BA - The Club - Go off piste this summer

Pyrenees, France and Spain

The great rail journey

The train line from Toulouse to Barcelona wends through gentle countryside towards the mountains. Rail enthusiasts celebrate the high-altitude Latour-de-Carol as a unique location: from here, you can take the Iberian-gauge line through the mountains to Barcelona or the narrow-gauge Petit Train Jaune to Perpignan.

Photo: Getty Images

Verbier, Switzerland

The great day hike

As a ski resort, Verbier is one of the ritziest in Europe. Yet in summer it switches from five-star bling to affordable modesty. The cable-car network remains in operation, providing hikers and mountain bikers with easy access to some of Switzerland’s finest terrain. As your feet power their way along well-marked trails, you can gaze on a horizon with a shining jewel: western Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc.

Photo: Getty Images

Saint Martin-Vésubie, France

The great escape from the beach

The Cote d’Azur is a joy in summer. Thanks to the mountains of the Alpes-Maritimes that crowd in on the Mediterranean, every valley offers excellent prospects. My favourite journey is the €1 bus ride from Nice airport to the hill town of Saint Martin-Vésubie. You can find simple lodgings and spend joyful days exploring the hills, forests and lakes – and perhaps meet an elusive mountain marmot.

Photo: Getty Images

Granada, Spain

The great mountain city

Other Spanish cities exude class, but only Granada has such a dramatic setting in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Book a summer evening visit to the Alhambra Palace. Take time to appreciate the delicate Mudejar detail; the graceful decay elsewhere in the fortress; and the tranquillity of a moonlit visit. And Granada is rich with churches and curiosities, and cafés dispensing tasty tapas.

Photo: Shutterstock

Rila Mountains, Bulgaria

The great summer hike

The interior of Bulgaria is one of the undiscovered highlights of Europe. The best way to experience it is to head south from the capital, Sofia, on a guided hike through the Rila Mountains. Within an hour of the city, you leave the meadows behind to walk through thick forest before climbing to spectacular mountain vistas. The conclusion of the walk is Rila Monastery, a richly decorated complex that is Bulgaria’s holiest shrine.

Photo: Corbis

Teide, Tenerife, Spain

The great ascent

The ancient volcano Teide in Tenerife remains the summit of Spain. A cable car takes excursionists most of the way up, but you can stay in the parador near the foot and make a day’s climb to the top. An early start and good boots should lead to a rich reward of a view that takes in the entire island and some of its neighbours.

Photo: Corbis

Simon Calder

Go off piste this summer

Pyrenees, France and Spain

Verbier, Switzerland

Saint Martin-Vésubie, France

Granada, Spain

Rila Mountains, Bulgaria

Teide, Tenerife, Spain

Pyrenees, France and Spain

Verbier, Switzerland

Saint Martin-Vésubie, France

Granada, Spain

Rila Mountains, Bulgaria

Teide, Tenerife, Spain

More from previous issues