This Is The Biggest Hiking Trend in 2021. Here's Why.
By Di Westaway OAM | Chief Adventure Chick | Wild Women On Top
Last year my plans to climb The Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps, hike the Cape to Cape in Western Australia, join the Coastrek team trekking challenge, and go wild in the Snowy Mountains got cancelled.
Why? Annoyingly, someone let a global pandemic loose!
This year, because I’m from the Northern Beaches, COVID-induced border blocks have forced me to cancel my trip to Mt Buffalo and my wilderness first aid training at Mt Barney.
Sound familiar?
Many of us were excited about planning big adventures in 2021. But if last year taught us anything, it's we should expect the unexpected and be prepared to pivot. Fast.
I know these are frustrating first-world worries which seem trivial while much of the world is suffering through extreme conditions.
All over the world, people are in lockdown, removed from their loved ones, frightened for their jobs, their future and possibly their lives.
However, it is important to acknowelge how a pandemic can impact your physical and your mental health - regardless of where you live.
For me, I manage my mental and physical health by having a big hairy audacious goal to motivate me to move every day. Without a challenging goal, life often gets in the way of my daily plans to hike, bike, climb and/or stretch, a routine which keeps me happy and healthy.
So instead of getting caught up in what I can't do, I'm focusing on what I can do. Setting big hairy audacious goals (of course), but keeping it local.
I'm not the only one thinking along these lines. Adventuring locally has taken off in Australia and around the world as borders close and options are limited.
A recent KPMG Report found we’ll likely be ticking off our ‘backyard bucket list’ in 2021, because we’ve come to terms with international travel being off the cards.
Tourism Australia agrees.
They say adventures like multi-day hikes have been on the rise in the last few years and the “pandemic has only amplified the desire for this style of holiday”.
Local, outdoor adventures are on-trend this year and local is the only safe choice for 2021.
It’s why we’ve seen such an incredible response to our Coastrek adventures. Our Coastrekkers are rushing to register and become a VIP so they can plan and get excited about a local, COVID-safe adventure. And our Stayin Wildies have gone wild in their own backyards, literally.
But don’t wait too long to book your local trip if you want all the bells and whistles that come with a guided adventure. World Expeditions advised us that many of their iconic Aussie trips for this year are already booked out as Aussies shift their tastes to the simple pleasures like hiking, nature and relaxation.
If you’re sick and tired of having your plans cancelled and being disappointed when COVID gets in the way, here's what you can do.
- Google best day, overnight or multi-day hikes in your state and make a short list of stuff that inspires and excites you. You’ll find some of our favourites below.
- Research those hikes in more detail until you can settle on what really gets you motivated. Make sure it’s challenging enough to motivate you to get fit and strong for it. That’s the wild women way.
- Decide whether you want to go on a guided hiking adventure, or if you’re prepared to upskill and set yourself the challenge of doing an independent hike.
- Set a date in the future that gives you time to prepare, including getting a few new skills like navigation and first aid if you’re doing an independent hike.
- Put a message to all your friends and a post on Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram to see who wants to join you and create a training schedule.
- Start training using Stayin Wild or How To Prepare For World Class Treks
- Get your gear list together and use the gear in your training.
- Make sure you do a little something every day towards your goal and share you adventures with friends and family to motivate them to go wild.
Looking for some local inspo? Here are some of our guided and unguided favourites!
New South Wales
Snowy Mountains
Guided: Ten Peaks with K7 Adventures
Unguided: Main Range Walk
Yuraygir Coastal Walk
Guided: Australian Walking Holidays
Unguided: Yuraygir National Park
Light to Light Ben Boyd National Park
Guided: Light to Light Coastal Walks with Escape To Merimbula
Unguided: Ben Boyd National Park
Victoria
Wilsons Promontory Southern Circuit
Guided: Wilsons Prom with AusWalk
Unguided: Wilsons Prom National Park
Grampians Peak Trail
Guided: Grampians with AusWalk
Unguided: Grampians National Park
Mornington Peninsula Coastal Walks
Guided: Mornington Peninsula Walk with Life's An Adventure
Unguided: Trail Hiking
Queensland
Sunshine Coast Hinterland Track
Guided: Sunshine Coast Hinterland luxury with Narrow's Escape Rainforest Retreat
Unguided: Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk
Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk
Guided: Gold Coast Hinterland Walk with Life's An Adventure
Unguided: Gold Coast Hinterland
Carnarvon Gorge Great Walk
Guided: Carnarvon Gorge with AusWalk
Unguided: All Trails
South Australia
Heysen Trail
Guided: Heysen Trail and Flinders Ranges with World Expeditions
Unguided: The Heysen Trail
Flinders Ranges
Guided: Flinders Ranges AusWalk
Unguided: Flinders Ranges
Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail
Guided: Kangaroo Island Walking tour by Life's An Adventure
Unguided: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail
Tasmania
Mount Anne
Guided: Mount Anne Summit Walk with World Expeditions
Unguided: Mount Anne Summit walk
Freycinet Circuit
Guided: Freycinet Circuit with World Expeditions
Unguided: Freycinet Peninsula Walk
Walls of Jerusalem
Guided: Walls of Jerusalem with World Expeditions
Unguided: Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Western Australia
Cape to Cape
Guided: Cape to Cape with World Expeditions
Unguided: Cape to Cape Track
Bibbulmun Track
Guided: Albany to Denmark with World Expeditions
Unguided: The Independent Way to walk the Bibbulmun Track
Karijini National Park
Guided: Karinjini National Park and Reef Adventure with World Expeditions
Unguided: Kirijini National Park
Northern Territory
Jatbula Trail
Guided: Jatbula Trail with World Expeditions
Unguided: Nitmiluk National Park
Uluru
Guided: World Expeditions
Unguided: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Get independent hike ready with Di Westaway's hiking bible 'How To Prepare For World Class Treks'. Get your copy today.