AN ITALIAN APPETITE FOR WALKING
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region. A true challenge, the approach is
30 kilometres for a total 1300 metre ascent
with sheer cliffs and endless mountain
views along the way.
Those more inclined by foot will enjoy
100 kilometres of mountain trails for
walking, hiking and trail running. The big
highlight is an overland trek to nearby
Mount Hotham Alpine Resort. This is a
definite bucket-list item which you can
tackle in one day or take the “glamping”
option on eco-friendly camping platforms
dotted along the trail.
FALLS CREEK SUMMER TOP FIVE
• Ride the new Mountain Bike Park trails
• Picnic at historic Wallaces Hut
• See sunset at Australia’s highest driveable
point
• Hike from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham
• Cycle around Rocky Valley Lake
Rocky Valley Lake is a stand-out
feature that definitely sets Falls Creek
apart. A 250 hectare mountain-top
oasis with majestic blue waters, it is the
perfect postcard setting. Fishing, sailing,
kayaking and more are all perfectly
suited plus the foreshore is a popular
spot to soak up some sun and take a
cool dip.
Whether it’s time away with the kids,
adventure with your mates or a romantic
escape you are after, Falls Creek has all
the answers.
ne of the great pleasures
of walking in Italy is that,
wherever you are on the
peninsula, you are also walking
through the menu. The different regions of
Italy remain fiercely proud of and faithful
to their culinary traditions so a walking
holiday here can be an exploration of the
food and wine as much as the landscape.
In Piedmont, for example, the
specialities are mountain cheeses, creamy
risottos made from the rice grown on the
Po plains, and the world-famous white
truffle of Alba found in the autumn. The
Tuscans love their beans, wild boar and
panforte, the Ligurians their exquisite
pesto and seafood, and in Basilicata lentils,
burrata cheese and hot peppers take
pride of place in the traditional kitchen.
When you are exploring on foot you have
time to stop and see what is cultivated in
the fields, to watch people training and
harvesting their vines, to see cheesemakers at work or hunt for truffles and
mushrooms with local experts.
And the same applies to the wine
list: in Piedmont you hike through the
immaculate vineyards of Barolo and
Barbaresco, in Tuscany the famous
vineyards of Chianti and in Basilicata reds
made from the native Aglianico grape are
ubiquitous.
One of the real advantages of a
Hedonistic Hiking tour in Italy means that
your experienced guides can not only lead
you on the walking trails but through Italy’s
remarkable culinary heritage too. In the
same way that it is easy to get lost on a
route without a map, navigating a foreign
menu can be equally challenging and
often means that you choose only what
you can identify. With Hedonistic Hiking
restaurants are hand-picked for their
authenticity and quality. Menus are tried
and tested to reflect seasonal produce and
traditional recipes and courses are carefully
matched with the vast array of wonderful
local wines. At lunchtimes fabulous picnics
are prepared alfresco using fresh market
ingredients. And remember, if you have
hiked a good distance each day then you
can afford some guilt-free indulgence!
Hedonistic Hiking’s Jewels of Piedmont
tour runs twice in the year in June and
October. Piedmont is the birthplace of
the global “Slow Food” movement and the
tour here celebrates much of this region’s
world-class produce. The walking is on
Continue
Head to fallscreek.com.au or call 1800 2
FALLS to find out more and book your stay.
84 Ultimate Adventure Pass
OUTER EDGE 85