Change your point of arrival

One famous approach, many quieter ones

Iconic landscapes usually funnel visitors through a single access point — a car park, a cable car, a viewing platform built for the classic photograph. Approach from a different trailhead, valley or season and the same geology can feel entirely new. Sometimes the quieter option is a neighbouring valley with similar rock; sometimes it's the same place at 7am in October.

A note of honesty: good weather and good light draw photographers everywhere. "Alternative" viewpoints often become busy themselves once they circulate online. Treat any recommendation, including ours, as a starting point to check locally.

Landscapes worth approaching differently

Westfjords, Iceland

While the Golden Circle concentrates day tours near Reykjavík, the Westfjords reward slower travel: deep fjords, small fishing towns such as Ísafjörður, and Dynjandi, a broad, tiered waterfall. Distances are long, some roads are gravel, and winter access can be limited. Plan several days, not one.

Ihlara Valley, Türkiye

Southwest of the main Göreme area, this river canyon is lined with rock-cut churches, some with surviving frescoes. A walk along the Melendiz stream between Ihlara village and Belisırma lets you set your own pace, with tea stops along the way.

Bardenas Reales, Spain

A semi-desert natural park in Navarre and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, with eroded clay formations that surprise many visitors to northern Spain. Part of the area is used by the military, so stick to marked routes and opening hours. Summer heat is intense; spring and autumn are more comfortable.

Val di Funes, Italy

Beneath the Odle (Geisler) peaks in South Tyrol, this valley offers walking and farm stays at a gentler pace than the busiest Dolomite trailheads. The small church of St Johann in Ranui is a popular photo stop and can get busy; the surrounding trails are usually calmer.

Viewpoint ethics

Stay on marked trails, especially on fragile moss, dunes and clay. Some popular routes cross private land; in the Faroe Islands, for example, landowners charge fees on certain well-known hikes. Pay them, close gates and follow seasonal closures for nesting birds or grazing animals.

1. Before dawn — drive or walk in

   Use the alternative trailhead you scouted the day before.

2. First light — the view

   Stay a while; skip the race to the next stop.

3. Mid-morning — local breakfast

   Farm café or village bakery near the trail.

4. Afternoon — rest

   Midday light and crowds are rarely worth it.

5. Evening — short loop

   A second, smaller walk close to your base.