17th November Take a Hike Day

What is a hike? A long walk?

Hiking is a long vigorous walk, usually on a track or trail in the countryside.  In Australia we are more likely to say we are going bushwalking. New Zealanders might say they are going tramping, the Scottish go rambling, but it doesn't matter what it's called, it is a worthwhile activity and a good chance to be outdoors communing with nature. Recently the students at my school had Camp Week. This used to mean Year 2 went to Camp, Year 1 camped on the oval at school and Kindergarten went to the bush one day a week all term, but it now means all three grades are involved in outdoor activities, such as those they would do on a camp, each day for a week, but they attend them at or near school and go home at night.

These activities do include a hike or bushwalking, so we did pull all the books off the shelves which may have helped students and teachers experience walking vicariously first. There were plenty of books to get students excited and thinking about what it meant to be hiking outdoors.

These are specifically Australian:

Then there's these:

And don't forget the wonder that comes from walking at night. When we did take Year 2 on camp we went for a walk at night around the campsite with torches and often it was the highlight when children wrote about camp. There are several children's books about night walks. Look for:

• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr

• The Night Walk by Marie Dorleans

• Night Walk by Alison Binks

• Night Walk  by Sara O'Leary and Ellie Arscott

• Night Walk to the Sea by Deborah Wiles and Daniel Miyares

• Seeking an Aurora  by Elizabeth Pulford and Anne Bannock

• A Good Night Walk by Elisha Cooper