The Great Walks April–May issue is out now!
The theme for this issue is Tracks Less Travelled, where we showcase some of Australia’s most epic and rewarding walks.
From rugged mountain ranges to long-distance trails that stretch across entire states, this edition celebrates the joy of venturing beyond the busiest paths and discovering landscapes that feel wild, remote and unforgettable.
Among the highlights are Victoria’s Grampians Peaks Trail, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. Our writer Laura Waters did the walk when it first opened and we have republished her story and asked her what the walk was like looking back at it today.
"The campsites were fancy but the trail definitely wasn’t over-engineered," Laura writes. "I loved its rawness, the regular rock scrambles, exposed cliffs, and the fact that you often had to think about how to negotiate the landscape. It felt wild.
Other walks in the issue include Western Australia’s iconic Bibbulmun Track and South Australia’s legendary Heysen Trail.
Each of these routes offers a different kind of adventure, from challenging multi-day journeys to spectacular sections that can be explored over a weekend. We also feature several other remarkable Australian tracks that deserve a place on every walker’s bucket list.
Further afield, we head overseas to explore some of the UK’s best literary walks. These inspiring routes allow you to follow in the footsteps of great writers including William Shakespeare, the Brontë sisters and CS Lewis, while experiencing the landscapes that shaped their stories.
One fab walk is Shakespeare’s Way which connects Stratford-upon-Avon, where the bard was born and educated, with London, where he made his name as an actor and playwright.
"At a whopping 232km, the waymarked trail normally takes about 10 days to complete but can also be broken down into smaller sections," says writer Roslyn Jolly. "Stage 1, from Stratford to Shipston-on-Stour, makes an ideal one-day hike of 24km through the Cotswold’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with excellent amenities for dining and accommodation in the towns at either end."
The issue also includes a practical beginner’s guide to bushwalking, along with a feature showcasing four excellent sleep systems – the perfect combination of sleeping bag, sleeping mat and pillow to help you stay warm, comfortable and well-rested outdoors. Comfy indeed!
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