BushwalkBushwalk
A Blogger’s Journey
Nathan Rogers
A glorious Main Range Circuit view, from near Carruthers Peak into Lady Northcotes Canyon, The Sentinel on the right
We all have a story to tell and a blog is an incredibly rewarding way of telling it. I created Solo hiker blog to share and remember my bushwalking adventures. It is a great motivator to plan future trips and a fantastic way to reflect on journeys completed.
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Berowra Creek from a trail that joins the Great North Walk
BeginningsI developed my love of walking when I was 12 and living in England. My Dad took me out exploring the hills around Leek, our home town in the Peak District. There was so much to discover! Old World War II bomb craters, a long-forgotten plaque laid by the Queen set in a grove of trees overlooking the town, and the ruins of an old abbey were all hidden in the hills. He told me of the Pennine Way, a long trail that passed near the town. I loved being out there. After moving to Australia in 1989, all that fell into the past. I felt trapped in suburbia, and the occasional trip to the same Blue Mountains lookout always left me wanting more.
Thankfully, I met my future wife and we decided to walk the Inca Trail in Peru. Our training walks in Sydney took us from the mountains to the coast and were exactly what I needed. Two of our tour companions shared their travel blog with us, the first time I had seen one used to record a personal holiday. I thought that capturing the experience with the pictures was a fabulous idea, and it sat in the back of my mind for many years.
When I had my own children, I kept imagining them asking me, "What do you do Daddy?" and all I could answer them was "work" or "watch telly". That couldn't stand and my mind turned to walking. I became obsessed with reading blogs about walking the Pennine Way. Such a walk was unrealistic with young children, so I looked for somewhere similar in Australia and discovered the Kosciuszko National Park. I decided to stop wishing to be out there and started planning my first walks. The blog would be my way of remembering my journey and something for my children to look back on.
I took early inspiration from solo travelling bloggers of long trails around the world. Jason Reamy walked 17,000 kilometres over two years to complete the US triple crown and blogged every day of it! Alexandra Mason walked the Pacific Crest Trail in the west of the United States, 4279 kilometres, and Te Araroa in New Zealand, 3000 kilometres, then cycled across Australia! Terra Roam walked completely around Australia, 17,000 kilometres over four years! All these people
“I decided to stop wishing to be out there and started planning my first walks.
“I felt trapped in suburbia, and the occasional trip to the same Blue Mountains lookout always left me wanting more.
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recognised their limits but, by keeping it real for their readers and staying determined, found a way to go on and do something amazing! Their blogs were not turn by turn guide books, rather they described the experience of being there, and I decided I would do the same.
SolohikerThe first two years of Solo hiker blog saw me overreach and injure my knee repeatedly! My first trip to Kosciuszko in April was cut short by snow and I hobbled my way back to the car. I gained my first followers and they left such nice comments that I was motivated to keep going. I walked along the Great North Walk, symbolically from my old home in Sydney to my new home near Berowra Valley National Park. My Dad joined me the following March for my second trip to Kosciuszko, but it turned into a disaster. I lost him in dense fog and after a worrisome few hours he popped out at Thredbo while I was at Charlotte Pass! Still, it was nice to be walking with my Dad again.
In the third year I took on Caro Ryan's "30 Days to Overnight Hiking" challenge. This encouraged me to explore the trails around my new home town. I was on a grand adventure - everyone else was just out walking their dog! Significantly, I completed my first charity walk, raising money for the OneSight Foundation. I was astonished that half of the funds raised came from the bushwalking community, whom I'd only ever met online.
“I was on a grand adventure - everyone else was just out walking their dog!
Overnight at North Rams Head
I climbed the three highest peaks in Australia for my 12 hike challenge
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View from Mt Townsend on my 12 Hike Challenge
Nathan was born in England and works as an inventory planner for a major sunglass retailer. He lives near Berowra Valley National Park in New South Wales and enjoys writing and exploring the bush with his family.
Inspired, I set up my own challenge for 2018. The 12 Hike Challenge encouraged walking at least once a month, using a list of walking themes that had to be completed throughout the year. I shared this challenge with the bushwalking community and had a fantastic response! Everyone had a unique list, from sunset walks, to cave trips, to coastal strolls and multi-day adventures. It has been amazing seeing others share their pictures and stories.
In the future, I would like to take all this experience and write a few books. I need to do a lot more walking to make that happen! I'll soon complete the Great North Walk and I want to thoroughly explore Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. I have my eye on the Australian Alps Walking Track and the Hume and Hovell Track. I'll keep the 12 Hike Challenge going and use it to motivate me to complete these trails.
Sharing my blog has allowed me to connect with my community, and inspire and be inspired by others. My local community know me as a walker. My kids know what to answer when asked what their Dad does. I'm finally living the life I have always wanted
to live and my blog lets me relive it. Why not give blogging a go? You’ll soon find that a walk doesn't feel complete without sharing!
See my blog or connect via Instagram @solo_hiker.
“I'm finally living the life I have always wanted to live and my blog lets me relive it.
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