WHY WALK?

One of the few good things about the pandemic is the number of non-hikers rediscovering the pleasures of walking.

It’s healthy, too.

Around 8,000 steps a day was linked with a 51 per cent lower risk of death from any cause compared with taking 4,000 steps.

Taking 12,000 steps a day was linked with a 65 per cent lower risk than taking 4,000 steps a day.

CBC

Walking Rail Lines on Vancouver Island

Very popular on Vancouver Island is walking alongside the disused (in 2011) Southern Railway. It’s dry. It’s flat. It’s straight. Often the shortest distance between two points.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube. 30km between Nile Creek and Englishman River including 3 high trestles.

The British Columbia government now calls it the Island Rail Corridor. Approximately 289 km Victoria – Courtenay with connections between Parksville and Port Alberni and to the Nanaimo waterfront.

Though there’s still talk of restoring rail service, co$t looks prohibitive. Hikers want more of the corridor to be converted to non-motorized trail.

Of greatest concern are the 48 bridges and trestles that need ongoing repair.

With no maintenance, sections can be slippery. Overgrown.

These rail lines are old. Dating back to the 1800s.

At various times it’s been called the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway, E & N Railfreight and E&N Railway Co.

Wikipedia has a list of rail trails around the world. British Columbia has some of the best.

Rees-Dart Track, New Zealand

Though not on the short list of Great Walks, Rees-Dart is epic.

One of the tougher major hikes in our #1 hiking destination worldwide.

travel2walk was there January 2020.

The Rees-Dart Track … mainly follows the Rees River drainage and the Dart River drainage circling Mount Earnslaw and the Forbes Mountains.

An optional side trip during the hike is to visit the Dart Glacier or further to Cascade Saddle. Being the major highlight of our hike, I consider this side trip as part of the hike. …

  • distance: 53.7 miles (86.5 km)
  • elevation change: 10,850 ft (3,307 m) ascent & 11,240 ft (3,426 m) descent
  • time: 5 days (24:59 hours moving)

There are 3 different DOC operated huts located along the Rees-Dart Track …

… NZD$15 per night per person (DOC).

The huts had running water, bathrooms, mattress, and a stove for heating. However we carried our own stove, gas, and sleeping bags.  …

If interested, read their detailed trip report:

New Zealand – Rees-Dart Track, January 2020

If still keen, best watch the video. There are some challenges.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

See more of our best hikes in Australasia.

The Most Dangerous Path In Britain

Tom Scott:

The Broomway is surrounded on both sides by quicksand and deep, sucking mud. It has no markers and no guideposts.

And if you mistime your walk, you won’t outrun the tide.

Oh, and it’s in the middle of a Ministry of Defence firing range.

But most of the time, if you want to visit Foulness Island, it’s the only way.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.