This is a continuation of the post Slow Walking NZ’s South Coast Track. After we left the Waitutu River on the South Coast Track we planned to detour South before the Angus Burn to spend a night at the Long Point Hut – and perhaps visit its extensive grassy sandhills and lighthouse, a red deer […]
I called the post ‘Slow Walking NZ’s South Coast Track’ as that was what we intended to do with both of us now in our seventies and not really fit enough for the rigours of the track, ie 7+ hour sections etc. I thought I had worked out ways to shorten each section (and I
As I have said many times, you don’t have to break the bank to go hiking. I have been eyeing off various Dyneema packs on eg Aliexpress for years but recently (it was my birthday – 76. Who’d have thought?) I decided to buy yet another unnecessary pack. The ‘choice’ was between a ‘conventional’ (ie
I made a sub one ounce hand saw for this purpose, but this is even easier than sawing a branch to length: You can cut approx 10″ (25 cm) of 1″ (25mm) poly pipe to join two hiking poles like this. I used standard ‘rural C’ grade poly pipe because we have it lying around
The Toothbrush Spoon was not my original idea but had been patented way back in 1934 as I discovered when I re-invented it back in 2020. Still Della and I were both very pleased with it/them and have been using them ever since. I realise now that I could have drilled a hole in it
New Zealand’s Dusky Track a wonderful challenging 8+day trek in Fiordland. At 76 I am spending most of 2025 preparing for one last foray there next autumn. My son Bryn promises to come with me. My post from this day in 2014: ‘Expect a break from me: tomorrow I am off for ten days’ hiking
I have hunted sambar deer for over 50 years in the Gippsland mountains (and elsewhere other deer). Mostly I did it because it was fun and an excuse for a day out in the bush which I love. I still prefer lamb, and having been a sheep farmer for just as long, I always had
Sea to Summit have an ‘Air Chair’ which is a fair replacement for Big Agnes’ ‘Cyclone Chair’ (no longer available) – though a bit heavier (plus 60 grams). We have been using our Cyclone Chairs now for over 20 years. They just use your sleeping mat to form a comfy. chair. The biggest pluses about
There are a few essential knots (for hiking etc) some of which can save your life. A piece of string and the knowledge of how to form such an essential knot may be the ultimate ultralight ‘tool’. One such knot is the Taut Line Hitch or Midshipman’s Hitch (shown below). It is an adjustable knot
We were feeling the need to perfect our double hammocking skills as preparation for yet another wilderness trip. As we often hike in Fiordland NZ where it is apt to rain on average an inch a day and it can be difficult anyway to find a level spot for a tent, it is well to
