is a co-founder of walkingholidayinfo.co.uk, a directory for walking holidays in Europe and the UK by independent local businesses.

The Spanish Pyrenees and Andalucia are two popular destinations for walking holidays in Spain. Yet these walking destinations are opposites in many ways.

The majestic Pyrenees Mountains lie in the north of Spain at the border with France, while Andalucia sits in Spain’s far south along the Mediterranean Sea.

The Spanish Pyrenees – A formidable natural barrier

The Pyrenees are a formidable natural barrier with very few low passes where you can cross. With many peaks over 3,000 metres high, they form a challenge to anyone who wants to travel to the other side.

The Pyrenees Mountains stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean. And as you travel along the ridge, you can see the landscape and climate changing. From the barren, wild and dry East to the much greener and wetter West.

The Spanish Pyrenees are still very rural in character and offer great landscapes to explore on foot. Typical are the many waterfalls and mountain streams, as well as the large number of enormous amphitheatre-like valleys with steep sides (known as cirques).

There are many sign-posted tracks and trails in the Pyrenees and so each year the area attracts large numbers of walkers and hikers.

The Pyrenees have many high peaks, but for Spain’s highest mountain you have to travel about 900 kilometres South to another very popular walking region: Andalucia. There, in the Sierra Nevada range lies the Mulhacén. At 3,479 metres high, this mountain rises above the Pico d’Aneto in the Pyrenees with 75 metres.

Andalucia – Rich culture in a varied landscape

Andalucia lies on the Spanish South coast, along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a large and varied area with an enormous biodiversity and surprising variety in weather. Andalucia holds the records for both the wettest and driest place in Spain. In some parts, there can be long periods of torrential rain, but you’ll also find Europe’s only official desert here, the Tabernas.

All this variety makes for many wonderful walking opportunities. Generally, the climate is warm and Mediterranean. But if you go up into the higher mountains like the Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarras or the Sierra de Aracena, you can get cooler walking weather even in summer.

Andalucia also has a rich culture. It’s always been an important place because of its strategic location around the Strait of Gibraltar. Over time, many civilisations have had control of the area and all have left their marks.

Now some of Europe’s most beautifully preserved architectural monuments are in Andalucia. The area has literally hundreds of cultural sights: from cathedrals, castles and forts to mosques, monasteries, and historic city centres.