Island Trails launching 700-km hiking route on P.E.I.

Islanders and their Atlantic visitors embracing a summer on P.E.I. will soon have another long-distance walking trail to stretch their legs on.

The Island Walkis a 700-kilometre trail that extends around the perimeter of the province, passing through Charlottetown, Summerside and a number of smaller communities.

The route was developed by members of Island Trails, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization.

The trail takes hikers down parts of the Confederation Trail, along beaches anddirt roads, and beside the ocean.

It is modelled after the Camino de Santiago, a long-distance walking trail in Spain.

"P.E.I. has stunning ocean vistas and quiet country roads that have a beauty that's comparable to anything we have seen in France, Spain and elsewhere," Bryson Guptill, a member ofIsland Trails, said in a release.

"This new walking route will give Islanders and visitors the opportunity to experience our Island in a way that's really up close and personal."

New website

In October 2019, some of the group'smemberstested out the new trail by hiking its full length in 32 days. Each day they covered 20 to 25 kilometres.

The group developed seven itineraries for the Island Walk for those who want the option to walk shorter lengths.

Island Trails has developed a website dedicated to the new walking route.

It provides trail maps anda recommended packing list, and points out places to eat and stay along the way.

Signage for the Island Walk is still under development, which means hikers will need to use the digital map for the time being.

The best time to walkthe trail will be between May and October, the group advises.

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