Innehållsförteckning för October - November 2016 från Great Walks

IT'S been seven years this month since I had a cancer scare. In October 2009 I noticed a mole on my chest had changed colour. I finally got around to visiting my doctor, who cut it out and had it tested. I expected the results would be fine, but an urgent call from my doctor proved otherwise. He told me the mole was malignant and I needed to see a surgeon urgently. During a physical examination the surgeon found several mysterious lumps in my left armpit and left groin. His main concern was they could be signs of secondary cancer that had travelled from my chest through my lymphatic system. I was booked to go into surgery four days later. I kept on thinking, these things don't happen to me!…

The spice of life I am a recent subscriber to Great Walks and have been a reader of it for the last few years. I enjoy reading about all aspects of walking, which your magazine seeks to cover. I must admit though, I am tiring of reading/seeing articles about NZ and Tasmanian walks, though understand there may be a commercial imperative. There is of course a world of walking to be done. Simon Townsend, Darwin NT Hi Simon, thanks for your feedback. Yes, we do tend to favour Tassie and NZ, not so much because of the commercial imperative, but because they are so set up for bushwalkers, but you’re right – there’s a world of possibility out there. We’ll make sure we give every state and territory a fair…

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A HARDENED BUSHWALKER TO ENJOY THE WALK’S MANY DELIGHTS.” THE Great Ocean Road has long been regarded as one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives as it winds its way along Victoria’s coastline past sweeping beaches, rugged headlands and towering cliffs. While tourists from all over the world make the drive between Aireys Inlet and the Twelve Apostles, many aren’t aware there’s a much better, albeit slower, route; a route that traverses cliff tops and beaches and allows travellers time to experience more than a mere glimpse through a coach window or a brief stop at some overcrowded lookout. The Great Ocean Walk (GOW) opened in 2006 and extends around 100km from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles with seven dedicated campsites for registered…

1 Merrell Moab FST shoe One a recent trip to Central Australia to walk the 100km Great Uluru Trek (look out for the story in the Dec-Jan issue) I tested out the redesigned Merrell Moab FST shoe. I wasn’t interested in wearing boots as the walk was fully supported and I was only carrying a daypack. What I needed was a lightweight (796gm) but sturdy shoe with good grip and that’s what I found with the Moab. Offering out-of-the-box comfort, and a mesh and 3D printed upper for protection and support, the Moab gave me happy feet the whole week. On the first day we copped a lot of rain and hail (yes hail in the desert!) and the ground turned into a sticky clay. This proved no problem for…

FEDERAL Pass, National Pass, Six Foot Track, Govetts Leap... the Blue Mountains has its fair share of well trodden walking trails. But with over 140km of walking track there are plenty of trails that don’t register on the radar, so check out these five lesser-known bushwalks. “ ENJOYABLE AS A DAY WALK, IT ENABLES OVERNIGHT HIKERS TO MAKE A COMPLETE CIRCUIT OF THE JAMISON VALLEY. ” 1 Martins Lookout to Lost World Departing from the spectacular Martins Lookout, you can see directly opposite the cliff that you wish to be standing on in two hours’ time. This is the Lost World Lookout, marked with a white crucifix to honour Reverend Raymer, an avid bushwalker in the area. Another feature is Glenbrook Creek, with plenty of opportunity to explore the waterholes…

1 Purnululu National Park THE PLACE: Purnululu NP, aka the Bungle Bungles, is a place of pure magic. With it’s multicoloured, beehive-shaped rock formations, it is one of Australia’s most fascinating geological landmarks. Although the Bungle Bungle Range was extensively used by Aboriginal people during the wet season, few Europeans knew of its existence until the mid-1980s. If you’re a birdwatcher there are over 130 species to spot in the park including rainbow bee-eaters and flocks of budgerigars. THE WALKS: The most visited site is Cathedral Gorge, a fairly easy walk. Early into the season the plains around the domes are thickly covered in bright yellow acacia flowers, grevilleas are blooming and there’s plenty of wildlife to see. Some people take a couple of days and go explore the nearby…

What a steal I’ve been a subscriber to Great Walks after discovering the mag in a doctor’s surgery. Being a keen bushwalker and having trekked through Nepal, India and Tassie I was keen on the content so – with the permission of the receptionist at the surgery – I nicked the magazine and enjoyed many of the stories therein. Naturally we are looking forward to seeing some more great walks in the next issue. Denny van Maanenberg, Lexton VIC Good to see your doctor has taste in waiting-room reading material. My doctor has the same old copy of Readers Digest from 10 years ago and I always read this letter to the editor: “We were really confused. While transcribing medical audiotapes, a colleague came upon the following garbled diagnosis: ‘This…

A PLANNED visit to my brother in Dubai gave me a wish to show my children that there is more to the Middle East than glitzy shopping malls or the war zones they see on TV news each evening. Research indicated that Oman would fit the bill nicely and with its myriad of mountains and wadis, it should give us a chance for some outdoor adventures as well. Oman Trekking Guides offer a range of tours and activities off the beaten track. We arranged to meet up with some friends from the UK who have similarly aged children (11-14) and after much discussion we booked a seven-day tour named Outdoor Oman. The tour involved canyoning, rock climbing and trekking in the mountains and dessert. Accommodation was in mountain huts and…

“IT SURPRISED ME HOW MANY MAPS THERE WERE IN THE PRESS IN THE OPENING DAYS OF WWI.” MAPS have played a major part in telling the narrative of many moments in history, such as the First World War when newspapers tried informing people back home what was happening on the other side of the world with Newsmaps. Newsmaps gave readers a new perspective on terrain, troop movements and the sheer size of the area being fought over – or, sadly, how small. It allowed readers to feel closer to their brothers, husbands, fathers, uncles, cousins and friends who were in the heart of battle. And ultimately it helped them comprehend the human cost of war. Martin Woods, curator of maps at the National Library of Australia and president of the…

THERE can be no doubt that having some knowledge of bush navigation fortifies us with the confidence to leave the track markers behind and set out on bolder adventures. Now a short article is never going to pass as an all-you-need-to-know thesis of navigation, but it will make a start. With practice, navigation skills will harvest a reward of independence, adventure and safety in the bush. Bush navigation is essentially an exercise in logical problem solving. With just a few basic tools, navigation skills, along with our own common sense and natural instincts, deliver the promise of opening up many new areas of exploration and challenge, along with the ability to visit places rarely seen by others. 1 Compass labels The first of our tools, the orienteering compass, is the…

“ WE MUST BE ORGANISED BECAUSE NATURE IS UNPREDICTABLE. ” WE’VE all made little mistakes in our hiking adventures, but it’s what we learn from them that makes us better walkers. Below are 10 blunder busters to help prevent ruining your wanderlust. 1 STARTING TOO LATE – arriving late for a friend’s party is considered rude; however, arriving late to start a long hike is just plain dangerous. Plan your hike and start on time; if you do end up starting later than expected shorten your route, avoid look out points, keep your eye on the time and plan to set up camp earlier. Always factor in time that can be lost from taking wrong turns, rough terrain, elevation changes and rest breaks. Keep in mind that large groups…

FIRST described by the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1596, Mount Roraima (2700m) is bounded on all sides by near vertical cliffs rising 400m. Sitting on the border of Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil, it’s part of the Pacaraima chain of flat-topped mountains. It’s known locally as tepui meaning “house of the gods” in the native tongue of the Pemón, the indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana. Most people going up the mountain approach it from the Venezuelan side and hire a Pemón Indian guide in the nearby village of Paraite. From there it’s a 4-5day return trip, crossing open savannah, rivers and thick cloud forest. Once you get to the base of the mountain the way up is on a steep rocky trail which is why a guide…

AN early start to winter scuttled our plan – walk across the Razorback to Mount Feathertop. We were advised that strong wind and a wind chill factor well below zero would make it impossible. During our then sojourn in Harrietville it was suggested we could walk from there through the tree line to the summit and endure the harsh conditions for a relatively short period. After initially ruling out the idea, the seed began to germinate. I had always liked the idea of walking “across” 11km, but to attempt to walk “up” 11km was a mental barrier. Two days of inactivity, due to rain, made up my mind to attempt this plan B. Being on the wrong side of 50 and not overly fit did not auger well for us;…

“WE HAD A MOTLEY CREW OF FIVE MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS... SOME FAST, OTHERS SLOW.” IF YOU’VE never tried a long-distance walk, the ease and flexibility of the Camino, with its incredible infrastructure and bonhomie, is a great place to start. However, for those used to walking in the Australian bush, the Way of St James is an entirely different experience. Almost half of the walking is along quiet, cobblestoned country roads, interspersed with short sections of forests, vineyards, farmland and – in the case of the Portuguese Coastal Camino – beaches. In a day’s walking, you will wander between quaint villages and through entirely different landscapes; the variety and ease of going from town to town is a large part of the appeal. Unlike the Aussie bush, you are never…

THIS MONTH’S WINNING PHOTO Lord Howe Island, NSW Janette Asche, Indooroopilly, QLD Camera: Sony A7r Janette: “In March I climbed Mt Gower on Lord Howe and was lucky to have great weather. This photo shows my husband Harry using the ropes to descend with a spectacular view of Mt Lidgbird behind. Providence petrels can be seen flying around and, on the summit, were falling around us when called by our guide – an amazing experience.” Love the photo Janette! Great Walks is off to Lord Howe Island in October for Pinetrees' Adventure Challenge Week (www.pinetrees.com.au) – Ed JANETTE WINS A SET OF HELINOX WALKING POLES WORTH $156! Split Rock, Blowering Cliffs, Tumut, NSW Graeme Martin, Tumut, NSW Camera: IPhone 6s Graeme: “This is a tough walk on unmarked scrub, littered…

OXFAM Trailwalker Sydney has been and gone, and another Team Great Walks has taken on this gruelling challenge – along with over 500 other teams – to walk 100km along rugged trails in under 48 hours. Here’s four people’s points of view who were involved in the night. Rosie Baker, Team Great Walks “Doing Oxfam Trailwalker was both one of the best, and the worst things I’ve ever done. It’s hard to imagine feeling so conflicted about anything. I even miss the 5am starts and the tough 12 hour training days. Never have I laughed so much, for so long, at such nonsense as on those training walks or on the day. Nor have I ever felt such overwhelming despair or elation as I did throughout the 100km. The misery…

IT WAS inevitable. GPS units are getting smaller, and while GPS watches have been around for a while, they have finally sufficiently advanced that you can wear one on a daily basis without looking as though you have a dinner plate strapped to your wrist. One such watch-sized device is the Suunto Traverse, which pretty much renders all previous Suunto navigation watches obsolete. The GPS unit is incorporated into the body of the watch, rather than the lumpy strap of the Ambit series, significantly reducing its bulkiness. Apart from having all the functions of the Core (compass, altitude, barometer, storm alarm etc) plus compatibility with a heart rate monitor (sold separately) the Traverse will also track your position, distance, speed etc just like a regular hand-held GPS unit, albeit without…

Scarpa Cyrus Mid GTX shoe The first step out of the car should be with feet prepared for any terrain. Weighing 1096gm per pair, the Cyrus features a PU midsole that has a low weight and outstanding underfoot comfort, while its 2mm water resistant Nubuck upper and Gore-Tex lining ensures you are dry and protected everywhere your car takes you. RRP: $299.95 Website: www.outdooragencies.com.au Helinox Chair Two For that extra bit of home-like comfort, bring a Helinox Chair Two (or two). Stored in a carry bag that doubles up as a neck pillow, the Chair Two can be fitted with ‘rocker feet’ that transforms your chair into one that rocks... literally. The chair can hold up to 145kg but weighs less than a kilo. RRP: $148 Website: www.helinox.com.au…