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This short walk through Lake Sumner Forest Park in Canterbury follows a natural track through native beech forest. The ground is mostly compact dirt covered with leaves, with exposed roots, rocks and a few uneven sections along the way. Every now and then, the trees open up enough to give a glimpse of the mountains beyond.

The walking is fairly gentle in this section, without any long or sustained climbs. It feels more like a natural forest track than a maintained walking path, with roots and rocks adding a bit of variety underfoot. Conditions can be quite different after rain too, with some tracks around the forest park becoming muddy and soft.

Lake Sumner Forest Park is a remote high-country area around 100 kilometres northwest of Christchurch, between Lewis Pass and Arthur’s Pass National Park. Beech forest covers much of the lower landscape, with mountain ribbonwood, kānuka and mānuka also found around the park. Higher up, the forest eventually gives way to subalpine vegetation and alpine tussock.

The wider park is centred around a number of glacial lakes, including Lake Sumner, Lake Marion and Morris Tarn. There are also streams, grassy clearings and open mountain slopes scattered through the forest, although most of this short walk remains beneath the trees.

For the treadmill version, the video is set at around 5 km/h with a 0% incline. This works well with the relatively easy profile of the trail and gives it a steady, comfortable pace. Setting the treadmill to 1% would add a little more effort while keeping the same general feel.

At only 10 minutes, this is a quick virtual forest walk rather than a long hiking session. The focus is really on the simple things — native beech trees, a natural uneven track and occasional views of the mountains that surround this remote part of Canterbury.