Índex per May 2026 a Wilderness

Volunteer groups and regional councils in the South Island have been tramping across conservation areas over autumn to protect high-country landscapes from invasive weeds. In March, ten volunteers from Hurunui Biodiversity Trust (HBT), guided by staff from Boffa Miskell, a company engaged by Marlborough District Council to deliver specialist wilding pine management, set out along the Molesworth border between Canterbury and Marlborough to remove small to medium Scots and contorta pines. “Despite some big wins, like removing the seed source of old shelterbelts, much of the work is about holding the line against reinvasion,” HBT trustee Gill Dalmer said, adding that current funding from the National Wilding Pine Control Programme is barely sufficient to achieve even this. Wilding conifers spread their seeds over several kilometres on the wind, and young…

COMPETITION TIPS FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO GIVE YOURSELF THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING. • The most memorable photos tell a story. Human or animal elements can bring an image to life by demonstrating scale, personality, colour and emotion, while creative use of light can enliven a landscape. • Dare to be different. Every year we get dozens of images of kea, the Milford Track, Syme Hut and Aoraki Mt Cook. Find unique places and subjects, or frame classic vistas in new ways. • You can enter up to five images in any one category, so select your best photos rather than submitting variations of the same shot. • We use (and pay for) dozens of entries to illustrate stories and covers in future issues of Wilderness. This means the best…

#microchallenge4: Aoraki anywhere Partner prize: A pair of AKU Flyrock shoes worth $385! #microchallenge5: Do a lap of something Partner prize: A $100 Back Country Cuisine Voucher! #microchallenge6: Find a feather Partner prize: A pair of Bridgedale Midweight Merino Performance Fit socks! SEEN THAT YOU'VE WON? To claim your prize, email a photo of yourself holding this issue of Wilderness to: walk1200km@lifestylepublishing.co.nz. Only registered Walk1200km participants are eligible to win, so make sure you're registered!…

BROWSING the flash and modern gear shown in each issue of Wilderness has prompted me, an 87-year-old former teacher and historian, to look back on the less sophisticated equipment I've used over seven decades. It's functional and quite different to what many readers might be used to. KAPOK AND COOLWOW My first sleeping bag was kapok-filled and lumpy, and purchased secondhand in 1956. It was years before I could afford a decent one, and then I scored not one but two almost new Great Outdoors bags – a summer one with a full-length zip and a short-zip model for winter. I've used them for about 30 years. In the early days I slept on the ground, until I bought an insulation sheet, then a sleeping mat. Eventually I could afford…

For a small non-profit like Backcountry Trust (BCT), managing the building of a new hut is rare. However, a fortuitous alignment of circumstances, including the closure of the old Brass Monkey Biv due to mould issues, lead to the new construction. Completed in just over 15 months, the build was a big effort: 25 volunteers spread across seven different site visits, almost 30 hours of helicopter logistics, and three weeks of off-site prefabrication. The BCT design team took to the task, combining artistic vision, functionality and structural integrity with clever engineering. Totally funded by Jackie Winters’ bequest, the final cost for the hut was about $275,000, and a gift from a second donor supported the addition of monitoring equipment for the hut's ongoing research capabilities. Lead builder Matt Hewat described…

A group of teenagers is discovering what's possible when they commit to pushing their limits. With four Hillary Challenge victories under their belts (including back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025), and national championship schools titles in both boys’ and girls’ categories, theirs is a real success story and demonstrates how adventure racing might be the most transformative sport you've ever tried. Motueka High School adventure therapist Wendy ven der Berg has spent the past seven years coaching the school's adventure racing team. “Adventure racing has been a real vehicle in our school for creating high-functioning teams,” she says. “Unlike traditional sports where substitutions occur, once you've started you stay together. You're committed to that team. This unique dynamic – where teams of mixed genders navigate multi-day expeditions without substitutions -…

UP MOUNTAINS, through rivers, in mud – tramping footwear doesn't have an easy life. Leave your boots or shoes caked in mud and they'll deteriorate quite quickly. Whether you have burly leather boots, lightweight trail shoes or something in between, the key to making them last and perform well for the thousands of kilometres they're capable of is cleaning. The process consists of two parts: the clean, and the reproof. Part one is about removing dirt and grime (and the odours that result); part two is about rejuvenating the water repellency of the footwear. LEATHER FOOTWEAR Leather boots and shoes are hard wearing and can last far longer than synthetic alternatives. But in order to keep the leather in good condition, breathable and water resistant, periodic TLC is essential. 1-…

TOAKS MANUAL COFFEE GRINDER $99.99 | 274G For caffeine cravers who prefer the freshest possible brew, Toaks manual coffee grinder caters for both pour-over or AeroPress-style coffee. The aluminium body contains a ceramic conical burr grinder that is adjustable to four coarseness settings. The wooden handle has plenty of leverage and a smooth action for efficient grinding. It's compact when packed down, but is best suited to car campers or trips where weight isn't a concern. BIG AGNES CAMPMEISTER DELUXE MAT $579.99 | 907G If you find typical lightweight air-chamber mats lack comfort, Big Agnes’ latest luxury offering provides a well-priced and packable option. The 11cm-thick chambers and a super-quiet quilted 40D stretch top provide a plush and restful surface, while its 70D base provides durability. Generous dimensions (64x183cm) means…

DOE A GREAT PART OF SCHOOL LIFE I am excited to renew my Wilderness subscription after 20 years away. I just had a little weep at the beautiful article ‘Back to school’ (March 2026), about Duke of Ed students. My sons are both doing DoE and I can 100 per cent confirm the author's views on how respectful, resilient and curious they are. How lucky we are to have these young people in the world, as excited and motivated by the outdoors as we once were many years ago. As a ‘gold DoE-er’ from the 90s, I am so happy it's still a part of school life. I am setting off on an exciting journey to Aotea Great Barrier and I will think of all the articles and advice I…

A Bay of Plenty filmmaking whānau is encouraging tamariki to get off their devices and into the outdoors. Anton Steel, Kylie Dellabarca Steel and their sons Malachi (15), Judah (12) and Ezra (7) have created a web documentary series, Kids Unplugged. The six-part series is about ‘real kids having real adventures’: tramping to huts, riding horses, gathering kai, building mountain bike trails and more. “Screen addiction for teenagers is a big problem, and we wanted to show a different way of life,” says Malachi. The three boys host the series, which is aimed at 8-to-12-year-olds. “It is deliberately peer-to-peer,” says Anton, “with role modelling that young kids can relate to.” During the Covid lockdown, Malachi, then 11, decided to get off devices outside of school hours. He built mountain bike…

A small volunteer-led community's dream to create a high-country trail in Canterbury has finally been realised. Ashley Gorge Skyline Trail was completed in March after five years of planning, negotiating and surveying by the Ashley Gorge Tracks Group. The 4–5hr loop climbs around 800m to a skyline viewpoint with 360-degree views as far as Pegasus Bay and the Port Hills and inland to the Torlesse and Puketeraki ranges. The trail connects to an existing network of walking tracks. A walkway easement, created across freehold land adjoining the Mt Thomas Conservation Area, has allowed public access around the entire loop. Volunteers have donated hundreds of hours to marking and cutting the route and erecting snow poles and fencing.…

NAOMI ANDERSON lives in Blenheim amid some of Aotearoa's most desirable walking country, so you would think she would have no trouble motivating herself to get out walking. But she does. Naomi says she finds it all too easy to make excuses not to walk, particularly when she's tired or if it's cold, raining or dark. A self-confessed challenge junkie, she has always needed a goal for motivation and, until last year, thought that one-off events would suffice. For instance, she jumped at the chance to join friends on Marlborough's Mt Everest Challenge, and worked hard to achieve the 8800m elevation gain over the seven weeks – the time it took Hillary to climb the world's highest peak. It was fun and upped her fitness, but she found it difficult…

These three fun #microchallenges will help you to appreciate your surroundings and have fun on your walks. Our favourite six #microchallenge completers receive a special badge, and the best entry for each challenge receives a prize from our partners. #microchallenge10: SHOW US A SPOT YOU ADORE ON YOUR DAILY WALK There's at least one great spot on every walk. It might be a lookout, a stand of trees (or one in particular), the way the light falls through the canopy, or a colourful building that makes you smile. Photograph your favourite spot on your regular walk and share why it makes you feel so good. #microchallenge10 Partner prize: A big Agnes Impassable 20 day pack worth $360! #microchallenge11: AMAZING AUTUMN What makes autumn a special time to walk? Is it…

THE FEISTY WEKA is well known to trampers as the mischievous rail that snatches shiny objects and food, from car keys to biscuits. But while this backcountry ‘bad-boy’ may be a campsite kleptomaniac, that's not the whole story. It also plays an important ecological role. Researchers have found the weka is an important disperser of large seeds such as tawa, hīnau and miro – which may help explain why they poop out their own body weight every day. The ever-adaptable weka is also an avian ‘jack of all trades’, combining the cheeky nature of the kea with the nocturnal calling of kiwi, the tree climbing of kākā and the feistiness of the kārearea. Weka live in a wide variety of habitats, from the coast to above the treeline and including…

Lila (23) and Hiromi Adams (56) LILA and Hiromi Adams tramp together every summer when Lila comes home from Australia. They choose trips close to the family farm in Marlborough. “Tramping is a neat way to spend some mother–daughter time,” says Lila. “It's something I didn't appreciate as much when I was growing up, but now that I live away from my parents, I really value it.” They started the tradition in 2022 when they visited Kahurangi National Park, staying at Balloon and Salisbury huts and exploring Lake Peel, Gordons Pyramid and Mt Arthur. This year they headed into Richmond Saddle Hut and summited Mt Richmond. “Mum never complains, even if I choose a really challenging track,” says Lila. She was 10 when her family went on their first overnight…

SCAN THE QR CODE TO DOWNLOAD THE TRIP TO YOUR PHONE THIS STORY has its beginnings in the heart of Kahurangi National Park. The year was 1998 and Ana Terry and Jackie Winters were embarking on three weeks of tramping as training for Jackie's upcoming adventure to Mt Kailash in Tibet. Their tramping attire consisted of woollen farming singlets over T-shirts, and oilskin raincoats provided aromatic protection in the rain. Ana's pack was a purple Macpac, the colour of the era. Conversations during their Leslie to Karamea walk ebbed and flowed like the ridges and valleys they were traversing, and given Jackie's upcoming intrepid trip, talk turned to the subject of wills. A practical type, Jackie stated that if she were to depart this earthly world, she'd like a hut…

THE BOMB SHELTER Matthew Cattin traded in his lightweight three-season tent for a fortress weighing as much as a sturdy house cat. THE WILD winds of Patagonia are infamous. Like Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, the South American continent reaches a daring finger through the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties to breathe life into the Antarctic Peninsula beyond. My wife and I visited the great southern land one January to hike several routes in Argentina and Chile. To lower costs we packed our own tent, a three-person Nemo Dagger. Spacious, lightweight and well-designed, we loved it to pieces–literally. Our little green tent endured too much on that trip. Camping at the base of Fitz Roy, we told ourselves the violent westerlies would dwindle overnight, but if anything, they got angrier. We…

Seven-time adventure racing world champion and winner of Eco Challenge – World's Toughest Race, Nathan Fa`avae knows a thing or two about endurance sports. But for this 53-year-old adventure racing professional from Tasman Bay (now retired), the secret to success is simply about taking that first step. “Just step up and get involved,” Fa`avae urges beginners. “A lot of people hesitate or procrastinate because they feel they don't have the skills, or that everything's elite. But don't wait; just get into it.” Fa`avae's own journey began with tramping and mountain biking before evolving into adventure racing. His team became the world's most successful of its time. His own achievements span from multiple GODZone victories to world championships across five continents. “The best way to train for these events is to…

After severe February weather damaged tracks and access routes across Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula and forced the postponement of the annual Walking Festival, the Rod Donald Trust is preparing to once again showcase its back yard to walkers from May 2 to May 17. Now in its 13th year, the Banks Peninsula Walking Festival is a flagship project of the trust and attracts around 600 participants over three weekends to take part in guided walks. “While it was disappointing to shift the dates, it was important to give affected landowners time to assess damage and feel confident about hosting walks again,” festival coordinator Wanda Vivequin said. The event was created to open up access to special places and connect people with the landscapes, history and restoration work on…

What makes a favourite piece of gear? When it comes to Bridgedale, it's those little things that transform every journey: the passion and experience behind each pair, the precision of fit, Fusion Technology, an industry-leading guarantee and care for every tiny detail. It all adds up to the most comfortable, enduring socks and blister-free feet. That's why Bridgedale is a perfect partner for your Walk1200km challenge. Don't just take our word for it. Some of New Zealand's leading adventurers choose Bridgedale, too. Emma Bateup, endurance mountain bike racer Fave sock: Bridgedale MTB Summerweight T2 CoolMax Sport My most-worn pair of socks are my Summerweight MTBs. I use them for every scenario on the bike: commuting, fast road rides, mountain biking, the rides where it's more like taking my bike for…

IF YOU'RE walking the Harper Pass Route, keep your eyes and ears open because you never know, a kākāriki karaka or orange-fronted parakeet could happen by. It is New Zealand's rarest mainland forest bird, so the odds are low, but nevertheless a sighting was reported a few years ago near Kiwi Hut in the Taramakau. A DOC survey in the upper Hurunui (North Branch) in 2021 located a few birds, distinguishable by a tiny orange stripe between their eyes, near the old Cameron Hut. The kākāriki karaka's recovery story is akin to that of Fiordland's takahē, thought to be extinct until its discovery in the Murchison Mountains in 1948. Kākāriki karaka have twice been declared extinct, in 1919 and 1965, then were rediscovered in the 1980s in very small numbers…

TORA COASTAL WALK $1095 An exhilarating three-day walk though stunning and diverse landscapes: expansive farmland, native bush, river valleys and the Tora coastline. Experience gourmet food and warm rural hospitality at one of New Zealand's oldest private walks. www.toracoastalwalk.co.nz REAL NATIVE WALKING RETREAT $880 Explore one of New Zealand's most scenic and ecologically rich farming properties bordering Pureora Forest Park in the central North Island. This private three-day walk is fully catered. Winter experiences are now available. www.realnative.co.nz NUKU WALK FROM $875 A fully catered, three-day coastal trek through the King Country, blending native bush, farmland and black sand beaches with rustic-luxe stays, bag transfers, and immersive connection to New Zealand's wild landscapes. www.nukuwalk.co.nz PAHI COASTAL WALK $850 Explore extraordinary landscapes and views ranging from rugged coastlines to rolling farmland…

Brass Monkey Hut, built to replace the previous Brass Monkey Biv, is situated in a serene spot on the Main Divide that can also be wild - the official opening was postponed several times due to the weather. Finally, in February, the small informal opening was held, attended by Ana, her partner Don (who had also volunteered to help the build), representatives of the Backcountry Trust (who oversaw the build), and several others who'd contributed time and expertise to help bring the hut to life. Those present spoke of the former Brass Monkey Biv and its role in providing shelter and safety for so many over the years. The ceremony also included stories about Jackie, who was private by nature and known as a practical soul who always spoke her…