1. Rannoch Moor, Scotland
The Scottish highlands are famed for their rugged, remote beauty, and this spectacular moor is no exception. In summer you’ll find ochre hills dappled with shadows, grassy glens and groups of red deer. In winter, brave the cold for glittering, frosty valleys and dramatic mountains etched sharply against bright blue sky.
Of course, beauty and solitude go hand-in-hand with environmental sustainability. Our eco-hostel, Loch Ossian SYHA, is located right in the remote wilderness and operates on wind and solar power, leaving you to enjoy your stunning surroundings with a clear conscience.
2. Kheer Ganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
Kheer Ganga or ‘rice pudding river’ in English, is a remote village only accessible by a fifteen kilometre hike into the Himalayan foothills of Parvati Valley, Himachal Pradesh. We promise that it’s more than worth the sweat when you get there: unwind and clear your pores in natural hot water springs set on a backdrop of stunning snow-capped mountains and verdant alpine forests; then sip some masala chai under the bright starry sky.
After staying in one of the village’s basic wilderness cabins treat yourself to some home comforts and visit the slightly more populated town of Manali, staying at Manali International YH.
3. Rampart Creek, Canada
Here is a place where mountains scrape the sky, not office towers. If you dream of being sandwiched between the Canadian Rockies with world renowned beauty spots such as Peyto Lake and the (sometimes frozen) Weeping Wall at your fingertips, opt for HI – Rampart Creek Wilderness hostel. Here you can exchange tales of lofty vantage-point hikes, adventurous ice climbs and scaling summits, all over a hot drink in the hostel’s sauna.
4. Ytra Lón, Iceland
One for seekers of the really remote, this Hostel Ytra Lón is located right at the edge of the Arctic Circle, on the breath taking Langanes peninsula. 650 km from Reykjavik and over 10 km away from Skálar – which is itself a deserted village – you are left with stark landscapes an artist could only dream of, puffins, and if you’re lucky, the otherworldly illuminations of the Northern Lights for company.
Warning, pack some tissues: you may shed a single yet dignified tear.
5. Point Reyes, California
Do you prefer seals and solitude to bikini babes and boardwalks? Point Reyes provides the perfect seashore setting for you. Though many of their beaches can be reached by the masses, some such as Wildcat Beach can only be accessed by boat or by those who are willing to hike the single trail available, due to its location on a peninsula. There, you’ll find miles of golden, rippling sand dunes fringing the dramatic waters of Tomales Bay.
For wildlife enthusiasts, Point Reyes’s seashore national park is also a sanctuary for multiple species’ of nesting sea birds, seals, a huge herd of elk and from January to April, pods of migrating grey whales.
After your day of hiking on California’s harshest coastal stretch, make the most of the amenities at the best – and one of the only – secluded retreats in the national park area, our very own HI – Point Reyes Hostel.
Been anywhere especially remote? Tell us about it by dropping a comment in the box below, or sending your stories by email to socialmedia@hihostels.com
