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Hiking in summer: things to note

The most valuable tips and exciting tour suggestions for hiking in the heat

30 degrees in the shade, the sun shines with full force, and the beads of sweat run from your forehead. That’s the height of summer! The swimming pools are overcrowded and the lakes overrun. Why not take refuge in the higher elevations, where the temperatures are more pleasant and perhaps a cool breeze blows?

Good idea! However, there is a lot to consider when hiking in summer. Because it often happens quicker than you think, that before you know it you have sunstroke and are as red as a tomato.

Find out all you need to know below!

Valuable tips for a hiking trip on hot summer days

Breathable clothing for hot days

Building up a sweat is generally a good thing. Sports clothing is the perfect choice when hiking. Cotton shorts and synthetic clothing have no place in the mountains in summer. The best is breathable clothing, which repels the sweat and dries as quickly as possible. Because at the summit the temperatures can drop quickly, or there could be wind!

So be sure to pack a change of clothes, and stick a spare vest in your backpack. In addition, you should not forget headgear. Whether a cap, hat or hair band, no matter which you prefer, the main thing is that your head is protected from the sun!

Tip: Although temperatures climb above the 30 degree mark, you should not give up sturdy footwear. A good footing on uneven roads is important even in summer!

Sun protection for the eyes

In addition to a bottle of sunscreen and headgear, sun protection for the eyes is enormously important. The higher you go, the more intense the UV radiation. The result: strong UV rays can damage the retina. Sufficient filter protection is essential. Make sure your sunglasses offer a category 3 UV filter!

This filters out between 80 and 90 per cent of all rays so offers good protection for the eyes!

Choose your hiking tour wisely

This means: you can do extreme tours when the weather is a little cooler. In heat, summer-friendly tours are enough. In addition, you should make sure the paths are partly in the shade, or through forests. Then, at least for a short time, you can avoid the blazing sun and cool down a little!

The weather in high summer is not to be underestimated. Even on days when it is very warm and there’s not a cloud in sight, the risk of a thunderstorm is often very high. It’s best to check the weather conditions before the hike and prepare for a thunderstorm.

Here you will find our tips on how to read the mountain weather correctly.

And one time-tested tip: Don’t forget to drink! The body loses a lot of water while sweating. Therefore: drink, drink, drink!

These tours are ideal for a hike in great heat

Escaping the heat leads into the mountains

Even when the sun umbrella fails to provide cool shade and the water temperature in the pool resembles more a bath, it is high time for a change of altitude. The higher you ascend the lower the temperature becomes.

Glacier regions and the Alps not only feature cooler temperatures, but also icy-cold waterfalls and shade-giving ravines, which get cooled down by mountain rivers and their mossy surroundings. We happily swap clean mountain air for city smog!

Let’s enjoy the sun, but with comfortable temperatures – the mountains make it possible.

From Lake Chiemsee to Lake Königsee

The Salzalpensteig-Path I situated in the German Chiemgau Alps not only offers cooler altitudes but also crystal clear lakes such as Lake Chiemsee, which allows you to simply jump into the clear water anytime along the lakeside during the tour. As Germany’s third-largest lake Lake Chiemsee does not warm up very quickly and remains enjoyable for longer. Just like the climatic spa Inzell, which is considered a place of relaxation since the air and the weather are perfect for taking a rest – a welcome change to the sweltering summer air. Pine forests along the route provide shade and protect from the sun and a cool breeze is able to weave its way between the tall pine tree trunks throughout the forest.

Amidst glaciers with a view onto an ‘icy sea’

Even during summer you can look down onto an ‘icy sea’ along the Aletsch Panorama Trail. As the largest glacier of the Swiss Alps temperatures on the Aletsch-glacier increase only very slightly during the summer months, nevertheless you get to enjoy the sun shining on your face on about 300 sunny days annually.

However one must not underestimate the power of the sun despite comfortable temperatures, since the sunlight gets reflected and you get a nice tan without any heat perspiration. Whilst others complain about the heat down in the stuffy valley, you get to experience comfortable hiking tours along the World Heritage-Trail amidst an ice-scenery and clean air.

Fond of lakes?

Lake Fiblingsee, Lake Fuschl, Lake Mondsee, Lake Irrsee, Lake Attersee, Lake Wolfgangsee, Lake Schwarzensee, Lake Nussensee, Lake Hallstättersee, Lake Gosausee – dare to be fussy on your Hiking Holiday ’10-Lake Trekking’, since with each day a new clear and refreshing lake awaits. When the sun shines with a vengeance, the lakes are glistening, enticing you to a plunge into the cool water. Ranging from turquoise, dark blue all the way to light green the lakes offer a range of colours and the tall trees on the shores offer nice spots in the shade, inviting you to a little break on the edge of the lake. Since most lakes are fed by mountain springs, the water temperature remains lovely and cool and the water crystal clear. Water is known to invigorate and it will - especially during a hiking tour.

Ravines, waterfalls and the Trumer Lakes

The tour ‘Pilgrimage from Salzburg to the Tyrol’ along the Salzburg-Way of St. James kicks off in the Salzburg lake district, where three lakes alike are situated: Lake Grabensee, Lake Mattsee and Lake Obertrumer See. All three of them offer perfect opportunities to cool off and are under conservation, which not only ensures great water quality but also ensures that the natural environment there remains unspoilt.

The routes lead in parts along ravines, where a fast-flowing stream transports the crystal clear waters of the Alps down into the valley. That way water temperatures remain comfortable and cool and the air remains clean. Along this tour you will come across several waterfalls with drinking water quality and hence are the perfect chance to replenish your water resources. The rapids are also a great way to dip tired feet into the cool water and get some life back into them.

Always follow your nose: hike along the rivers Moselle and Eifel

You love nice wine, breathtaking panorama and fascinating culture? Then our hiking tour along the Moselle and Eifel Trail is just perfect for you. Your constant companion: the river Moselle! When your feet get unbearably hot in your shoes, the T-shirt sticks to your back and initial beads of perspiration form on your forehead – then it is time for a cooling off.

Do not hesitate and dip your feet into the fresh waters of the river Moselle. A perfect hiking tour for culture enthusiasts, who do not want to go without a daily cooling off.

Hikers with a panoramic view of the Moselle
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