What better way to celebrate a wedding anniversary than by embarking on a family tramping adventure? On this occasion, a trek over the Kelly Range/Taipo River/Harman Pass tests skilled tramper and mum, Sonia Barrish, as she navigates slips and steep climbs on a four day, 51 kilometre tramp with her partner and 15-month old.
As an outdoor enthusiast, Italian-born tramper Barbara Zennaro comes to New Zealand ready to embrace a new style of tramping, one that is different from the more 'catered' hikes with which she grew up. With her partner and little one in tow, she experiences true Kiwi hospitality and how tramping brings families closer together.
Torrential downpours, breastfeeding breaks, and promises of pizza ... all part of the adventure for this family of four trekking the Old Ghost Road. In Part II of their five-day mission, they meet fellow trampers and improvise in the midst of temper tantrums and changing weather conditions -- creating a family memory that has their daughter already asking to go back!
Adventurers Emily and Chris Forne take up the challenge that is tramping with a 20 month old again. This time exploring the East Matukituki and over Dragonfly Peak. There are some hurdles along the way but the effort turns out to be most rewarding...
Is your family dinner night getting a bit stale? Sonia Barrish gets creative by hosting family dinner at a backcountry hut. Travelling with five adults and a baby, this crew has an overnight adventure at Pinchgut Hut.
A cast iron bath in a DOC hut?! On a weekend tramp, Sonia and her family discover the perks of staying in a hut once occupied by a lighthouse keeper and his family.
With winter in full swing, Sonia Barrish offers practical and insightful tips for winter hiking with a little one.
When Family Tramping feels a little like an Adventure race...
Leah Parker sets an adventure challenge for her family: to get her boys outdoors at least once a week for a year. In her article, she recounts the highlights of their 52 outdoor adventures and why she encourages other families to create their own challenge to get outdoors.
When Sonia Barrish and partner take their 1-year old daughter on her first multi-day hike, they came prepared with everything she might need. What they didn't prepare for, however, was Sonia becoming injured. In this edition of 'Back to the Wild,' their family learns the importance of carrying a Personal Locator Beacon in the backcountry.
Sonia Barrish asks the question: "What do people in countries without nappies do?" By following her baby's cues, Sonia learns about a more natural approach to toilet training that's perfect for family trampers.
I’m sure that fear of losing the freedom to get into the mountains is common among many keen outdoor parents. But rather than just waiting to see if that perceived ‘fate’ became reality, I proactively decided to adapt to this new life-chapter and embrace the opportunities that it held.
The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a great option for a multi-day tramping trip with a baby.
Before becoming a mum, a big part of how I identified myself was as a long-distance trail runner and tramper. Not surprisingly, one of my biggest concerns about welcoming a little human into my life was not being able to get out and enjoy the backcountry as much or in the same capacity.
Having more than one pre-schooler is no reason to not go tramping overnight as a family. Admittedly, it’s not easy, but then staying home with pre-schoolers isn’t easy either.
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