BUSHWALKING FOR LIFE
BUSHWALKING is something you can do at any age and the only that may change as you get older is choosing your walking tracks more wisely. It’s great for your bones, your brain and your social life but how do you do it as you head into your twilight years? Great Walks spoke to a group of bushwalkers around 70 years of age to see what was the secret to their long term hiking success.
Lorraine Thomas (68)
How long have you been bushwalking for?
Twelve years since retiring. I hadn’t thought about it during my working life and thought pack walking was for the elite sportsperson. I was never very sporty. I love walking for fitness and was looking for places to walk other than the beach, where I live, so I joined a bushwalking club and was truly amazed at the 80-year-olds in the group doing A-grade walking and secondly, the scope of terrain and biodiversity so close to home. This inspired me to achieve a level of fitness to be able to enjoy these places and more.
What type of bushwalking do you prefer?
My preference is extended multi-day walks in wilderness areas simply because you can get right away from urban noise and just listen and observe nature at its best in good weather and bad. Rarely seeing other hikers, it is so relaxing despite the effort to get out there and so humbling to
