After a long day on the trail, there’s nothing quite like sitting down, boots off, watching the light fade over the hills — and tucking into something warm, comforting, and ridiculously easy to make.

If you spend time in the outdoors, you know how much the small pieces of gear can make the biggest difference. Trail Cloth was created with one goal in mind: to make hygiene on the trail easier, cleaner, and more comfortable — especially for women who want a reliable, reusable option they can trust in any environment.

The Lake Sumner area has long been a favourite of trampers who enjoy rustic huts, wild valleys, and classic Canterbury scenery. On this trip I set out to complete the Jolliebrook Circuit, with the intention for an extra detour to bag Cold Stream Hut—a tucked-away little gem up a side valley.

Some trips leave you tired. Others leave you restored. And then there are those that leave you grinning for days afterward. 2024's Wild Waitangi Weekend was the latter — four days, 75 kilometres, four huts, and a hut-bagging milestone of 250 huts.

This section of Te Araroa trail is quite challenging, as it involves four steep ascents and descents, along with narrow sidles.

I had been meaning to tackle this part of the Te Araroa trail for some time, so I jumped at the chance to do it in early September.

2022 was a year of ups and downs, twists and turns and by the end everything I had planned was turned completely on it's head.

Labour Weekend generally marks the end of winter and the beginning of the Spring and Summer tramping season, it's one of my most favourite long weekends.