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Our top Instagram shots of 2021
From the throne of Zeus to the largest glacier in the Alps, we share our best Instagram shots of 2021 Unsurprisingly, traveling in 2021 turned out to be more, er, domestic than we had planned. After the disappointments of 2020, we had high hopes for 2021. Unfortunately, it turns out that pandemics are unpredictable. We managed to squeeze in a few international trips, but they were definitely more short-haul than long-haul. Therefore, our top Instagram shots of 2021 reflect this. Most are shots from around the UK, one or two from Europe, but anything from further afield was a...
Our top Instagram shots of 2021
From the throne of Zeus to the largest glacier in the Alps, we're sharing our best Instagram shots of 2021
Unsurprisingly, traveling in 2021 turned out to be more, er, domestic than we had planned. After the disappointments of 2020, we had high hopes for 2021. Unfortunately, it turns out that pandemics are unpredictable. We managed to squeeze in a few international trips, but they were definitely more short-haul than long-haul.
Therefore, our top Instagram shots of 2021 reflect this. Most are shots from around the UK, one or two from Europe, but anything from further afield was a throwback to a time when we took travel for granted. We have a lot planned for 2022, but – just like last year – they will all depend on circumstances largely beyond our control.
So now I wish you all a Happy New Year, thank you for following me and hope you will join us for another year, both here and on Instagram.
January
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We started the year with a look back at the most enchanting winter trip we took. In 2016, we traveled 350km north of the Arctic Circle to hunt the elusive Northern Lights in Tromso, Norway.
After a false start or two, we were finally treated to a magnificent display of the Aurora Borealis. Saying the lights are magical isn't quite enough. There is something fairytale-like, almost transcendent, about them.
February
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With international travel still on hold, I've spent most of January putting together an epic blog post about England's 100 most popular hiking trails. This shot of Eskholme Pike near Calf Top, England's smallest mountain, was very popular with our followers.
Whether you're an experienced hiker in need of new ideas or a beginner hoping to get outdoors more, the list offers a wealth of hiking options. The trails cover sections of England's National Trails, long-distance walks and national parks - the country's best natural spaces.
march
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The snow arrived in North Yorkshire at the end of February, creating idyllic scenes around our market town of Richmond on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
With its Norman castle, Georgian architecture and cobbled market square, Richmond is charming all year round. But when snow falls, the historic town effortlessly transforms into a picturesque winter wonderland and takes on a whole new character.
April
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As April arrived, the UK's long winter, coupled with another suffocating lockdown, took its toll. We dreamed of warmer climes, hence this shot of Whitehaven Beach in Queensland, Australia.
Whitehaven has repeatedly been named one of the best beaches in the world. We visited in 2018 and sailed from Airlie Beach via the Whitsunday Passage through the Hook Passage to Whitsunday Island itself. With white sandy beaches winding like a dervish around a brilliant blue sea, Whitehaven did not disappoint and deserves a place on our list of the best beaches we have seen.
can
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Still largely confined to the British Isles, we focused the blog on local walking destinations, including a post on the best walks in the New Forest National Park.
Established in 2005, the New Forest in Hampshire is the second youngest national park in the country and one of the most accessible, considering it is just an hour and a half from London.
Picturesque villages are connected by a network of scenic hiking and cycling trails, showcasing a variety of wildlife and landscapes. Wild ponies and five species of deer roam the pretty bushland, while the park is bordered to the south by 42km of coastline dotted with mud flats and salt marshes.
June
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Another photo inspired by another epic blog post, this time of the greatest walks in the Lake District National Park.
England's Lake District is home to some of the nation's most picturesque panoramas. The park's rugged ridges, hidden tarns and sparkling lakes have attracted hikers since the first "Lake Poets" of Wordsworth and Coleridge put pen to paper in the 19th century.
So picking 10 or 12 hikes just wouldn't do it justice. Instead, we've put together 100 amazing walks through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed park, which is home to England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, at 978m (3,209ft).
July
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When restrictions were eased across the UK, I took to the hills in anger and immediately walked around England...twice. I took the Coast-to-Coast path, which practically passes my house, and, determined to cover a considerable distance on foot alone, I walked the route twice.
The entire journey took 20 days in two stages: seven days to walk from Richmond to Robin Hood's Bay and back, and then 13 days to walk from Richmond to St Bees and back. I covered just over 600 km (373 miles) and climbed 17,760 m (58,270 feet) - the equivalent of climbing Everest twice!
August
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When international travel restrictions eased, I finally got on a plane and flew to Switzerland on assignment for Wired for Adventure magazine, and, boy, was it good to be in real mountains again.
In just five days I visited four breathtaking regions of the Valais Alps. My itinerary included e-biking through the alpine forests of the Région Dents du Midi, the summit of Dent de Nendaz, ziplining through a gorge in Saas-Fee, and exploring the UNESCO-listed Great Aletsch Glacier in the eastern Bernese Alps. Phew.
September
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In September, DK published Eyewitness Outdoor Europe, a roundup of the continent's best outdoor experiences. I was thrilled to write three entries for the beautiful travel anthology.
I covered climbing Mount Elbrus in Russia, chasing the Northern Lights in Norway, and spotting those adorable puffins in the Faroe Islands.
October
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In October, Kia and I finally managed to escape to Cyprus - our first trip together since December 2019. We wanted to do nothing but eat, drink, read and wallow in the sun. However, in typical outdoor fashion, two days into our trip we decided to go diving.
As soon as we were in the water, we met two playful green turtles: a great reward for so little effort. They ventured remarkably close, reminding us of the joy of seeing sea creatures in their natural habitat.
November
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Our top post of November was another review, this time of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in Chile. Nevertheless, after all these years, the destination remains one of the most extraordinary places we have visited.
We spent five days on the breathtakingly beautiful island in 2015. These shots give just a small taste of what made them so special.
December
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The Highlander Olympus Trek in Greece, one of the newest additions to the Highlander Adventure collection, was scheduled to launch this year but was postponed due to local lockdowns. As a result, I was invited to participate in an abbreviated three-day event on the mountain to explore the route and some of the trail's highlights.
The highlight of the hike was the climb to Mount Olympus, the highest and most legendary of all Greek mountains, also known as Thronos Dios (Throne of Zeus). With dense atmospheric forests, deeply cleft gorges and an iconic summit ridge, the hike proved to be everything the myths suggest: magical.
Mission statement: Atlas & Boots
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