Below are five countries that are packed with both hiking trails and famous filming locations.
You may not think your hobbies of cinema and nature as compatible, but why not? We can choose where to walk on our hiking holidays, and so choosing paths that pass the settings and inspirations for our favourite films can be quite magical.
Scotland's Highlands are so mystical that they’ve been the backdrop for many films and television series. Orbis Ways has many different hiking trails in the Isle of Skye, for example, and these are the landscapes used for films like "Stardust" and "The BFG" as the iconic Quiraing and Old Man of Storr were used for their vistas.
Glen Coe was immortalized in "Braveheart" and "Harry Potter" and has many great hill walks with rewards of the lochs and peaks. The West Highland Way passes through numerous filming locations, particularly those seen in "Outlander," allowing walkers to experience 96 miles of Scotland's most photogenic terrain.
England's unique countryside and heavy involvement in media have meant that we see it on our screens very often. The Lake District was beloved by Romantic poets and filmmakers - it has trails through locations used in "Miss Potter" and "Swallows and Amazons," with both gentle lakeside paths and challenging fell walks.
The Yorkshire Dales has a ton of moorland hikes through "All Creatures Great and Small" territory. The dramatic coastlines of Cornwall also featured in "Poldark", while Doc Martin was heavily filmed in Port Isaac. The Cotswolds have picture-perfect village walks through cottages and rivers that are often seen in period dramas like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Downton Abbey."
Germany has its own fairy-tale landscapes that have been popular with both filmmakers and hikers for generations. The Bavarian Alps have many great trails with mountain views of Neuschwanstein Castle - this was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle and featured in many different films. The Rhine Valley has riverside hiking with castle views too and has been the inspiration for many films, while "The Grand Budapest Hotel" was filmed in the Saxony region.
Malta's historical and architectural diversity has meant it’s popular for filmmakers who want a one-of-a-kind, unique and sunny setting. The island's coastlines can be seen in "Game of Thrones" - these have many stunning cliff-top walks and can be done at a leisurely pace, particularly around the Azure Window area and Dwejra Bay. Historic Valletta was used in "Gladiator" and "Troy" and has some urban walking tours through its fortifications.
Spain has a large landmass and so trekking across it, as per Camino de Santiago, is no easy feat. Andalusia specifically has great hiking opportunities through landscapes that were featured in "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," with trails winding through olive groves and white-washed villages. Game of Thrones also enjoyed filming in Spain on many occasions.
The above five countries are popular for both hikers and filmmakers. It’s no surprise that the two come together quite often, because landscapes and atmosphere are at the core of both.
