Walking New Zealand November 2025

European walk operator, On Foot Holidays, now offers 38 self-guided walking holidays across Europe following the launch of a new, week-long hiking route in the Cantabrian mountains in northern Spain. Bookings are open for walks this September and October and for the European spring and early summer of 2026. The 90km walk in the Picos de Europa (Peaks of Europe) region is On Foot Holidays’ ninth hiking holiday in Spain. It starts in the foothills around La Lastra before venturing west to the higher wilderness via the medieval hamlets of Pejanda, Pesaguero and also Fuente De where a cable car can take walkers up to alpine pastures on top of cliffs. The route then descends through wooded hillsides and meadows before ending in the village of Espinama for a celebratory…

On Foot Holidays, has launched a selfguided hiking holiday in the Cotswolds months before the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth on 16 December this year. The new, week-long hiking route through the southern Cotswolds is the 39th self-guided walking holiday offered by On Foot Holidays in Europe and is available for booking for this October or November (northern autumn) or from March to November in 2026. The seven-night hiking trip between Cheltenham and the spa town of Bath where Jane Austen (born in 1775) once lived, takes walkers into villages like Castle Combe and through the farmland, valleys and woods of the southern Cotswolds away from the busy tourist areas of the region. The 108km route covers 10-23km per day and is graded medium in effort, with luggage transferred between…

The Elements of Byron Bird Trail is a self-guided experience that explores four distinct habitats; littoral rainforest, wetlands, eucalypt forest, and coastal dunes right back across the resort's grounds in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. Developed by the resort's in-house naturalist, Alastair Oakman, the trail is a journey through the property's vast and diverse landscapes. From its inception, Elements of Byron has been designed with the environment at heart. Large portions of the resort's grounds have been carefully revegetated with native flora, including species such as banksias, grevilleas, melaleucas and she-oaks—selected specifically to support native birds through food, shelter and nesting opportunities. This purposeful planting has created a vital refuge for vulnerable and migratory birds, some of which return seasonally, guided by ancient flight paths. Every tree, shrub and wetland edge…

The Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) has released its Aboriginal Bushfood and Wildflower Trails Brochure, a vibrant showcase of Western Australia's rich cultural and botanical heritage. The guide highlights over 50 Aboriginal led tours and experiences across WA, inviting visitors to explore the cultural, medicinal and nutritional significance of WA's native bushfood and wildflowers, along with bushfood-inspired recipes. This new resource showcases the depth of Aboriginal cultural connections to WA's world-famous wildflower season.…

Whether training for a marathon, fitting in a quick gym session after work, or running onto the footy field for a professional match, it seems that the warm-up might be just as important as the exercise itself. New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) investigated whether warming up could improve the performance outcomes of exercise and found that increased muscle temperature significantly enhances how quickly and powerfully muscles can contract, especially in explosive movements and power output. “The research found that for every 1°C increase in muscle temperature, performance improved by about 3.5%, with the greatest benefits seen in rate-dependent muscle properties like speed and power, but not in maximum strength,” said lead researcher Dr Cody Wilson. “The important thing is to start moving. Whether that is with a light…

Located about 24kms south east of Opotiki, in the Urutawa Conservation Area,, the Pakihi Track is a very old one, which has been upgraded so much that it's barely recognisable. Originally it was an old stock route from Opotiki, to the Motu Road; which was the only transport link with Gisborne, before the road through Waioeka Gorge was established For many years it has been a popular but rugged track for hunters and trampers. Walking up the Pakihi meant struggling through ferns and grasses, negotiating slips, scrambling down to cross side streams and gullies, and wading through the river below the hut. Now, to upgrade it for cyclists, as part of the ‘Motu Trails’, the track has been levelled and widened and retaining walls have been built to prevent the…