Viking Hiking (sponsored content)

​KTA sponsor Treks & Trails International is offering three hiking trips next summer that follow the footsteps of the Vikings.

From July 15-25, we will enjoy a series of day hikes along Newfoundland Canada’s scenic west coast. After five days of hiking in spectacular Gros Morne National Park (including the world-famous boat tour in Western Brook Pond Fjord), we continue up the coast with daily hikes until we reach the Viking outpost at L’Anse aux Meadows, the first European settlement in North America. On this van-supported trip, we also visit cultural points of interest along the way including lighthouses, remote villages, and local museums that portray the distinctive lives and customs of the Newfoundlanders. Comfortable inns and guesthouses provide welcoming accommodations.

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Along with Gros Morne and L’Anse aux Meadows, another highlight includes two days on remote Quirpon Island with lodging at the 4-star Quirpon Lighthouse Inn, a delightful former lighthouse-keeper’s residence. The inn provides sweeping views of “Iceberg Alley” with frequent sightings of icebergs and whales. The island also has 8 miles of wind-swept trails for our hiking pleasure. Several openings remain for this trip.

​In August, Treks & Trails is taking KTA to Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice. Settled by Viking farmers from Norway in the 9th century, Iceland is one of the world’s premier hiking destinations. Our pathways lead to volcanoes, glaciers, icebergs and perhaps the world’s greatest waterfalls hike. A fundraising event for KTA, this trip is now full.
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From August 28 through September 8, we will visit Sweden, ancestral home (along with Norway and Denmark) of the Vikings. Our journey begins in beautiful island-laden Stockholm the “Venice of the North” with visits to the Wasa Museum (17th century sunken warship lifted intact from the watery depths), and the renowned Skansen Open-Air Folk Museum. We will also take a ferry excursion to enchanting Grimla Island, an exquisite nature preserve with wonderful hiking trails. We then fly to northernmost Sweden, 100 miles above the Arctic Circle, in the heart of Lapland. This is the Land of the Midnight Sun and one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. For six days we trek along the Kungsleden (King’s Trail), Sweden’s premier long-distance hiking trail. From the trailhead in Abisko, the Kungsleden leads from hut to hut, through valleys of dwarf birch trees, over vast areas of treeless tundra, and past innumerable lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Reindeer herds are frequently encountered. The huts have fully equipped kitchens, dormitory-style accommodations, and wonderful saunas. Several openings remain. This is a great opportunity to visit the Arctic!

All Viking Hiking trips are led by Paul Shaw, KTA President and Treks & Trails co-owner. For details on these and all Treks & Trails hiking adventures, call Paul at 717-215-8339 or visit our website www.treksandtrailsinternational.com.

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