The Outdoors

To begin, I would like to briefly introduce my opinions and what I will be talking about through this first blog post made by me.

I am someone who prefers the Outdoors, rather than being under a roof, surrounded by walls. I have always loved walking outside, breathing in the fresh air, listening to the rustling of tree leaves, the movement of branches, feeling the nice cool breeze and taking in the beautiful views which is also known as nature.

Nature is the elements of the natural world; as mountains, trees, animals, or rivers.

We will be concentrating on interacting with Nature. Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity refers to leisure pursuits engaged in the outdoors, often in natural settings. Examples include; hiking, backpacking, cycling, camping, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, photography & etc.

Hiking is our focus, hence the title of our project Hiking 101.

Hiking as a definition; it is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails (footpaths), in the countryside.

For beautiful and diverse terrains, NSW is the best place in Australia for walking and hiking. You'll be amazed by the many popular places visited by a numerous amount of people; including people who visit Australia for the first time. From the Blue Mountains to the Willandra Lakes to the Royal National Park to Clark Island.

Many of the national parks and reserves along the NSW coast and inland are perfect for camping and bushwalking.

Before going into Hiking details and what we will be discovering during this project, we would like to share our experiences of outdoor journeys, this includes walks and outdoor activities. Presenting you with the world of nature and what it has to offer. 

As a start to this project I would like to present examples of my experiences, exploring the extraordinary views of nature in the New South Wales.

Recently I visited the beautiful shores of Manly Beach here in Sydney.

I participated in a short, relaxing walk called ‘Manly to Spit Bridge Walk’.

Weaving through a mix of lush bushland and scenic harbourside trails, the Coastal Walk is a series of short tracks passing some of North Sydney's stunning beaches, bays and inlets.

We decided to walk up-to the half way mark of the path, as we were running short in time.

The Walk took approximately 2 hours which involved walking to the half way mark and returning to the Manly Wharf and Aquarium. I went with a team of 15; we stuck together and paced ourselves, took good, short breaks in between, as well as admired the view surrounding us.

Manly to Spit Bridge Walk Surroundings. Photo Courtesy: Sophie J Ben. 24 September 2017.

When starting this Manly Walk or any walk/hike we always get prepared for the journey ahead and the obstacles you may face.

This includes;

·         A source of water

·         Hydrating drinks

·         Nutritious snacks/meals to be taken before, during and after this walk

·         Appropriate clothing; outdoor accessories and comfortable, breathable outfit

·         Torch

·         Sunscreen or Moisturiser

·         Insect Repellent

·         Emergency Contact device and equipment

·         First Aid

It is strongly recommended to do some stretches and warm up your muscles before attempting any sort of activity, allowing you to be flexible and ready to take on a physical challenge.

There are many more steps to be taken before starting your journey, but the few I have explained above are the essentials.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking on this challenge and walking the Manly to Spit Bridge Walk, experienced some amazing views and did this with the company of good friends and the nature surrounding us.

I would recommend trying this walk, as it was a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

To conclude this blog post, I would like to point out that anybody can take up an outdoor challenge if they are well prepared and motivated to take on some action. Through this project we will be sharing our experiences, showing you visuals and go into depth of Hiking 101.

- Sophie