Most people want to take advantage of the summer holidays for a walking holiday. This is when the sun is more likely to shine in the western hemisphere, the days are longer and the views are just that bit clearer and more fabulous. But in some countries the temperatures can be so high that it makes walking feel rather arduous. Instead, you should aim to choose your summer walking holiday destinations wisely. Pick the places where it's sunny and warm but not too hot, so you can enjoy all the benefits of great weather but with more energy and less heat-sapping exhaustion.

5 of the best walking holidays for summer

Walking the Bear Trail

Switzerland enjoys lovely average temperatures in the summer months and when hiking in the Swiss Alps the climate can feel ideal for day hikes. The Baerentrek, or Bear Trail, is located in the Swiss canton of Bern, in the Bernese Oberland region. Macs Adventure Bernese Oberalnd walking holidays are very flexible so if it gets too hot or too tiring you have option to use mountain railways instead of walking.

Tour du Mont Blanc

The season for walking this acclaimed European route starts around now. Because the trail is located high up in the Alps, above 1,000m and often much more, many people prefer to avoid the worst of the year’s snow and wet, so the summer is a good time to hike. The route extends to around 170km and includes 10,000m of ascent and descent as it circles the Mont Blanc Massif and passes through France, Italy and Switzerland. It is considered to be Europe’s finest Alpine trek. Macs Adventure offer a range of Tour du Mont Blanc routes and tours.

King Ludwig Way

Germany has varying temperatures in summer but the country is a good bet for a warm weather walking tour. The beautiful King Ludwig Way is a great route and heads through Upper Bavaria to King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle.

Channel Islands

Lying just off France's Normandy coast, the Channel Islands include Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. While the summer months are warm, they are rarely too hot and temperatures for the hottest months of July and August have an average maximum of 20C. If this sounds like your kind of walking weather you’ll love the range of Channel Islands walking tours on offer with Macs Adventure. Many paths follow the stunning coast, taking in cliff top paths, seaside towns and villages, white sandy beaches and historical highlights.

Iceland

The summer months offer the most sunshine hours each day in Iceland. The country, which is renowned for its many geological wonders, can never boast of being the sunniest but if you prefer the waking days to be warmer and brighter, it’s best to go in the summer months. Choose a Macs Adventure Iceland walking tour that includes car hire so this means that if you do find the weather to be inclement you can always drive, rather than hike. Enjoy your summer of walking!