Walking Alone

[BarryJ]

.........................................

I didn't worry about walking alone when I was younger, but the older I get the more I think I should carry a PLB. I'm not as invincible as I used to be.

It's more a case of "the older you get, you develop the wisdom to know that the human body is not invincible"

[walkinTas]

It's more a case of "the older you get, you develop the wisdom to know that the human body is not invincible"

"Wisdom belongs to the aged and understanding to the old" Job 12:12

With the number of Yowie attacks on the rise maybe I should rethink walking alone.

[abowen]

I only walk alone when I know that I am going to be on a track that is likely to have other people on it or I am heading to a camp area that is used often. For example, Arm River track to New Pelion or Junction Lake. I don't have any problems with being alone. Its a bit of a challenge, but I am always well prepared and the more that I do it, the more confident I am in my own capabilities.
Does anyone ever hear mystical voices? No I am not mad and I don't have Radar O'Reilly's heightened sense of incoming helicopters.
Occasionally, even if I sam walking in a group and everyone is quiet, I am almost sure that I can hear voices in the bush. I suspect that this maybe my conscious state yearning for the voices of others as some sort of comfort. The logic being, that if I hear voices then I am ok because somebody else is around.
However, this mind trick has backfired on occasion when I have heard voices and dismissed it as my imagination running riot again. I usually check myself for this, rationalise the situation by knowing that I am miles from anywhere and it couldn't be possible. It becomes very funny when you do walk through some scrub to run smack back into the middle of a large group and realise that it is not your imagination after all. And this even happens when I stop and ask others in the group if they heard anything. They are used to me making this comment as they don't hear the same things. Maybe they are concentrating on other things.
Cheers
Andrew

[Macca81]

everytime i walk, i do it alone. the group that i often walk with has varying degrees of speed amongst it, and as such we are often spread out. its not unusual for one bloke to have set up camp and start walking back down the track. one time i met him comming back and i still had nearly an hours walk ahead of me...

spending the night alone is a dif matter, iv done it a few times b4 and i have no probs doing it, but it is often quite omforting just knowing there is another tent nearby, even if its dead silent

[jaco]

I normally hike alone, and never had even been close to having a problem in Aus.

In S Africa I always hiked with a firearm, because quite a few hikers has been attacked in the past, but mostly by two legged animals. The weirdest encounter I ever had was when something big fell on my feet while sleeping under a tree in a river bed. I thought we were being attacked, and it must have been funny for the creature to see me trying to get a pistol and a torch out of a mummy sleeping bag. By the time I got both whipped out and the torch on and the safety off, there was nothing in sight. Till this day we dont know what it was.

When I go out alone I make sure I have enough gear to keep me alive for an extra few days, even having a few basics on me when I do a day hike. For personal security, I always hike with a Swiss Army Trekker, quite a handy self defense tool, which I even take with me when I go overseas to less healthy areas. But the most handy self defense tool I have used in thus far in Aus is my high tec walking pole - a cut off broomstick, which I used successfully in smacking a Lake St Clair possum on it's fat bottom, when it ate my precious washing powder.

[tas-man]

When looking through my collection of old Launceston Walking Club "Skyline" magazines for some information, I came across this article from Skyline No. 19, November 1969, (40 years ago!) entitled "Solo Walking - Why Not?" and thought that it might put another perspective on this long running topic.

[ILUVSWTAS]

I walk alone, I walk with friends and I walk in clubs.

All 3 are extremely enjoyable for different reasons. Walking alone is alot more risky of course but also it is very rewarding and satisfying. the sense of achievment is much higher on a successful walk. I am alot more careful with planning when walking alone, When I walk in a group I often leave out things I would never consider leaving when alone.
It is a question of whats right for the individual. I would never suggest someone walk alone on a difficult walk if they hadnt walked alone before, but the rewards are greater as I said. You can wake when you want, Leave when you want, Take breaks when you want (walking in a club is often very frustrating for me as they tend to take twice the time I would on the same walk due to lots of breaks for longer times) You can take photos when you want and the solitude is often very very good for the soul!

Having said that the group of guys I often walk with now has added a new sense of feeling that I have never been able to explore with the couch loving mates I grew up with.

I enjoy all the above for different reasons and as I said depends on the individual. But if you do walk alone just make sure your very very prepared!

[Cocksy_86]

I remember the first night I camped by myself. My campsite got raided by bush rats. I woke up in the middle of the night, unzipped my tent, and watched them scatter into the trees. It scared the hell out of me. The second night I got swooped by a Flying Fox.

I think it's these experiences I like most about solo hiking. The greater awareness of my surroundings. The greater impact the flora and fauna has upon me. The seriousness of a snake bite, or being stung by the Gympie Gympie, keeps my mind focused at all times. At any time I can stop and just admire the view, or a gaze upon beautiful view. I can sit down and by silent and let nature come to me.

I'm never thinking, 'Does Bruce want to get going again?', 'Maybe I should pick up the pace, Frank isn't lookin too happy.'

What I like about hiking with other people is that the itenary is set in stone, mates will push me to finish the day out and not stop when my back gets sore, having a laugh and a chat about the trip later down the track, chatting takes my mind off the pain or the fear when lost.

[Leggy]

Not too sure how to really describe this but also sometime when I'm out alone for a little while , I sometimes get a little "spooked". Not enough to put me off or anything like that but just enough to make me think and be aware that I am alone. Does anyone else know that feeling?

I used to do daywalks in the Blue Mountains alone pretty often, and as I left my housemate would always say cheerfully, "Look out for the Penrith panther!" Needless to say, unexplained noises frequently gave me the willies.

[Liamy77]

i walk alone - but with contact in some form - phone/ plb/ spot etc.... not alone AND isolated or too far from help..... mostly for basecamping /knapping, bushcraft etc not necissarily long distance walking...
also love family and other group walks too...

[sailfish]

Not too sure how to really describe this but also sometime when I'm out alone for a little while , I sometimes get a little "spooked". Not enough to put me off or anything like that but just enough to make me think and be aware that I am alone. Does anyone else know that feeling?

I used to do daywalks in the Blue Mountains alone pretty often, and as I left my housemate would always say cheerfully, "Look out for the Penrith panther!" Needless to say, unexplained noises frequently gave me the willies.

Well Leggy,

Some may laugh but I now regard this as a serious and real issue. I live in Bathurst NSW and have had 2 encounters personally. The 1st was maybe 15 or more years ago fishing the inflow at Farmers arm Lake Lyle near Lithgow. I saw a large black animal running in a crouched stance along the bottom of a shallow gully to cross a clearing. It disappeared into some undergrowth on the far side of the clearing to me just metres behind where some ducks were gathering toward evening and did not disturb them. The animal was about 100 m away from me so I could not positively identify what it was. It seemed to have a straight top line and moved very fast with liquid grace. It obviously used the terrain and cover as a predator and I thought it likely to exceed my weight a little. I made a stealthy exit and have never returned to the area. The 2nd encounter was last September after rain I found a set of large cat tracks on the Bicentennial trail on the edge of Walerawang and a little further back one the edge of the forest. Estimating with my hand, these tracks measure about 85 mm across. My son who has an animal science degree says a cat with such a paw size might be about 90 kg based on zoo data for panthera. There were many dog tracks there as well but these cat prints were very much deeper. Obviously a very large and heavy animal. I mentioned these tracks to a colleague at work who has hunted for decades. He showed no surprise at all and no hesitation revealing he had encountered the cats as well. I know of a Tarana farmer considered very reliable who is reported to have seen the animal and has casts of it's prints. None of these people have reported any of this in the media, neither have I. So I am pretty convinced that some cat like animals are out there. If you search the web, you will discover hundreds of sightings from along the whole range from QLD to western Vic. There are only 2 possibilities, either a widely distributed breeding population of these animals exists or all the reports including mine are an elaborate hoax.

For myself, I take precautionary measures....


Regards,
Ken

[Genesis]

I absolutely love walking alone, not that I dislike company but one of my main motivators to get away is for contemplation and the feeling of being alone in amongst it all having a group of people around makes this harder. However for safety on more arduous and dangerous walks such as the Western Arthurs I would at least like to have a small group to walk with.

Genesis

[pete0762]

I have been walking mostly alone for the last 15 years or so and only did some group walks (day and multi-days) when I first came to Australia, to get some idea about local conditions and figure out what to do and what not to do here. Have done many of the Tassie walks alone as well as much of the AAWT and northernmost part of the Heysen Trail in SA - means only doing on track (even though AAWT at times can hardly be called a track). Years back I thought I should walk in groups in order to get to know people (both in NZ and in Australia), but quickly found that walking alone is my preferred option, even though walking with good and reliable friends is almost as good (something I did not encounter in walking clubs - maybe just bad luck or I am too odd .
However, as mentioned good preparation (physical, mental and logistical) is key as well as having all the gear for survival in the bush under whatever conditions are thrown at you, and of course maps, notes, compass, GPS, track files, mobile phone, PLB are essential ingridients when going it alone, to reduce the calculated risk to a manageable and acceptable level.

[cdg]

In my younger years and living rurally, we frequently encountered feral cats. As we hunted for rabbits and foxes, it was expected that we remove the feral cats when we saw them. For people who think they are just city cats gone wild, you are quite wrong. Typically the cats body increases in size dramatically, as do the legs. Bizarrely the heads often stay at normal size. They are ferocious hunters of native wildlife. They are far more efficient than wild dogs at hunting, i believe due to their feet. Truly silent killers. If i had my fox gun I wouldnt hesitate to shoot one. My dad once tried to tame some feral kittens, it was a waste of time. It is hard to kill kittens, even for a tough old farmer. Whenever i hear stories of panthers, i reckon these are from people from the city who have never seen a dead feral cat. you learn a lot about animals from skinning and butchering them, and although we never ate the cats, we used to skin them occasionally. Some of them were quite large. I never saw a pure black feral cat, so on that point alone i guess there could be some truth to the panther sightings.

No longer living in the bush, and these days with gun ownership viewed as some form of furtive deviance (to me they were just tools on the farm, like a chainsaw or agbike), im content to walk through the bush and shoot digital photos, but I still see signs of feral cats, even in deep deep bush. I find dog packs will stay near to farms, obviously to go after lambs, and avoid the remote bush areas, although you encounter dingos, or usually their scat. I really dont think people need to fear these animals when they come across them, they will keep their distance. You are too big to eat. If you really are afraid, dont walk alone. Im more scared to walk down some streets in the middle of any city than in the bush.

[nathanashton]

Walking alone was something that always made me feel slightly uncomfortable. Not sure the reason why but it never felt quite right.

A few years back I spent some time in the Army and that changed my whole perception of walking alone. After completing basic navigation training, the final test was a solo night navigation exercise. No EPIRB, no radio, no phone. We were given a route of approx 20km, and 3 rounds of blank ammunition to use as a signalling tool if we got lost.

I spent all night walking through scrub, over hills & across plains. It was the most exhilirating thing I have ever done. Pure and total freedom. I did get freaked out a few times when I almost stepped on resting kangaroos. After completing that, solo walking doesn't worry me in the slightest. I believe it's the purest form of hiking, just nature and your thoughts.

[stepbystep]

I used to walk alone all the time, predominately because I didn't have anyone to walk with, now I generally walk in small groups - helps with planning/fuel costs and allows a bit of banter with like-minded people.
However I found I was missing the solo missions a bit, the feeling of adventure, the meditative aspect of being alone, the ability to focus on my footfalls and my surroundings etc

As I started doing more overnighters I generally did these solo also mostly because my crazy work schedule doesn't tie in with other 9-5 Mon-Fri workers that get traditional holidays. These are a different kettle of fish, once you get a days walk away from a vehicle or anyone else the mind games begin, this has both negative and positive aspects. My recent solo traverse of the Western Arthurs was undoubtedly the most challenging thing I have done in my life on a mental level - I had multiple escape plans, way too much food, a huge first aid kit too many clothes, plb etc etc, so felt prepared for anything.
Descending off Mt Pegasus was an amazingly liberating feeling, heading into the back half of the range, the most rugged country I had ever encountered I totally relaxed which was not what I expected at all. Despite physically feeling exhausted at the end of that day I was 'in the zone' and frankly as I explored High Moor and Mt Columba if anybody had have turned up I would have been really pissed off. At the start of the walk I really wanted someone, anyone to have been travelling with me and at that point in the dusk of night 3 I couldn't have been more comfortable.

Couple of things;
If you make a navigational error solo, the gravity of the error is magnified tenfold.
If you have niggling injuries the mind can increase the pain.
If you succeed on your mission and your judgement's prove correct the feeling of accomplishment are also magnified tenfold.

I've only done 1 daywalk since which was a solo walk into the Sth Picton Range and felt totally at one with the bush, so what am I trying to say? I dunno really - so long as I get to walk once every week or 2, solo or with a small group, I'm a happy man, just so long as I'm not surrounded by people I don't get along with......that's the pits(I've been there too )

Walking with a group of 4 on Saturday, hope I don't feel too crowded

[ollster]

Walking with a group of 4 on Saturday, hope I don't feel too crowded

Don't flip out on us man. Keep it together.

[stepbystep]

Walking with a group of 4 on Saturday, hope I don't feel too crowded

Don't flip out on us man. Keep it together.

I'll be alright so long as Jez doesn't have death metal on in the car

[ollster]

I'll be alright so long as Jez doesn't have death metal on in the car

He only listens to softy boy music.

[stepbystep]

I'll be alright so long as Jez doesn't have death metal on in the car

He only listens to softy boy music.

Excellent, at least one of you lot have some taste.....

[doogs]

Last monday I went for a walk with another person for the first time in 4 months. It felt very wierd! I am thinking about joinig a walking club too, that might just tip me over the edge!

[MJD]

Only if you go walking with them!

[doogs]

Only if you go walking with them!

HaHa! Yup I am very selfish and don't like to share my wilderness experiences (but company is good on multi day trips).

[north-north-west]

My recent solo traverse of the Western Arthurs was undoubtedly the most challenging thing I have done in my life on a mental level - I had multiple escape plans, way too much food, a huge first aid kit too many clothes, plb etc etc, so felt prepared for anything.
Descending off Mt Pegasus was an amazingly liberating feeling, heading into the back half of the range, the most rugged country I had ever encountered I totally relaxed which was not what I expected at all. Despite physically feeling exhausted at the end of that day I was 'in the zone' and frankly as I explored High Moor and Mt Columba if anybody had have turned up I would have been really pissed off.

Oh, yes. I was really lucky - there were five others at Cygnus the first night, and a group turned up late on my third evening at High Moor (one by choice, the second day weathered in) but turned back after the first gully descent the next morning - as the crowds i had expected never eventuated. Two mornings there were people around,and I bumped into a few small groups on the Arthur Plains, but that was it. That was one of the things that made it so special. Being able to spend a day exploring around Aldebaran and all the rocky bits around Haven, and around Promontory, with no-one in sight . . .

[ILUVSWTAS]

I'll be alright so long as Jez doesn't have death metal on in the car

He only listens to softy boy music.

Excellent, at least one of you lot have some taste.....

There is a medium ground between metal and softie boy rock. And I think you have a pretty decent tase in music Dan.