Real Trail Talk – Details, episodes & analysis

Donovan hiked a six day stretch of the Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) in 2024 between Kiandra and Kosciuszko, and we sit down to have a chat about the experience. 

From historic huts to stunning alpine terrain, there is plenty to enjoy along this hike, although Donovan did encounter some challenges that we discuss during the episode.

Donovan chats to Kevin Moss aka Goin Feral about the Australian Triple Crown, the Australian Alps Walking Trail (AAWT), Heysen Trail and Bibbulmun Track. Kevin completed all three trails in 2024, and discusses what makes them different, his experiences on all three, and how they compare.

We are back!!! While we have taken a break from podcasting for the latter half of 2022, we were still out exploring. As we discuss, there have been some big changes to our lives in 2022 (Donovan especially) and so we've sat down to have a chat about everything that happened. 

We are joined by Aron aka 1A1R to discuss the final section of the Munda Biddi Trail between Denmark and Albany before chatting about Mark and Aron's E2E back in September 2021.

The penultimate section of the 1065km Munda Biddi Trail, this is the last of the wilderness as you head into the Tingle Forest leaving Walpole and then explore the national parks to the north of the coastline. We had wildly different opinions about this section from our different experiences of riding the trail.

There are also a couple of announcements regarding the future of the podcast so if you're a long time listener then stay until the end.

It's been a weird and disrupted year so we sit down to discuss the past 12 months, our adventures, our thoughts and then answer your questions. 

Joining us in the studio are podcast regulars Steve Sertis and Bonny Wells for the WA Hiking Draft, a concept we've stolen from The Big Picture where we select what we think is the best suite of trails from the various categories listed below. We hope you enjoy and check out the various Real Trail Talk, The Life of Py and The Long Way's Better social media platforms to vote on who you thought was the "winner".

Rules

Each person must pick one trail from each category

A trail can only be selected once

Categories

Perth Day Hikes

South West

Golden Outback

Coral Coast

North West

Cape to Cape Day

Bibbulmun Track Section

Stirling Range Day Hike

Wildcard (any day hike not already selected from any category)

We are joined by special guest Brad Serls from Cycles Bespoke to talk about the Northcliffe to Walpole section of the Munda Biddi Trail. A stunning and varied section of the trail with some really unique terrain and big hills including a little side quest up to Mount Frankland. 

If you're looking to get into bikepacking or thinking about riding the Munda Biddi then go see the team at Cycles Beskpoke in Bayswater.

It's not everyday we get a new hiking trail in WA, let alone an overnight trail so with the opening of the 28km Yonga Trail in Lesueur National Park, we had a discussion on what it was like from two different perspectives. Donovan and Alissa did this as a long day walk while Mark and Caris completed it as a leisurely overnighter.

Yes, we have our first couples podcast!!! 

Donovan has a new love with the discovery of e-bikes and he has introduced his other love (his wife Alissa) to the joy of electrically assisted cycling. In this episode we discuss their adventures on the Munda Biddi and what benefits an e-bike can deliver.