The Tramping Life

53 Episodes

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Robin McNeill - Uncle Jacko, Safety, and Stepping on Sea Lions

2026-11-0624:31

Robin McNeill is a long-time tramper, outdoor advocate, and two-time President of the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand. Robin is also the much-loved author behind Uncle Jacko’s Cookery Column in Backcountry magazine and has spent decades deeply involved in New Zealand’s outdoor and conservation landscape. Robin reflects on growing up in Southland, his early tramping experiences as a student, and how the hills quickly became central to his life. We talk about how tramping culture, gear...

Wellington Walkways

2026-10-3016:38

In this episode of The Tramping Life we explore six of the best urban walks in Wellington — a network of signposted routes linking ridgelines, bush reserves, parks, coastlines and historic sites across the capital. In this episode I rank Wellington’s six classic walkways from favourite to least favourite, sharing highlights, views, practical advice, and some of the lesser-known spots along the way. The episode covers: The diverse and history-filled City to Sea Walkway Panoramic ridgeline v...

Kathy Ombler - Writing, Outward Bound, and Learnings from the Outdoors

2026-10-2331:03

Kathy Ombler is a freelance outdoor writer, longtime contributor to Wilderness Magazine and FMC’s Backcountry, and someone who has spent decades learning the outdoors from the inside. Kathy grew up on a Waikato dairy farm, discovered the mountains through Outward Bound in the 1970s, and went on to work in outdoor education, conservation, and writing — often before formal qualifications or systems existed. We talk about early tramping experiences that were adventurous, risky, and formative; ...

North West Circuit

2026-10-1619:25

In this episode of The Tramping Life we head to Rakiura / Stewart Island for one of New Zealand’s most remote and demanding coastal tramps, the North West Circuit. This 125 km circuit follows the rugged northern coastline of the island through Rakiura National Park, passing windswept beaches, granite headlands, wetlands, and dense native bush. It typically takes 9–11 days to complete and links a chain of backcountry huts spaced roughly a day’s walk apart. I walked a shortened 100 km version ...

Peter Laurenson - The Himalaya, Photography, and Rockfall

2026-10-0925:57

Peter Laurenson is the author of Occasional Climber, Khumbu: Gateway to Mount Everest, and most recently Aotearoa Light, books that combine thoughtful writing with striking photography from New Zealand and the Himalaya. Peter reflects on growing up in New Plymouth, discovering the mountains later in life, and how his first journey to the Khumbu region of Nepal in the late 1980s shaped his relationship with tramping, climbing, and photography. We talk about returning to the New Zealand backco...

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