Gone Bush: A Life in the Backcountry and Beyond

by Paul Kilgour

The story of a wanderer, long-distance tramper and hut-bagging legend.

Paul Kilgour was bitten by the tramping bug early. He began going on epic trips as a young boy, beyond the farm and along the coast. During these wanderings, he met old folk living simply in tiny huts out the back of farms and on clifftops, and swaggers walking in remote and beautiful locations. Even at that early age, deep inside Paul stirred the spirit of adventure and a longing to go further. And further he went.

Gone Bush is about a lifetime of walking the backcountry. It tells stories of the eccentric characters he met along the way, some of the 1200 huts he's visited, and his most unforgettable journeys, including his 'long walk home' from deepest Fiordland to the top of Golden Bay. It's also a book about the powerful effects of being in the natural environment, doing what matters and living authentically. It is a charming, meandering, transportive read - like setting off on a serene tramp in the mountains, a heavy frost underfoot and the sun on your back.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Adventure, Nature, Memoir

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2021

Reviews

[Kendall Airey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but had to have some breaks to finish it!

[Anne Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up for some inspiration - my partner and I enjoy tramping but "busy life" gets in the way and we don't get out as much as we'd like. Paul Kilgour on the other hand, has built his life around his deep seated need to tramp and be in nature - he lives to walk and works as he needs to fund his life in the bush. It's a beautiful, non materialistic, and until his later years, a mostly solo life, interspersed with his experiences meeting up with kindred spirits across tracks and in their back country huts. His phenomenal bush skills see him off-piste in the most remote parts of the New Zealand wilderness and he really has tramped the length and breadth of the country. It's probably a 3.5 star read for me really as I think it would have benefited by including more maps so that I had a better mental picture of some of his routes. I guess I could have googled them myself, but I didn't, and in the end I found it a little hard to distinguish one from the other. None-the-less, plenty of wilderness inspiration to be found in these pages.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What an inspirational and fascinating story and life Paul has lived.

I really resonated with his mentality about tramping, not focusing on the distance or the time "I'm not here to conquer this mountain. I'm just grateful to be here." His passion and love of the outdoors and particularly Aotearoa's backcountry was captivating and utterly relatable.

I also really enjoyed his humour and directness, calling out bs as it is. There were a few points however that I felt it was ironic he was calling out others' snobbery when he himself was perhaps being a bit of a snob. It was funny though, when I had one of these thoughts, he recognised this and called himself a judgmental bastard.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and felt inspired and motivated to go out and enjoy my own adventure in the backcountry!

"One step at a time is really good walking"

[jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good. I enjoyed the book Beyond Possible but the kiwi spirit behind this really brought this book up to a much higher level and made it much more enjoyable - a lot of focus on the characters that Paul met, the stories of the backcountry in Aotearoa and of his experiences growing up as a kid. A really inspiring read (in a very low key way) for anyone who's keen to get more into tramping in Aotearoa.

[Rachael Hockridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smashed this in just a few days. Enjoyed following along on my topomap, and have marked some huts I really want to see (such as Westies).

Weirdly was in a hut reading this, and a man also staying knew Paul, and suggested I get in touch and that he’s always keen to share knowledge and have a chat. I’m glad my perception of Paul from this book seems true. Would love to a have a cuppa with him one day.

[James Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A loving tale of a man's life set in the New Zealand backcountry. The best way to read this is with a topographic map (or an online version) beside you, following along on Paul's many adventures. More than that, Gone Bush is an incredible slice of NZ nature. It shows the real bond between Man & Whenua.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Paul's adventures in the south island backcountry left me yearning to visit many of the remote historical huts. In years to come this book will serve as a useful record of some huts that, sadly, may no longer be.
I followed Paul's journey with my topomap open, tracing the many routes and locations mentioned.
A top read full of stories, thoroughly enjoyed and thoroughly recommended.

[Lee Belbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful insight into serious hiking in New Zealand by a pro. Many lessons in this book, all of which I would agree with. We are of a same age, have some overlap in environments (NZ vs Tasmania), but I have far less experience of epic hikes, and close to zero interest in bagging huts or peaks.

[Kirsty McMurtrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring adventures in the wilds of New Zealand. Paul Kilgour’s epic tramping, aviation and kayaking trips over the last 50 years. Paul’s free spirit, generosity and love of nature shine from the pages of his book.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anecdotes from quite an eccentric guy (Paul Kilgore) who grew up in Northland but spent quite a bit of time hiking the back country in Marlborough. He was also part of the Tui community (commune) in Golden Bay that makes Tui balm.

[Sam Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book and easy reading! Paul has lived an amazing life and has some great yarns to tell it!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

dream life!! loved this book

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a life Paul Kilgour has lived! Possibly the writing style isn't for everyone but I really enjoyed this book. He is a true Kiwi legend.

[Michelle Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first 3/4 of this book as he shares his background and personal stories well but towards the end it gets a bit boring and reads a bit like a ‘trip report’

[Jeanette Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written autobiography of a life in the bush.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super easy read and always good to hear these stories of the NZ bush

[Ralph-Peter Hendriks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read the kindle edition. Couldn't find the ordinary one. Still good read.

[Sarah Prior · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it doesn’t have you planning a trip and searching up huts Paul has been to, then nothing will.

[Olivia Livingstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

paul is the kinda person i’d love to be if only i was better at forming connections and making friends

[Anneke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool slice of back country history!

[Michelle T · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧

[Finn Cordwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is like inhaling a good South Island tramp.