Are we hiking or bushwalk?

[Hallu]

Yeah nowadays the "bush" can be a forest, a desert, a mountain or a beach. It's basically somewhere with no human activity.

[phsculpture]

What do people use here for the beginning of a track? Trailhead is used in the States. Can't say I've ever heard 'trackhead'.

[Orion]

I've seen it as "car park", "track junction" and "start of the track".

[Rob Gosford]

FWIW,
i think of it as, a 2 or 3 day journey from point A to B is a HIKE, a 6 hour daywalk is a BUSHWALK.

trackhead...

[Mark F]

For me I just go walking - whether to the shops or the bush - only the gear changes. I think of tracks as pedestrian and trails as able to take motorised vehicles (eg fire trail).

[neilmny]

I prefer the word bushwalk but tend to use the term hike which I think is a hangover from the Scouts.
In my minds eye the image of bushwalk is a wander in the bush any time and a hike conjures a picture
of a pack with gear for an "overnighter", boots and going to places you can't go to and from in a day.
As for track and trail, I generally refer to a track or bush track, but a game trail, fire trail and ski trail (or run).
I guess in reality it's not what you call it but whether or not your doing it.

[doogs]

I grew up walking in the Scottish 'hills'. I now sometimes bushwalk, but still mainly walk, never ever ramble and I still do it in the 'hills'

[north-north-west]

I grew up walking in the Scottish 'hills'. I now sometimes bushwalk, but still mainly walk, never ever ramble and I still do it in the 'hills'

Hillwalking? Sounds kind of Scottish.

Ramble is just what I called my High Country wanders, when I just went where my feet took me. Been one or two down here already. It's such a relaxing way to experience a place.

[mikethepike]

Now, do Aussies and Kiwis have a term for "mountaineering" ? I've only heard Americans use that one, while Brits seem to use "mountain climbing" and the French "Alpinisme" which became "Alpinism".

In NZ, I think people talk of going 'climbing'. say in the MT Cook area. They may well think of their activity as mountaineering but they don't generally use that term in conversation.

[stoogest]

When speaking with an Aussie it's bushwalking, but when writing my blog I refer to it as hiking.

The vast majority of visitors to my site are from overseas, and of all the walks I've written up, many of them are based in countries other than Australia. To use the term 'bushwalk' is to perhaps alienate my audience and hence I choose to use the more globally recognisable term 'hiking'.

Andrew.

[walkon]

If I go for a bushwalk its generally a shorter or day walk. Hiking is a multi day affair. If I'm gone bush, then who knows where or for how long.

I highly recommend the later once in a while, nothing like heading out and making the decision where it's going to happen as it comes to you!

[Jag]

Bushwalk to me is a one - 3 day walk in largely off track or nominal track. It has something in common with 'walkabout' . None of the above have mentioned that concept which deserves its own forum! it is intrinsically Australian . I don't think there i an Anglo word for that sense we allhave had out there. Indigenous still do 'sorry time ' where they take off ( including from school!) to wander about in a large arc to commune with spirits unknown to us.

Purposeful walking from X to Y is less bushwalking & more hiking the longer it goes. At about 100 ks or over iconic terrain & or through regions it becomes a trek. Even though it is only 70 k the Overland track would be on the shorter end of a trek especially with its more social nature.

Property. rights is an important. factor . You could get shot wandering into private property in the USA. On the other hand farmers eg in Virginia tend to the appalachian Trail & are always friendly .In Britain walkers only got thoroughfare rights in the 1990s & previously were subject to trespass on the Elite's lands. In Australia the sheep / cattle droving routes allow for special property considerations . I would love to see these opened up .

I love linguistic discussions . Backpacking has a new meaning for European British & Antipodeans as mixed travelcarrying your stuff on your back instead of a suitcase. Americans not so much.

[icefest]

I'm not sure I agree with the calling of all terms that are not 'bushwalking' 'unaustralian'.
To me, 'unaustralian' has some awful nationalistic connotations; it's implying that being Australian somehow makes it better than the rest.

[Nuts]

Bushwalk is uniquely 'Australian'. What could make more sense in a laconic (Australian) sort of way?
Walking in Bush = BushWalking
Not without potential confusion i'll admit, are you taking a bush for a walk, are you specifically looking for bushes to walk on .. haha.. or through..?
Like the classic- 'The Pet Butcher' here in Quoiba quirky.. but Aussie, nevertheless!

Still 'Hike' is the shorter, easier term..

[Picaro]

To me, being Australian somehow makes it better than the rest.

+1 Couldn't agree more.

[icefest]

To me, being Australian somehow makes it better than the rest.

+1 Couldn't agree more.

If you're going to make jokes and go around misquoting people then please make it obvious by using the just joking quotes.

i.e. This:

Code: Select all

[jj]Of course I wear the australian flag as a cape whenever I go overseas.[/jj]

becomes this:

Of course I wear the australian flag as a cape whenever I go overseas.

(Just Joking)

[Picaro]

Thanks for the tip, I hadn't spotted that before. Should save me getting into strife down the track.

[tazrich]

Isn't this forum called BUSHWALK Australia ?

[north-north-west]

... it's implying that being Australian somehow makes it better than the rest.

Well, in Australia, surely there's reason for it to be better?

[roysta]

Simple really, use bushwalk in Oz, tramping in NZ and hiking everywhere else.
Although, hiking is becoming more commonplace a term in Oz of late so ok here.

[roysta]

Actually, just had another thought on this.
There are some of us who go overseas regularly and to use the term bushwalking outside of Oz people will look at you strangely.
If you say hiking they know exactly where you're coming from.

[Hallu]

Double entendre that one, as when you say "bushwalk" they know where you're coming from.

[Orion]

There are some of us who go overseas regularly and to use the term bushwalking outside of Oz people will look at you strangely.
If you say hiking they know exactly where you're coming from.

I haven't gotten strange looks when I say bushwalk but I think it's because I've used it in the context of visiting Australia. People seem to know what I mean, more or less. But whether it deserves it or not, I think bushwalk carries a connotation of wildness whereas hiking sounds pedestrian.

[icefest]

There are some of us who go overseas regularly and to use the term bushwalking outside of Oz people will look at you strangely.
If you say hiking they know exactly where you're coming from.

I haven't gotten strange looks when I say bushwalk but I think it's because I've used it in the context of visiting Australia. People seem to know what I mean, more or less. But whether it deserves it or not, I think bushwalk carries a connotation of wildness whereas hiking sounds pedestrian.

Funny, to me hiking is more off track than bushwalking; i.e. there is no such thing as a day hike.

[Orion]

Funny, to me hiking is more off track than bushwalking; i.e. there is no such thing as a day hike.

That is funny. We have day hiking groups who do day hikes on hiking trails. One can even do a city hike.

[north-north-west]

There are some of us who go overseas regularly and to use the term bushwalking outside of Oz people will look at you strangely.
If you say hiking they know exactly where you're coming from.

I haven't gotten strange looks when I say bushwalk but I think it's because I've used it in the context of visiting Australia. People seem to know what I mean, more or less. But whether it deserves it or not, I think bushwalk carries a connotation of wildness whereas hiking sounds pedestrian.

Funny, to me hiking is more off track than bushwalking; i.e. there is no such thing as a day hike.

I'm the opposite to that. I might sometimes use 'hike' for a tracked daywalk, but if it's off-track or more than one day, it's a bushwalk.

[Rob Gosford]

and then there's that angry saying "mate ! go take a hike......"

[davidmorr]

Ok, anyone knows the origin of the word bushwalking?

For one idea, see this:
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_General.htm

The word "bushwalking" is derived from the title of the first hiking club in Sydney which was open to both genders. This club, formed in the late 1920's, was originally called the Waratah Walking Club, but then changed its name to "Bush Walkers". Later the name of the club was changed to Sydney Bush Walkers (SBW). "Bush" is just an Australian term for our unique combination of Eucalypt forests, wildflowers and scrub.

[roysta]

Really, anyway, who cares, just use whatever you want.
I use bushwalking, hiking, tramping in different situations.
If people are perplexed by my description I'll explain, if they have "issues" with my description I would suggest they get a life.

[beachcruiser]

Kiwis go Tramping
Americans/Europeans go Hiking
Australians go Bushwalking
Simple as that in my opinion. Anything else is just Un-Australian!

I'm with Scottyk, it's Bushwalking here and it's likely you'll cover ground with no tracks