In mid 2022 when I found my chosen hiking trail for my mid year trip ended up being closed for longer than was planned I needed to pivot and find a new adventure. I was looking for a roughly 4-5 day, 100k trip and also one that I could get to without it being a travel nightmare. Rail Trails have always been on my bucket list but after spending a bit of time searching for a replacement trip I came up with the East Gippsland Rail Trail in eastern Victoria to suit my needs.
In this podcast episode, the first of three for this trail, we look at my expectations for this trip and discuss logistical issues prior to starting. Episode 221 will then bring you interviews from the trail and finally episode 222 with provide a final wrap up to see how my pre trip expectations and the actually reality of this trip matched up. www.australianhiker.com.au
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Located on the far southern coast of NSW the 27 km Wharf to Wharf Walk which officially opened in mid 2021 is one that is still relatively unknown and undiscovered by many. Over the weekend just gone we chose to do this amazing walk in a single day but for most people a 2-3 day version is the norm. In this episode you can hear our on trail recordings of how our day went and at the end of the podcast we discuss logistical issues surrounding transport and accomodation and make recommendations on options that will suit all levels of hikers.
We recommend that as you listen to this podcast you follow along with the written version of this walk that contains plenty of images of what we are seeing. The written version of this walk can be found here.
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For many people transitioning to overnight hiking or camping brings a lot of new considerations. Where do you go to the toilet? What do you eat? What additional gear do you need? While we will usually think about the big items like packs, tents and sleeping bags (the Big 3), the ancillary items like pillows often tend to be an afterthought. For many hikers, pillows tend to be considered a luxury but the ability to get a good night sleep depends on a number of factors and comfort is a big one. These days there are many pillow options available to us – which one you use is really going to depend on your desired level of comfort. In this podcast episode we take a beginners look at pillow options for hiking and camping. www.australianhiker.com.au
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If you want an expert opinion on hammock camping then this episode isn't it! We've been playing with hammock gear for a couple of months and while we used them during the daytime for one reason or another we just couldn't get out and spend a night hanging from a tree.
There are plenty of converts out there who have lots of experience in hammock camping but this episode has been deliberately recorded as a 'first timers' experience of what its like to spend a night in a hammock and for many people who try hammocks without a more experienced partner to show them the ropes this is how its done, the good and the bad. www.australianhiker.com.au
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As hikers grow in their knowledge and ability they will often transition to overnight trips and the default setting for nearly all of us is tent camping. Tents just seem to be the easy option and for many of us it harks back to family trips or play as children; it's just something that we understand and seems easy. While tents are the most common camping option for hikers another alternative that is slowly gaining ground is hammock camping. Hammocks provide a degree of versatility over and above tents and while they won't suit all circumstances it may be a viable option for your outdoor adventures. In this podcast episode we look at what's involved in hammock camping including the pros and cons, the gear basics, and basic hammock practice to help you decide if this is an option for you.
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This is the third and final podcast episode in the series of 3 on the Tasmanian Three Capes Track. In this episode we compare our pre trip expectations to the reality of the journey and based on our experiences make recommendations as to how to get the best from this trip.
To get the best from this episode we recommend that you follow along with the written review if this trail that includes images and resources to help you out at Three Cape Trail Write Up
This is the second episode in the series of 3 on the Tasmanian Three Capes Track. This episode consists of a series of on-trail recordings from Gill and I as we progress along the trail as well as interviews with other hikers who share their views.
In our third episode next week we compare our pre-trip expectations to the on-trail reality and based on our on-trail experiences, make recommendations on how to get the best from this trip.
There are estimated to be approximately 2,000,000 podcasts in existence however many of these are no longer in production. Many shows start with a flourish but peter out after around 7 episodes once their creators realise the amount of work involved in getting an episode to air. Reaching 200 episodes is a rarity, particularly for outdoor podcasts with only a rare handful lasting this long.
In this episode we discuss where the Australian Hiker podcast has come from, where we are heading to, and what we have learned along the way.
Both Gill and I would like to thank everyone for their support in making this podcast a long term success and look forward to the next 200 episodes! www.australianhiker.com.au
Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms
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