Alana Torrie:
Tell us about your hometown
I grew up in a small coastal town called Mangawhai, or lovingly known as 'Magical Mangawhai' by the thousands of city dwellers who filled our streets and beaches over the holiday period. Mangawhai is located in the North of the North Island of New Zealand, and I was blessed to grow up with the ocean as my backyard.
What do you do when you're not working or hiking?
Give me a sunny day, and I'll spend the morning working away in the vegetable garden, followed by a bike, run, walk, or surf, and the cherry on top would be finishing the day with a relaxed dinner with friends. On a rainy day, you'll find me having a coffee date with a pal, followed by a gym session, and a chill afternoon of reading, baking, or crafts.
Can you share a memorable encounter with wildlife during a hike?
For me, there will always be something special about the way the Piwakawaka (Fantail) flit around hikers on the trails. They oooze joy and happiness, and without getting too woo-woo, I always feel like they are good omens, guiding the way and reminding me of the joy of life. I spoke about the effect this bird has on me to a group I was guiding, and it was cool to see this rub off on them too as they smiled and pointed out the Piwakawaka for the rest of our trip.
What's your top tip for someone new to hiking in New Zealand?
Make sure you enjoy the hike and not just the satisfaction of getting to the end. Groundbreaking advice right? You're in New Zealand to hike; of course you are going to enjoy it. But I'd challenge you to check in with yourself along the way. Are you actively taking it in, listening to the sounds of the forest and engaging with the guide and your group, or are you dreaming of hitting the summit and clocking your Strava? I looked this up, turns out there is a word for it. 'Telic' is when an activity is performed solely to reach an endpoint, goal, or external reward. The journey itself holds no value to you; only the completion matters. Don't let hiking become telic, if you do, you're missing the entire point.
Do you have a favourite trail snack or meal?
I am known in the office to have this snack on my desk, so it's definitely not reserved for the trail.. SCROGGIN! Known more commonly as trail mix to North Americans, but to us Kiwis it stands for Seeds, Chocolate, Raisins and Other Goody Goodies Including Nuts - or something like that! Yes, I like it because it's a healthy snack, but you best believe I am always picking out the chocolate to enjoy first!
What’s one place you haven’t hiked yet but would love to explore?
The list is long and unspecific... I'd love to hike in Switzerland, Slovenia, Peru, Morocco, and Norway!
Kiwi-Style Hiking
Great Walks
Hiking Tours
Alpine Hikes
Custom Groups
