Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

- E P I C H I K E S O F T H E W O R L D -
MORE LIKE THIS
CITY WALKS
YURREBILLA TRAIL, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Completed in 2003, the Yurrebilla Trail provides Adelaide with an asset possessed
by few other major cities: a multiday walking track on its doorstep. As you wander
through Waite Conservation Reserve on day two – after overnighting at Brownhill
Creek Caravan Park – you’ll be just 6 miles (10km) from the city, yet you’re more
likely to see kangaroos than people. The trail traces the line of the Mt Lofty
Ranges, linking seven national and conservation parks, including a final day’s
winding tramp through what is arguably Adelaide’s greatest natural asset, Morialta
Conservation Park. You can walk the Yurrebilla Trail’s entirety or use the suburban
bus network to sample it in sections. This can be handy if you want to stop
elsewhere than Brownhill Creek and the Crystal Hill Sanctuary Hostel on the
second night, as other accommodation options are scarce. Check with South
Australia’s Visitor Information Centre to see what’s around.
Start // Belair railway station
End // Ambers Gully
Distance // 33.5 miles (54km)
DAIMONJI-YAMA, KYOTO, JAPAN
Presenting an epic cityscape, this hike is a great way to see a lot of Kyoto in a short
time. It combines temples, enjoyable hiking and outstanding views of the city on a
well-used, easy-to-follow track. The walk starts at the Ginkaku-ji Zen temple and
ascends the clearing where the dai kanji symbol burns during the annual Daimonjiyaki
festival on 16 August – one of Kyoto’s great sights. The view over the city from
the clearing is unparalleled, extending as far as the skyscrapers of Osaka on clear
days. It’s a one-hour, 1-mile (1.5km) round-trip hike from Ginkaku-ji temple up to the
viewpoint, but the trail then continues deeper into the mountains, crossing the
summit of Daimonji-yama before heading down to a lovely subtemple of Nanzen-ji,
where the momiji (maple) trees display their glorious colours in autumn. From there,
you return to the starting point via the Tetsugaku-no-michi (Path of Philosophy;
stunning during cherry blossom season), passing a variety of shrines and temples