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Top Ten Walks in Southern Europe & Morocco

The autumn/winter edition of our Walking and More brochure features walking holidays for all levels, from gentle strolls between whitewashed fishing villages in Almería to hikes through the ravines and sub-tropical forests of the Canary Islands. Here we list the best day walks from the programme.

Tárbena to Castells de Castells on the Mountains of Alicante walk. This is a walk of contrasts and great drama. It starts with a section through almond and cherry tree groves, then leads through a 150-metre-deep gorge to a superb viewpoint above the ravine which rewards you with views of the coast, some twenty-five kilometres away. You cross an expanse of wild moorland before descending through two very attractive valleys, one quite secret and untouched, the other cultivated and terraced.

Odiáxere to Salema on the Secret Algarve walk. It is fair to say that no two days are the same on this holiday. After three days exploring the orange groves and wooded hills that lie behind the coast, this particular route takes you along the cliffs, following truly delightful coastal paths. Along the way there are pleasant beaches for swimming, sweeping sea views, and a couple of charming villages, of which the pretty fishing community of Burgau deserves a special mention.

Sóller to Cala Tuent on the Mountains & Villages of Mallorca walk. As this walk explores two very different landscapes, it is almost like two walks in one. The first part leads through a fertile valley that is coated in orange trees. You then ascend to a pass which reveals a completely different landscape, one of pine woods, rocky promontories and a usually azure sea which you can gaze at as you follow the undulating coastal path to the cove at Tuent.

Caldera de Taburiente walk on La Palma. This is a thrilling walk which leads through the amazing landscape of the Caldera de Taburiente, one of the most spectacular erosion craters in the world, framed by peaks around 2,000 metres high. Flanked by towering pine trees, you descend to a lush area at the heart of the Caldera where there are several small waterfalls and good views of the needle-like rocks of the crater. It is worth making a detour to the Cascada de Colores to see the waterfall coloured ochre by the iron it contains, before entering the narrow, deeply cut gorge of the Barranco de las Angustias. Framed by towering rock walls, the stream tumbles over boulders, forming numerous rock pools where you can bathe.

Jardim da Serra to Cabo Girão on the Waterways & Flowers walk. Throughout this holiday, you explore Madeira's fertile landscapes by means of the countless levadas (irrigation channels) which criss-cross the island. In this respect, this walk is no different to the others – it follows part of the Levada do Norte– but the scenery is noticeably different, as you walk past vineyards and orchards while enjoying spectacular sea views. However, the best is yet to come – at the end of the walk you reach Cape Girão, one of the tallest sea cliffs in the world, and a natural marvel.

Grazalema to Benaoján on the Andalucia's White Towns walk. Part of the appeal to us of this walk is that it crosses an area in which you will rarely see another soul. As with many of the walks listed here, it comprises several distinct sections. You descend from Grazalema through a wood of cork oaks, then rise through a fertile valley and later a 'rock garden' in which you will find the same plants found in domestic rockeries. You emerge into a wide pasture surrounded by a ring of rocks and dotted with old threshing floors and, to end the walk, descend through a lunar-like valley framed by two limestone ridges.

Igualero to Vallehermoso (day 2) on the Hidden Gem of the Canaries walk. We chose this walk for its variety. At first you walk from village to village along mule tracks that wind across the slopes above deep barrancos (ravines), enjoying views of the island of El Hierro. The second part of the walk leads uphill through the enchanting laurel woods that coat the backbone of the National Park before descending steeply towards the northern coast along a series of stepped pathways. The third and final part is a panoramic ridge walk, a great ending to a varied day.

Agros circuit on the Cyprus' Scented Slopes walk. This one walk gives you a real feel for Cyprus and the Troodos Mountains that form the island's heart. As you walk along the Madari Ridge beneath Mount Adelphi, Cyprus' second highest peak, you enjoy inspirational views that stretch right across northern Cyprus to the sea beyond.

Agua Amarga to Las Negras on the Coast of Almería walk. Although this is the most demanding walk of the holiday, it is also the most rewarding. As the first walk of the week, it is a good introduction to the landscapes of Almería, revealing the bare, maroon-coloured hills that contrast so sharply with the blue of the sea, as well as the oases and waterwheels which are so characteristic of the region. Ascending and descending all the time, the path takes you via several small coves in which you can swim, including one that was once a pirate stronghold.

High passes walk on the Beneath Djebel Toubkal walk. What makes this walk so special are the views. Your first target is the Tamatert Pass (2,272 metres), which you reach after ascending past wheat fields, then walnut, apple and cherry orchards, and finally woodland of pines and juniper bushes. You then walk along the Tamatert Valley, surrounded by the high peaks of the Djebel Toubkal Massif, many of which tower over 3,600 metres. Breathtaking.

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