KCR Autumn 2023 FINAL low res - Flipbook - Page 50
Hitting Holiday Health Highs
You can kill two birds with one stone with a vacation as enthralling as it is invigorating.
Holidays used to be associated with punitive pre-departure diets and
guilty post-holiday weigh-ins - but we9ve come a long way from the days
of 昀y and 昀op, all you can eat bu昀ets and the sprint to bag a sunbed.
WeRoad, the world9s leading solo travel company, has researched
the destinations in which holiday makers will get as much wide-eyed
wonder as they will physicality. In pulling together their data, they
considered the activity required to see landmarks, as well as landscape,
altitude and conditions, plus the average person9s calorie burn.
includes one of the UK9 most challenging climbs at 17,000 feet, made
even more worthwhile by stunning scenery along the way.
In 昀rst place, Peru, where you9ll burn an estimated 2,000 calories daily,
thanks to the intense level of activity required for seeing some of the key
sights, including Colca Canyon, Rainbow Mountain and Lake Titicaca which require, variously, hiking, trekking, and kayaking. The country9s
altitude is also a factor: staying on the move at heights from 9,000 to
17,000 feet is challenging for any 昀tness level. WeRoad highlight The
Rainbow Mountain, near Cuzco, which was only revealed a few years
ago when the snow covering it melted: hiking to its summit will reward
you with epic views of the surrounding Red Valley. Less arduous although still high-altitude - is a trek of the Colca Canyon, which takes
around 40 minutes but, at 16,400 feet, is great practice for the Rainbow
Mountains hike. As for Lake Titicaca, the largest freshwater basin in
South America, you9ll need to psych yourself up for a 5-hour hike - after
which, kayaking the lake is a must.
Back in Europe, Iceland o昀ers travellers light to moderate options that
still crank up the calorie burn, with highlights such as Vatnajokul Europe9s largest glacier - as well as the incredible waterfalls of Skogafoss
and Seljalandsfoss. Over on the lesser travelled Eastern side of Iceland,
expect waterfalls, fjords, and simple 昀shing villages; it9s also a great
spot for hiking. After a day of trekking and exploration (during which
you might burn around 1300 kcal) in the other-worldly lava 昀elds of
Leirhnjúkur, rejuvenate your muscles in the region9s geothermal mud
pools. Meanwhile, in Italy - where, let9s face it, the food is too sublime
to even contemplate deprivation - hiking in the Dolomites will blast last
night9s pasta into non-existence. Cortuna d9Ampezzo makes the perfect
base from which to set out on foot, while a hike from the high-altitude
Auronzo Retreat takes you along a largely 昀at 5.6 mile walk around the
peaks. Suitable for all 昀tness levels, it9s proof that panoramic views and
exceptional experiences are not solely the domain of the ultra-昀t.
Closer to home, look to Scotland for a 1,500 calorie per day burn, combined with mild temperatures and unspoilt scenery. The 118.5 mile walk
from Perth to Fort Williams can take around ten days to complete, with
hill and mountain tracks weaving though woodland, forests and moorland. Cyclists also have their fair share of thrills, with the 262-mile bike
ride from Aberdeen, on the east coast, to Applecross, in the west, which
Back in South America, Patagonia comes in third place, giving travellers
the opportunity to torch around 1400 calories each day, if adventurers
are prepared to take on the cold, wet conditions that hiking many of the
region9s tall peaks - such as Mount Fitz Roy (11,171ft) and Cerro Torre
(10,262 ft) - involve.
Instagram: @weroad_tavel
By Sarah Rodrigues