Conquering the Centre of NZ

It’s a well-known Nelson Landmark and a great little walk for all shapes and sizes. Though a little bit of a puff to the less indoctrinated the views at the top are more than worth it. Situated in the heart of Nelson, this is a really family friendly walk. There is a well maintained track all the way to the top, for those of us pushing prams (just remember the safety strap for the way down) or for those a little less stable on their feet.

Along the way there are rest stops and benches and once at the top benches and decking allow you to sit back and enjoy the view. We love it as a quick and easy picnic spot. The girls can play hide and seek in the bushes and hubby and I can boil up a quick brew on our super-duper Primus Lite Plus, no waiting around with this little puppy!

This time was a whole new experience for us as we had decided to treat the girls (and by defult us) to some new back packs. The little one (4) got her very own Deuter Speedlite 10 perfect for her slim frame and light weight, the middle one (6) gleefully donned her Osprey Tempest 9 and the eldest looked over the moon with her Osprey Tempest 20. They spent the day before writing kit lists and planning what would be in their lunch boxes and then took great delight gathering the gear and packing it into their new flash packs.

As we started the walk there were a few “ummmm is it all uphill????” to which I replied “no there is lots of downhill too once you have reached the top!” but once they were under way there was no looking back. Unlike previous trips not once did any of them ask me to carry their pack! I know SHOCK HORROR!

In terms of the science bit, the reality is that this was probably the first time my girls have actually had a decent pack that evenly and effectively distributes the weight throughout the body. With soft comfortable straps that absolutely fit their frame providing support around shoulders, hips and waist. So it really shouldn’t surprise me the difference it made.

Bottom line, if you are keen to invest in getting your kids to love the outdoors, having the right quality gear will make a world of difference.