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Any serious hiker has heard about it. Copies of hiking books worldwide have it circled, dog-eared, and highlighted. As of this decade, conquering that one epic Canadian trek – rated by many as one of the best hikes in the world – has been plonked in seemingly endless backpacker bucket lists. Built in 1907, the West Coast Trail, which meanders for 47 miles along the south-western edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, is widely agreed to be one of the world’s most difficult hiking routes. It was originally called the Dominion Lifesaving Trail and was created solely as a means of providing access to stranded sailors whose ships had wrecked on the vicious coastline. This area is infamously nicknamed the Graveyard of the Pacific and has claimed thousands of lives over the last few hundred years. The rich history of the trail doesn’t end here, however. The route also sweeps over multiple First Nations archaeological sites, covering the land of the Pacheedaht, Ditidaht, and ...

Alternative Things To See and Do When You’re Travelling in Beijing Visiting Beijing on a university trip is pretty special, but it wouldn’t have been half of what it was if we didn’t join in with local culture while we were there. Here are some things to see and do when you’re in Beijing to embrace the Chinese culture. Dance at the Summer Palace The Summer Palace felt like the coldest place on earth but our freezing fingers and toes were soon forgotten when we came across a group of local Chinese residents. Up on the hill, beneath the red and yellow pavilion, around 50 elderly people were gathered together singing and dancing while some were holding books full of musical notes and Chinese symbols. A couple tapped tambourines as a trumpet roared triumphantly in front of us. On our arrival, Chinese women grabbed our hands, pulling us deep into the crowd and encouraging us to join in. Every morning locals gather at the same spot in the grounds of what used to be...