Wilderness January 2023

The New Year is upon us so why not set yourself a goal that will improve your fitness, body, health and mind? No matter how fit and healthy you are already, the Walkl200km challenge is the simplest, most effective way to improve your overall health and well-being. It really is as simple as putting on some shoes and heading out of the door for 45-minutes (less as you get fitter and faster) each day. I've been walking (nearly) every day now for 15 months and, hand on heart, can honestly say I've never felt better. I'm fitter, trimmer, healthier and happier. Walk1200km is about finding adventure and ‘wilderness’ wherever you walk. It's not something you can only do when tramping huge multi-dayers (though that helps). You can do it anywhere;…

MURDEROUS COWS My partner and I had a chuckle at ‘Five things to consider before your next beach walk’ (October 2022). This year we visited Kahurangi Keepers House (highly recommended). As in the article, we did battle the wind on the first day and had to plan around the tides, but the wildlife was particularly memorable. A hut book entry tickled us: two trampers warned about some ‘murderous cows’. Apparently, the cows were so fearsome that the two had to dash into the dunes to escape them. We set out for home after regrettably staying only one night, and in the distance saw what had to be the terrible bovines. Without wanting to, we felt we herded them halfway up the beach. My partner was amused, I was not. They…

Get your photo published here to receive a meal from Real Meals worth $17. Learn more about Real Meals at www.realmeals.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz.…

WALKSHORTS The popularity of a campsite near Wellington has led to its downfall, DOC says. Graces Stream Campsite in Remutaka Forest Park has been permanently shut due to the risk of treefall. DOC says soil compaction from too much foot traffic and camping has damaged trees in the area. “It is not safe to camp there,” DOC senior ranger Robert Ashe said. Graces Stream has been a much-loved campsite for many years and the decision to close it was not taken lightly, Ashe said. The site's toilet has been removed and warning signs have gone up. Further north, campers at DOC sites in Whangārei will need to pack out their rubbish from February 1. Rubbish and recycling services have been available at Pūriri Bay, Otamure Bay and Uretiti campsites, but…

Hut removals in Te Urewera have been called into question. Tūhoe iwi authority Te Uru Taumatua began dismantling 44 DOC-owned huts in October. But in November an injunction stopping further removals was granted after Tūhoe member Wharenui Clyde Tuna took the matter to court. Tuna is arguing that demolition of the huts is unlawful and should stop. He has used the huts for recreation and food-gathering since childhood and their destruction has caused great distress, the High Court at Rotorua has heard. Twenty-nine huts have gone, but the injunction means further removals are on hold pending a full hearing into the case. Court documents reveal a strained relationship between Tuhoe and DOC. The two entities have had joint responsibility for Te Urewera since 2014. The documents also show there is…

Covering 650km in eight days, Harriet Watson has upped the ante in her fundraising efforts for Endometriosis New Zealand (ENZ). The 22-year-old raised $4305 for the charity in 2020 by kayaking 100km in a day. This time, she is aiming to raise $10,000 while running and biking along the South Island's West Coast from Farewell Spit to Ross, on December 2-9. Watson was running the Heaphy Track, Old Ghost Road and Paparoa Track as part of the fundraiser. “This project scares the living daylights out of me, but that is exactly what motivates me,” she said. “I want other sufferers to receive support from ENZ and have an Endo Help appointment like I did.” Endometriosis is on inflammatory disease that affects one in 10 women in New Zealand. After years…