Iconic peaks reflected in tranquil mountain lakes, sweeping hillsides blanketed in wild flowers and dramatic, sprawling glaciers characterize the Alps. Discover why this mighty range, the birthplace of modern mountain walking, has enthralled walkers for centuries. * detailed descriptions of 47 walks in the Austrian, French, German, Italian, Slovenian and Swiss Alps * feature coverage of multicountry megawalks, Tour du Mont Blanc and Walkers' Haute Route * two-color maps for every walk * step-by-step introduction to walk-climb hybrid via ferrata * inside information on walkers' accommodation, transport, gear and safety * language section for French, German, Italian and Slovene
Helen Fairbairn is the author of twelve hiking guide books, covering destinations as diverse as America's Rocky Mountains, Scotland's Highlands and islands, and the European Alps.
Her most recent books, Ireland's Best Walks and Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide, concentrate on exploring the wild landscapes of Ireland, where she lives.
Helen's love of the mountains began when she was 18, and joined the mountaineering club at Queen's University, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Since then she has explored many of the greatest mountain ranges on earth. Helen is also a keen kayaker, and enjoys nothing better than sea kayaking around the remote, fractured clifflines near her home in western Ireland.
Turns out this won't come in handy this year after all. Still, seemed like it would have been sort of useful. I can't help but notice how the typical audience of these sort of books are, uhh, not particularly robust. You can backpack more than 10 miles a day, especially if you don't need to carry a 40 lb sack, as is the case in the Alps.