Wilderness

WE ALL KNOW what New Year fitness and health resolutions are like. You get a few weeks into the year and those resolutions start to fade as the excesses of the holidays become a distant memory. It’s also harder to commit to your goals if you’re on yo

Get your photo published here to receive a Victorinox Escort keyring pocket knife worth $22. Learn more about Victorinox at e.ampro.co.nz. ■

The aging Oturere Hut on the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk is set to be rebuilt and expanded. A DOC spokesperson said the 51-year-old hut is nearly at the end of its life and “isn’t at the Great Walks standard”. “It was fit for purpose in 197

Sarah White says she likes chasing a goal, so, not content with the Walk1200km challenge, she upped the target to 1560km. Wellington librarian Sarah White says she likes “ticking boxes and having a goal”. Last year she visited 55 backcountry huts t

Thanks to our generous partners, we’re able to offer these amazing prizes for our Walk1200km participants throughout January. It’s simple to win: everyone who is registered for the challenge goes into the draw. Register at www.wildernessmag.co.nz/wal

“I want to say a big thank you for inspiring me and other New Zealanders to get out and get moving with Walk1200km. “I love walking and last year started doing some overnight tramps with friends. This love has just grown and has become a little addic

Here are some of the lovely photos we’ve received in the Walk1200km ‘Photos of Summer’ competition. You’ve got until January 10th to submit your entries to be in with a chance of winning a Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 camera worth $599. Enter the ‘Photo

I live with chronic migraine. Frequent migraine attacks bring head pain, nausea and brain fog. There’s no cure for this common but misunderstood, under-researched and often undiagnosed neurological condition. I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors, but liv

It was an odd feeling, finishing a five-day tramp with a pack almost as heavy as when we’d set off. The usual shedding of weight by eating and drinking your way through consumable pack contents had been replaced by a growing bag of wet nappies. Times

Last year, I was able to take 12 months maternity leave from work. What a dream. There was just one small catch: I had to use the time to raise a little human. My pregnancy was spent heading for the hills as often as possible, with the firm belief th

Tramping with older, more experienced children is great fun especially with the right gear, attitude, preparation and teamwork. Planning the trip is half the fun and ensures everyone is psychologically prepared for the journey ahead. Now you’re past

was the first to stay at the new Beetham Hut after it was completed. The hut overlooks the Tasman Glacier and, he says, is an incredible and achievable destination LYING ON the warm red rock outside the new Beetham Hut, we gazed up at the giants of

The unique thing about sea kayaking is being able to conceal yourself in the landscape. Paddling can be silent and the kayak will glide through the water leaving only small ripples behind. And, once on the water, there’s much to see that can’t be see

IT WAS the most famous ladder in the backcountry; a chain contraption that flexed disconcertingly. Cloud obscured the drop below, but the wind clawed at me, and I could barely get the toe of my boot onto the narrow rungs. Still, I was grateful for th

ON STEWART ISLAND’S North West Circuit, there’s a sense of relief in stepping onto a beach. At last, a firm footing and the opportunity for rapid progress compared to the boggy slog found inland. The proximity of Little Hellfire Beach to Mason Bay in

PORANGAHAU/MT ROBERT is the northernmost summit of the Travers Range. Its easy access from the alpine township of St Arnaud makes for a popular day tramp. Following the Pinchgut Track is the most direct approach to the 1421m summit but, unsurprisingl

Once farmed, Urupukapuka is now a bird sanctuary where the rare New Zealand dotterel can be seen. There are regular ferry services from Paihia landing at Otehei Bay. Alternatively, competent sea kayakers can reach Urupukapuka across relatively shelte

GLACIAL lakes, lush beech forest and snowcapped mountains have endowed Nelson Lakes National Park with a reputation for supreme beauty. Few, however, venture a short way over the St Arnaud Range, crossing the Rainbow Road into the Rainbow and Leatham

THE MOERANGI TRACK STARTED LIFE AS A TRAMPING TRACK THAT LOOPED AROUND A GROUP OF THREE HUTS DEEP IN THE HUIARAU RANGES. BUT IN 2009, THE TRAIL WAS UPGRADED BY DOC INTO AN AMAZING MOUNTAIN BIKE TRACK. The trail passes through the towering ancient po

THE road from Christchurch up the east coast to Blenheim and Picton is one of the country’s busiest. Winding through the Hunderlee Hills most drivers wouldn’t notice an innocuous rural road, just over the Conway River, which leads to the coast. Nelso

The van driven by Hayden Potaka, Unique Whanganui River Experience director, picks me up outside the Whanganui War Memorial Centre on a breezy Saturday morning. It’s just after 6.30am. The streets of the river city are empty. Behind the van is a trai

HOW WE BREATHE has a big impact on calming our nervous system. I remember being in Tararua Forest Park and taking a wrong turn. When I realised my mistake, my heart rate increased and I was immediately stressed. It’s easy to become panicked when off-

THERE ARE many reasons you may need to seek shelter overnight or even during the day, which is why some form of emergency shelter or tent should be taken on every trip. These are waterproof metalized plastic sheets or bags and may have additional fab

Author and tramper Michelle Campbell completed Te Araroa with her partner in 2017 and has written a book about the experience, Meeting Papa: a journey on Te Araroa. Her gear includes a mix of lightweight and comfort items for summer season tramps. He

$349 / 1210g (m/w) Features: The uppers are formed from a combination of waterproofed leather and synthetic components. There is a novel ‘Bellows Flex’ rubber insert designed to relieve pressure on the top of the foot and provide more long-term dura

Combination of abrasion-resistant nylon fabric for durability and stretch for mobility, UPF 30 sun protection, roll-up sleeve feature, continuous underarm gusset, shirttail hem with a zippered pocket, front patch pockets with button closure. 160g. ww

Breathable textile upper and secure hook and loop closure designed especially for kids, reinforced toe, non-marking outsole with M Select Grip, recycled linings. www.merrell.co.nz Ultra-distance running shoe with Vectiv forward propulsion, dual-den

What was your goal in collecting tramping writing into an anthology? It was to show the diversity of the tramping experience and the ways people have expressed that diversity. Even if someone isn’t into tramping, I hope they would read the book and