We visited Yosemite in 2010. We were there much too short a time, long enough to be overwhelmed by some the monumental scenery.

Yosemite totals some 1,189 sq miles (about 10% of the Highlands and islands of Scotland). It is huge area but the tourist activity is concentrated in one small part, the Yosemite Valley which is depressingly crowded with cars, camper vans – and tourists. Fortunately, if your legs work at all, you can quickly take advantage of my favourite Yosemite statistic (possibly apocryphal but it felt true) that the average tourist travels no further than 500 yards from their car. It doesn’t take long for the crowds to thin out and for you to get some sense of wilderness. There are some great one-day walks. But even better, and for my next trip – whenever that may be, you can arrange to go for multi-day trips into the true wilderness with your bags and equipment carried on mules. Now that sounds like a worthwhile adventure.