Long distance walking in Europe
For the more active traveller, Europe provides excellent opportunities for long distance walking, where you can follow long-distance walking trails and take in some of Europe's finest scenery, while getting fit at the same time. Whether going on a trans-continental odyssey or a leisurely weekend stroll, you will find a trail to suit you. There are eleven continental trails in Europe, which are in varying stages of completion. These paths are comprised of smaller national paths, which may be enjoyable travel experiences of themselves. It's recommended that you read up on help and advice before setting off on a long distance walking holiday. You will have a fantastic time, but always be prepared for the worst, and take the best kit with you that you can find. The markings are not uniform, and some parts may be missing.
The paths are coordinated by the European Ramblers Organization (ERA), also known as Europäische Wandervereinigung (EWV) and Féderation Européenne de la Randonnée Pédestre (FERP), but the responsibility for the individual sections is by national organisations in the countries the path leads through. In addition to these routes, there are regional and national path networks, the Grande Randonnée paths and pilgrim paths such as the Way of Saint James. These may be partly integrated in the E-paths.
The long-distance routes are as follows:
Continental
- E1 North-South. This path is planned to connect Nordkapp, Norway to Sicily, in Italy.
- Completed sections: Central Sweden to Scapoli, Italy, via Gothenburg, Aarhus, Hamburg, Frankfurt, the Black Forest and the Apennines.
- Current length: 4900 km.
- E2 Atlantic - Mediterranean. This path is planned to connect Galway, Ireland to Nice, France.
- Completed sections: Stranraer, Scotland to Nice, via England, Luxembourg and the Alps.
- Current length: 4850 km.
- E3 Black Sea - Iberia. This path is planned to connect Istanbul, Turkey to Cape St. Vincent, Portugal.
- Completed sections: Cape Emine, Bulgaria to Kom, Bulgaria (near Serbian border); Ártánd, on Hungarian border to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, via western Carpathians, Rheingau, Ardennes, Paris and the Pyrennees.
- Current length: 6950 km.
- E4 Mediterranean Arc. This path is planned to connect Cape St. Vincent to Cyprus.
- Completed sections: Tarifa, Spain to Kato Zakros, Greece via Carcassonne, Grenoble, Bavaria, Vienna, Budapest and Bulgaria.
- Current length: 10450 km.
- E5 Atlantic-Adriatic. This path connects Pointe du Raz, Brittany, France to Venice via Brest, Mont St Michel, Fontainebleau, Ballon d'Alsace and Lake Constance.
- Complete sections: Complete.
- Completed length: 3050 km.
- E6 Scandinavia-Dardanelles. This path is planned to connect Kilpisjärvi, Finland to Dardanelles, Turkey.
- Completed sections: Stockholm to Malmo; Korsor, Denmark to Koper, Slovenia; Igoumenitsa, Greece to Alexandropouli.
- Current length: 5200 km.
- E7 Atlantic-Black Sea. This path is planned to connect Lisbon to Ukraine.
- Current length: 4330 km.
- E8 Atlantic to Istanbul. This path is planned to connect Dursey Head in West Cork, Ireland to Istanbul.
- Completed sections: Dursey Head - Beskid Pass on the Poland/Ukraine border via Dublin, England, Aachen, Bonn, Rhine Valley,Vienna and Bratislava. Mezek, Bulgaria to Svilengrad on the Bulgaria/Turkey border.
- Current length: 4390 km.
- E9 European Coast Path. This path is planned to connect Cape St Vincent to Russia.
- Current length: 2880 km.
- E11 hiking trail. This path connects Scheveningen (The Hague), in the Netherlands through Germany and Poland to Lithuania.
- Completed sections: The Hague - the Poland/Lithuania border via Osnabruck, Berlin, Frankfurt an der Oder, Poznan and Torun. The only detailed description in English is found in WikiVoyage
- Current length: 2560 km.