Bush Walking
BOOTS N’ ALL 2008    An activity of Scripture Union Tasmania   ‘Love the bush and praise its Creator’ New!  Walks Calendar 2008    What is Boots’n’All?      Who’s it For?   Preparation, Equipment, Food and Safety     Clothing for Extended Wilderness Walking Click to Make a Donation
Boots’N’All ~ Tasmanian wilderness hiking with a difference!    An activity of Scripture Union Tasmania   ….. Tasmanian wilderness hiking with a difference! If publishing details of these walks, please make sure you include the key for any letter rating for that walk.    Walks Calendar - 2008 Click Here to Download Printable MS Word Version of 2008 Walks Click Here to Download Printable MS Word Version of 2007 Walks Click Here to Download Printable MS Word Version of 2006 Walks

If you are a regular Boots N’ All walker, please consider making a donation! Scripture Union Tasmania has extensive programs aimed at helping children and young people find positive direction in life, including a number of school chaplaincies. Your tax-deductible donation will help this vital work. Alternatively, you can make a donation towards the insurance costs of Boots N’ All. Either way, a donation form can be printed by clicking HERE.

Bush walking can involve an element of danger. All who participate in Boots’n’All activities do so at their own risk.
Please carefully note the key for the letter ratings overleaf.
Intending walkers new to Boots N’ All must contact the leader personally unless the walk is rated “Easy” or “Family”.

B              Boulder field – walkers need to be able to confidently step from rock to rock.

C              Climbing sections using rocks and vegetation as hand holds.

D              Drive distance requires early departure – usually 7:30 am

E               Exposed alpine conditions – can be dangerous in poor weather if not fully equipped – see below.

L               A long day’s walk – in excess of 3 hours each way.

M              Marshy or muddy sections – be prepared to walk with wet feet.

S              Steep incline for part of the way

What is Boots n All?

Boots’n’ All was established by Scripture Union Tasmania in 1981 and offers people of all ages and abilities in Northern Tasmania opportunities to share together in a range of outdoor activities led by experienced Christian walkers. Subject to safety and equipment requirements, activities are open to all. If you know of a friend who would like to receive a program, or have any other inquiries, please contact one of the following.

Contacts

Who is it For?

Boots’n’All activities are open to all, but intending walkers are asked to contact the Trip Leader prior to the day of the walk (before 9.00 pm please) to discuss experience, fitness & equipment.

Are you currently qualified to give first aid, or a registered nurse or doctor? Please let Basil or Phil know, because we are now required to have someone with those qualifications to be on every walk.

Bush walking can involve an element of danger.

All who participate in Boots’n’All activities do so at their own risk.

Day trips are generally free, but it is expected that transport costs will be shared by passengers.

We would be pleased for you to tell others of these Boots’n’All activities.

Preparation, Equipment, Food and Safety

• Contact the Walk Leader before hand as trips may be subject to change and details may be incomplete. The walk leader will require name, address and emergency contact (eg next of kin) for all intending walkers as well as details of existing medical conditions and medication in case of emergency. Do NOT bring along people without notifying the leader in advance of each intended walker (except for easy/family walks). For safety reasons children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

• Check the rating for the walk, especially if it has any of the letter ratings (see list above).

•  Late arrival at the agreed meeting place could result in you being left behind, and a delayed departure  can put pressure on walkers which may result in the walk finishing in the dark.

Is this the Right Walk for You? 
Occasionally, people have come along for walks totally beyond their endurance and equipment, because they have mistakenly believed that their previous experience has been sufficient. If the walk is rated as medium or hard, check with the walk leader about what sort of experience is necessary. At times, walkers have faced bitter cold, driving rain and snow, exposed situations, long distances, steep climbs, long stretches of deep mud, tracks awash with 10-20 cm of icy water, and scrambling over huge, slippery boulders. Are these possible on the walk you are considering? Have you walked under those conditions before? Your lack of preparedness to cope with extreme conditions could endanger both yourself and others who must stay with you. Intending walkers who are new to Boots N’ All must contact the leader personally unless the walk is rated “Easy” or “Family”.

Make sure you are well equipped.

Proper clothing and adequate food, including ‘snack food’ can make the difference between a safe and comfortable walk and one which at the least could be very stressful and at the worst potentially dangerous for both yourself and others in the party.

Clothing suggestions for exposed conditions are :

• Essentials: Waterproof rain jacket with hood, warm woollen or thermal clothing, warm trousers (cotton trousers are unsuitable in wet cold conditions) gloves or mittens (a spare pair of socks are a useful substitute for mittens) and a warm hat or beanie. Sun-hat and sun-screen block-out. Comfortable, durable (worn in) footwear. Day pack (or larger) on mountain walks; a school type pack is adequate for shorter trips but check the seams and webbing for strength. Make sure you have a waterproof liner (plastic garbage bag) inside your pack and store your ‘keep dry’ items in another plastic bag inside the liner bag.

• Optional: A small torch and a whistle are useful safety extras. Although the walk leader will have a map, bring your own (and a compass) if you have them, in a clear plastic bag. Waterproof over pants and gaiters are desirable.

• Food Suggestions: The best advice is to eat well before you start (a good wholesome breakfast) and to have frequent snacks during the walk.

• ‘Scroggin’, a mixture of nuts and dried fruits, gives a better sustained release diet than chocolate or confectionery. Other useful snacks include oat biscuits, raisins, jelly beans, dried apricots and some ‘high energy’ confectionery. Also cereal and protein. Fresh fruit is good but heavy to carry.

• Drink: Most walks have creeks or tarns along the way but sometimes these take a while to reach so it is advisable to carry a water bottle (min. 500 ml.) with you. Energy drinks such as Tang, Staminade, Powerade, etc. can be helpful.

• Stay together! Younger more energetic walkers should moderate their pace to stay with the group. If you find the pace too fast, don’t be afraid to get a message to the leader requesting a break and/or to reduce the pace of the party.

• If you get lost, or lose contact with the main party, stop and try to think calmly. Do not continue travelling until you know where you are. Use your map and compass and look for landmarks. A pattern of three sound signals (e.g. whistle blasts, yells, etc.) is a standard distress signal. Keep your pack with you at all times.

Clothing for Extended Wilderness Walking

• These notes may be helpful if you are building up fitness and equipment in preparation for overnight backpacking. The possible extreme conditions described above require proper clothing to minimise danger and discomfort. These days, polyester fleece clothing is readily available, although sometimes quite expensive. Cotton mix fleecy clothes tend to hold water and become heavy and uncomfortable. 100% "polar fleece" polyester garments can often be bought from sport clothing stores for less than from the regular bushwalking suppliers.

• For exposed conditions we advise: thermal underwear (again, synthetic, not cotton) a fleecy windcheater or two, a fleecy jacket, synthetic track trousers such as parachute pants (very cheap), thick socks, gloves (wool mix are ok), a balaclava and a good rain jacket with a hood. ‘Breatheable’ raincoats (eg GoreTex) can be fearfully expensive, but in Tasmania’s cooler climates, it is possible to use cheaper alternatives which still have some breatheable characteristics and remain fairly light. Some experienced walkers use varieties of industrial waterproof jackets, but not all are suitable. Waterproof trousers are cheap (less than $30) and essential. Again, there ARE the expensive varieties! Gaiters are important for keeping mud and scrub out of boots, and they assist with overall protection.

• Good boots can be quite expensive. Remember, however, that even the best brands eventually become wet through under bad conditions, so the cheaper synthetic kinds can be quite ok for day walks. Look for comfort and durability, and wear them in for a few days before going on anything long or strenuous.

    ‘Love the bush and praise its Creator’   

Scripture Union Tasmania 23 Clarence Street BELLERIVE Tas 7018 phone: 03 6244 8422 fax: 03 6244 8477		email:  enquiries@sutas.org.au web:    www.sutas.org.au Return to index page