New Zealand has a completely bewildering array of options for the walker. The great thing about it is its variety: it’s an odd shape, and covers lots of latitudes at an extreme position, guaranteeing a spectrum of altitude dependant weather in much the same way as we in the UK – but higher. Plus, its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire guarantees an entertaining topography of burping sulphur cones, fertile green dales reminiscent of Yorkshire, sprawling wildernesses and snow-plastered mountains twisting for the sky that would rival (almost) anything in Switzerland.

Most alluring is Mount Cook, the highest mountain of this part of the world and an utterly gorgeous sight to behold. It is located on the South Island in the Southern Alps, which is the part of the country which draws high mountain lovers. Mount Cook (also known by its Maori name Aoraki) takes 4-6 days, is technical and best undertaken between November and April.

Other parts of the country are accessible most year, and while the north island may be shorter changed on Alps, it is home to terrain of equal charisma and considerably more quirk. Here lies the extraordinary volcanic terrain of the Tongariro Crossing, which has been auspiciously described as the world’s best day walk. It’s certainly one of the most unique, and includes the summits of active volcanoes Tongariro and Ngauruhoe.

The northern circuit of this walk is listed as one of the Nine Great Walks (nothing to do with the Nine Rings of Power) which traverse the country in varied and challenging manner, and include most of the truly must-see views of New Zealand. They include the South Island’s Milford Sound (it of the iconic triangular headland) and Routeburn (which passes through the exquisitely named landscapes of Fiordland and Mount Aspiring and is best described as a splice between the Canadian Rockies and Skye.) These walks aren’t a secret, though, and numbers are controlled. You can book a place between October and late April each year. Plus, as expected from a country with as much coastline as this, there are some walks which were made for ocean lovers – the Abel Tasman coast trek in particular. 

New Zealand is spellbinding, a much-venerated walkers’ Graceland if ever there was one. Here walking – or ‘tramping’, the practice of throwing a ‘sack on and disappearing into the hills for the night – is considered part of the national culture. Their mountain names read like a tribute list to every great adventurer who ever lived, and those who are missing the UK can even have a bit of considerable novelty nostalgia: there’s a 7000ft Ben Nevis here! That, and the subtle absence of anything toothsome, particularly poisonous or hellishly extreme in the climatic department make you feel that Australia – a mere 1,400 miles away – should really be slightly annoyed.