‘It’s nature at its purest – remote, quiet and rejuvenating’: readers’ favourite wild places in Europe | Travel

Into a Finnish labyrinth

One of the most magical places I’ve been is Lake Saimaa in eastern Finland – a huge labyrinth of islands and tranquil forests where you don’t come across many people. We rented a lakeside cabin (typically they cost from about €100 a night, sleeping two) and watched the midnight sun shimmer across peaceful waters. The days were spent hiking or kayaking through uninhabited islands and along pine-scented paths, with the only company being black-throated divers. We visited the Linnansaari national park Saimaa ringed sea seals can be found on an island in the middle of the lake, the largest in Finland and the fourth largest freshwater body in Europe. It’s nature’s embrace at its purest – remote, quiet and utterly rejuvenating.
Anthony

Canyons and forest in Montenegro

Last autumn, I visited Durmitor national park In the Dinaric Alps, a beautiful and quiet place is located in northern Montenegro. The road passed through dense pine forests, and then opened up onto wide valleys that were surrounded by tall rocky mountains. I walked up to the Black Lake, where the water was perfectly still and reflected the colours of the leaves. In the hills, sheep were being tended by shepherds, while small villages offered fresh cheese and honey. I looked down into the Tara River Canyon which is one of Europe’s deepest canyons. At the bottom, I could see a bright turquoise ribbon.
Lorna Walkden

Enjoy a bike ride through the countryside of Bosnia

We both cycled together Ćiro trail in Bosnia Herzegovina. We picked up the trail Ivanica for more than eighty miles, to Mostar. It follows the route taken by the Dubrovnik – Mostar railway, which was closed in the 1970s. There are many tunnels with bats. On the route, we barely saw another person. We camped in a beer garden of a pub one night because we were afraid of mines. We saw tortoises, beautiful scenery and a spooky past.
Anna Fenton

Pyrenean hideaway, Spain

If there was ever a jaw-dropping way to enter Spain it has to be over the peaks of the Pyrenees to the village of Ochagavía in Navarre. In the Salazar valley, it is surrounded by forests, rivers and peaks, where you can walk with chamois and marmots, and even birds of prey. When civilisation is required, Sidrería Kixkia, a restaurant in Ochagavía, will fill your very grateful tank with local cider and a very meaty menu.
Liz Owen Hernandez

Remote Islands off Northern Germany

We visited the tidal Island from the seaside resort in Germany, Cuxhaven. The trip was made by horse-drawn cart over mudflats. Neuwerk Its 700-year old lighthouse is a sight to behold. You can also take a ferry to Heligoland, a stunning island beyond Neuwerk. There you will see the 47 metre-high Lange Anna stack of sea and a large gannet nest colony. The British left craters in 1947 after the authorities decided to remove the British. blow up After having bombed the entire island heavily in 1945, the Germans destroyed the last remaining military installations in one massive explosion. The tiny island, with its red cliffs, grassy plateau and grassy plateau, survived and now houses more than 1,000 people.
Sue Kyson

Kayaking between icebergs, Iceland

Starting in Reykjavík, with my 15-year-old, I took a rental car for a road trip, staying in small hotels and hostels on the way. We went kayaking between icebergs in the Jökulsárlón lagoon, snowmobiling and ice-climbing on the Sólheimajökull glacier and whale-watching near Húsavík. The molten lava on the Reykjanes peninsula as well as the interactive museum near Vik were amazing. Highlights for my teen included taking a ferry to the island of Grímsey to snorkel with puffins while they were diving for fish.
Karen Guenzl

Brittany’s quiet side

Inguiniel, a quiet area of Brittany in western Morbihan an hour away from Vannes, the Breton Coast and Vannes, is where you can slow down and enjoy the rolling hills and forest. Our stay was picture-perfect Camping Pont CalleckThe town was perfect for cycling and walking. From there we cycled to Le Faouët, a town with a pretty square, a 16th-century market hall, and striking gothic chapels. In the evening, our ride took place along the River Scorff. We passed watermills and weirs before arriving at a quiet auberge where we had a traditional Breton lunch.
Kevin Atkins

Svalbard, Norway is bathed in daylight all day long.

Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago (previously called Spitzbergen), is bathed by constant sunlight in summer because it lies entirely within Arctic Circle. Dog sledding on wheels It is an excellent way to see this remote landscape. Guide your husky teams over the tundra and past mountains adorned with fluffy Arctic cottongrass flowers. Boat trips near Barentsburg (mostly Russian) allow you to see slumbering minke whales, walruses and seals up close. Nearby, the huge cliffs of Alkhornet provide a breeding ground for thousands birds. Below the nests are arctic-foxes waiting for their next food. Afterwards, rent a floating sauna cabinJumping into the ocean to cool down.
Caroline