Circular & Loop Trails

The Peaks of the Balkans Trail is a 192 km waymarked loop through the Accursed Mountains, crossing Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Its 10-day moderate mountain format makes it a substantial but non-technical circuit.

The Kerry Way is a 214 km circular trail around the Iveragh Peninsula and Killarney area. It earns its place with a hard 9-day loop through coastal, forest, moorland, farmland and mountain terrain.

Starting and finishing at Inverness Castle, the Loch Ness 360° Trail makes a 129 km loop around the loch. The recommended 6-day schedule is hard, with forest, moorland and mountain terrain.

A classic 170 km alpine loop, the Tour du Mont Blanc circles the massif through France, Italy and Switzerland. Its 11 hard walking days make it the benchmark for self-contained mountain circuits.

The GR223 is a 185 km circular coastal trail around Menorca. Over 7–10 moderate days, it mixes coast, forest, ravines, dunes and beaches with little altitude gain.

This 12.5 km Lofoten loop combines the 543 m summit of Ryten with a descent to road-free Kvalvika Beach. It is a moderate one-day circuit with coastal, moorland and mountain terrain.

The Jämtland Triangle is a 47 km hut-to-hut loop in west-central Sweden. In 3 moderate days, it links Storulvån, Sylarna and Blåhammaren mountain stations across mountain, tundra, moorland and forest terrain.

This 150 km high-alpine loop around the Matterhorn is for experienced hikers who want a serious circuit. With 9–11 days, expert difficulty and glacial terrain, it is one of the most demanding choices here.

Plitvice’s Route K is an 18 km one-day circuit and the longest waymarked walk in the national park. It links karst, lakes, waterfalls, forest and canyon terrain without needing return transport.

The Sassolungo Circuit is a 17 km one-day loop around the Sassolungo/Langkofel group. Starting and finishing at Passo Sella, it is a moderate Dolomites route that is long rather than technical.

Carros de Foc is a strenuous 65 km hut-to-hut loop in Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. Its 5–7 days and roughly 9,200 m of cumulative ascent make it a serious Pyrenean circuit.

This 8.5 km loop starts at the Rila Lakes chairlift top station above Panichishte. It links seven glacial cirque lakes in a moderate one-day mountain circuit in Bulgaria.

The Shikoku Pilgrimage is the epic end of this collection: a roughly 1,200 km walking circuit linking 88 temples. It typically takes about 40 days on foot and is rated hard.

The Stubai High Trail is an 80 km hut-to-hut loop in Austria’s Stubai Alps. Its 7–8 hard days include narrow, steep, exposed paths, rocky ground, scree and boulder fields.

At 10 km, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop gives a compact circular day hike in Italy’s Dolomites. It suits walkers wanting a moderate mountain circuit rather than a multi-day commitment.