Complete the #microchallenges as these Walk1200km participants have done, and receive a Walk1200km badge. The best efforts receive a special prize from our partners! 

#microchallenge1: Share an ambition
Prize: Rab Nexus Pull-on

Winning entry (featured): Dan Lodge has set himself the goal of walking 300km of his 1200km total on overnight walks. “The walking really helps reduce my stress levels, but when out tramping I feel much better instantly, so I’m keen to give that a good go this year.”

Garth Keighley wants to walk the Abel Tasman Coast Track with his three children, aged 8 to 13. “I’m hoping they will love the adventure and want to come on more tramps in future,” he said.

Elizabeth Fisher’s ambition is to build a regular and consistent walking habit through the year – including during the winter months. “I’d also like to try and keep up with my 88-year-old father who walks 10km most days. I’ll try to maybe do half of what he does!”

#microchallenge2: Hike a pā site
Prize: Bridgedale socks

Winning entry: Kim Vardon walked the site of the historic Turitea Pā in Palmerston North. “A tall platform once stood here to give the Rangitane people an unobstructed 360-degree view of anyone coming up or down the river,” she said. 

Linda Rugg visited Rahopara Pā on Auckland’s North Shore.”Carbon dating of the charcoal from the fire pits shows the land was occupied and used between 1466 to 1648,” she said.

Annette Webb hiked Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park in the Bay of Plenty. “Reaching the trig at 224m, we learnt that one of the pā sites here was where the young women were kept, away from their families, to learn of their roles within their tribe,” she said.

#microchallenge3: Hike a pā site
Prize: Walk in a local reservoir or park

Winning entry: Fern Pannell’s favourite part of the Link Pathway in Havelock is a waterfall seat and ‘magic tree’ spring partway up the track.

Carolyn Shivanandan’s local, Trelissick Park in Wellington, features the very charming Stick Library.

Glenn Roberts’ local is Mangemangeroa Reserve in east Auckland. “It has views, birds, bush, a great estuary and benches like this one where you can stop for the obligatory coffee and home baking.”