An inspirational larger format guidebook to 20 summer treks in the Alps across Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France and Slovenia, including the classics such as the Tour of Mont Blanc and lesser-known routes like the Traverse of the Slovenian Alps. Perfect for planning, the treks included are: Tour of Mont Blanc, Tour of the Matterhorn, Tour of Monte Rosa, Walker's Haute Route, Tour of the Jungfrau Region, Tour of the Vanoise and Dolomites AV 1 & 2; (longer trans-Alpine routes) GR5 (Lake Geneva to Nice), Eastern Alps E5, Italian Alps GTA and the Traverse of the Slovenian Alps; and (for the Alpine adventurer) Alpine Pass Route, Tour of the Oisans, Tour of the Queyras, Tour of Mont Ruan, Stubai High Route, Zillertal High Route, Gran Paradiso AV2 and the Ratikon Hoehenweg. Outline schedules for each trek allow you compare the routes and become inspired to take up the challenge. Basic day-by-day route descriptions for each route are illustrated with maps and profiles, helping you choose the best routes to walk.

Guidebook to the magnificent Japan Alps, which stretch across the middle of the main island of Honshu, and iconic Mount Fuji. The guide describes nine day-walks and thirteen treks of 2-8 days covering the North, Central and South Alps, as well as the four main routes up Mount Fuji - Japan's highest mountain at 3776m - and a further route on neighbouring Mount Kurodake. The routes visit many of the region's key summits, including several over 3000m. They are graded according to difficulty, although several entail steep ascents and difficult terrain and a few include scrambling and exposure, calling for a sure foot and a good head for heights. Comprehensive step-by-step route descriptions are accompanied by clear mapping. The Japan Alps and Mount Fuji boast a well-developed walking infrastructure, and the routes make use of the many mountain huts and campgrounds, full details of which are given in the guide. Some also include the opportunity to visit a traditional hot-spring bath for a refreshing soak after your hike. You will find all the information you will need to plan a successful walking or trekking holiday, with a wealth of advice on travel, bases, accommodation and facilities. There are additional notes on plants and wildlife, the history of hiking in Japan and safety in the mountains, as well as full mountain-hut listings and a helpful glossary. Inspirational colour photography completes the package, offering a taste of the breathtaking mountain vistas to whet your appetite.

Details on each of the best walks through the Alps in France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Slovenia are enhanced by quality two-colour maps. There is special coverage of the classic Walker's Haute Route and the spectacular Tour du Mont Blanc as well as practical advice on language, gear, safety, food and accommodation.

A New York Times best summer travel book recommendation A nonfiction debut about an American’s solo, month-long, 400-mile walk from Lake Geneva to Nice. In the summer of 2015, Jonathan Arlan was nearing thirty. Restless, bored, and daydreaming of adventure, he comes across an image on the Internet one day: a map of the southeast corner of France with a single red line snaking south from Lake Geneva, through the jagged brown and white peaks of the Alps to the Mediterranean sea—a route more than four hundred miles long. He decides then and there to walk the whole trail solo. Lacking any outdoor experience, completely ignorant of mountains, sorely out of shape, and fighting last-minute nerves and bad weather, things get off to a rocky start. But Arlan eventually finds his mountain legs—along with a staggering variety of aches and pains—as he tramps a narrow thread of grass, dirt, and rock between cloud-collared, ice-capped peaks in the High Alps, through ancient hamlets built into hillsides, across sheep-dotted mountain pastures, and over countless cols on his way to the sea. In time, this simple, repetitive act of walking for hours each day in the remote beauty of the mountains becomes as exhilarating as it is exhausting. Mountain Lines is the stirring account of a month-long journey on foot through the French Alps and a passionate and intimate book laced with humor, wonder, and curiosity. In the tradition of trekking classics like A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Snow Leopard, and Tracks, the book is a meditation on movement, solitude, adventure, and the magnetic power of the natural world.

A guidebook to 18 graded day walks and 6 multi-day treks across the Maritime Alps. Exploring the varied scenery of the border between France and Italy, the day walks are suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike and treks are suitable for hikers with some alpine trekking experience. The day walks range from 6 to 20km (4–12 miles) in length and can be enjoyed in 3–7 hours. The multi-day treks vary in length from 22 to 67km (14-42 miles), can be completed in 2–7 days, and include a 5-day traverse of the Parc National du Mercantour and a 7-day traverse of the Parco Naturale delle Alpi Marittime. Sketch maps included for each walk Detailed information on accommodation and facilities Advice on preparation and planning Easy access from Nice

Book of the Year Bronze Award 2010 (travel essays category), ForeWord Magazine After hiking some of the world's great trails, Brandon Wilson was excited to hear about the Via Alpina, paths running across eight countries on the backbone of the Alps. Besides promising immersion into Alpine life and wilderness, it was the ultimate adventure. It meant climbing 3000 feet from valley to mountain hut each day 1200 miles for months. Optimistically, Wilson envisioned it as a European Appalachian Trail, only with better food and wine. Faster than you can say "schnitzel," he coaxed his desk-jockey wife into joining him. Unlike their trek across Tibet, the couple wouldn't dodge bullets. Who knew ice fields, relentless rain, winds, lethal ticks and cow patties could be more dangerous? Then again, the beauty, weird situations and bizarre characters they'd meet would help put peril into perspective. It's all here, the daily triumphs and agony of de feet, captured in Wilson's witty, gritty, award-winning style. "Over the Top & Back Again" sweeps you along for an inspiring, yet slightly crazed look at the peerless Alps and at an everyday couple who dare to follow their gonzo dream. Written by Brandon Wilson, a Lowell Thomas Award-winning author, it is fourth in his series of true travel adventures. This first Via Alpina travelog published in English includes 53 photos, maps and illustrations by Ken Plumb. Reviews: "This is my favorite kind of adventure tale: Against all odds, in the face of health, weather, interpersonal, navigational and culinary issues, Brandon Wilson and his somewhat reluctant wife hike it because it's there or, it's supposed to be. I laughed, I winced, and then I started checking to see when I was next scheduled to be anywhere near the Via Alpina." Kyle Wagner, travel editor, Denver Post "This lighthearted hiking narrative reflects the positives of such an experience: overcoming hardship, laughing at their inability to find trail blazes, Europe's apparent fear of switchbacks on trails ascending 1000-plus meters per col, and the bond and struggle with your trail partner.. Recommended for armchair travelers and anyone interested in hiking the Alps." Library Journal "Informative, entertaining, and original a pioneer in a groundbreaking genre of travel writing." Midwest Book Review "Wilson brings his considerable intellect and wry sense of humor to this epic adventure, and the result is brilliantly accessible and wonderfully subversive." Richard Bangs, author of Quest for the Sublime and PEAKS "Marvelous account of a long hike told with a fine eye for detail and a keen sense of humor." Royal Robbins, legendary rock climber "For outdoor enthusiasts, this book will awaken the travel bug within and inspire adventure. For others, it's a worthwhile armchair journey through beautiful country with friendly guides." ForeWord Magazine ""Over the Top & Back Again" suggests that maybe a little madness isn't too crazy after all." WEND Magazine "It's great fun trekking through the Alps with the Wilsons They do all the hard work and we get all the pleasures rendered with warmth, insight and humor in Brandon's inimitable style." Maui News "Wilson walks the way Forrest Gump runs. He's driven to it As for the connection between the outer journey and the inner journey, Wilson never pushes it. You get it in small bits, as he does, because that's the way it comes. It has a lot to do with savoring the simple pleasures of life that surround us every day. Wilson's books point the way toward this happy state of mind: just be bold and endure a few vicissitudes." GoNOMAD.com "Makes you want to grab your walking stick, step into your hiking boots and climb a mountain." Christopher Elliott, syndicated travel writer"

A guidebook to trekking the southern section of the GR5 trail between Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) and either Nice or Menton. Covering 674km (420 miles), this long-distance trek through the French Alps can be walked in 1 month and is suitable for moderately experienced hikers. The route is described from north to south in 32 stages, each between 11 and 31km (7–19 miles) in length. Variant routes such as the GR55 through the Vanoise National Park and the GR52 through the Mercantour National Park finishing at Menton are also detailed. 1:100,000 maps included for each stage Detailed information about accommodation, facilities and public transport along the route A south–north route summary table is also provided for those wanting to walk in the opposite direction Part of a 3-volume set, accompanying Cicerone guidebooks The GR5 Trail - Vosges and Jura and The GR5 Trail - Benelux and Lorraine are also available