Ed Finn from Ed Finn Travels and Heather Snelgar from Outsider.ie joined Today with Claire Byrne to talk about the host of outdoor holidays available this year. Listen back above.
January is the perfect time to make plans for the future, whether that's taking up a new hobby or planning for a special holiday in the coming months. If you're feeling the urge to move your body this year as well as take on a new adventure, why not book an outdoorsy holiday?
Top holiday destinations like Spain, France and Italy will always be popular, but Finn suggested using adventure and the outdoors to see new sides to these countries.
Here, the two travel experts outline their top picks for outdoorsy trips, both at home and abroad.
Caminito del Rey, Spain
Named "the King's pathway", this famed 8km walk became renowned when King Alphonso the 13th walked it in 1921, but it soon fell into disrepair. It was completely renovated in 2015 and has since become a tourist destination in its own right. Comparing it to the Grand Canyon, Finn said the gorge is bolstered by wooden pathways attached to a sheer cliff, with some sections made of glass, making for a thoroughly thrilling adventure.
Though once called the world's most dangerous walk, and with some casualties in the past, it has now been heavily secured with safety protocols. "It still has the thrill and it's fantastic."
To get there, get a train from Malaga to El Chorro, which lasts 40 minutes and costs €6. General admission to the walk costs €18 and visitors can do guided walks.
The Cliffs of Maro, Spain
Located in Andalucia near Malaga, this lush national park offers complete immersion in nature, from "crystal-clear rivers" to tropical plants, Finn said. Visitors can do a day-long guided tour, during which you are picked up from your hotel early in the morning, enjoy a tropical fruit lunch and enjoy swims in a hidden beach on the trail.
"Malaga, as you know, is a fantastic city", Finn said, and suggests spending more time in Malaga before heading off to other parts of the country. Prices vary depending on tour providers.
Cycle the Causeway coast
Closer to home, Snelgar suggested taking to the roads to see the beauty of our own island. She opted for a 200km cycle from Ballygally along the Causeway coast to Derry.
"The great thing about it is, I did it on a road bike and my dad did it on an electric bike", she added, highlighting how people of all ages and abilities could tackle this trek. She added that there are cars on the road on this route, but with so many people cycling it there are more awareness from drivers, making it feel safer.
For something less crowded, she pointed to the six Greenways dotted around Ireland, which provide scenic routes through the countryside with a number of ammenties included on the way.
Snow shoe hiking
If you've always fantasised about skiing but lack the experience, or maybe you've injured yourself on the slopes like Finn, snow shoe hiking is an ideal and gentle alternative. "It allows people who love mountains and Alpine pursuits to still enjoy that scenery, because part of the skiing thing really is the surroundings", he said.
Renting snow shoes costs roughly €25 a day and Finn suggested trying Stockhorn, a resort two hours from Interlaken in Switzerland. There, visitors can trek through 70km of hiking that brings you through stunning scenery.
"With the snow shoes you're floating along on [the snow]", he explained. After the snow shoeing comes the fondueing, he added, which makes it worthwhile alone.
For more travel ideas, listen back above.
