Are we hiking or bushwalk?

[sanbot]

I tend to use the word hiking since my love of hiking came about when I traveled extensively around the US. Now that I'm back in Australia I understand why bushwalking is used more commonly. More often then not (well at least my experience in NSW) you are literally walking in the bush for most of the walk.

[walk2wineries]

Nice discussion, thank you.
South Australia's Dept for Environment and Heritage produced a lot of excellent brochures with mud maps and walk descriptions. If an area such as Mt Remarkable (http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/ ... RKABLE.pdf) has a number of suggested walks (13) which differ in difficulty, they start by defining what they mean by a walk, a hike, and a trek, and then name the walks appropriately. Seems sensible! (BTW they are increasingly reluctant to provide brochures to tourist info centres, best to save or print your own or the tourist centre will print an A2 folded brochure on A4 paper for you.)

I like bushwalking but would feel pretentious using a term other than "walk" or maybe "hike" if I was on, say, the main Mount Lofty walk which has been bitumised. Bushbashing is something else again.

"Trail" is a useful term which to me means its either multi-use (Kidman bridle/walking) and/or makes use of existing roads (Heysen Trail.) "Tramp" is useful, identifies Kiwis!

[gbedford]

"To me, 'hike' and 'trail' are Americanisms, though 'trail' seems to be the prevailing usage on the mainland except in Victoria. Never used the terms growing up in Tassie, it was always 'walk', 'bushwalk' and 'track'."

I totally agree with north-north-west. It is so typical of Australians to ignore/ degrade their historical culture. We ignore our links with the past to the point where I now wonder whether we have an Australian culture. Personally I cannot see why we have to be like others particularly Americans. There is nothing wrong with their culture but we don't have to copy it.

[mikethepike]

"To me, 'hike' and 'trail' are Americanisms, though 'trail' seems to be the prevailing usage on the mainland except in Victoria. Never used the terms growing up in Tassie, it was always 'walk', 'bushwalk' and 'track'."

I think that 'hike'' has long been in common usage in Englnad and Auatralia but trail as you say, is American. But......

"Trail" is a useful term which to me means its either multi-use (Kidman bridle/walking) and/or makes use of existing roads (Heysen Trail.)

...I have to agree with walk2... here. 'Track' doesn't adequately describe something like the Heysen Trail and in fact, may give many people the wrong impression of the walking there. In Tassie of course, track is what thay really are because they are foot access only and look like everyone's idea of what a track is. But we do use the term track very widely - think of the the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks.

I totally agree with north-north-west. It is so typical of Australians to ignore/ degrade their historical culture. We ignore our links with the past to the point where I now wonder whether we have an Australian culture. Personally I cannot see why we have to be like others particularly Americans. There is nothing wrong with their culture but we don't have to copy it.

I think that 'trail' has been adopred for the Heysen because it does seem the best option in its particular case as it is a mix of purpose built and pre-existing walking tracks, fence line walks, road reserves and dirt roads. 'The Heysen Walk' seems a bit lacking somehow while a 'Heysen Way' would be a good title and one I like very much but it would probably strike many people as maybe just a bit too English. Maybe it's a case of the English 'Way' vs the American 'Trail''? Whatever, you soon do get used to the idea of the Heysen Trail and it doesn't seem un-Australian to me although I think that it once did. But we adapt so many foreign word usages without question and I'm not convinced that exception should be made for walking paths. Having said that, the 'Heysen Path' anyone?

[gbedford]

My trouble is 58 years of observation. I have seen Australian culture swamped by imports. It is everywhere. I don't mind new developments but a lot is just replacement of the indigenous by the imported. Tracks have become trails, bushwalking is now hiking, head torch is headlamp, pegs are now stakes, bivi bag or sack is bivi ( a bivi is what you did), billy (some use in the UK and Ireland but particularly in Australia) is now pot. there are heaps of examples in general society. Stove has become cooker, couch is sofa, bathroom ( whether there is a shower or bath in it or not) is rapidly relacing toilet, sidewalk is replacing footpath. I wonder if a jug of beer will be changed to a pitcher.

These things become normative and people start to feel uncomfortable with the old terms. This website illustrates this. Government and business seem to be so enthusiastic about bringing in the new, just witness the new "Trail Map" at Licola.

It is funny how there is this push to save aspects of Aboriginal culture and how people decry the loss of culture in other societies but there is so little love of what was developed here.

Of course part of me says oh well does it really matter but then the culture of my past is still imbedded in me and I haven't emigrated.
Gordon

[walkerchris77]

100% agree with you Gordon, but theres not much we can do. its the way of the world. We speak differently then 100 years ago.. we have gadgets and stuff that are ment to make our life eaiser but sometimes I wish I lived in the middle of nowhere with nothing... As for hiking or walking sometimes im more waddling .

[north-north-west]

... As for hiking or walking sometimes I'm more waddling .

Limping. Hobbling. Stumbling.
Crawling.

[headwerkn]

I have to admit I use the word hike a lot more than bushwalk. Syllables are time, and time is money... :-p

[walk2wineries]

Have to admit I'm waddling, limping, hobbling, crawling and stumbling with NNW and walkerchris much of the time!
I wonder that Gordon has not noticed the language differences between states though? We are becoming more homogenous, and I notice that too. But as a kid moving between states and schools, I was occasionally mystified. Take the Qld "Port" to describe a suitcase. Port? And I might swim in Togs, bathers, or a cossie - or cozzy, or whatever it was they wore in that part of Victoria. Older relatives insisted that "one sandwich" in different areas meant either a quarter of the usual round made with two slices, or 2 quarters, or 4 quarters, and that years ago one could end up with either 1/4 of a sandwich or with 4 rounds - ie 8 slices of bread - if unaware of this and ordering incorrectly.
Personally I've convinced that some states think that "10km return" is 5km each way and that others think its a 20km round trip. (NB - why not just write, 5km each way which to me is much clearer.) Much rather we had concordance on that one and let people pick "trail, track, walk, way or hike" to suit themselves.

[Onestepmore]

I prefer to use the term bushwalk, but I tend to find that when I'm talking to non bushwalkers, that infers a day stroll along a made track, with information signs etc. if I tell them I'm going hiking, then they seem to understand I've got a pack and I'm camping out for a night or two. Occasionally I catch myself saying backpacking, which for some reason annoys me.
I use track, except for firetrails. I have, however found myself saying trailhead recently, probably from reading a few AT books etc. I'll try and make myself think 'start of the track'. Trackhead doesn't come easily.
Scouts use the term hiking. They don't take the kids on overnight bushwalks.

Interesting discussion. When I worked in Arizona I was constantly confusing people by putting rubbish in a rubbish bin, drinking water from a bubbler, turning on the tap, having a cuppa, adding milk to my coffee (not creamer), drinking a soft drink, walking in thongs, wearing a swimming costume and loading horses in a horse float towed by a ute.
And I got sick of telling people that in Australia we don't dock cattle dogs' tails!

[Tortoise]

Occasionally I catch myself saying backpacking, which for some reason annoys me.

Maybe because it now suggests you're travelling the world on the cheap?

To people who do day walks (and I don't know whose term that is), I may say I'm going on a backpack, to imply it's a multi-day walk - and I don't know whose term that is either!

I may say I'm going on a backpack

Now I look at it, it conjures up an image of a very chunky flying carpet...

[johnw]

Interesting discussion. When I worked in Arizona I was constantly confusing people by putting rubbish in a rubbish bin, drinking water from a bubbler, turning on the tap, having a cuppa, adding milk to my coffee (not creamer), drinking a soft drink, walking in thongs, wearing a swimming costume and loading horses in a horse float towed by a ute.
And I got sick of telling people that in Australia we don't dock cattle dogs' tails!

I can definitely relate to that OSM, and I'm also with NNW and walktowineries on the stumbling and so on . My (non bushwalking/hiking) wife and I recently returned from a 5 week trip through parts of western USA. Over there I was definitely hiking, albeit I was only doing day walks/hikes here and there. And you have to say "backpacking" when discussing trips involving overnight camping. My better half managed to confuse numerous people we met by referring to me as a bushwalker (although she caused even more confusion with other Aussie colloquialisms). Some of the confused looks were priceless . Back home I tend to use "bushwalking" but admit to using "hiking" sometimes, usually in conversation with people unfamiliar with "bushwalking", generally work colleagues who have migrated here.

[walkerchris77]

We do say hitch hiking not hitch bushwalking.

[photohiker]

We do say hitch hiking not hitch bushwalking.

I thought we said 'thumb a ride' ? What is this hitch hiking you speak of?

[walkerchris77]

Mmmm photo (hiker).
Should change your name to photobushwalking.

He he .
All good

[walkerchris77]

To me bushwalking is what I do. (Walking in the bush) . The moment im walking along side the main road well then I guess im lost.

[photohiker]

To me bushwalking is what I do. (Walking in the bush) . The moment im walking along side the main road well then I guess im lost.

You better change your name to bushwalkerchris77 then

photobushwalker is a bit of a mouthful...

[Onestepmore]

Ahh, another pet hate of mine with Americans.
The term 'use the restroom'. I purposefully say ' can you please tell me where the toilets are' so I can see their horrified expression. I mean, really, what do they think I'm going to do in there? Have a little snooze?

Another time I caused a bit of confusion. In the UK when I worked there as a young horse vet, I was invited to a hunt ball and associated weekend house party at a very lovely country property. I was walking with my hostess and talking about what clothes I had brought for the various lunches and dinners. I said 'I didn't bring any pants' My hostess did a brief double take, then good breeding showed and she simply said, yes, most women would wear dresses all weekend. 'Pants' in England mean underpants, lol, they say trousers.

Sorry to go off track a bit.

And I do sometimes still say 'smoko time' for morning tea break. My friends laugh, especially if we're dressed up and out somewhere, and because they know I really despise smoking (unless it's a cigar and I'm a bit drunk!)

[walkerchris77]

To me bushwalking is what I do. (Walking in the bush) . The moment im walking along side the main road well then I guess im lost.

You better change your name to bushwalkerchris77 then

photobushwalker is a bit of a mouthful...

Lol. Good one.

[stry]

A bit of a thread wander going on but since someone (OSM? ) started it, I'll chip in on the "backpacking" thing. Where else would you carry a full size pack ? On your chest ? Over your arm ? Between your legs ?

And another - "horseback" riding. Same redundancy. How else would you ride the thing except on its back ??

And I'm also with OSM on the "rest room" thing. Who the hell goes in there for a rest ? Unless it's a rest from the company you're with.

[Strider]

A bit of a thread wander going on but since someone (OSM? ) started it, I'll chip in on the "backpacking" thing. Where else would you carry a full size pack ? On your chest?

Well actually I wear mine about half-half between those two locations

[walkerchris77]

Agree with stry, if I go to a public loo the last thing I want to do is hang around and listen to others dropping logs. I was in one a while a go and the guy next to me was talking on his mobile phone to his wife. Interesting call, and the man said excuse me after some wind came out.

I flushed real quick and I was out of there.

[Strider]

American "wrist watch" is another dumb one

[icefest]

American "wrist watch" is another dumb one

It's a leftover to differentiate it from the contemporary "fob watch".

[north-north-west]

And I got sick of telling people that in Australia we don't dock cattle dogs' tails!

You mean they DO?! Effing barbarians!!!!!!!

[whitefang]

And I got sick of telling people that in Australia we don't dock cattle dogs' tails!

You mean they DO?! Effing barbarians!!!!!!!

Is there a difference between the way dogs tails are docked and the way sheep tails are docked?

[north-north-west]

And I got sick of telling people that in Australia we don't dock cattle dogs' tails!

You mean they DO?! Effing barbarians!!!!!!!

Is there a difference between the way dogs tails are docked and the way sheep tails are docked?

It's more about the why and the effect. Docking a dog's tail has no positive outcome (for the dog) and interferes with its communication. It's purely to suit the owners' aesthetics. Sheep tails are removed to improve hygiene and health.

[stry]

A bit of a thread wander going on but since someone (OSM? ) started it, I'll chip in on the "backpacking" thing. Where else would you carry a full size pack ? On your chest?

Well actually I wear mine about half-half between those two locations

Uummm -let's see - either you live in a third world country and carry heavy loads on your head , or you have an Aarn ?

[stry]

It's more about the why and the effect. Docking a dog's tail has no positive outcome (for the dog) and interferes with its communication. It's purely to suit the owners' aesthetics. Sheep tails are removed to improve hygiene and health.

I held the same opinion for many years NNW, but some breeds of dog, notably bigger ones, damage tails very easily and I am told that tails have limited blood flow and can very slow to heal.

I have certainly seen more than one Ridgeback with a tail injury that simply wouldn't heal. The things are like a broom handle and when they hit something, they hit hard. Docking doesn't have to be a short as those ugly little stumps that guard dogs are left with. Six to ten inches gives a wagger/communicator, and can be tucked under when sitting if mutt so desires. The paradox is that no one docks a Ridgy (and neither would I, if I had one)

I agree with you 100% when the motivation is purely to fit with someone's idea of good looks, but horses for course. Docking, for some breeds in some applications does have its place in reducing risk of injury.

I shall now wait patiently to be professionally corrected by OSM.

[Strider]

A bit of a thread wander going on but since someone (OSM? ) started it, I'll chip in on the "backpacking" thing. Where else would you carry a full size pack ? On your chest?

Well actually I wear mine about half-half between those two locations

Uummm -let's see - either you live in a third world country and carry heavy loads on your head , or you have an Aarn ?

Haha! Definitely the latter