Pack up your troubles in your old trail bag as Thomas Bywater goes in search of the world's greatest 'thru-hikes'
A thru-hike is a trip that is impossible to plan in minute detail. It's a journey so large you might as well drop everything, pick up a pack and start now. But that doesn't mean you can't benefit from a good guide - or several.
Ranging from a couple of hundred to a few thousand kilometres, taking upwards of five months at a time, they are the trails epic adventures are made of. These are journeys one makes time for. Or are taken by those who find themselves with time.
The "thru-hike" is an American term. The Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail might have the most written about them but the phenomenon is found all over the world. Over the past decade, New Zealand has developed its own "3000-kilometre" pilgrimage.
"There are a lot of different drivers for people on Te Araroa," says Matt Claridge.
"This year we are expecting two-and-a-half to three thousand walkers on the trail."
Chief executive of the Te Araroa Trust, which looks after New Zealand's longest walk, Claridge has seen it grow into one of the most acclaimed long-distance trails in the world. It's overwhelmingly international visitors coming to "hike the TA".
"There are two crowds: those younger, freer spirits or, increasingly, more mature hikers with fewer commitments," he says.
From Cape Reinga to Stirling Point on the Foveaux Strait - tail to tip of Te Ika-a-Māui and along the spine of the South Island.
It's a distance mere mortals who traverse the globe by aeroplane or automobile can never truly grasp. Even Claridge hasn't done the "end to end". Although, like many hikers, he is doing the "TA" in sections. This is an increasingly popular option, giving options for both self-guided or accompanied trampers.
There are several guided options which will take you across the highlights of the trail. Based out of Christchurch, Adventure South leads a seven-day itinerary along the alps.
But even solo hikers are never really without guidance.
"Trail Angels are the community that kept the early Te Araroa going in the early days," says Claridge.
They offer a range of services from BnBs to "bounce boxes" to forward post while away on the road. A very helpful service, four months on the road, without a permanent address.
The average tramper spends around $10k pursuing the TA, although it has been done for far less. With the gear, accommodation and some transport links inter-island, it is a serious undertaking. Still, over five months, that's a fair price for a "trip of a lifetime", says Claridge.
With 180 stages and the flexibility to stop and restart, it's one you could spend a lifetime completing.
adventuresouth.co.nz
Five months and 4265km - the PCT is the thru-hike that launched a thousand backpacks after it was given the Hollywood treatment in Reese Witherspoon's film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir, Wild. Walking from the Mexican border to Canada it's one of the most popular long-distance treks. In the three decades since Strayed took on the trail, it has become decidedly less "Wild", however, it still passes through 51 federal wilderness reserves. With around 800 people setting off a year, the trail community is second to none. It's tough going. Only every other hiker will make it to the end, with a completion rate of around 60 per cent.
There are plenty of guided options for those wanting a taste of the trail, including the International Alpine Guides' eight days through Northern Yosemite.
internationalalpineguides.com/pacific-crest-trail-hike
At 970km it isn't the longest trail but is as far as you can go on the British Isles before running out of track. Travelling through England, Wales and Scotland, it's roughly the 500 miles of The Proclaimers' classic song that will accompany you all of the way.
Starting from the Cornish headlands of Penzance, it traverses Cross Fell and the Pennine Way to the top of Caithness.
As one of the most popular - and shortest - ultra-trails, it attracts walkers and charity record attempts from all over. While walkers take around two months to complete the trail, it's been attempted on tandem bikes, skateboards and in the buff.
The most popular way to complete the route is by bike. Skeddadle runs a two-week, guided itinerary end-to-end with bike hire.
skedaddle.com
Avanti, Alpini! Walking all eight Alpine countries the Via is an elephantine journey worthy of Hannibal. With many variations, the longest section is 161 stages. Covering 5000km, it begins in Monaco in the west and finishes in the lowlands of Slovenia, near Trieste.
With many high mountain passes, it's one of the more challenging thru-hikes. However, one of the novelties is finding that languages, cultures and cuisines change from valley to valley.
One of the most popular sections is the Swiss Alpine Pass route, which begins on the shores of Lake Geneva, crossing the country to the border with Liechtenstein.
There are many self-guided packages offering accommodation, food and luggage transfers to help you make the most of a 20-day traverse through the cantons.
alpineexploratory.com
Going in a different direction, the Sentiero Italia adds an additional 3000km to the route with its 342-day stages. Heading south towards Messina, the route rejoins in a giant loop, leading back through the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.
Leading a 1400km circuit around Japan's holy island, the full Shikoku trail takes around two months to complete. The Ohenro route visits almost 100 Shinto Buddhist shrines along the way, earning it the name the 88 Temples Pilgrimage.
Having begun by Monk Kobo Daishi 1200 years ago, the route around the shore of Shikoku takes you from Castle-like Edo era temples through to simple woodland shrines.
The traditional time to make the trip is in spring from March until May when the sakura cherry blossom is in bloom.
There are plenty of self-guided and escorted options to take you through the intricacies and history of the Ohenro pilgrims, or simply to help translate the thousand years of Japanese culture special to Shikoku's trail.
walkjapan.com/tour/shikoku-temple-pilgrimage
Everest, Annapurna and Langtang, could you ask for three more remarkable landmarks than these waypoints at the roof of the world? Since 1953 the Khumbu Base Camp has been a pilgrimage for Kiwi mountaineers. However, if you're looking for your own "Everest" to scale, this 90-day trail is one of the most challenging in the world. Since 2002, the Great Himalaya Trail has been promoted by the Nepali Government. From rugged solo campers to guided treks from teahouse to teahouse, the GHT offers resources and guides for the 1700km trek.
On the eastern end of the GHT, neighbouring Bhutan has also opened a long-distance mountain route. The Trans Bhutan Trail is the result of a years-long national cultural project to restore the ancient mountain routes that cut across the country.
The 430km and around 20 days of hiking - end to end - the TBT is only open to guided tourists. G Adventures and Intrepid Travel currently run 11-day highlight routes from Paro and the Tiger's Nest monastery to Bumthang.
greathimalayatrail.com; gadventures.com
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