7 cool ideas for your summer

If summer holiday planning has your blood pressure climbing and you’re already imagining the stress of finding a park at the beach or shuffling in an endless airport security line… good news. You can skip all the drama and get straight to the unwinding part of your summer by heading for the hills – literally and mentally!

The Royal Escape, Leisure and Alpine Xcellence Institute of Mt Buller (RELAX) has released findings from their recent study examining how Mt Buller delivers year-round relaxation and recreation and have shown guests return from Mt Buller on average 69% more chilled* than any other summer break in Australia.

So, whether you plan a few days or a whole stay this summer you can feel confident the the mix of alpine views, stunning sightseeing chairlift rides, a friendly mountain village and a happy combination of adventure and relaxing will help you reset and revive this ‘green season’.

We’ve put together a menu of suggestions the RELAX research team have personally road tested. Don’t overthink it. Pick one or two and see what works.

BE CHILL

When summer starts to swelter you’ll be pleased to know it’s an average of 10 degrees cooler up on Mt Buller. Forget tossing and turning on a sticky night, snuggle under a blanket and sleep like a baby in the cool alpine air. Fancy a hike or bike ride? No sweat with a cooling breeze on the trails most days. Fancy a cool off? The Delatite River is a refreshing spot for a splash and rock pool dips.

So cool

NEW BIKE TRAILS

Mt Buller’s already massive network (a cheeky 100kms if you want to cover it all) is getting bigger and better with new trails freshly opened for this ride season. Discover Alley Way, Bombs Away and the short and spicy Danger Zone trails now linking the gravity zone down to the Mt Buller Tourist Road.

To pack plenty of laps into you day ride up the Northside Chairlift and use the handy shuttle services that will get you up top easily for the next roll down.

New to riding? Check out clinics and guided rides including the popular Delatite River Trail and take a spin on the pump track right next to the Kooroora Hotel in the village.

Let’s ride

WALK IT OFF

Mt Buller is loaded with trails you’ll want to explore. Put one foot in front of the other and let the moving meditation begin. Summit Nature Walk is the most-loved trail for a reason – accessible and long enough to shake off any funk you are feeling. Let the views, the native flowers and the birdsong wash over you.

Make a day of it with a longer hike – Little Buller or Klingsporn trail are two rippers. Pack snacks, water and take 273 photos along the way. PS: add in a sightseeing ride on the Northside Chairlift open weekends in summer and daily from 27 Dec – 10 Jan for a treetop ride to remember.

One step at a time

ROCKWIRE

The Italians will know what a via ferrata is. If you don’t click here to unlock an adventurous side of you and Mt Buller you didn’t know existed. RockWire is the first via ferrata in Australia and allows you to discover the thrills waiting beyond the edge of the summit – all while securely attached to a continuous steel cable and with the reassuring guidance of your guide. Look out over the valley below, wave hi to the local wedge-tailed eagles and feel pretty damn proud of yourself.

Wow – what a thrill

BE ACTIVE, OR NOT

There’s plenty to do to get your heart and legs pumping whether it’s a trail run, a bike ride (uphill or down), a half-day hike or a scooter race with the kids. But please, do take time out to do a whole lot of Not Much At All. Unfurl the picnic blanket. Watch the clouds float by. Listen to the hum of the crickets. See the butterflies flitting from flower to flower. Sip tea. Read 2 pages or a whole novel. Snooze. Eat cheese.

Visualise…

STAY UP HERE

Actual sports scientists (not just the crazy cats at RELAX) have real data that shows sleeping at altitude increases your red blood cell count and improves your oxygen uptake. So you’re training like an elite athlete when you hit the pillow up here.

The real bonus is the views outside the window at the start and end of the day. The sunsets and sunrises up here are next level and the stargazing… you’ll have to come experience that for yourself as we don’t really have the words to do it justice. Dark skies, billions of stars and the Milky Way feels like you can reach out and touch it.

There are plenty of accommodation options for your green season stay. Take over a whole lodge with your crew or book a cosy hotel room just for two. Staying the night is a smart move for catching the best ends of the day.

Book it in

HAPPENINGS ON HIGH

There’s a calendar of events sprinkled across the summer season that add even more reasons to spend time up here. Whether you are excited by bikes, smoky BBQ delights, billycart races, bucking broncos at Merrijig or bunny egg hunts at Easter check our calendar against yours and get involved.

What’s On…

*RELAX Institute is not a recognised scientific organisation however the team of researchers at RELAX are experts on alpine adventures and good times. They are unusually happy and hopped up on fresh alpine air with a passion for sharing the mountains. The data referenced in this article is mainly ‘vibes’ driven and pending peer review.