Innehållsförteckning för Annual 2026 från Great Walks

“FOR most of my life, I thought anxiety was just part of who I was – this invisible, ever-present weight that I had to carry quietly,” says one of our writers who shares a moving story about using the outdoors to manage her anxiety (pg 72). “I’d become so accustomed to the tightness in my chest, the racing thoughts, and the way my heart would start pounding for no clear reason that I almost stopped noticing it. But it was there. Every day. In every conversation, every decision, every quiet moment that should have felt peaceful but instead felt like I was standing too close to the edge of something I couldn’t quite name.” Everything began to shift when she took a step outside – literally. “One day last year,…

DURING the pandemic, with limited options and restless feet, I decided to section-hike the 1,200 km Heysen Trail – across two winters. What began as a way to escape lockdown monotony became an unforgettable journey through South Australia’s most stunning landscapes. Named after Australia’s renowned landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen, the trail offered diverse scenery – from coastal cliffs to rugged ranges – almost in my backyard. With maps from the Friends of the Heysen, I planned each section carefully. My friend Tammy joined me for most of it until a knee injury forced her to stop. Along the way, I met Hannah, reunited with longtime friend Edel, and formed a new bond with Liza. Together, we faced hailstorms, wild winds, and sheep-filled paddocks, making fires in old huts to…

FOR many visitors, Japan can be a whirlwind of neon lights, bullet trains and crowded streets. But every so often, a journey takes you beyond the beaten path – offering a deeper, more authentic connection with the country. Life’s an Adventure, in partnership with the Japanese Tourism Board (JTB), has curated one such journey: an 8-day pack-free guided walk along the Kunisaki Spiritual Trail on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s main islands. Our tour began in Fukuoka, where I met our group and our Japanese guide Tetsue who was fluent in English. Warm and knowledgeable, she immediately introduced us to some local etiquette and light-hearted language tips. “You’re welcome” is pronounced like “Don’t-Touchy-Mustache,” she told us with a grin. Temples and Traditions Our first stop was a temple dating back…

HIKING in Samoa offers lush rainforests, breathtaking waterfalls, volcanic landscapes and panoramic coastal views. Trails lead to hidden beaches and traditional villages, blending nature with culture. It’s a serene, uncrowded paradise for adventure seekers and nature lovers alike. Robert Louis Stevenson Trail Literary pilgrimage, rainforest walk or gruelling fitness circuit? This famous Samoan trail is all three. Located just ten minutes’ drive from the capital, Apia, the track leads from the Vailima Botanical Garden to the top of Mt. Vaea. At 4km return, it may be a compact hike, but it’s full of cultural meaning, historical associations and natural beauty. With gradients at times surpassing 40 per cent, it also offers the walker a formidable cardio workout. The original track was created in a single day by dozens of Samoans,…

CURRENTLY available through outdoor store Wild Earth in Burleigh Heads and direct to market via hilleberg.com, Sweden’s Hilleberg have a reputation as one of the world’s premier tentmakers, yet domestic sightings of them ‘in the wild’ are few and far between. While this is no doubt due in part to their premium pricing, Australian campers in search of the ultimate shelter should be looking past the $ signs. I’d previously reviewed a couple of different models over the years, but what I really wanted was to get to know one properly, and over the past year I’ve thoroughly acquainted myself with the Saivo 3. After 54 years and counting as a family business, Hilleberg’s current range comprises 28 models split over four main categories, or labels, signifying different end uses.…

FOR most of my life, I thought anxiety was just part of who I was – this invisible, ever-present weight that I had to carry quietly. I’d become so accustomed to the tightness in my chest, the racing thoughts and the way my heart would start pounding for no clear reason that I almost stopped noticing it. But it was there. Every day. In every conversation, every decision, every quiet moment that should have felt peaceful but instead felt like I was standing too close to the edge of something I couldn’t quite name. I tried different ways of managing it. I read books on mindfulness. I journaled. I talked to therapists (I still do), and I even gave medication a try. All of it helped, but never enough. I…

Hidden under glacial ice until 2015, Rainbow Mountain (Montaña Arcoíris) is Peru’s latest natural wonder. The vibrant colours result from minerals like red clay and sandstone layering on top of each other over millions of years – eventually exposed due by tectonic and glacial activity. To get there it’s a 2hr drive from Cusco then a 5km high altitude trek. The top of the mountain is 5200m – 1800m higher than Cuzco, the jumping off point to walk Machu Picchu – so you need your fitness. Llamas and alpacas can be seen dotted all along the route to Rainbow Mountain and the view from the top is of the surrounding valleys and vast Ausangate glacier, which can be explored on the challenging 4-day Ausangate Trek (see pg 8). rainbowmountainperu.com…

IN the days leading up, I began to wonder whether attempting the Wild South Coast Way in the middle of winter with two kids was a good idea. Extending 74km from Cape Jervis to Victor Harbor on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, the trail is the southernmost extent of the epic 1,200km Heysen Trail (see pg ??). It follows rugged coastline, traversing forest, farmland, coastal cliffs and isolated beaches over five days. My 10-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son had done walks before, but this would be our longest multi-day hike, and the first we’d done in mid-winter. We left Cape Jervis with a brisk southwesterly at our backs and the shadowy hulk of Kangaroo Island fading into the haze of approaching rain. As we weave along the coastal cliffs, we shelter…

IN 2022 when I turned 50, I thought it would be a great idea to set myself a goal to do 50 hikes that same year, all whilst I worked full time and did my master’s degree with limited time and money. I was fairly new to bushwalking and had just joined a bushwalking club based in Brisbane in 2019. I have experienced the benefits of setting goals both in my personal and work life over the years and whilst I know it is important to commit to achievable things, there are also benefits in setting intentions that are slightly stretching. This goal proved to be a stretch as it rained heavily for about six weeks at the start of the year and I also managed to get COVID. All…

LIKE many people I’d never heard of the Black-Allan Line, but had seen it often enough on maps. It’s that dead straight line defining the border of NSW and Victoria, the line that runs from the headwaters of the Murray River to Cape Howe on the NSW coast and is named after Alexander Black and Alexander Allan, the men who surveyed it between 1870 and 1872. One of our quests when we set out to explore the Pilot and Cobberas Wilderness Areas was to locate the cairn that marks the most westerly point of the Black-Allan Line. This was not our first foray into this remote area – we’d bush-bashed our way in three years previously – but this time we were heading further north into NSW and as well…

Mont Guide Hoodie On initially donning the Guide Hoodie, admittedly in an air-conditioned workplace environment, my first thought was concern – the PrimaLoft Gold 60 synthetic insulation didn’t feel as warm as several lighter, down jackets I already owned. (Actually, my first thought was how cool it looked in the Fiesta Red colour; I’m only human after all.) However, by the time I’d spent three days in it, during which it only left my body to serve double duty as my pillow (once securely ensconced in my Brindabella XT), I knew its real value – that of an active insulation layer. The older spec Hydronaute XT fabric here showcases its 20,000 g/m2 breathability. Snowshoeing for four hours uphill with 20kg pack should’ve had me boiling like a billy no matter…

GARDENS of Stone NP, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, is a dramatic landscape featuring stunning rock pagodas, sandstone cliffs, canyons and breathtaking scenic views. A standout feature is Pantoneys Crown, an isolated massif jutting out in the middle of the park which, for the experienced off-track bushwalker, offers three days of exploration and delight culminating in rock scrambles and the rarely visited summit reward. The top of Pantoneys Crown was the goal for myself, my wife, my brother-in-law and two other mates. We set off Friday morning and entered a 4WD trail at Ben Bullen station just where the road does a switch back over the railway lines. We drove in about 10km towards Baal Bone Gap campground, but since we didn’t have winches, we decided…

THERE are times in life when we question our choices. As I lie curled in a lumpy sleeping bag in a tent in a muddy horse yard in Peru I yearn for my warm bed at home. Outside in the darkness it is drizzling coldly. Suffering an all-consuming nausea, I couldn’t face the food served by our trekking cook and retreated to the tent like a wounded animal seeking a dark corner to die in. As this campsite, the first on our four-day Ausangate Circuit trekking adventure, lies at 4400 metres above sea level, I am sure that my nausea is caused by the high altitude. I also have a knee injury that prevents me from hiking, but at my earnest request a horse has been provided for me to…

TRAVELLERS and walkers in our alpine areas would be familiar with the roadside huts that seem such a natural addition to the High Country scenery. These huts may be relics of the pioneer stockmen who braved the harsh conditions, or safe refuges for the workers who built the awe-inspiring Snowy Hydro Scheme. Some shelters even reflect the era of tourist activity. The huts have suffered over time due to decay, neglect, vandalism, accidents, official removal and bushfire. The disastrous wildfires of 2003 and 2019/20 took their toll in Kosciuszko National Park-NSW, Namadgi National Park-ACT, and in the Victorian Alps. Kosciuszko National Park lost 14 structures to the 2020 fires. Out of only about 70 huts in the park this is a devastating number. In October 2021, the National Parks and…

The Alta Via 1 (AV1) is a famous long-distance hiking trail in Italy’s Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It runs from Lago di Braies to Belluno, covering about 120km (or up to 150km with variations). The trail features dramatic limestone peaks, alpine meadows, WWI sites and traditional Ladin villages. Hikers stay in cozy rifugios serving local dishes like speck and strudel. Daily stages range from 10-15km, allowing time to enjoy the scenery. Most hikers complete the AV1 in 8-11 days. The season runs mid-June to mid-September, when snow has melted and huts are open. Since it’s a linear route, plan return transport from Belluno by bus or train. NEED TO KNOW The best guidebook for doing this walk is Cicerone’s Alta Via 1 – Trekking in the Dolomites ($51),…

STORING, cleaning and maintaining outdoor gear properly ensures its longevity, performance and safety. Dirt, moisture and wear can degrade materials, weaken stitching and cause odours or mould. Here are our 7 Deadly Sins of gear storage and what to do to make your gear last. 1 Looking after your head torch Problem: “My head torch won’t switch on, and the battery case is stained with a weird blue-white powder.” Diagnosis: Batteries, especially cheap ones, can leak in situ and corrode the contacts, rendering the lamp useless – a criminal waste of good gear. Solution: In this case the problem is easily avoided by removing the batteries after every trip. And springing for some lithium batteries will give your electronics a greater chance of survival if you forget. 2 Storing your…