A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world.

A State of Emergency was declared last week for Southland and parts of Otago after heavy rain caused flooding across the region.

DOC Operations Director Southern South Island Aaron Fleming says while it is too soon to know the extent of potential damage, DOC expects several tracks, bridges and campsites could be impacted.

“Our first priority is keeping people safe. People should listen to Civil Defence and police and follow any instructions or alerts to keep themselves and others safe.”

DOC staff have not yet been able to assess the damage across the network, but people should expect unstable land, swollen streams and rivers, and damage to visitor facilities, Aaron says.

“One area that we know has been impacted is the popular Lake Sylvan Track. The Sylvan bridge was destroyed, the bank eroded by the fast-flowing river, and trees were seen falling in high numbers along the track. The track is now inaccessible.” Read the full press release from DOC.

Norovirus in the wilderness? How an outbreak spread on the Pacific Crest Trail

After a stream of sick Pacific Crest Trail hikers came through the Washington Alpine Club Lodge near Snoqualmie Pass last summer, a volunteer named Robert Henry closed the dorm-style lodge and emailed health authorities.

One of Henry’s alert messages reached Arran Hamlet, a disease detective with the Center for Disease Control’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. Hamlet focused on a 115km stretch of trail where ill hikers were coming from. One common rest stop was a remote cabin in the meadows, with a longdrop and a stream used for drinking water.

Hamlet and his team hike to the cabin and tested water from the stream. They also swabbed the toilets, the door handles, the tabletops – anything people were touching. While the water samples came back clean, “every single [surface] swab tested positive for faecal contamination,” he says.

The results of the investigation were published this month in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Read the full story from National Public Radio.

King Charles tells cyclists, ‘I like my walking’ after they meet him hiking solo in Scotland

A group of cyclists were left stunned after bumping into King Charles hiking alone on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland and captured the moment on a GoPro video shared to McTrail Rider’s YouTube channel on Monday.

In the video, the three cyclists can be seen meeting the king, 74, on a path on the royal estate. When asked if he was on his “summer vacation to Balmoral,” Charles replied, “Yes. It is wonderful up here.”

“It’s typical,” he added of the wet weather evident in the video. “The midges are horrendous.”

The cyclists then commented on how the king was out walking solo. “Oh yes but I like my walking,” laughed Charles. “I want to see quite a few things on the way down.” Saying his goodbyes to the cyclists before continuing his hike, Charles added, “Take care, don’t fall off.”

Read the full story and watch the video from People.

Applications for the 2023 North Face Explore Fund open

The North Face has opened applications for the Explore Fund in Australia and New Zealand, an initiative aimed at accelerating equity in the outdoors. 

Following the success of its first year, the Explore Fund will continue in 2023 to help overcome barriers and increase accessibility in the outdoors. With a financial commitment of $25,000, The North Face will award up to five successful applicant groups that are based and operate in Australia or New Zealand.

The grants will be offered in two main categories, creating a community of new explorers, and protecting the environment. When reviewing applications, the Council will evaluate the values and impact of each organisation, along with the design elements of the proposed project.

The inaugural grant recipients of the Explore Fund Grant were First Hike Project Inc. (Australia), Trailblazers Charitable Trust (New Zealand), and For Wild Places (Australia). 

For more information or to apply for a grant visit the website. Applications close September 30, 2023.

7 best winter hiking holidays in Europe

The prospect of a winter walking holiday may sound more chilly than enticing, but rosy-cheeked treks with frost crunching underfoot and temperate hikes at destinations further south offer hugely enjoyable ways to explore Europe’s Great Outdoors from November to February.

Forget weather worries, lace up your hiking boots and delve into frozen national parks from Finland to the Scottish Highlands to enjoy the haunting natural splendour of winter landscapes free from summer crowds.

Alternatively, if you’d rather escape the chill and forgo the need for snowshoes, jet to the sunnier shores of year-round mild islands in Europe’s southern reaches that won’t resemble winter at all.

A few of the trails highlighted are the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the Dolomites in Italy and the Cairngorms in Scotland. For the full list, visit The Independent.