For as long as Iβve been regularly walking in the bush, thereβs been a debate about what word should be used to describe what Iβm doing.
In my early days, when I wasnβt walking much more than 4 or 5 kilometres in a single trip, I remember getting βthatβs not even a hikeβ from certain people in the bushwalking community.
Thereβs even a five-page thread on the subject on the Bushwalk Australia forums.
My response has always been the sameβ¦ βWhy on earth does it matter?β
We have this thing that can bring us all together β we like walking in nature. Why do we feel the need to focus instead on our differences and pick on the terminology people use for it? Or one up each other and say βPfftβ¦ Thatβs not a hike. This is a hikeβ?
A fascinating article was recently published in Wild Magazine, titled βIs βbushwalking dying? Our brave new world of adventureβ. It analysed Google Trends data on search terms people are using, comparing βhikingβ with βbushwalkingβ and βtrampingβ.
The analysis did show a reduction in use of the word βbushwalkingβ over the years, but thatβs just in Google searches. As the article points out, βwhy would you search for βbushwalking gearβ after you realise youβll get a wider range of relevant results by searching for βhiking gearβ?β
To me, the words βbushwalkingβ, βhikingβ and βtrampingβ mean basically the same thing. I might only use βtrampingβ if I was talking to a Kiwi, but the others I would use interchangeably at all other times, whether I was talking about a 2 kilometre rainforest boardwalk or a two-day off track bush bash.
The word βhikingβ might not be uniquely Australian like βbushwalkingβ is, but it isnβt an Americanism either. Itβs in the Oxford English Dictionary and it refers to a long walk, especially across country. Well for me back in 2008, two-kilometres was a long walk. Now, when I walk with my step-children, one kilometre is pretty long to them.
Itβs all βhikingβ and itβs all βbushwalkingβ if you ask me. Now letβs move on and focus on what we have in common.
Does anyone agree with me that it’s all a bit silly? Drop me a line in the comments section below. You can also drop me a line if you disagree, of course.
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In my opinion Hikers are giving Bushwalking a bad name. When there is an accident or someone gets lost, the Media brand everyone as Bushwalkers when in actual fact they were people totally unprepared for any eventuality and very little experience. As an example on the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand, there are people on the walk carrying a plastic bottle of water in their hand, wearing light clothing and thongs where as Bushwalkers would have a pack with first aid kit, parka,warm clothing, food and plenty of water. That to my mind is the difference between a Hiker and a Bushwalker.
That happens to all places in Australia that I have been to. That is why I think the two activities should be called differently.
Also there is a lot more people these days in Bushwalking clubs that are there for the social side of things rather than the walking and they call themselves Bushwalkers when if they were 100mt off track they would be lost.
Call me a misguided , grumpy old man if you like. I have been Bushwalking now for 53 years, been in six different Bushwalking Clubs. Bushwalked in various places in Australia including quite a bit in Tasmania. Tramped in New Zealand and done a little bit in Germany and Austria.
Argue if you wish.
Thanks for stopping by and adding your 2 cents, Lance. Doesn’t seem like there’d be much point arguing.
Cheers
Neil
I agree that it is all a bit silly. In general conversation that is. But when it comes to searching for things via Google, or in my case as a content writer for Snowys, it matters a bunch. If people are wanting to search for, say, hiking poles and I don’t conduct research on the keywords people are searching for, then the customer doesn’t find what they want and we don’t benefit either.
In my research, trek trumps hike. Hiking beats trekking. And you’re more likely to be a hiker than a trekker. π
Personally, because I am so in love with NZ, I am a tramper that likes going tramping on tramps.
So true, Paul! Google makes the rules for us content creators. :/
Sure does. #bowstogoogle hehe π
Well for me growing up in the bush we just called it walking ????We just happened to be in the bush while we did it. I think it really doesnt matter what people call it as long as the get out and enjoy it. Now talking to Americans about ‘backpacking’ gets confusing…
Yes! Backpacking is ultra confusing, especially since Google automatically interchanges the term ‘hiking’ with ‘backpacking’, completely ignoring its other meaning.
Anyways, thanks for the comment Riley! It’s all walking, really. π
I agree completely with you Neil. Forget about worrying what to call it and just get out there and walk. It doesn’t matter if its 2km or 20km. Any time spent in the great outdoors is good for you π
Exactly, Amanda! π Cheers for commenting!
Neil
I’m with ya. π
Definitely agree. Being new to the bushwalking/hiking/tramping hobby, we’ve been unsure about what to call it, as we’re starting out small doing under 5km walks so far, so we just tend to say “going for a challenging walk in the bush” lol. It really shouldn’t matter though, at the end of the day while the lengths and levels of difficulty may vary, it’s all the same fun activity π
That’s it, Kylie! When I was just starting out I found it a bit frustrating too.
Hope you’re enjoying your new hobby! π
Cheers
Neil
A good point Neil. It’s all walking (or hiking) and sometimes it needs a pack, tent and dried food to get there; sometimes it doesn’t. Although the those in the UK also use the term ‘rambling’ which, for me, has connotations of dementia which I would hope walking holds at bay! I recently walked the ‘Capes and Bays’ stretch of the Great South West Walk and after two nights of dehydrated meals, walked along the beach to the Bridgewater Bay Cafe where I enjoyed a beautiful latte with lunch. All of a sudden, it didn’t seem like ‘bushwalking’!
I’ve been to a few places where bushwalking can be combined with quality evening meals. Places like Thredbo, Lamington NP, the Grampians. One walk in New Zealand is the Queen Charlotte where you can stay in lodges and eat very well each night. It really makes a great finish to the day.
Hey Ken,
That’s actually one reason I love doing group guided tours. There’s nothing like spending all day hiking and then coming back to amazing food, especially when it’s prepared with quality produce that’s local to the area you’ve just hiked. Local booze is also always a plus! π
Cheers
Neil
Haha ‘rambling’ is a bit of a strange one, Mike! I’m hoping hard that the walking with stave off dementia too. π I haven’t walked the Great South West Walk yet myself, but I’d love to. Nothing beats the luxuries when you’re at the end of a big day of walking though!
Cheers
Neil
Agree with you 110% Neil.
To me it is more important to get more people walking more often, preferably in natural areas than using the correct or appropriate term. People can call ‘it’ whatever they like.
Chris Towers
President
Bushwalking Australia
Thanks heaps for the comment, Chris! Glad you agree.
I’d love to see more people out walking in nature more often, too. I hope that Bushwalking Blog helps with that, at least a little.
Cheers
Neil
I find it amusing that people don’t consider short walks bushwalking, hiking, or whatever. Once you are away from the modern world it is all fantastic. Five minutes drive from where I live I can see endangered fungi, echidnas, powerful owls and a variety of plants and landscapes.
Exactly, Ken! I’ve even been to some inner-suburban parks where, if not for the car noise, it would be easy to forget you were in the city. If there’s bushland and you’re walking in it, it makes sense to call it a bushwalk (and to me that makes it a hike). π
Cheers for your comment.
Neil
Hi Neil,
I find I use the term hiking on my blog because people from other countries know what I mean and it tends to be all over the Internet but I will use the word bushwalking or wandering or rambling…or going for a plod when my joints are bad. I really don’t understand the time people waste on arguing over language when we are not enemies. We’re all just people who are out there trying to get some exercise and have some fun. But I’ve never been a very competitive sort of person I suppose. I just want everyone to be happy and chill out. π I agree with you. It really doesn’t matter what we call it. We should be supportive of each other rather than tear people to pieces over things that don’t matter. π
Yep, exactly. π Thanks for the comment, Jane!
Neil, you’ve hit the nail on the head! And I love that video you shared, “Take a Hike” – sums it up accurately.
Growing up in Australia, I only went “bushwalking”. Then we started a tourism business guiding walks (and now a blog on (bush)walking in Sydney) and simply need to be understood… by Australians, Kiwis, UK, North Americans, Europeans, and people from just about everywhere on the planet.
I need to be understood universally, so online I rarely talk about “bushwalking” and instead interchange “walking” and “hiking”.
The experience itself is the same no matter what word you use. Find the common ground… and then use your own two feet to traverse it!
Haha yes to the “common ground” part! Love it, Tara! π