AAmerican hiker Donna Barkley was weeks into walking New Zealand’s longest hiking trail when her strength began to fail. Starting from the northern country in the middle of October, he penetrated the southern through the vast empty banks, through the fields and through the dense forests of silt.
“I have a new definition of muddy – at home we have boots, but after these trails, we need fire boots,” Barkley tells the Guardian, while taking a rest day in the center of the North Island.
By the time Bombay, south of the city of Auckland, the 64-year-old hiker had ended up alone and looking for a way to proceed.
“I felt like I went down a little bit because I realized that some parts of the track might be too hard for me,” Barkley said.
But then, as they say, “the next angel” comes to the rescue.
“[She] he received me into his house, and asked me how I was doing. I started to cry and tell him about my challenges.
Army Barkley asked her if she liked the things she was scared of and what she wanted to get out of the Te Araroa hiking trail – a 3,000km route along the curving spine of New Zealand. After sitting down to a cooked dinner, Barkley’s host reviewed the list and offered tips on which sections to avoid and which ones to try.
The emotional support was “just amazing,” Barkley said, as it wasn’t just a motivational pick-me-up, it allowed him to avoid the more slender parts of the trail.
Te Araroa is considered one of the world’s most diverse trails, with walkers navigating mountains, beaches, fields and cities. Each year, about 2,000 walkers make the journey: some on a continuous journey for months, others dipping into parties and walking.
Along the way, live a vast network of trail angels – locals ready to offer bed, relief, or shower to weary walkers for free or for a small fee. The Trail Angels are not a formal part of the Te Araroa Trails, but many have become walkers for life.
“So many of us talk about kindness to each other and reach out to people in need – pulling angels don’t just talk about them, they put their words and thoughts into action,” said Barkley.
Angels have been known to haul supplies from helicopters into remote areas, leave boxes of drinks and chocolate in the middle of paddocks, and ferry boats ply across rivers to provide local knowledge.
Hikers and trail angels connect through a website and a Facebook group founded by Tozan Delman — a self-described tech nerd who realized the hikes were connecting with locals when his wife embarked on a hike in 2018.
“It’s been growing over the years and now we have almost 18,000 members – it’s got its own legs now,” Delman says.
Requests pop up for hours on the Facebook page, with different requests: some are asking for a place to stay, others are asking if someone is going to accept a delivery of new electronic shoes because theirs are finished, some are hoping to spend Christmas with their family. It doesn’t take long for the angel to provide assistance.
Like most online groups, the public can play. In the case of attracting angels, there are usually debates about what is a reasonable fee, or whether you can force it. a giftwhich in Māori custom is a donation or gift, but which some of the drawing angels demand for money.
“While the group is often involved in large-scale conflicts … it tends to discourage those kinds of things,” Delman said. “My ethos is effectively: this is about the generosity of kindness from people who want to help.”
Delman, who had previously hosted trampers, received angel hospitality with his wife on the last leg of the trek in Southland. When his group arrived at the historic Martin’s Casa, a special delivery angel looked on the trail.
“Implemented the icy-bin” [ice-box] with cold drinks and snacks … and left outside the hut with the message, ‘help’, said Delman. “That was a moment in the footsteps for us, because we had a hard day, we were nearing the end, and we were super happy to see that frozen bin.”
Some trail angels, such as Colin and Dawn Newall from Waikato, provide help both in terms of kindness and as ambassadors for New Zealand.
The couple became hosts three years ago after picking up two backpackers walking along the road late at night. Now they offer Atrides, a bed or a hearth cooked, 30 The enemy is roughly horned.
“Most people get into it to give people a Kiwi experience … and when you talk to people on the track, they can’t get past hospitality,” says Colin.
For a well-traveled pair, hosting is an opportunity to give back to the international community and a way to stay connected with the world. Now he invites me to visit tramers across the globe.
“It’s almost like extending your family across the seas,” Aurora says.
For trampers like Barkley, hosts such as Newalls are “footprint bones”.
“They sweep and help and magically offer food, warmth. I think they are doing the work of God and that is why they are called angels of the trail.