Outdoor library: Four new books to inspire adventure
The Paddler’s Guide to New South Wales 3rd Edition
Paddling instructor and guidebook guru, Scott Rawstorne has released the third edition of the hugely popular paddling guide to NSW. This guidebook covers 185 paddle trails for kayaks, canoes and SUP, comprising rivers, ocean and lakes, all found in NSW thanks to its great mix of rainforest, mountains, coastal havens and rural landscapes.
The guidebook is packed with all the essential info you need, including extensive descriptions of each location’s paddle, accurate and detailed maps, and GPS coordinates, along with a difficulty rating for each one. As well, Scott fills you in on the historical background of the locations, as well as recommending places to grab a bite to eat and/or a drink, and accommodation at each destination.
There is also an extensive trip preparation section of the guidebook, where Scott draws on his many years of paddle touring experience – he’s explored more than 450 waterways in eight countries via paddling – as well as his equally extensive experience as both a paddling guide and skills instructor. His guidebooks this is the sixth one in the Global Paddler series, with these becoming the ‘bible’ for all paddlers.
For stockists, see www.globalpaddler.com.au
Ultimate World Cycling Trips
With 35 cycling trips from around the world featured in detail, this new guidebook by experienced cycle tourer (and regular Aus Geo ADVENTURE contributor) Andrew Bain, is a must-read for any cycling-based explorer.
With 20 trips showcased, plus 15 additional suggestions, this book includes detailed descriptions and itineraries for some of the world’s most famous bike routes. In addition, there are maps, photos and interviews with a number of cycle tourers who offer their own thoughts and experiences of some of the routes. In short, this book is ideal for planning that next two wheel-borne adventure.
There are trips to suit every fitness level, from riding through the Italian and French Riviera, to Canada’s wildlife-rich Icefields Parkway, and the volcanic island of Jeju off the southern tip of South Korea. You will also find a number of Aussie and NZ trails detailed here, including the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, the east coast of Tassie, and the Old Ghost Road in New Zealand, among others.
The ride descriptions are broken down into a number of categories, including “Best Mountain Scenery”, “Best for Beautiful Towns” and “Best for Traffic-free Cycling”. There are cycle touring routes for all abilities, too, whether you’re a hard-core long-distance tourer, or you want to spend a weekend riding with your family.
For stockists, see www.hardiegrant.com
100 Things To See In The Kimberley
Western Australia’s Kimberley region, in the state’s north-west, is one of the last frontiers of the world. Exploring Eden Media has just realised this excellent guide to all things the Kimberley, written by local guide Scotty Connell, of Kimberley Spirit Tours.
Connell has, during his guiding career in the Kimberley, hiked through some of this region’s most remote areas looking for waterfalls and led elite Nepalese Gurkhas on Wet Season training missions.
The result of all these years of exploration is this excellent guidebook that covers everything from spectacular waterholes to natural wonders found only in this region, broken down into the Kimberley’s different geographical areas, such as Kununurra and the East Kimberley, the Gibb River Road, Broome and the Dampier Peninsula, and more.
For stockists, see www.exploringedenbooks.com
100 Things To See In Tropical North Queensland
Catherine Lawson and David Bristow are the local experts behind this excellent TNQ guidebook. Catherine and David share decades of travel experience and utilise their decades of being TNQ locals to showcase the remote and out-of-the-way gems that this region is famous for.
Home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests and three world heritage sites, TNQ is also packed with beautiful swimming holes, loads of hiking tracks and campsites, bike trails and 4WD adventures, such as one of Australia’s most famous, the drive to Cape York. And, of course, it is home to the world’s largest living organism – the Great Barrier Reef – and all the amazing things that it contains.
Broken into geographical sections – including Cooktown/Cape York, the Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas and the Daintree, the Cassowary Coast and the Atherton Tablelands – this guidebook includes not only all the absolute must-sees for this region, but tips on how to make the most of it all, in terms of what time of year, what to take with you, etc.
For stockists, see www.exploringedenbooks.com
