The Tramping Life

Epizódok

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  Greenstone Caples Track 08.08.2026 7p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life we head to the Greenstone–Caples Track, a 61 km circuit through the Greenstone Conservation Area near Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu. Often overshadowed by the nearby Routeburn Track, the Greenstone–Caples offers an easier multi-day tramp through two very different valleys – the broad, open Greenstone Valley and the narrower, more forested Caples Valley – linked by the 698 m McKellar Saddle. I walked the track solo in winter over four days, initia...
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  Kayla Kingdon-Bebb - Grizzlies, Takahe, and Conserving the Oceans 01.08.2026 27p

  My guest this episode is Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, Chief Executive of WWF New Zealand, and a passionate advocate for biodiversity, climate action, and the role of indigenous communities in conservation. Originally from Canada, Kayla grew up exploring forests and fjords before moving to Aotearoa more than 15 years ago. We talk about her first tramps in New Zealand, what makes the Heaphy Track so special, her love of the takahe, and how her experiences with grizzly bears reshaped her views on...
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  Motatapu Track 25.07.2026 9p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, I tackle one of the Lakes Region’s most challenging tramps: the Motatapu Track. This 49 km route runs between Glendhu Bay near Wanaka and Macetown near Arrowtown, crossing high tussock country with almost no flat sections. With around 3,000 m of cumulative ascent and descent over three major hills, it’s a hard but rewarding walk offering expansive views of Lake Wanaka, the Arrow River, and the surrounding peaks. The highest point is the 1,270 m Roses Sad...
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  Bruce Reay - A Life Lived in the Bush 18.07.2026 18p

  Bruce “Chopper” Reay has spent much of his life deep in the bush, from possum hunting and eel fishing in the wilds of the South Island, to his current home at Saxton Hut near Fiordland’s Hollyford Track. In this episode, Bruce shares his stories of living months at a time in the wilderness, eating possum, nearly failing his university degree due to over-tramping, and being rescued multiple times by helicopters after close calls in the mountains. We talk about his love of the bush, his time wi...
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  Queen Charlotte Track 11.07.2026 8p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, I explore one of New Zealand’s most iconic coastal walks: the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds. This 71 km route is typically walked from Ship Cove in the north to Anakiwa in the south, following ridgelines and shorelines with terrain that undulates between sea level and hills up to around 450 m. The track passes through native forest, across headlands, and around numerous coves and bays, offering dramatic views of sunken valleys, rocky co...
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  Duncan Webb - Hiking, Hunting, and Hypothermia 04.07.2026 29p

  Duncan Webb is the Labour MP for Christchurch Central and lifelong tramper. From his early days exploring the forests of England to challenging multi-day treks across New Zealand’s high country, Duncan shares his most memorable adventures, close encounters with wildlife, and the lessons he’s learned navigating both the outdoors and the halls of Parliament. We chat about his first icy river mishap in Arthur’s Pass, his favourite alpine huts, tramping with family, and the balance between tramp...
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  Kaikoura Coast Track 27.06.2026 4p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, I explore one of the South Island’s best-known private tramps: the Kaikōura Coast Track. This 26 km two-day route is run by a pair of local farming families and offers a rare combination of epic coastline, regenerating native bush, farmland, and peaceful accommodation for a maximum of a dozen walkers each day. Day one follows the coast and inland gullies to The Whare, while day two climbs to the 486 m summit of Skull Peak before returning to the Beach Ho...
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  Eugenie Sage - Conservation, Controversy, and Melting Jerseys 20.06.2026 27p

  Former Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage joins The Tramping Life to talk about her lifelong love of the outdoors, from building huts as a child to tramping the St James and the Old Ghost Road. We hear about her earliest memories of wild Auckland gullies, mishaps with camp burners, and close encounters with karearea (NZ falcons). She reflects on her years in politics — the wins, frustrations, and the enduring fight to protect New Zealand’s landscapes from overdevelopment and invasi...
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  St James Walkway 13.06.2026 8p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, I head to North Canterbury to tackle one of New Zealand’s classic multi-day tramps: the St James Walkway. This 66 km route winds through the high country, taking in the Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, the historic St James Station pastoral lease, and Lake Sumner Forest Park. Typically walked over 4–5 days, it’s a tramp of wide open valleys, beech forest, river flats, and two relatively low passes—Ada Pass and Anne Saddle—offering a sense of scale and solitude...
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  Shaun Barnett - A Wild Life 06.06.2026 36p

  This is a special episode of The Tramping Life, dedicated to Shaun Barnett — one of New Zealand’s most respected tramping writers, photographers, editors, and advocates for the backcountry. For many listeners, Shaun will be a familiar name from book spines, magazine covers, and hut shelves across the country. For others, he was a tramping companion, a mentor, a correspondent, or a quiet source of encouragement. Shaun died in June 2024 at the age of 55, following a year-long battle with brai...
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  Abel Tasman Inland Track 30.05.2026 6p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, I take on the lesser-known Abel Tasman Inland Track, a 41km route through the forested spine of Abel Tasman National Park. While most walkers stick to the iconic Coast Track, this route heads inland—climbing to nearly 900 metres near Gibbs Hill and offering a much tougher, quieter alternative. It’s steeper, rougher, and far less scenic, but delivers something increasingly rare in New Zealand’s Great Walk network: solitude. I share my experience of pushi...
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  Robbie Burton - Publishing Our Tramping Stories 23.05.2026 28p

  Robbie Burton has spent a lifetime straddling two worlds — the wild backcountry and the world of books. The long-time co-leader of Potton & Burton, one of New Zealand’s most influential independent publishers, Robbie has also tramped and climbed across the country, including a three-month traverse of the Southern Alps from Milford to Nelson Lakes. In this episode, Robbie reflects on growing up free-range in Nelson, the teenage adventures that sparked his lifelong love of the mount...
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  Rangitoto and Motutapu Island 16.05.2026 6p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head somewhere few people associate with overnight tramping — Auckland. Just 25 minutes by ferry from the city lies Rangitoto and neighbouring Motutapu Island — two contrasting islands that combine volcanic geology, conservation success, military history and classic Kiwi bach culture. Rangitoto, Auckland’s youngest and largest volcano, erupted around 600 years ago, forming a 23km² island of jagged lava fields and pōhutukawa forest — the largest pōhutu...
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  Adam Currie – From Scouts to Climate Action 09.05.2026 23p

  Adam Currie is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading young voices in the climate movement. We explore his love of wild, remote trips — from hauling surfboards through native bush to packrafting the Gillespie Pass circuit — and how time outdoors has shaped his activism. Adam shares his thoughts on mentorship in the mountains, why accessibility matters more than fancy gear, and how tramping can help bridge our political divides. He also opens up about optimism, activism, and why he stil...
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  Travers-Sabine Circuit and Blue Lake 02.05.2026 8p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, we return to Nelson Lakes National Park for one of New Zealand’s classic backcountry circuits — the 80km Travers–Sabine Circuit — with a demanding side trip to Rotomairewhenua / Blue Lake, regarded as one of the clearest natural freshwater lakes in the world. Starting from St Arnaud on the shores of Lake Rotoiti, the Travers–Sabine Circuit typically takes 4–7 days and traverses a broad cross-section of Nelson Lakes terrain: beech forest, braided river va...
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  Lydia Bradey - From Arthur's Pass to Everest 25.04.2026 24p

  Lydia Brady is a mountaineer, guide, and author, best known as the first woman to climb Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen. In this episode, Lydia shares her remarkable journey from teenage tramping trips in the Lewis Pass to record-setting Himalayan ascents. She talks about the “James Bond day” that nearly ended in disaster, how she found confidence in the mountains, and what she’s learned guiding others at high altitude. We also discuss how climate change is reshaping Aoraki ...
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  Cape Brett Track and Whangamumu / Te Toroa Track 18.04.2026 8p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head to Northland for a rugged coastal overnighter along the Cape Brett Peninsula in the Bay of Islands — finishing at one of DOC’s most unusual and historic huts. The 16km one-way Cape Brett Track follows an old Māori trail through regenerating bush and along exposed ridgelines, with constant climbs and descents along the spine of the peninsula. On paper it’s moderate. In reality, it’s physically demanding — particularly in summer heat, with limited ...
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  Rob Frost - Guiding Trans-Alpine Expeditions 11.04.2026 29p

  From school tramping clubs to epic trans-alpine expeditions, Rob Frost has spent a lifetime exploring the wild backcountry of Aotearoa New Zealand. An engineer turned mountain-guide, photographer, and author of the award-winning Aoraki Tai Poutini – A Guide for Mountaineers, Rob shares how early experiences above the tree line sparked a fascination with remote routes and self-sufficiency. In this episode we talk about: - Misadventures that became defining lessons — and why “adventur...
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  Tongariro Northern Circuit and Around the Mountain Track 04.04.2026 14p

  In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head to Tongariro National Park for an extended circuit of one of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes — combining the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk with the Around the Mountain Track into a six-day, 82km loop from Whakapapa Village. Established in 1887, Tongariro is New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised for both its natural and cultural significance. At its heart stand three volcanic giants: Moun...
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  Peter Hillary - Everest, Aspiring, and Kea 28.03.2026 29p

  Peter Hillary is a mountaineer, author, and adventurer. The son of Sir Edmund Hillary, Peter has forged his own remarkable path — from summiting Everest and crossing Antarctica to dedicating his life to exploration, storytelling, and conservation. In this episode of The Tramping Life, Peter reflects on a lifetime spent outdoors — from his first climb at age ten with his father and Mingma Tsering, to sleeping sixteen years of his life under canvas. We talk about the lessons of ri...