How fit do you need to be for our Dolomites Escape?

How fit do you need to be for our Dolomites Hike Escape?

Three days of hiking. Steep trails, long climbs and big mountain views. Our four-night Dolomites Hike Escape puts the trails at the centre of the week.

Unlike most Salt Escapes, there aren't daily workouts here. The mountains are the workout, with three consecutive days of hiking that build from a 10km opening trail to our biggest challenge of the week: the Hero Hike.

So if you're looking at those peaks and wondering “am I actually fit enough for this?”, here's what you need to know.

You don't need to be an experienced mountaineer. But you do need a good level of fitness, decent endurance and to be comfortable spending several hours on your feet.

Here's what the week actually asks of you.

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How hard is the hiking?

You'll hike on three consecutive days, and each one brings something different.

We start with a 10km trail on your first full day. It's our introduction to the Dolomites, with plenty of big mountain views without going straight into a full summit push.

Then day three is where things ramp up.

This is our Hero Hike, the biggest adventure of the week and a proper test of endurance. Expect a challenging day on the trails, changing terrain and plenty of climbing along the way.

Then, on your final full day, we head out early for one last hike. It's shorter, but steeper, with plenty of elevation packed into the climb.

Do I need to be an experienced hiker?

You don’t need years of hiking experience, but you should be comfortable walking for several hours on hills and uneven terrain.

The biggest difference between this Escape and a long walk at home is doing it again the next day. And then again the day after that.

That's where having a good fitness base really helps. You want to be able to enjoy where you are, rather than spend three days staring at the boots in front of you.

[SEE THE DOLOMITES HIKE ESCAPE]

Is there any other training?

Not on this one. There are no dumbbell sessions waiting for you when you get back to the chalet. No burpees before breakfast, no second workout later that afternoon. Your challenge is out on the trails.

That doesn't make this an easy Escape. Three mountain days back-to-back will test your legs and your endurance in a very different way.

But once the hiking boots come off, they stay off.

Until tomorrow, anyway.

What should I do before I go?

Walk. It sounds obvious, but the best way to prepare for several days of hiking is to spend more time on your feet.

If you already train regularly, keep your usual strength and cardio sessions going, but we'd add some longer walks into the mix in the weeks before you travel.

And find some hills.

A good base might look like:

• 2 strength or conditioning sessions a week
• Regular cardio to build your endurance
• Longer weekend walks, ideally on hilly or uneven terrain
• Some lower-body strength work for the climbs
• Mobility alongside your training

If you live somewhere completely flat, stairs and incline treadmill sessions are your friends.

You don't need to spend every weekend halfway up a mountain. But your legs will appreciate a little warning about what's coming.

[SEE THE DOLOMITES HIKE ESCAPE]

What if I'm slower than everyone else?

You don't need to be the fastest person on the trail! These are guided hikes, and the point isn't to race anyone to the top.

There'll naturally be people who hike regularly and others for whom this is a much bigger challenge. What matters is arriving with enough fitness to take on the distances and climbs we've planned. Then we tackle them together.

And with views like these, nobody's complaining about stopping for a minute.

What about recovery?

This is where the chalet earns its keep.

After your first 10km hike, you'll head back for the sauna, cold plunge and guided breathwork before dinner.

The Hero Hike is followed by time in the spa and a yoga session to ease tired legs. And after your final climb, there's an afternoon of massages, sauna and ice before we head out for our farewell dinner in the mountains.

There's a pool, too. So yes, we're going to work your legs pretty hard. We're also going to look after them.

So, am I fit enough for the Dolomites?

If you exercise regularly, have a good level of cardiovascular fitness and can comfortably spend several hours walking on hilly terrain, you're starting from a good place.

If a long walk currently leaves you struggling the next day, give yourself some time to build up your endurance before you come.

You don't need to be a serious hiker, you don't need to be the fastest uphill and you don't need to arrive with summits under your belt.

But the fitter you arrive, the more you'll get out of the mountains.

You want to finish that first 10km hike and still be excited for the Hero Hike the next morning. The aim is to enjoy all three hiking days, not just get through the first one.

[SEE THE DOLOMITES HIKE ESCAPE]