Hiking, Saint Lucia

Cherry Tree Hill is eight hundred and fifty (850) ft above sea level and is actually an intrinsic part of the formidable St. Nicholas Abbey of the same parish. Actually due to the size of the St. Nicholas Abbey property, Cherry Tree Hill actually borders, St. Peter and St. Andrew. Many, many years ago, the drive on either side to get to it was flanked by cherry trees, thus the reason for its name; however these were replaced with mahogany trees which line the road up to this day. The change was instigated by The Treaty of Paris in 1763. https://www.visitbarbados.org/cherry-tree-hill

The Colón and Bolivar peaks the highest points of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (at 5,775 and 5560 meters above sea level, respectively) and are considered sacred places by the ancient Tayrona culture, whose descendants are responsible for ensuring for environmental balance of this zone. http://www.colombia.travel/en/where-to-go/caribbean/santa-marta/activities/colon-and-bolivar-peaks

San Gil, 96 km from Bucaramanga, you can discover other extreme sports. Rafting is one of its most popular activities here with experienced guides offering several trips on the rivers. The excursions which take place on either the Fonce or Suarez river offer adventurers differing levels of difficulty, making use of rafts, kayaks or hydrospeed - a form of river bodyboarding. http://www.southamerica.cl/colombia-guide/bucaramanga.htm

Chicamocha National Park in Panachi, about 50km from Bucaramanga, to see the world’s longest cable cart. This cart is no less than 6 km long and contains 39 cabins, each of which has a capacity of eight passengers. The system covers the entire Chicamocha canyon from La Mesa de los Santos to Panachi and includes three stations in between, allowing people to get out for a moment and enjoy the park by foot. http://www.southamerica.cl/colombia-guide/bucaramanga.htm

Jamaica's World Heritage Site, the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, is one of the richest biodiversity sites in the world and a nature-lover’s paradise. It is home to over 1,300 flowering plant species, the largest butterfly in the Americas - the 6-inch Giant Swallowtail and over 200 species of native and migratory birds. http://www.visitjamaica.com/blue-john-crow-mountains-national-park

The small town of Guatape is a colourful and tranquil pueblito (small town) perfect to enjoy a day trip (or two) from Medellin. Whilst the town is famous for the colourful designs on the facades of the houses it’s probably more recognisable in promotional material for the the large rock “El Penol” which you can climb to get an amazing view of the surrounding man-made lagoons. http://www.medellincolombia.co/medellin-sightseeing/visit-nearby-towns/

Small historical town located just 2 hours from Medellin. It was the capital of the region before the control of power was shifted to Medellin. If you’re interested in colonial architecture, white-washed walls, weathered churches (like The Catedral de Santa Fe de Antioquia, located in the main plaza) and old town squares then Santa Fe is a perfect day trip from Medellin. http://www.medellincolombia.co/medellin-sightseeing/visit-nearby-towns/

The award-winning Croydon Plantation is a working estate nestled in the foothills of the Catadupa Mountains and offers visitors breath-taking, panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Visitors are invited to take in the rich history of the plantation, which is the birthplace of Samuel Sharpe, one of Jamaica's national heroes. Tours operate on Tuesdays to Fridays and offer the opportunity to taste many different varieties of pineapple and citrus fruits. Sample exotic and delicious fruit and the juices made from them. This tour also includes a delicious feast of barbequed lunch served with world-famous Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. https://www.visitjamaica.com/listing/croydon-in-the-mountain/24/

The Metropolitan National Park is a 232 hectares forest located in Panama City. Some of the tree species that you can admire here are the wild cashew, luehea semannii, gumbo-limbo, guanacaste and yellow mombin, amongst others. https://visitpanama.com/destino/parques-nacionales/?lang=en

In the mountains of the district of Coclé lies the small town El Valle de Antón, known as the second largest inhabited volcano crater. Once a crater lake it became home to Indians from the surrounding mountains. The microclima here, next to the cloud forest created amazing varieties of flora and fauna. Also El Valle is one of the best places in Panama for watching tropical birds. You will find them in the valley and in the cloud forest of the Gaital Monument. https://www.el-valle-panama.com/

A short drive from Tampa, beautiful Honeymoon Island offers visitors an escape from the bustle of city life. One of Florida’s best-loved state parks, Honeymoon Island has more than four miles of beach to explore along with a three-mile trail through one of the last remaining virgin slash pine forests. Looking skyward, eagles, osprey and great horned owls can be seen, while ground animals include gopher tortoises, raccoons and armadillos. A trip to the Rotary Centennial Nature Center helps educate visitors about the park’s history and natural resources. Find out how Honeymoon Island received its name! Swimming, fishing, shelling, hiking and bicycling are all popular activities that make Honeymoon Island State Park an ideal getaway. The park is also the ferry terminal for access to another unspoiled state park, Caladesi Island. https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Honeymoon-Island

Bivens Arm Nature Park is 57 acres of marsh and oak hammock with a wildlife sanctuary, shaded family picnic grounds, an observation pavilion and a mile-long nature trail with a 1,200 foot boardwalk. The wetlands and creeks bordered by beautiful upland mixed forests is a true natural treasure. The Park connects the southernmost Gainesville creeks to the wetlands of Paynes Prairie State Preserve. The park’s trail meanders through uplands past numerous large live oaks, while the boardwalk and main pavilion border a small marsh. Birders especially enjoy the Bivens Arm Nature Park, where wading birds, including great blue herons, little blue herons, cattle egrets, great egrets and snowy egrets can be seen. You will also see purple gallinules, common moorhens, and a variety of native turtles. You may hear barred owls or great horned owls, and in April and October you may see migratory songbirds such as hermit thrushes and American redstarts. http://www.visitgainesville.com/attractions/bivens-arm-nature-park/

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS) is recognized internationally as the world’s first jaguar preserve. It is also known for its spectacular waterfalls, mountain views, nature trails, and rich diversity of neotropical birds. The tracks of wildcats, tapir, deer, and other wildlife are often seen on hiking trails or along the bank of South Stann Creek. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a reservoir for biodiversity. Hundreds of species of plants with exotic leaves and flowers, colorful insects, singing birds, furry mammals, scaly reptiles, and wide-eyed amphibians live in this complex tropical forest community. Each one has a function that serves the community as a whole. Each one is adapted to the conditions that make the community unique. The mosaic of ecosystems in this rugged landscape suggests the limited extent of our knowledge of the Sanctuary’s biodiversity. http://www.belizeaudubon.org/?page_id=3605

Guanacaste National Park (GNP) is a popular getaway, located only two miles from the capital city of Belmopan at the confluence of the Belize River and Roaring Creek. The park’s small size of 50 acres allows visitors to observe wildlife and tropical vegetation readily. At GNP, it is easy to learn about plants and their traditional uses, fungus farming leaf-cutter ants, or the mini-ecosystem inside a bromeliad. Its habitat is known as a secondary broadleaf forest, which benefits many birds and wildlife, including the shy and secretive “tiger cat” or Jaguarundi and Black howler monkeys. Visitors can enjoy various recreational and educational activities throughout the year at GNP. The park provides a picnic area, interpretive displays, two miles of maintained trails, a bird watching deck, and a clean swimming area. It is a perfect environment for a class field trip or family gathering. http://www.belizeaudubon.org/?page_id=3615

The following is a first person account of one woman’s visit to explore the mysterious cave of the Maya underworld at Actun Tunichil Muknal – also known as the ATM Cave. This attraction is located in the western part of the country and is one of the more interesting places to visit. The ATM cave is a hiking and adventure experience with the added dimension of being an educational trip for those interested in archaeology. Here you will find Maya artefacts just the way they were left by the Mayas hundreds of years ago. The cave is ranked as one of the Top Ten Caves Of The World by the National Geographic Society. National Geographic and the Discovery Channels and History have done documentaries on this spectacular cave. https://belize.com/actun-tunichil-muknal/

DC’s ultimate outdoor mecca is Rock Creek Park, a 4.4-square-mile expanse that includes numerous trails for hiking, biking and exploring. There’s more to like about the park, too, like a nature center, picnic areas, riding stables, tennis courts and Peirce Mill, an historical site. https://washington.org/visit-dc/things-to-do-rock-creek-park-washington-dc

Open in 1961, the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, aims to protect a portion of the Brazilian Cerrado. In 2001, the Park was declared a Natural Heritage by Unesco. With almost 66 thousand hectares, it is home to beautiful waterfalls, natural pools and rock formations (some with more than a billion years). It is the brightest point seen from Earth’s orbit, according to Nasa, because of its quartz crystals. Birds are always present: parakeets, toucans, macaws, among others. Wildlife includes armadillos, veados-campeiros, jaguars, among others, and, on the Park’s trails, you can find a diverse flora. The Park’s main attractions are its waterfalls, such as the Prata and Santa Bárbara. The trails (Sete Quedas, dos Saltos, dos Cânions and da Seriema) also attract those who like to walk among nature. Each trail has different degrees of difficulty, ranging from 230 m (track with accessibility) to 23.5 Km. https://www.visitbrasil.com/attractions/chapada-dos-veadeiros-national-park.html

McNabs Island is the largest island at the entrance of Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia. Part of the McNabs and Lawlor Islands Provincial Park, McNabs Island is only a short boat ride from Halifax or Eastern Passage, but feels like a world away with its colorful past and unspoiled natural beauty. Situated on the eastern side of the entrance to Halifax Harbour, McNabs Island has provided a scenic and historic backdrop to the lives of metro residents for over two centuries. Its strategic location was utilized by the military to guard the harbour, her fertile soils provided an important source of food for early settlers, and the beaches, woodlands, open fields and scenery have attracted local residents for leisure-time pursuits since the 1700's. McNabs Island is accessible by private boat, or commercial water taxi and charter boat operators from Halifax, Dartmouth and Eastern Passage. Depending on pick-up and drop-off locations, the trip takes about 20-30 minutes from downtown Halifax or Dartmouth, and 10 minutes from Eastern Passage. https://mcnabsisland.ca/

A 103-acre facility dedicated to conservation, education, recreation and tourism. It houses an award-winning, 9500-square-foot building filled with live animal exhibits; photographic presentations of the site's flora and fauna; natural artefact and mineral displays; and a sizeable, vintage waterfowl decoy carving collection. Ecology and art exhibits are featured periodically. Over a mile of gravel paths and boardwalks link varied habitats such as the cypress-tupelo swamp, beech-magnolia and hardwood forests. Wildlife is plentiful at Bluebonnet Swamp, including hundreds of bird species utilizing the site throughout the year. Birders can view seasonal species during peak migrations, as well as year-round residents. While snakes and turtles are commonly seen from the trails, raccoons, rabbits, opossums, armadillos, squirrels, foxes, coyotes, deer and otter are also known to inhabit the site. Nature programs and environmental education are conducted throughout the year including educational group tours, live animal encounters, holiday and summer day camps, toddler activities, birding walks, field trips and special events. https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/listing/brecs-bluebonnet-swamp-nature-center/209/

Cherokee Park Family Campground invites you to spend your next camping vacation on our quiet, scenic grounds in Portage County, near Akron in Northeast Ohio. The Park campground features gorgeous surroundings, quality facilities, excellent campsite amenities and friendly service. Set on 50 acres, just a short drive east of Akron, Ohio, Cherokee Park offers a peaceful setting with wooded and open space surrounding two small tree-lined lakes and an activities area. Enjoy the beauty of nature and the calming effect of a campfire. You might even spot an occasional deer during your stay. Cherokee Park offers 120 campsites with 30 amp electric and water hookups. Choose a sunny, open RV site or one that is shaded by trees. Pull-thru sites are available for today's larger RVs. Pets are welcome so long as they are leashed and attended. Cherokee Park offers a few family tent sites during the summer for a limited stay. http://cherokeeparkcampground.com/

Highbanks is named for its massive 100-foot-high shale bluff towering over the Olentangy State Scenic River. Tributary streams cutting across the bluff have created a number of deep ravines in the eastern part of the 1,200-acre park. Ohio and Olentangy shales, often containing outstanding large concretions, are exposed on the bluff face and sides of the ravines. http://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/highbanks/

Accessible by a bridge at the foot of East Grand Boulevard, this 982-acre island park features a zoo, aquarium, conservatory, Great Lakes museum and plenty of room to hike, barbecue, watch boats, bicycle and more. Original landscaping by the Dean of American landscape architects, Frederick Law Olmstead. https://visitdetroit.com/profile/belle-isle-park/

The Lake Laurentian Conservation Area is a scenic natural area located only ten minutes from downtown Sudbury. Easily accessible by car, the area offers 2,415 acres (950 hectares) of protected green space. Imagine the remote tranquility of a wilderness setting, a man-made lake and pond, scenic lookouts, a self-guided nature trail, numerous wetland areas, hiking trails, bird watching areas, and snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails in winter. The Lake Laurentian Conservation Area offers the photographer, nature watcher, and recreationist boundless opportunity to experience the wilds. At Lake Laurentian children can: touch a frog, eat juicy blueberries, feed the birds, learn to survive if lost in the woods, see animal displays or plant a tree. The Lake Laurentian Conservation Area has something for everyone. Providing environmental education for over 40 years, is only one of the many benefits this facility provides. https://conservationsudbury.ca/en/lake-laurentian-conservation-area.html

Boavista contains a real desert in the northwestern part of the island, the Viana desert. Just one kilometer long and about 5 km long, it is characterized by a light sand mixed with grains of black earth. The ocean winds continuously transport huge volumes of sand from the African continent, depositing them on the island of Boavista due to the conformation of the land and the proximity to the mainland. This sand creates real desert dunes, interspersed with a sparse vegetation and some very dark volcanic rocks. The result of this phenomenon is a rainbow of colors and the rapid passage of clouds projects onto the ground an alternation of almost hypnotic light and shadow. The lunar landscape, amplified by the total lack of artificial sounds, makes this place an obligatory stopping point: it is possible to walk without difficulty, in the tranquility of being a few steps from civilization, without the danger of encountering poisonous animals or quicksand. https://www.boavistaofficial.com/en/viana-desert-boavista/

Get up before dawn to enjoy the show just as the sun rises, with the craters of El Tatio as the main attraction. Located 4,200 meters above sea level, its fumaroles (smoke from the geysers) create amazing white steam columns which are at their best between 6 and 7 in the morning. On your morning outing see how the local endemic wildlife (viscachas, vicunas, nandues) and other birds leave their hiding spots, looking for their breakfast among the yaretas (fern like plants) and giant cacti. Tired? Finish your day in the healing hot springs that the destination offers. https://chile.travel/en/where-to-go/north-and-the-atacama-desert/san-pedro-atacama/el-tatio-geyser

The peculiar rocky formations and dunes of Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna) and the changing colours of Mars Valley (Valle de Marte) and the Salt Mountains are an attraction that you can’t miss while visiting the Atacama Desert. At night, both places become the most romantic spot for stargazing. Found just a few minutes from San Pedro de Atacama, you can get to these mystical settings on bike, trek around them and enjoy sandboarding on the dunes. Visit them and appreciate the overwhelming shadows that the desert displays. https://chile.travel/en/where-to-go/north-and-the-atacama-desert/san-pedro-atacama/moon-and-death-valley

McKinney Falls is a 641-acre park features over 80 campsites, including developed (RV) and hike-in sites. Screened shelters, group shelters and a group dining hall are also available. Outdoor recreation opportunities include hiking, mountain biking, bicycling, swimming, birding and wildlife observation. Onion Creek, which flows 1.7 miles through the park, offers both swimming and fishing opportunities. https://www.austintexas.org/listings/mckinney-falls-state-park/2895/

The place is opened to the public for didactic visitation guided by technicians, with carefully elaborated tracks, showing aspects of typical ecosystems: paludosa forest, restingas, swamps, beach, sea rocks and Tabuleiro forest. Various uncommun attractives of the landscape provide a pleasant sightseeing pleasure and direct contact with the nature, good of seeing, feeling, to hear and to smell. http://www.ruschicolibri.com.br/marinebiologystation.html

From Praia Vermelha, the visitants take the first tram links to the Urca hill, and from there, a second tram takes them until the top of the Sugar loaf hill, it stays 396 meters of the sea level. Different histories justify the name of this touristic side; the most popular says that during the centuries XVI and XVIII, at the peak of the production of sugar cane, the producers stored sugar blocks in little boxes to be exported, and the resemblance of the object with Sugar loaf mountain gave origin to the name. Inaugurated in 1912, the little tram of the Sugar loaf was the first Brazilian cable car and the third in the world, linking the Urca hill to the Sugar loaf mountain. Since then, more than 40 million of people have already used that cable cars. From the high of the two mountains revels a gorgeous landscapes of the city, including the Botafogo cave, Copacabana edge and the entrance of Guanabara bay. In the summer, the amphitheater, located in the top of Urca hill is a stage for shows and night events, joining fun and a wonderful visual of lights of the city. http://visit.rio/en/que_fazer/sugarloaf/

Contact with nature always renews the soul and provides us with a break from the hectic lives we lead in the city. Break the monotony by exploring the cliffs and nooks of the Espinazo del Diablo –The Devil's Spine- which is a rough, beautiful place that will charge you with energy. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/durango/trekking-on-the-espinazo-del-diablo

You can not miss that wonderful National Park. You will enjoy landscapes that will seem like another planet. You will breathe the pure air of the highest peak in Spain. You will walk among the volcanic lava and you will feel tiny when you see the impressive environment declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. https://www.webtenerife.com/que-visitar/parque-nacional-del-teide/?tab=1

Because of the spectacular fields of solidified lava that make up the island of Lanzarote, Timanfaya is the land of volcanoes. http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/naturaleza/espacios-naturales/parque_nacional_de_timanfaya.html

The John Denver Sanctuary is nestled in the heart of Aspen, next to the Rio Grande Park, adjacent to Theatre Aspen's summer performances. Its location, near the Roaring Fork River, makes this an ideal spot for quiet meditation or a family picnic. The Song Garden features many of the iconic singer's lyrics etched into native river boulders placed in a perfect circle to represent the circle of life as a score of music. At the circle's center, a single Colorado Blue Spruce was planted which symbolizes the spirit of John. It is an idyllic location and visitors will not wonder for long where "Rocky Mountain High" originated. The man-made wetlands and winding streams work as an innovative stormwater filter system, cleaning water before it drains into the Roaring Fork River. Within the Sanctuary, you will find one of the largest perennial flower gardens open to the public, which adds to the friendly atmosphere for its visitors from around the globe. These beautiful gardens start blooming during late May/ early June, which makes this the perfect location for small get-togethers or even weddings. https://www.aspenchamber.org/explore-aspen/trip-highlights/john-denver-sanctuary