Mega Walkabout track

I have carefully selected a route for our long hike from Northern Germany to Southern Spain (mid-July to November 2026), with many unpaved paths, little traffic and plenty of swimming opportunities in the summer. Here you can check our route on a hiking map...

From Northwest Germany to Paris:

Our route from Northwest Germany to Paris on a hiking map

Notes on the points marked on the map:
4 Free bathing (1,5km left)
5 Free bathing Völlen
6 Free bathing
8 Center Bourtange
9 Free bathing Bourtange
12 Free bathing Emmen
14 Free bathing Emmen
15 Free bathing 2km further right side
16 Free bathing Coevorden
17 Center Coevorden
21 Free bathing
27 Free bathing Zutphen
28 Source 300m NW (NW=Northwest)
29 Source 30m SE and more
31 Source after 400m 100m SE (SE=Southeast)
33 Center Arnhem
34 Free bathing Arnhem
37 Free bathing Nijmegen
38 Free bathing
39 Free bathing
42 Free bathing Wijchen
44-45 Free bathing in the Maas (SE)
49 Free bathing Oss
50 Free bathing 200m NW
51 Free bathing 'S-Hertogenbosch
52 Center 'S-Hertogenbosch
-- 10km north: friends of Jean Claude, couple in Rossum, Monique and a musician ->11r-Rossum
53 Free bathing Vught
-- 11n: 4km/24m more, less towns
55 Free bathing 2km NW
57 Free bathing Alphen/Tilburg
58 Unpaved paths. Alternative: Alphen
62 Free bathing Herentals
-- Decide: 11f-no-brussel
70 Source 600m NW
74 Center Brussel
76 European Parlament
79 Source 700m E
83 Sources 1km NE
84 Bathing strictly prohibited, no official bathing until Persan
87 Source 400m SE, 3km further1kmSE
91 Source 200m SE
94 Source 200m SW

From Paris to the Atlantic coast at Bordeaux:

Our route from Paris to the Atlantic coast on a hiking map

13 Free bathing
14 Source 400m N
19 Source 600m NW
32 Source 1km NW
34 Source 1,5km E
37 Cave
45 Free bathing Morée
50 Cave 400m NW, Source 1km NW
61 Cave 1km E on other way
62-67 Many caves
68 Free bathing Montlouis sur-Loire
74 Source 200m E
93 Free bathing 1km W
96 Free bathing 4km SE
102 Source 4km NW
109 Source 200m SE
120 Source 30m SE
124 Source 2km NW
126 Source 2km NW
132 Free bathing 600m E
143 Source 150m W
148 Free bathing 4km S
154 Source 2km NW
158 Source 500m W
172 - 174 Free bathing Sanguinet
175-181 walking mostly on the beaches

From the Atlantic coast to Albacete:

Our route from the Atlantic coast to Albacete on a hiking map

5 Sourse 100m W
6 Cave 600m W, Source 800m W
8 Source 400m W
9 Source 5m W
18 Source, no shop until 18
19 Source 1km W
21 Source 600m W
22 Source 1km W
32 Source 1,5km E
35 Free bathing Beriáin (Pamplona)
37 Cave 1km East
44 Source 400m W
59 Source 1km W
63 Source here, source 600m SW
65 Hot spring, 27°C, free access 😊
70 Source 4km E
71 Walk in the river bed until 73
72 Source 150m W
76 Source 8km NW
79 Soutce 2km W
81 Source (more sources) 
83 Source 5km W
86 Source 300m W
88 Source 600m E
91 Source
93 Shortcut to the right
94 Source 300m E
95 Source 200m SE
96 Source. 1.5km further highest point, 1580m
97 Source 700m SE
98 Source. Shelter/source. Try to cross the river.
99 Walk at the west side of the river and cross it when the path becomes too bad, through the water or you can see a bridge on mapy. Shopping?
100 Turn right - path along the river
101 Cave 500m NW
102 Source 700m W
103 Use extra route -13q-103_to_105
111 Free bathing 50m E
115 Source 1km NW
116 Source 300m SE

From Albacete to Nerja (Mediterranean):

Our route from Albacete to Nerja on a hiking map

1 Source 1,5km NW
2 Source 300m SE
5 - 10 Check access GR66 by 
https://www.alltrails.com/de/route/spain/albacete/riopar-alcaraz-via-gr-66 or 
https://viasverdes.com/en/itineraries/fc-baeza-utiel/ or 
https://turismoalcaraz.com/ 
7 Source 100m SE
8 Source 200m SW
15 Source 5km SE
16 Use extra route -14q-16_to_17
17 Source
22 Use extra route -14r-22_to_28
25 (also on extra route) Source 1km E
33 Hot spring of Santa Fé 😊 
35 Source 2km SE
38 Source
39 Highest point of the whole walkabout. Alternatively we can walk over Puerta de Frigiliana.