If you had told us during our honeymoon in 2023 that we would be scrambling up the side of split rock, we would have laughed. Back then the Warrumbungles is where we first fell in love with hiking, but i was also terrified of it.

We stood at the bottom of these massive, imposing peaks, looked at the trail markers for the Breadnige and Grand High Tops, and i though "Nope, too steep, too hard, too out of my league". We stuck to the easier tracks completely intimidated by the "real" hikers passing us bu.

But over two years, between work and raising kids, something shifted. We kept getting out there and slowly without even really noticing it we built our trail legs and my confidence.

So, in 2025 we went back to face the mountains that scared me.

This time, we didn't stay at the bottom. We tackled the Breadknife and Grandhigh Tops and Split Rock. Our lungs were burning, our legs were completely jelly, but the feeling of standing at the summits of them both after pulling ourselves up that final scramble? Absolute magic!

It was a massive full-circle moment for us. Looking out over the peaks that ussed to intimidate me reminded us of the biggest lesson we've learned out here: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAINEER TO DO THE HARD THINGS. You just have to start where. you are, put one boot in front of the other, and be willing to give it ago.

To anyone who is currently looking at a trail, or a goal and thinking they aren't "experienced enough" to do it - this is your sign to pack your bag and go anyway!