the times Saturday May 28 202240 Travel
archipelago, where abrupt, pyramid-
shaped mountains plunge straight into
the ocean, dwarfing the red cabins on the
shoreline that once housed the islands’
fishermen. This self-drive, self-catering
package encourages end-to-end
exploration by splitting your time
between Svolvaer in the east and Reine
in the west. One day you could
be visiting the Viking museum at Borg,
the next watching the sun never set
from the peak of Mount Mannen.
You are, after all, within the Arctic Circle.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering
for two from £1,457pp, including
flights and car hire (sunvil.co.uk)Prehistoric art in the
Pyrenees
Some of Europe’s finest prehistoric art
lies in the French Pyrenees — it’s where
our forebears found shelter during the
last great Ice Age. This summer the
archaeologist Dr Paul Bahn will guide
one of two tours revealing their wonders.
Bahn led the team that discovered the
UK’s first Ice Age cave art in 2003, but
nothing in Britain compares with what
you’ll see at the Grottes de Gargas,
Niaux and beyond, as you venture out
from the Hotel Eychenne in St Girons.
Outstretched hands framed by ochre
paint, closely observed portraits of ibex
and bison — images such as these offer
instant connection with people who lived
more than 10,000 years ago.
Details Five nights’ full board
from £2,595pp, including flights
(andantetravels.co.uk)GETTY IMAGESwon’t bat an eyelid at riding 60 to 70
miles a day and ascents of up to 9,500ft.
Long switchback climbs, 12-mile
freewheeling descents, gorgeous views
— this is a peerless way to experience
southern France’s peaks. The sense of
shared endeavour between guide and
fellow riders should power you along to
the finale: a beach picnic at Banyuls.
Accommodation is in hotels and B&Bs.
Details Nine nights’ half-board from
£2,295pp, including luggage transfers
(skedaddle.com). Fly into Biarritz and
out of PerpignanHiking wild Greenland
OK, so the terrain is more Scottish
Highlands than majestic Alps. But thatW lazy beach days, white-water rafting,
orienteering and snorkelling. The
minimum age for all the featured
activities is eight, and the settings for
each are majestic, ranging from the
fjord at Kotor to the mountain-top
monument in the Lovcen National
Park — from which you see across all
of Montenegro’s borders.
Details Seven nights’ B&B for
a family of four from £1,065pp,
including flights, departing on
July 21 (activitiesabroad.com)
Family-friendly fjords
Officially, this self-drive Norway in
summer itinerary can be adapted to
suit children of all ages and inclinations.
But, really, there’s no point going unless
everyone is willing and able to clamber
over mountains, swim in sparkling lakes
and raft down thundering rapids. After
a couple of days in Oslo, walking the
knife-edge Besseggen Ridge is an early
highlight. But the undoubted visual
climax is kayaking on the Unesco-
protected Geirangerfjord, where the
cliffs rise 2,600ft out of the water.
Details Ten nights’ B&B from £3,061pp,
including flights, car hire and activities
(stubbornmuletravel.com)
Pedalling the Pyrenees
If you spent two locked-down years
cycling local roads, now’s the time for
a change of gear. This ten-day, west-
to-east Trans Pyrenees Challenge is
squarely for pedalling fanatics who
doesn’t lessen the impact of this nine-day,
60-mile guided hike from Kangerlussuaq
to the Greenland ice sheet (there are
three departures this summer). This is a
proper backpacking trip through wild
terrain. You’ll be carrying everything you
need in your rucksack, filtering the water
you drink, and moving to a new campsite
most nights. Your reward is a constant
sense of wonder: this place is so far off the
beaten track there isn’t even a footpath.
Details Eight nights’ full board from
£1,074pp (muchbetteradventures.com).
Fly to KangerlussuaqFootloose on Lofoten
Stirring walks and endless sea views
beckon on Norway’s distant LofotenGeirangerfjord in Norway