Solo Bushwalking

[ValeriaVine]

Hi There,

I'm new to this forum and pretty new to walking (well I have walked all my life, but you know what I mean...), but would like to work up to a few overnight trips to eventually do the Overland track in Tassie. Aside from the general solo walker tips - any tips for solo women camping? I was thinking of doing a few over-nighters in the local national parks around my area (Southern Highlands) where there is camping and also perhaps one in the surrounding state forests of Wingello, Penrose or Belangello, so I could bring my dog along (not a very good guard dog though). I hope I don't sound silly, but it's not so much snakes and spiders that worry me but a run in with one of those all boys weekends in the bush. And just to clarify, I do like company, but sometimes, yes it's easier and nice to go solo.

[ryantmalone]

Hi There,

I'm new to this forum and pretty new to walking (well I have walked all my life, but you know what I mean...), but would like to work up to a few overnight trips to eventually do the Overland track in Tassie. Aside from the general solo walker tips - any tips for solo women camping?.

Hard to say any tips specifically for women (just in case you can't tell ready, I am a dude...), that said, I can say that you will need to be prepared to carry a heavier load. Without sharing tents, and sharing the load for food, packs get pretty heavy.

Apart from that, just warm up with some basic walks.

If you're looking to be able to handle what Tassie has to throw at you, just so long as you get a bit of experience in bad weather, you should be fine.

Tassie weather is much colder then here, and it rains and rains, so just so long as you are able to build confidence in your ability to hike and camp in the cold and wet, and have the right gear that will keep you warm and dry, you should be fine. Just get a good few solo hikes down first, just to get some confidence in doing it solo, then go from there.

Oh, and I love company on the track too. None of my mates hike, but it is somewhat liberating doing it on your own. Best experiences I have had are hiking solo.

[gayet]

it's not so much snakes and spiders that worry me but a run in with one of those all boys weekends in the bush.

Its really a case of a bit of forethought. Don't camp in areas frequented by 4WDs, or easily accessable areas. You are far more likely to find trouble there than out on a walking track. Bogans don't walk much.

If you get to a camp site and it seems a bit rowdy, move on. If a crowd descend on your site, pack up and move on if that makes you feel more comfortable, but generally, if the group have walked in carrying regular gear etc (not slabs of beer and little else) they are more likely to be there for the same reasons you are. Keep your distance but keep aware.

[ValeriaVine]

Thanks Gaye and Ryan,

Loved your photos on your Blog Gaye, they inspire and remind me of why I want to do the Overland in Tassie.

Yeh rough weather camping.... I definitely have a supply of it here in the Highlands.... Starting to make a group of drunken boys seem no so bad really.

[Snowzone]

it's not so much snakes and spiders that worry me but a run in with one of those all boys weekends in the bush.

Its really a case of a bit of forethought. Don't camp in areas frequented by 4WDs, or easily accessable areas. You are far more likely to find trouble there than out on a walking track. Bogans don't walk much.

If you get to a camp site and it seems a bit rowdy, move on. If a crowd descend on your site, pack up and move on if that makes you feel more comfortable, but generally, if the group have walked in carrying regular gear etc (not slabs of beer and little else) they are more likely to be there for the same reasons you are. Keep your distance but keep aware.

The only couple of times I have ever felt uncomfortable while solo camping has been when I've camped where there was road access. And yes I have packed up and moved on once.
The overwhelming majority of people that I come across in the bush are of no threat and I'm happy to share campsites with. If I'm at all unsure about someone then I would not give them anymore than a polite hello as I passed on through.

[jackhinde]

ditto the above comments regarding vehicle access to campsites, though i must say in my experience the southern highlands is much less likely to expose you to morons than the shoalhaven right next door.

[stuey69]

Yes, a lot can be said for the road access angle, but there are many areas where people won't venture far from the road end.
So, I think it's quite safe for women, for instance, to lock up the car and buzz off out there.
One place that comes readily to mind in this regard is Kanangra Walls in NSW.
Once you get 3 or 4kms into the bush from the road end you're only going to run into genuine bushwalkers.
Always take that PLB though if you're solo, they only weigh 230g and could be a lifesaver.

[puredingo]

I'm declaring once and for all my solo hiking days over. Yesterday while on a day romp I came within a bees doodle of walking right ontop of a big copperhead, who wasn't at all happy with my careless footsteps and assumed the coiled S pose instantly. Then whilst poking around and old abandon hut, BOOM" straight through the floor I went and pretty lucky not to break my ankle. I was only the floor joists that saved me but my elbows and shoulders got cained but at least I was still mobile I suppose.

So I'm striking myself off the singles list and partenring up from now on before it's too late!

[tas-man]

I think our sense of invincibility decreases in proportion to our increasing age!

[Hallu]

It depends, you can still walk alone but on less isolated walks. Granted, good crowded walks are hard to find, but I'd never give up walking alone. Last Sunday I planned on going to Cape Woolamai, I woke up at 6:30 am because of the heat, and just decided to leave early. Not possible if you're not alone. I also often drive 6 hours on a week end to reach some nice hiking places, I don't know anyone else who would endure this. But the best part is what frightened you : wildlife encounters. So much harder if you're not alone.

And for the older discussions : yes bogans are the norm in main campsites, at least in Victoria. I encountered them in Little Desert, the Otways, Cathedral Ranges, etc... Drinking beer and yelling was the norm, along with annoying noisy kids. It was less true in Tasmania, but that's because the campsites I tried were less popular (Narawntapu and Trial Harbour).

[andrewbish]

So I'm striking myself off the singles list and partenring up from now on before it's too late!

We'll see, we'll see. The particularly nice thing about walking solo is that you only have to put up with the annoying foibles of one bar$tard.

[Happy Pirate]

Hi There,

I'm new to this forum and pretty new to walking (well I have walked all my life, but you know what I mean...), but would like to work up to a few overnight trips to eventually do the Overland track in Tassie. Aside from the general solo walker tips - any tips for solo women camping? I was thinking of doing a few over-nighters in the local national parks around my area (Southern Highlands) where there is camping and also perhaps one in the surrounding state forests of Wingello, Penrose or Belangello, so I could bring my dog along (not a very good guard dog though). I hope I don't sound silly, but it's not so much snakes and spiders that worry me but a run in with one of those all boys weekends in the bush. And just to clarify, I do like company, but sometimes, yes it's easier and nice to go solo.

I agree with all the above. The dodgy male quotient does seem to decrease rapidly when you move away from roads. It's my greatest dislike gong 'out wide' even though I don't have the same security issues as a single female.
The problems with dog friendly places like State Forests is they generally also allow trail bikes, 4wds etc. which tend to be meeting grounds for hooning boys.
So it may be best to stick to more dedicated hiking trails.
Although one bloke was found on the Overland Track recently in Ugg Boots carrying a carton of beer (and nothing else!) so nowhere is completely safe from hoons!

I've always had a great admiration for solo women walkers; glad to see you getting out there!
Enjoy!
Steve

[jomad]

Hey,
Just finished the Overland on my own. First solo multi day for me with NO preparation although I am fit and a "safe" risk taker.
Yes, I am a female, smallish, well within the bothering age for "blokes".
I do not think you need to practice with overnighters before heading for the 6 day amazing Overland as long as you are comfortable with carrying a pack of 15 to 20kg for 3 to 8 hrs per day.
Overland is SAFE: many people walk it daily, you'll see the same faces most nights at the huts or in camping areas, as a single female walker other walkers will take you under their wing, even if just talking with you in the evenings during rest. Most walkers were retired couples and old hiking friends: lovely and knowledgable about all matters and not intrusive.
There are rangers at 4 huts and log books for added safety (I did not take a personal safety beacon).
The track is well signed, the path well trodden (just pay attention in some areas) and I only saw one snake running, slithering, away from me. Gaiters, gaiters gaiters
NEVER did I feel unsafe or in danger from humans, animals or the elements.
Just pack well: happy to give you ideas
The solitude and time of introspection was invaluable. Still integrating the experience but already planning another solo walk. And soon.

[Pongo]

I've just finished the Overland as well, and I think next time I do it, I'll hike it solo.

Everyone is there for the same reason, sharing the same trail, suffering blisters and injuries at the same time. It engenders such a sense of comradery that gender was one of the last things I was thinking about on the trail. Just expect a social walk, stay in the huts (camp if you need some you time and an interruption free place to change) and talk to everyone!

I know what you mean about planning that next walk Jomad. I've had some mean OT withdrawals and need to go bush again... but this time I'll try for 2 weeks...

[jomad]

Hahahaha!
I agree: 10 to 14 days next time, Pongo. I would have loved to spend another 3 to 4 days on the Overland but alas, next time.
I've already googled long hikes in Australia. Just have to pick one that's passable in winter.
Guess it rules out Tasmania

[GPSGuided]

No experience with real solo bushwalking. But once I was at Cape Naturaliste in WA by myself at dusk and will say that it was a most un-nerving experience. Being so used to be in the midst of civilisation and human conveniences, standing alone over a cliff with falling light was just bizarre. Just have to get more used to it I guess.

[biggbird]

Good thread to read, hoping to head out for my first solo multi-day walk in a couple of weeks time

If you don't hear back from me, it's been fun...

[north-north-west]

If you don't hear back from, it's been fun...

We'll miss you.

[biggbird]

If you don't hear back from, it's been fun...

We'll miss you.

Now I know you're lying

[north-north-west]

If you don't hear back from, it's been fun...

We'll miss you.

Now I know you're lying

Some of us more than others, of course.

[Happy Pirate]

Hey,
Just finished the Overland on my own. First solo multi day for me with NO preparation although I am fit and a "safe" risk taker.
Yes, I am a female, smallish, well within the bothering age for "blokes".
I do not think you need to practice with overnighters before heading for the 6 day amazing Overland as long as you are comfortable with carrying a pack of 15 to 20kg for 3 to 8 hrs per day.
Overland is SAFE:

Hey Jomad and ValeriaVine
I'm glad you enjoyed the OLT Jomad , it's an amazing walk, certainly a jewel in the crown which is Tas.

As a regular solo walker I'm always glad to see independent solo women walkers who appreciate the same personal relationship with nature and quiet time as I crave in the bush. I always want to feel that while nature should be intimidating because of its vast grandeur and wildness etc it should only be feared because of it's very nature but never because of those humans who also explore it.
It sounds as if you are going solo for the best reasons.

If the advice on this site seems a little restrained it's because of the very real possibility of inexperienced people venturing forth into the wilderness with grand ideas of forging a relationship with wilderness and then dying as the reality sets in.
Generally solo walkers progress from a background of plenty of experience from group walks with friends or clubs to solo walks as they feel ready but many of the casualties are those who set out with minimal experience or who have seen the world only in its most serene state - or worse, from a TV program. A single experience during the mildest of weather is always a poor example of the dangers that need to be prepared for.
Whilst you may be very capable of multi-day solo walking in remote wilderness, the "go for it" advice is generally not recommended to pass on to others as the continual knell rung for fatalities on remote trails should be a continual reminder.

Valerie (and anyone else); if you haven't walked solo before then at least be sure you have experienced severe weather and self-reliant conditions in the region (or similar) you are planning to walk and know how to survive. People HAVE died on the overland track and the support of other walkers is as unreliable as the weather.

That said, I wish you well and hope to meet you on a track one day.

cheers
Steve

[wayno]

not everyone will get away so lightly with no previous overnight preparation...., if you havent done overnight trips before its a guessing game as to how you will fare when you undertake a multiday trip for the first time

[Happy Pirate]

I might also post a link to this topic http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11960 which while not directly relevant, is a valid cautionary tale about gung-ho attitudes towards hiking.
S

[Skinky]

I heard the phrase "no, I don't like to go outside cities"

Think it's a lot safer to go bush in tassie that go walkabout in Melbourne after hours.
As far as solo bushwalking goes, my first Aussie bushwalking experience started out about 7 months ago as WOJ lake ball circuit that went a bit wrong. I stubbornly followed a well worn wombat track which petered out to nothing, I quickly Walked off edge of my small scale map and 5 mins later I was lost in tassie scrub without a compass and only an uncle bens trail bar as backup. I could have turned back but stupidly decided to follow down a steep creek on the basic assumption that down was better than up and working myself into a panic. Anyway a long story short I walked out onto the Mersey road south of junno creek just as it was getting dark. Live and learn pretty darn quick, bought a compass and gps and have been exploring the far flung reaches of the apple isle nearly every weekend since. 1 month in from my WOJ effort and I had completed the du cane trav in mist and snow, that was nearly a step to far. In general, experience is inversely proportional to likelihood of screwing up.
Why do I go solo? Not because i dont like people, far from it, but because I can go where I want when I want without compromise it simplifies the experience. I rarely go to the same place twice.
All hail the 1:100,000 Mersey map - what a ledge! That's been the backbone of my tassie adventures along with a few others plus countless 1:250,000's.
SW tas is now the final frontier. Long live 1:10000 old river!

[Happy Pirate]

I heard the phrase "no, I don't like to go outside cities"

Think it's a lot safer to go bush in Tassie that go walkabout in Melbourne after hours.

Actually this sort of idea is just the 'failure of statistics'. In actual fact 'misuse of statistics' would be more accurate.
No doubt there are more people who die crossing the road each year in Melbourne than die in the bush; but expressed as a percentage?!

I suspect if you do the stats properly bushwalking, skydiving, feeding sharks, base-jumping off bridges, eating strange fungi, expressing your opinions about conservation to Andrew Boldt supporters, getting married etc. are far more dangerous activities than the dodgy statistics make out; compared to crossing the road or eating breakfast etc. (unless you eat muesli).
More data is obviously needed however.

Steve (road crossing dare-devil (n=1))

[andrewbish]

Come on, Steve. Don't you know that statistical rigour is an oxymoron! The devil's in the detail: Which road are we talking about here? I might be game to cross Sleepy Court, Quietville, but count me out for crossing Beach Road on a Sunday morning, when the lycra crowd is out playing chicken with grumpy drivers. Similarly for walking around Melbourne after hours. A midnight stroll around Camberwell is a fairly pleasant affair; being on the streets in Broadmeadows just after closing time is just asking for trouble.

[Hermione]

Hi There,

... it's not so much snakes and spiders that worry me but a run in with one of those all boys weekends in the bush. And just to clarify, I do like company, but sometimes, yes it's easier and nice to go solo.

Apart from the usual advice for anyone taking up bushwalking, like be prepared and know your limitations, my advice for a solo female would be just exercise a bit more caution. I don't solo much these days as I finally convinced my husband that he likes bushwalking, but I've had a couple of encounters with people who just felt "wrong". Quite likely they were just social misfits looking for a bit of solitude, but at least once I felt spooked enough to pack up and keep walking in the dark. I've generally found beer swilling ute driving bogans to be mostly harmless though they are annoying (and in WA we have plenty!). I wouldn't say the OT is easy if you haven't got any experience but it's certainly doable with a few overnighters under your belt. Anyway enjoy yourself

[walkinTas]

Come on, Steve. Don't you know that statistical rigour is an oxymoron!

Statistically the greatest danger to human beings is human beings. More humans are killed by humans than by any other animal. If you want to be safe, just avoid humans.

[wayno]

"experience is inversely proportional to likelihood of screwing up. "

its not really, in NZ some extremely experienced people come a cropper, one died last week, he was a highly respected historian and conservationist, took a short detour off a track looking for a rare bird without warm clothing , got lost, without a light he fell down a bluff at night, was rendered unconscious and died of hypothermia.. only hours before SAR found him,,, SAR would likely have found him a lot sooner if he had bothered to tell anyone where he was, by chance someone spotted his car and reported it to police so sar could focus their search

there are other cases too, often experienced people can over estimate their ability till they end up in situations that seriously compromise their safety and in some cases they die.
one case a few years back a gent ignored advise to turn back on a trip he had turned back a few months earlier on with his kids, this time without his kids, he decided he could handle the conditions with his tramping partner, they both failed to reach a hut, had no alternative shelter and died of exposure in an area known for severe weather..
an experienced army trainer took his recruits to the top of ruapehu in a severe storm, no shelter, couldnt find a hut,, most of them died of exposure....

[Strider]

"experience is inversely proportional to likelihood of screwing up. "

its not really, in NZ some extremely experienced people come a cropper, one died last week, he was a highly respected historian and conservationist,

Therefore it was not likely to occur. Make sense?