Conquering a hill – Mt Grey

Mt Grey! You have been on my bucket list for some time and I’m ready to rock and roll. However, before any trip up the hills, you need to make a checklist because it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared when you’re away from the city with little to no cell phone reception if things go pear shape.

The “Plan My Walk” app has been so helpful in the preparation and organising of this trip, it’s so darn easy to use and follow.

You type in your destination of choice, and it then provides you with the weather on that day and future days to come, the gear you need, any hazards on the track, and a map of what the track looks like so you’re mentally prepared on what you’re getting yourself into.

There is information on the track and what I found helpful was the reviews from fellow walkers/outdoors people on their experiences from the walk, how long it took them, and how steep the first part of the track is (Yikes that will get the heart rate pumping!). I was well prepared and ready for action!

After three attempts wanting to walk up Mt Grey the weather is looking great, we are off!

I packed my bags the day before and checked in with my friends to see if they all had the correct gear and plenty of snacks (who doesn’t love snacks!)

We parked at Lake Janet and set off the giant mountain, as the app suggested it was rather steep at the start and as my friend Kiley said “I hope it’s not this steep the whole way up”, and it wasn’t. The track was so well maintained and soft under your feet like walking on clouds.

Conquering a hill gives you a great sense of achievement and a huge boost to your mental well-being as your endorphins kick in (these are the feel-good hormones). Achievement of any endeavour gives you a sense of satisfaction as you hold your head up high and say “yes, I did that!”

Walking uphill can be tricky especially if you’re new to off-road tracks. I was telling my friend to walk uphill slowly and steadily, find a rhythm, and step to it. A shorter stride will keep your feet under you giving you more balance and power.

Every clearing we would search for our car and say “Gosh look how high up we are”, the view was spectacular everywhere we looked, truly breathtaking!

We reached the top and took a deep breath, what a sense of accomplishment!

What’s life without a challenge? Whether the hill you walk is big or small, when you make it to the top it’s a win. Celebrate! Stop and take a picture. Allow yourself to feel your accomplishment because you definitely did that!

Our walk up Mt Grey has sparked a big passion for the outdoors and catching up with my friends over exercise. We’ve agreed once a month we will walk the local area around, talk, explore, and have a drink and a plate of food instead of going out for lunch.

Nothing remarkable, but a game-changer for my friends and me. Walking with others and combing physical exercise with positive social interactions without doubt clears the fog that can build up from the day to day, enhancing mood, energy, and self-esteem.

I really do think that the powers of a walk with friends can be overlooked. Go on, channel your inner scout leader, and invite your friends for a walk! You won’t regret it, download the “Plan My Walk” app on your phone, and search for local walks around where you live.

The app will then tell you any alerts on the track, the weather, what gear you may need, and provide a map of the track. If you ask me, it’s a game changer and I will be using this app ALOT and telling everyone to!

Planmywalk – check it out here

Happy walking!

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THE JOURNAL

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Conquering a hill – Mt Grey

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