UKC

Hi all..

New forum user here (was quite an avid user of the now defunct outdoorsmagic forum).

Need some advice to help plan a trip for me and my buddies for next summer (somewhere around June ~ Oct 2025).

Here is what we are looking for:

1. We are 5 guys in very good physical shape... but no mountain experience. So looking for something that can be intense but not technical.
2. We will have about 5~8 days of actual hiking
3. Due to time constraints and logistics we are only considering hiking in Europe/UK
4. We DO NOT want to camp out (tents etc) -> so need something that has infrastructure around it (like huts, albergues , refugio , bothy etc...) for ALL the nights /

I am aware that the various Caminos in Spain and Portugal fit this bill... trying to find out what other options there are out there.

Thanks

Mike

The Tour de Mont Blanc is quite famous. To complete it in 8 days would be good going.

https://www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/the-beginners-guide-to-trekki...

The GR221 through the Mallorca mountains might suit you although you might wish to avoid it at the height of summer

https://www.cicerone.co.uk/walking-the-gr221-through-mallorcas-tramuntana-m...

The Sentiero Roma round Val Masino would fit the bill.

Stubai Hohenweg or Zillertal Hohenweg. Both in Austria. Both have Cicerone guides for them.

If you do the Stubai one, then the ascent of Habicht (3277m) from the Innsbruckerhuette is straightforward (assuming good weather, and a willingness to scramble a little - I'm assuming "no mountain experience" means not in mainland Europe, not "have never been up any kind of UK hill".)

Sentiero Roma *is* technical (read: Crampons, Piolet), esp. in June/July.

The Austrian Routes mentioned have the advantage, that you often can double the stages, easily escape to the valley from every hut etc.
There are also some more circuits of this type like Verwallrunde, Silvretta- or Lechquellrunde.

I wourld admit that scenery e.g. on the TMB is more spectacular, but as said this is quite crowded in July/August (= peak season).

Thanks to Kimberley on another thread; this is a good resource for walks of all kind in the Tyrol region of Austria.

https://www.tyrol.com/things-to-do/sports/hiking

Pyrenees.

Great huts, generally less busy & more relaxed than other mountain areas.

Variety of travel options including taking a vehicle on the overnight ferry to Northern Spain.

There's a comprehensive selection of English language guidebooks available - https://www.cicerone.co.uk/pyrenees-and-france-spain-cross-border-routes

One of the Cicerone guidebooks specifically covers circular routes of 1-2 weeks, but there's also multiple longer routes where you could complete a shorter section.