24 hours of nature

Wandering through nature, from sunrise to sundown, with no plan, no telephone and no watch. That, in short, is a Muir Trek. Journalist Caroline Buijs went on one, and shares her experience.

We take turns to determine which way to go on our ramble, and the best part is that during a Muir Trek you don’t have to stay on the path. You’re actually supposed to go off the beaten track. John Muir never walked on paths. So, all of a sudden, I am walking right through the woods. It takes some getting used to, and I’m constantly trampling on blueberries, but apparently, they are quite resilient. We hold on to branches for each other, the same way you hold a door open for someone in the civilized world, to prevent them from snapping back into their faces.