Following the publication of the Guardian's Hot List, a selection of global destinations that are expected to be popular in 2017, and Macs Adventure's interactive magazine Route Notes Travel, we decided to take a closer look at 5 of 2017's top destinations that can be explored via a walking or cycling tour. 

1. St. Ives

Cornwall is awash with beautiful beaches, rugged clifftops, picturesque harbour villages and secluded coves. As well as a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that covers 958km² the county on England's southwestern tip is home to a number of seaside towns, but none of the Cornish towns are more beautiful than St. Ives. The town has always been popular amongst UK holidaymakers and with the re-opening of the Tate St Ives after a 14-month expansion project, 2017 is set to be particularly popular.

St Ives

A number of our self-guided walking tours spend at least a day in St Ives allowing you to explore the galleries, craft shops, beaches and excellent cafes and restaurants. The Highlights of Cornwall's North Coast tour starts in St Ives and follows trails through Cornwall's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty en route to the historic village of Tintagel. Those looking to complete a section of the famous South West Coast Path should consider those sections that pass through St Ives including the Padstow to St Ives or the St Ives to Penzance sections. 

Disused Wheal Coates tin mine near St Agnes Head in Cornwall

2. India

2017 will mark the 70th anniversary of Indian independence and a number of events are planned as well as the main celebrations on the 15th August. With the introduction of the e-Tourist Visas program and new flights to under explored parts of the country, it has never been easier to visit India.

Varanasi Ghats

We operate 2 tours in India that allow you to immerse yourself in the culture of this diverse country with added input and expert knowledge of a private guide. The Best of Northern India tour is a culture-filled tour that includes visits to Delhi, Jaipur, the Taj Mahal, Agra, Khajuraho, Orchha and Varanasi. The Taj, Temples & Tigers tour combines culture with wildlife with visits to Delhi, the Taj Mahal, the Keoladeo National Park reserve and the Ranthambhore National Park, both of which are teeming with wildlife with the latter being a key part of India's efforts to protect tiger numbers.

Ranthambhore National Park is an extensive nature reserve full of tigers

3. Hadrian's Wall

Immerse yourself in the history of Roman Britain on a walking or cycling tour on Europe's largest surviving Roman monument. The Unesco World Heritage Site is one of Britain's most popular long distance walks. Starting in Newcastle in the northeast of England the wall stretches westward to Carlisle, finishing on the Solway coast. Along the length of the wall there are multiple forts, milecastles, turrets and museums to be explored. 2017 is a great time to visit as a major exhibition, Hadrian's Cavalry, will run from April 8th to September 10th with various events taking place at visitor centres along the length of the wall. From displays of Roman cavalry objects, donated by national and international museums, to spectacular reenactments the exhibition promises to bring the wall to life and is a must for anyone interested in the mighty Roman Empire.

Sycamore Gap along Hadrian's Wall

The wild and beautiful landscapes around the England-Scotland border offer superb walking and cycling and we have a number of itineraries around the wall. The Hadrian's Wall walk is the classic option however for those looking to explore on two wheels, Hadrian's Cycleway offers relaxed cycling as you make your way from east to west and the Lake District & Hadrian's Wall Cycle is a slightly longer journey that also takes in the wide open spaces of the Lake District National Park.

Historical importance, combined with stunning scenery.

 4. Rotterdam

The Netherlands' second city has been the playground of architects over the past few years with a host of innovative and experimental new buildings popping up all over the city, see Markthal Rotterdam. Environmental concerns and learning to live and adapt to rising sea levels are central to government policy in this low lying country and the opening of a floating park made entirely from recycled plastic cleared from the Nieuwe Mass river is effective in highlighting this. With architecture and progressive ideas aplenty, you know Rotterdam has art & design at its core and is likely to be an art lover's dream. With the launch of an exhibition on Surrealism at the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen scheduled to run from early February to late May, the first half of 2017 is a great time to plan a trip to Rotterdam.

Well marked and flat cycle paths amidst a beautiful setting.

Our Holland Bike & Boat: Southern Circuit sees you spend 6 days cycling through a number of iconic Dutch sites and towns including the UNESCO windmills of Kinderdijk, the Amsterdam canals and the traditional craft towns of Delft, Gouda and Schoonhoven. With the cycling routes following flat, well marked paths this cycling tour is graded easy and returning each evening to the calm and comfort of your 'floating hotel' makes for a hassle free adventure.

Rotterdam is a fascinating mix of new and old, notice the U-shaped Markthal on the right

5. Innsbruck

Located in the heart of Europe at the base of the Nordkette range, Innsbruck is not only easy to get to but visually striking too. The winding medieval streets of the old town are particularly pretty and contain many relics of the Hapsburg dynasty such as the grand Hofburg Palace. Before hiking to the natural viewpoints into the mountains take a bus to the Bergisel Ski Jump which gives fantastic views of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains. 

The capital of Tyrol, Innsbruck with its alpine backdrop

The Across the Tyrolean Alps walking tour is 6 days of Alpine walking amongst the soaring peaks, deep gorges, high mountain passes and flower filled pastures that make up the Tyrolean Alps. Graded as strenuous, this walking tour is designed for experienced walkers with a decent level of walking fitness. Begin by walking in the shadow of Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze (2,961m) before taking the 'King's Path' to Castle Schachen and the alpine botanical garden which cultivates 1,000 species from the Alps and Himalayas. Onward through the Leutash Valley along a route that has been used by tradesmen since Roman times and leads into the Karwendel Valley, here there is the option to tackle the Sunntiger Spitze at a heady 2,321m. The route to Innsbruck takes you up a balcony path traversing several ridges that leads you in the Nordkette or ‘North Chain’ peaks. A real highlight of your trip is reaching the summit station of Hafelekar at 2256m. Face south and you may gaze down at Innsbruck, capital of the Tyrol, in the Inn Valley far below.

Looking out over the Tyrolean Alps

For further holiday inspiration be sure to check out the recently published, Route Notes Travel magazine, our own publication which features advice and opinion from our team of travel experts. If you are interested in any of the destinations mentioned in this blog post feel free to contact a member of our team on info@macsadventure.com.