The Pen y Fan Horseshoe

Pen y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales (886m) and the crown jewel of the Brecon Beacons National Park. While thousands stream up the 'tourist path' from the Storey Arms every day, the true mountaineer's route is the Beacons Horseshoe starting from the Neuadd Reservoir. This challenging 10-mile (16km) circular route climbs steeply onto the Craig Fan Ddu ridge, walks the long, grassy skyline over four peaks—including the 'diving board' rock at Fan y Big, Cribyn, Pen y Fan itself, and Corn Du—before descending back to the valley. It provides magnificent 360-degree views over the sheer, glaciated northern faces of the peaks down into the emerald Welsh valleys.

Rising sharply from the Seefeld plateau, the Seefelder Spitze (2,221m) is a classic peak in the Karwendel Alps. The trail from the Rosshütte cable car station follows a sustained ridge-line connecting the Seefelder Joch with the summit. The terrain is typical Karwendel: brittle limestone, narrow ridges, and significant vertical drops into the surrounding range. While the lift provides a useful head-start, the hike itself demands surefootedness and good aerobic fitness, and rewards those who complete it with a panorama spanning from the Zugspitze to the main alpine ridge.