Lockdown Blues? Get ready to travel.
With vaccinations well under way in many parts of the world, there’s real belief that travel restrictions will gradually ease in the next few months. We make no apology for offering the information about our free digital maps once again; last time we posted this information we were pleased and surprised at how many people enjoyed them and started planning ahead to travel.
We’d like to help you get planning. Where to next? Why not start by getting your hands on our Free Digital Maps.
Read all about it HERE.
There are free maps to 19 tempting walking destinations to check out, including :
CANARY ISLANDS
La Gomera & El Hierro, Lanzarote, La Palma, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria
BALEARIC ISLANDS
Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera
GREEK ISLANDS
Zakynthos (Zante), Corfu
SPANISH MAINLAND
Costa Blanca Mountains, Costa del Sol (Axarquia), Alpujarras, Sierra de Aracena
– and also:
Malta & Gozo
Madeira
Azores
To see more details about the free digital maps and how to get them, LOOK HERE
Plan Your Next Walking Adventure With our FREE Digital Maps
With the real hope of vaccines within reach, we can look forward to planning walking adventures again. Once travel freedom returns, there’s going to be a lot of pent-up desire to get away, so this could be the best time to make some plans.
We’d like to help you get planning. Where to next? Why not start by getting your hands on our Free Digital Maps.
Read all about it HERE.
There are free maps to 19 tempting walking destinations to check out, including :
CANARY ISLANDS
La Gomera & El Hierro, Lanzarote, La Palma, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria
BALEARIC ISLANDS
Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera
GREEK ISLANDS
Zakynthos (Zante), Corfu
SPANISH MAINLAND
Costa Blanca Mountains, Costa del Sol (Axarquia), Alpujarras, Sierra de Aracena
– and also:
Malta & Gozo
Madeira
Azores
To see more details about the free digital maps and how to get them, LOOK HERE
Travel Gets The Green Light
The British Government has published the list of countries you can travel from, into England, with no quarantine needed. At last, the brakes are off and all of us who want to get away have a tempting array of countries to choose from.
Of course, keeping safe is important, so what better than getting out and about on airy mountain walks or breezy coastal trails, well away from the crowds.
Greece and its lovely islands is on the ‘good to go’ list, along with all of Spain including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.
How about the quiet beauty of Brittany (France), or fascinating Malta and Gozo?
There’s plenty of information to help you choose your getaway destination here.
Have a look at our free digital maps, fully detailed and just what you need for adventuring away from the crowds. Take a look at our printed maps and walking guidebooks too.
We can offer maps (many also available as free digital downloads) and guidebooks for most of the following destinations which are all on the UK Governments ‘free to travel‘ list:
FRANCE
Brittany
SPAIN
Canary Islands: Gran Canaria
La Palma
Tenerife
Lanzarote
La Gomera & El Hierro
Fuerteventura
Mainland Spain: Costa Blanca Mountains
Sierra de Aracena
Costa del Sol
Alpujarras
Balearic Islands: Mallorca
Ibiza
Formentera
Menorca
GREECE
Zakynthos (Zante)
Corfu
Malta & Gozo
Lanzarote, the Alpujarras and Cape Verde
Until these strange days are over, we can think about places we would like to visit once we have the freedom to travel. Here at Discovery Walking Guides, we’re working on new maps and walking guidebooks that will be ready to go when travel becomes possible again.
One destination that has its own unique attraction is Lanzarote (Canary Islands). There’s plenty of walking to keep you busy for a couple of weeks’ visit.
For somewhere more mountainous, with white Moorish villages, how about the Alpujarras (Spain)? It’s a rugged area with a timeless quality, with marvellous landscapes and history.
We’ve just released our latest Enewsletter which includes information about Lanzarote, the Alpujarras and Cape Verde. The Enews also includes links to free digital maps, which are highly detailed especially for walkers, hikers and mountain bikers. Once you’ve chosen your destinations you can see the area and the walking routes in Google Maps, for a ‘virtual tour’.
There’s a bit of fun too, with a walking destinations crossword puzzle.
A Little Good News – Free Digital Maps For Everyone
We may not be able to go adventuring for a while yet. However, we can plan ahead for when we can travel again. Have a look at our digital maps, clear and fully detailed for adventure planning of all kinds, including walking, climbing, biking or maybe daydreaming about your next big trip.
There’s a whole hatful of exciting free maps to be had. Take a look at this list of adventure destinations.
Balearic Islands
Mallorca
Menorca
Ibiza
Formentera
Madeira
Azores
Greek Islands
Corfu
Zante (aka Zakynthos)
Malta, Gozo & Comino
Spanish Mainland
Axarquia / Costa del Sol
Costa Blanca
Alpujarras
Sierra de Aracena
Canary Islands
Gran Canaria
La Palma
Tenerife
La Gomera & El Hierro
Lanzarote
Fuerteventura
We hope that we’ve inspired you to think about your next big adventure. To get your free digital maps, please look here https://www.dwgwalking.co.uk
Axarquia? Think Costa del Sol
There’s so much more to Spain’s Costa del Sol than sun, sea and sangria. Turn inland and you’re looking at the Axarquia, an unspoiled wildly beautiful and rugged area, waiting for you to explore it. Mountains, wooded hills and plunging gorges, dotted with small towns, tiny settlements and farmsteads give a sense of the true heart of this unique region.
Almond, olive, lemon and orange groves thrive in valleys fed by springs and from streams descending from the mountains, fertile land carved into terraces to maximise the best agricultural areas.
The best way to explore is on foot or by mountain bike. Let’s get started with this free sample circular walk, quite short and not too energetic.
Find out lots more from Discovery Walking Guides HERE.
You’ll also find information about using your device for accessing walks in the Axarquia as well as how to get your hands on the area’s most detailed guidebook and map. There’s also another free walk (pdf format) for you to download.
Tour and Trail Maps Go To Sea
We know that most people use our Tour & Trail maps for hiking and biking, for driving and occasionally while horse riding. Their strength, toughness, foldability and waterproof qualities make our maps ideal for all these pursuits.
Look at those magical blues! Paddle Boarding off Northern Menorca
But here’s a first! We received an interesting email from Oliver, a kayak, open canoe and paddle board guide. He uses our maps to navigate around coastlines and sent us a couple of photos showing how he does it.
Paddle Boarding off Menorca’s North Coast
“Just wanted to say how impressed I am with the quality of your maps, I use them to navigate our way around coastlines, most recently around some of the awesome north coast of Menorca on Stand Up Paddle Boards, (I guide in both sea kayak and Open canoe too).
Your maps definitely make life easy while afloat …
Oliver”
(Received 24 August 2018)
And here’s how to use your Tour & Trail map while paddle boarding.
Thanks Oliver!
You can see that map and many others from Discovery Walking Guides here.
More Than A Coastline – Costa Blanca’s Mountains
Costa Blanca Mountains – Castell de Castells
Behind Spain’s Costa Blanca with its tourist resorts lies a mountainous region waiting to be explored.
When you’ve had enough of beaches, turn and look inland. Those rugged peaks are more accessible then you might assume. First impressions might suggest an arid, austere region; prepare to be surprised.
Costa Blanca Mountains – Vall de Laguar
But, once you make the decision to explore on foot, bike or horseback, you’ll find green valleys between the rocky peaks. Villages and hamlets nestle in the mountain folds.
Costa Blanca Mountains – Puig Campana
There are many walking tracks and paths, some signposted. To get the most from adventuring here, get hold of Costa Blanca Mountains Tour & Trail Map and Walk! The Costa Blanca Mountains.
Spain’s ‘forgotten corner’? Really?
Last weekend, the Sunday Times Travel called this ‘the forgotten corner of Spain’. Not forgotten by us! (read the Sunday Times article here though you will need to sign in (free) to read it).
The ancient bell-tower, Aracena Castle
We were intrigued by the Sierra de Aracena (Huelva), north-west of Seville, several years back while looking for lesser-known walking areas of Spain.
The plaza, Alájar
- It’s green, natural, not too rugged and with fascinating villages and small towns.
Iberian pigs
- There are inquisitive herds of pigs, wonderful flora and a laid-back air.
- Little rustic bars and restaurants serve local foods at pocket-money prices.
The mezquita at Almonaster la Real
- There are castles and a sense of history, with the Moorish legacy clearly apparent.
Los Madroñeros
- The walking isn’t too vigorous overall though many routes will whip up a healthy appetite for sampling those hearty home-made dishes.
Cortelazor
If you’re intrigued, find out what to see, where to stay and what to do (other than walking): HERE’s a USEFUL LINK.
More? Take a look HERE where you’ll find the Map and Guide Book information.
Where In The World? Pampaneira and Bubión
Bubión village, seen on Walk 3
The Telegraph Travel 15.12.17) wrote an article entitled ‘15 beautiful villages in Spain you’ve probably never heard of‘
Both villages lie in the Poqueira valley, Alpujarras.
We’ve certainly heard of most of them and two in particular took our attention; Pampaneira and Bubión. They are both ‘white villages’ in Spain’s Alpujarras, east of Granada.
What a place to walk! Spring is a great time to visit. There’s likely to be snow on the mighty peaks to the north, while Spring flowers burst through on the lower slopes and in the valleys.
Section from ‘Alpujarras Tour & Trail Map’
There’s more Alpujarras walking, mapping and digital information here.
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