Kiwi pair trek in Western Australia for Wharf Kids charity

Hanna Read (left) and Ash Richardson, of Hastings, are doing a 45-day trek in Western Australia to raise money for Wharf Kids which funds schooling for children in Sierra Leone. Photo/Duncan Brown

Two friends from Hawke's Bay are gearing up to embark on the walk of a lifetime in Western Australia to raise money for charity.

Ashleigh (Ash) Richardson and Hanna Read will begin walking the Bibbulmun Track at the end of this month to raise money for Wharf Kids, a charity that funds the education of impoverished children in Sierra Leone.

Ms Richardson said she recently discovered her love of walking having completed the 1000km Camino De Santiago walk in Spain last year.

"I walked 1000km over the Pyrenees beginning in France, into Spain then down to Portugal and in those six weeks I have never been so content in my life. I had 13kg on my back and lived off 30 euro a day. I literally had nothing but I felt like I had it all."

After returning to life at home in Hawke's Bay, her desire to walk, and walk with purpose, drove her to plan another trip.

"Being back working and studying again. I found life gets on top of you [and you] kind of lose sight of everything I learnt on the Camino. This walk will be another refresher for me to get back into that state of mind where you don't need the best of everything.

"The only way I can explain it is that to me walking is primitive. No one teaches you how to eat or sleep or breathe, you just do it. It's the same with walking, you just do it. It was the simplest way of life and yet I was probably the happiest I've ever been in my life."

Stretching more that 1000km from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany, the Bibbulmun Track is Western Australia's longest walking trail.

Ms Richardson said she planned to do it in 45 days with a 20kg backpack that would hold what she needed for the first 10 days, and carry it until she reached the first of nine towns along the way that would have replenishment parcels sent by family and friends.

She initially planned to do the walk on her own before, much to her surprise, 22-year-old Hanna Read said she wanted to join her just one week ago.

"It's worked out perfectly and I think it will put my mum at ease that I'm going with someone. I'm not out there by myself."

Ms Read said her motivation was to raise money for Wharf Kids and, on a more personal level, to push "reset" on her life

"I said I'd love to go with her and she {Ms Richardson] just sat up, looked at me and said "Yes, let's make it happen". It's just all come together and I think it will be so good because you can get stuck in a rut here and you just need a refresher."

The pair will leave Hawke's Bay on October 23 and have been helped by a number of businesses, including Kathmandu who sold more than $2000 worth of gear to Ms Richardson at corporate prices.

Despite signing up for the daunting walk, Ms Read said she felt at peace with the challenge.

"I thought I would be nervous but I'm ready to take that challenge and hit it on the head and work on me a little bit. I want to appreciate the small things in life, and nature, because even having a shower is going to be amazing after not showering for five days."

Costs of the trip were funded by themselves, family and friends, but Ms Richardson said those wishing to donate money to the charity could visit wharfkids.org.