Caro Ryan offers sound advice for those who are finding going from day walks to overnighters a bit daunting.
Of all the steps we take out on the track, sometimes it can seem that the biggest leap we make of all is our first overnight bushwalk. The first time we rely totally on our own ability to plan and pack exactly what we need and commit our bodies to sleeping closer to the ground than we've ever done before.
I'm always fascinated by the number of people who seem to feel as though it's some massive invisible and impossible threshold, somehow akin to an ancient tribal right of passage demanding total commitment, brutal physical submission and emotional scarring. Anyone would think they're being asked to cut off a piece of their own flesh!
If you've felt that you'd like to try staying out overnight, I've got some good news for you. It's just as simple as planning for a day walk, except you don't have to go home when the sun goes down.
Think of it as simply taking everything you would normally pack on a day walk (link to how to pack for a day walk video?), plus just a few things more. If it's your first time, here's some simple ways to make the transition as easy as possible:
Food
Start by writing a simple planner of how many meals and their types you're going to need. For a typical weekend bushwalk that starts on Saturday morning and sees you back at the car late afternoon Sunday, this would mean packing 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner + snacks.
If you've been doing day walks for a while, then you're probably already comfortable with packing and carrying your lunch and snacks. Keep it really simple and start with lightweight things available from your supermarket like crackers such as VitaWheats, sachets of tuna/salmon, hard cheese, sundried tomatoes or salami.
When it comes to breakfasts, they're the easiest of all. Just pop a serve of your favourite cereal in a ziploc bag, along with a generous dessertspoon of powdered milk powder. Then all you need to do is simply add some drinking water to the bag and you can eat straight out of the bag. Just be careful with some types of muesli or cornflakes as they have sharp edges that could pierce the bag!
For dinner, think about pasta n’ sauce packets like a carbonara style one you can simply add a sachet of tuna too. To be honest though, you won't die if you eat the same thing for dinner that you did for lunch. If you do that, then you also remove the need to cook something up by taking a stove or having a campfire, which if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, is one less thing to think about. Easy!
Pack weight
Aim to be carrying no more than 10kgs* +water and look at sharing items, like splitting up the different parts of a two-person tent, between the two people. This is key as usually the tent (especially if you're using a traditional camping tent as opposed to a lighter weight hiking tent) is going to be the heaviest thing you have to carry. It's also going to be one of the most expensive things to buy, so it's not uncommon for people to 'test' out whether they like overnight walks with a heavy tent before they decide if they want to invest more money in buying a lighter one.
Set yourself up for success
For your first overnight walk, chances are that your pack will be the heaviest you've ever carried on a bushwalk, which will take some getting used to. If you're building up to an overnight walk (and especially if it's going to be an extended walk over several days), you'll enjoy the experience much more if your body (and feet) is familiar with how an overnight pack feels. Try and get some training in by going for walks around your neighbourhood with extra weight in your pack. Carrying water is an easy way of doing this where one litre = one kilo. Just remember to judge this by how many hours a day you plan on being on your feet when you finally do that overnight walk. A pack might be fine after one hour, but if you're planning to be walking for six hours over rough terrain, you might not feel so fine about it!
Grab a packing list from an experienced walker
You find one at my website: www.lotsafreshair.com
There's a few things you're not likely to find on an experienced overnight walkers packing list:
- Change of clothes (other than thermals to put on at night). Yes, it's true – us walkers can smell a bit, but we're in good company when we all do. I've been known to wear the same t-shirt for seven days in the Kimberleys, where temps can get up to 43°C.
- Canned Food – they’re not only bulky and heavy, but you need to carry that tin out with you.
- Huge amounts of water – water is an absolute essential to have with you at all times, however the amount you carry will depend on the route you're taking and if you can pick up water on the way. Regardless of the season, I always start with two litres, but ensure that I carry some method of water purification so I can treat it when I find it. When you're starting out, plan to camp near a creek or river so you've got easy access to water for cooking, drinking and stocking up for the return journey home. When you've got some trips under your belt and are comfortable with a heavier pack, that's when you can think about 'high camps', where you’re lugging extra water up to a viewpoint for a killer sunset/sunrise camp.
Choose a walk wisely
For your first overnight walk, be gentle on yourself by choosing a shorter and easier walk than you would normally consider for a day walk. Aim for a half day walk (no more than four-five hours) on both days, which gives you ample time to set up your tent and campsite in daylight hours, lets you take your time re-packing on the second day and if you're finding it takes a while to get used to the heavier pack, you aren't struggling with the pace to reach your destinations in time.
The boogey man isn't out there
I reckon the most common complaint people have about camping is having to get up for the 3am pee. Apart from having to emerge from your snuggly sleeping bag cocoon, some people genuinely struggle with being alone in the bush, in the dark. My advice to you is all about mindset. It's about telling yourself that there's nothing there in the dark that isn't there in the day. Be firm against your fears and decisive in your action to get out of bed, go pee, come back and fall asleep again. Trust me, the longer you leave these things, trying to hold on until morning, the worse sleep you'll have and less chance of enjoying your first overnight experience.
Take good friends with you
It can be fun discovering how to do overnight walks with friends who are in the same boat as you. Laughing as you learn through mistakes or trial and error and enjoying the journey to independence, together. However, there can be no better way to learn than by observing (and asking) what experienced friends do. Here's where I plug joining a bushwalking or tramping club – it’s where I learnt everything I know!
Look at where you are and be gentle with yourself
Keep reminding yourself where you are and don't expect to get everything right the first time. *Don't stress if you can't get the pack weight down because of what you've got to work with, just be aware of what can be improved for next time.
And most importantly, look around and be amazed at the stars when you get up for that 3 am pee, enjoy the free entertainment of gazing into the campfire, chatting with friends and experience what it feels like to be (relatively) comfortable and totally self-sufficient in a wild location. Go you!