Te Araroa Trail, New Zealand - 6: Queenstown to Bluff

 21 February I took the shuttle around Lake Wakatipu to the Greenstone track car park and started walking along the wide Greenstone River in beech forest. It was easy going on a smooth trail with a few bridges over creeks and some skinny waterfalls. There was rain coming and the surrounding peaks were in cloud. I raced along to Greenstone Hut and had a break there before continuing 11 kms to Taipo Hut on the Mavora Lakes Walkway. It was already late afternoon but I expected the walkway to be easy walking.

I returned into forest, came out onto scrubby moorland and went back into the forest. There was a sign warning about downed trees on the trail but usually on the SI these have been well taken care of. Not here. The next several hours were sheer misery as I constantly came upon fallen tree carnage: multiple logs to crawl under, multiple logs to step over, logs to balance on precariously, huge amounts of branches that required big detours. It was absolutely awful. (It was raining lightly but I didn’t mind that because it has been so hot recently and the change was nice.) I kept thinking the spate of fallen trees would finish but there would be a lull and then more impassable stretches. Apart from the busy highways there hasn’t been any of the TA that I’ve seriously disliked until this. Finally at 7 pm I exited the forest and was on a boggy plateau with a river running down the middle. To my surprise there was a hiker just ahead of me who I’d noticed leaving Greenstone Hut a while before me. I followed him across the bog and having to negotiate a lot of overgrown tussock, unhappy the hut was so far away. At almost 8 pm I was overjoyed to reach it although I wondered why the other hiker was standing outside. There was bad news: the hut was closed as it was being rebuilt and since the builders were staying there we couldn’t sneak in. Just then the rain started again in earnest. I was really mad about all this. I walked across a swing bridge and put up my tent among the matagouri then got into my sleeping bag. I had cut my finger on a tent peg and got blood everywhere. It would be a nut bar for dinner and I had only a small amount of water. Definitely my worst day on the TA. And worst night: my tent came unpegged, my sleeping bag was soon soaked and I wore my rain gear to bed; I was really cold and even shivering but I managed to sleep enough to feel ok in the morning. 22 kms

22 February I packed up and left, everything wet so extra heavy. I was so cold I felt sick. Nothing really improved: it was a shitty path, stony and overgrown, with unnecessary undulations and many streams to cross and keeping to higher ground when there was a nice flat valley below. I was high above the wide Mararoa River with mountains to both sides, the top parts hidden. I surprised a huge flock of ducks. It rained lightly about half the time. I decided to go to the first hut and call it a day and try to dry my stuff as the extra weight was hurting my back a lot. Even this took me forever: 5 hours for 12 kilometres, more than the quoted time. Boundary Hut was tiny and we were 2 overnight. 12 kms

Day 120: 23 February I had a fast walk to the next hut on a puddly 4WD track and had second breakfast. The track continued along North Mavora Lake and the weather ahead looked bad. I came to the lake shore and things looked better ahead, the water was blue where the sun was shining, but the air was still cold. For the rest of the day it would alternate between sun and rain. There was a mountain ahead which looked like it had fresh snow but tantalisingly it wouldn’t come out of its cloud. I had lunch at Mavora Lakes campground in the cold wind and continued along South Mavora Lake, this time on a deserted gravel road which went in and out of forest. I got to a suspension bridge across the tip of the lake, walked across and found a secluded spot to camp by the water. 21 kms 

24 February There was mist over the lake when I got up (I was in it) and I watched it lift. A bluebird day! Gradually I peeled off the layers of clothes I’d been wearing day and night. I stayed on the gravel road as it passed through a nice stand of forest and went into an open valley of grazing land. I had low scrubby mountains on both sides and eventually a more impressive range appeared on the horizon ahead. Some mountains had a dusting of snow. I pushed along, glad of a slight breeze which became a headwind for a while. It wasn’t the most exciting day’s walking and the last part dragged. When I reached the highway I had to decide whether to hitchhike to Te Anau or Mossburn to buy food for the next stage and to stay the night and I opted for Mossburn. Mistake. I got a ride easily but there was no shop there, the pub was closed and there wasn’t a campground. A couple saw me standing there looking lost, asked if I was ok, and the man announced he was a trail angel. They took me to Lumsden, took me to the supermarket, waited while I shopped and took me back to Mossburn. It was a great kindness and I had worried about getting stuck in Lumsden; sadly my evening out/night in a bed aspirations had been dashed. I got a ride back to the trail from Mossburn and walked on, highway then gravel road, looking for somewhere to camp. The sun was setting and in desperation I pulled off the gravel road onto a grass/thistle mix near a pleasant sounding stream and hoped for the best. I dreamt I was in a bed and I was really confused when I woke up. 39 kms

25 February I’m now in Southland, my final region. I walked to Princhester Hut to have breakfast and then started on the Takitimu Range, entering the forest for a climb to a saddle. It was a ferny beech forest with some fallen trees (but nothing like the other day) and lots of moss on the trees. There was more mud than I’ve seen recently. I was in shade until the saddle, a lovely peaceful spot without a view. The descent was fine and then I reached the tall tussock I had heard bad things about. My day turned difficult because of the tussock: it was often up to my shoulders, hiding the marker poles from my view, and it obscured the path (what path there was). At first it was fun but after I got badly lost I became fed up. I enjoyed the intermittent forays into the forest but the tussock really got me down. This was a shame because the scenery was excellent: scrub covered mountains, forest and the yellow tussock, with a few streams. It was a second bluebird day, rather hot for the stressful walking.

Near the end I climbed a low peak for a wonderful view of the land I had crossed. I got to Aparima Hut (2 huts, new one and old one) exhausted. The location was great, above the Aparima River but I was too tired to go for a swim. 21 kms

26 February It was an overcast day and I was in the forest all morning, ups and downs, sometimes everything mossy and sometimes a sea of bright green ferns, sometimes muddy. I still find it impossible to tell how fast I’m going in the forest and this section seemed to take a long time. I crossed the ankle deep Wairaki River (this was the first river crossing in my new shoes) and had lunch at the Lower Wairaki Hut - there was barely space for 4 of us. The afternoon was a big improvement. I climbed in the forest until I was in a cloud, and continued above the tree line, emerging on a ridge, Telford Tops at just over 1000 m, loose rocks and low alpine plants. At first I was in total whiteout but the mist began to swirl around and I could see rolling tussock hillsides one way and steep forested mountains on the other side. I walked on the ridge for a while, scree and rock, and then descended over grassy hills to a camping area by a stream. It was raining lightly and the sandflies were bad. The rain persisted, everything around me was in cloud and for the third night this week I couldn’t cook so didn’t eat dinner. I’m sure a mouse crawled over my face in the night. 22 kms

27 February Day started cloudy but improved to get hot. I crossed Telford Burn and had to walk through NZ’s largest private farm station, owned by someone who hates hikers so there was an underlying bad vibe. It was all rolling hills and at the crest of an early hill I saw the ocean for the first time. I stopped for coffee before wading the Wairaki River, one of the wider crossings of the TA.

The trail had sections through fields of thistles, stretches full of cow poo, and it seemed like hikers got shunted off the direct route. One hillside was covered with sheep, in other places there were hundreds of cows. There were extensive views over a patchwork of farmland. The trail often featured fence lines straight up hills, rutted ground, a nice track we could see but not use. At one point the hillside was covered with fields of swedes and I had to walk between rows of plants knee high. When I reached the end I intended to get the shuttle to the pub in Nightcaps but the pub was closed, so I tried to hitchhike to Nightcaps to buy food but there were no cars. I called the owner of a hikers’ cabin on Birchwood Station to book a bed and explain my predicament and she offered to do my shopping if I texted her a list. That was great and I stayed in the cabin, a few extra kilometres, grotty but convenient. 30 kms

28 February I decided on an alternative route to the TA to avoid logging activity and a detour; honestly, I just wanted a break from the irritating trail. I walked a very quiet gravel road passing farms. I had good views over the surrounding countryside - so green, so neat. At the top of a hill some people were processing a lot of sheep and I asked what they were doing: Cleaning the shit off their bums before we shear them. It was a hot day. At lunchtime I booked my accommodation in Bluff, thereby setting a finish date.

Back on the TA I started towards Longwood Forest on a gravel road, initially through an active logging area and then into bush, which, curiously, appeared to be young stringy barks. Later gorse and toe toe. I paused at a clearing before the forest trail proper began (the reputedly really muddy one) and I was persecuted by bumble bees. The narrow forest path was lovely: moss on everything and lots of ferns and at first not too much mud, mostly avoidable. I climbed towards Bald Hill and came to a clearing with some spectacular mud then returned into the forest. Eventually I came out onto a boggy plateau with low scrub and flax and reached the summit of Bald Hill (802 m). From there I could see the southern coastline and, very clearly, the distinctive mound where Bluff sits. That was exciting. I descended on a gravel road (views of islands) until I found a nice place to camp. It was a still evening and not many sandflies. 35 kms

1 March The mud got a lot more pervasive with lakes of mud across the path.

I did well keeping out of the worst of it until I suddenly sank in almost to my knees.

Not so bad really, and I had to worry less about getting wet feet/legs after that. A kereru flapped past, surprising me. The trees were increasingly stunted. I came back out onto a boggy plateau with low vegetation - there was a lovely wild feel about the area - and I could see Longwood Trig (760 m) in the distance, the peak was rounded, and there were many bumps before I reached it. In places on the plateau there were trenches of water I had to leap over. It was drizzling. I had a fantastic view of Stewart Island, to the west the gentle curve of Te Waewae Bay with mountains behind, the complicated waterways around Riverton to the east, and great expanses of farmland. And Bluff. I remained on the tops for a while then returned to the muddy forest for a steep descent to Martins Hut. The latter part of the descent was among punga, something I haven’t seen for ages. The trail was a little less muddy after that, this seemed to coincide with there being more streams, but I encountered lots of obstacles from fallen trees to slips. I stopped at Turnbulls Hut, the last hut on the TA, and very decrepit. I had a final brief climb and a long descent, ultimately almost to sea level. The mud got intense again although never really soupy. (This mud has been much worse than the mud on the NI at Pirongia but somehow less distressing.) The last kilometre was an avenue of punga and beech, and then I was done with the notorious Longwood Forest. 

I wanted to get to the pub at Colac Bay for dinner but I wasn’t sure how late they served food, so I raced the 4 kilometres along the highway and I made it in time (I got there at 7.30). The air was heavy like a storm was coming and I was soaked with sweat. My first proper meal since Arrowtown. And I’ve reached the south coast. 30 kms

2 March So happy to walk down the road and see the ocean.

I crunched along the pebble beach listening to the crashing surf. Then I joined a coastal walkway that crossed little coves with smooth rocks and climbed to go through paddocks of sheep. There was a lot of flax obscuring the path. The beaches had tiny pebbles and were hard work walking. I stopped once for a paddle in the surf. The trail ended with a fern forest and I found some ripe blackberries. I arrived in Riverton (I was there in 2007 for the Riverton to Invercargill marathon) and went to a nice cafe. 

I started out along wide sandy Oreti Beach. It seemed bizarre to be walking along a beach at the other end of the country - oyster catchers, low dunes, beige sand, tailwind, just like the beginning. Some flotsam, some seaweed. The big difference was that I could see my destination, Bluff, across the water. There were loads of Godzone competitors in groups of 4 walking towards me along the beach and then I bumped into Sue (from Boundary Hut) for a chat. After many hours I started looking for somewhere to camp in the dunes and I made several forays off the sand but I couldn’t find any patch of open ground for my tent. At last I settled for a sand access path through the dunes used by trail bikes; I hoped none would come by. I had 2 cheese scones with nutella and 2 snickers for dinner. 33 kms

3 March A lovely morning to finish the beach with golden sunlight, mist obscuring Stewart Island and a few birds around. I had breakfast on the beach. The walk into Invercargill was along a straight road crossing Oreti River and then New River estuary, which had plentiful bird life except that I couldn’t see over the side of the bridge. I got into the city centre quickly. 15 kms

Day 129: 4 March I slept badly but I was surprised I slept at all, with the mixture of excitement over finishing and awful snoring. I got up and had breakfast at the hostel in the dark, while there was a heavy shower, then bought some food and walked out of Invercargill. I pretty much took the highway all the way to Bluff: boring (light industry, swamp, rundown farmhouses) but fast walking, and after I left the built up area the shoulder was slightly separated from the road, so safer. It was a cool morning. Half way along it started raining and I got very cold. Then the sun came out, then it drizzled.

At the edge of Bluff (an unattractive place where everything looked uncared for) I was supposed to join a walkway but the access was behind a locked gate so I took the former TA route.

I climbed steeply to the top of the bluff for which the town is named to get a view of the town’s industry and expansive flat plains. A path descended in forest to Stirling Point - back on the real TA - and I could suddenly see the southern terminus signpost. I ran across the car park and hugged the sign. (2 days later on Stewart Island I met a couple who had watched me do this and wondered what on earth was going on!) Finished! It was an odd moment. I had some photos taken

and went to the restaurant that was right there; I had coffee, loaded wedges and a glass of rosé. It was sunny and I had a view of little islands. Then I walked slowly into Bluff. 35 kms 

South Island total: 1345 kms 

New Zealand total: 3032 kms 

Vertical ascent: 79773 m

Nights in my tent: 75

Day 130: 5 March Rest day in Bluff. Relaxed. Ate a dozen oysters. Lovely evening with Viv - champagne!

Te Araroa Trail, New Zealand - 5: Rakaia River to Queenstown

 1 February A trail angel took me to the Glenrock trailhead on the other side of the Rakaia River, where I officially resumed the TA, and began the climb on a grassy bulldozed track to Turtons Saddle, initially following Glenrock Stream but then leaving it. It was very muggy and I was immediately soaked in sweat. From above the Rakaia appeared to sit in a vast basin. The landscape on the saddle was a treeless expanse of pale yellow grass, exposed dirt and rocky slopes and almost other worldly. I’m seeing tiny lizards for the first time. I’m done with beech forest and now I’m in typical Canterbury terrain. I descended, the toilet belonging to the next hut clearly visible all the way although the hut only came into view at the last minute. I continued down to Turtons Stream and followed it to Comyns Hut which was in a grassy valley, an older corrugated iron hut (also built in 1957) but renovated inside. The hillsides were all yellow grass, alpine daisies with sharp leaves and the prickly matagouri bush (but without the pale green lichen draped over it further north). It was a quiet day on the trail: 3 northbound hikers and nobody else. It’s nice that I’m seeing more nobos now. Rain came very soon after I reached the hut. It was a wet and windy night. 16 kms

2 February I left when the rain stopped, for a 7 kilometre stretch of river crossing and recrossing which I had not been looking forward to. I had to go up the North Branch Ashburton River and then Round Hill Creek. Soon it started raining again. The first river was very winding with a sheer bluff on every bend so I was doing nothing other than crossing it repeatedly in order to move forward. (I stopped counting after 6 in order to concentrate on what I was doing but people counted 51 - 58 crossings.)

Sometimes it looked as though there was a path above the bluffs but these proved to be impossible to walk so I resolved to stay at river level. It would have been much more pleasant without the rain making the rocks wet and slippery. Mostly the water was shin to knee deep but once crotch deep. There would be rapids and deeper pools. Sometimes I just walked along the very edge of the river (in the water) to avoid crossing. Further up were longer straight parts along the creek and shingle. After 3 hours of this the rain stopped just as it was time to head away from the wet rocks for Clent Hills Saddle. It remained a grey day but no more rain. There was a path of sorts through tussock and Spaniard (giant speargrass), which sometimes went over a tiny stream with no warning so there would be an unexpected hole in the ground. Beyond the saddle (1480 m) I had 3 huge scree slopes to traverse and then a long descent interrupted by another saddle. I had a wonderful view of mountains around the Swin River North Branch; it’s quite a bleak area with yellow and brown treeless hills/mountains and lots of scree slopes.

The only other vegetation is matagouri. The track was slow but I finally reached the Swin River with views of higher mountains to the west and several lakes.

I had a fast 5 kms with a strong tailwind on a jeep track to Manuka Hut and I managed to keep my feet dry with the last river crossing of the day. Nice company. In the evening there was a rainbow over the mountains opposite the hut. The wind howled around the hut all night. 23 kms 

Day 100: 3 February I walked across the river plains and popped over a ridge to reach Emily Lake with ducks and swans. The sky was clearing but the mountains to the west were in cloud. I walked some dirt road and when I was resting in the shade a passing driver gave me 2 cans of soft drink. I crossed the milky looking Ashburton River South Branch on a bridge and turned onto a large grassy plateau dotted with hills. Masses of alpine daisies with their sharp leaves. There were convenient granite rocks for sitting. The wind was gusting strongly and was very unpleasant although not a headwind until later on. The views of rugged mountains in the west improved. I came to a point overlooking Lake Clearwater, bright blue, and a first glimpse of the Rangitata River which is the other river that shouldn’t be crossed on foot. I was on the lookout for somewhere out of the wind to camp but it was a challenge; I found a slightly sheltered place by a stream below Mt Guy with white gentians on my doorstep. There was no shade anywhere. I had a lot of trouble lighting my stove and once it was lit I was worried about starting a grass fire because the flames blew around so much. Then the wind died completely after sunset. 23 kms

4 February The sandflies were back! I had breakfast before the wind started up again and continued across the plateau. I had a good view of the mountains around Mt Cook but not yet Mt Cook. I came quite close to Clearwater Lake. The trail followed Potts River (has carved a little gorge) and I looked down on the Rangitata, which is 4 kilometres wide, and knew I wouldn’t dream of crossing it.

Even the Potts was wide and braided when I crossed it. I reached the road bridge which marks the official break in the TA. I had booked a shuttle but it didn’t turn up so I hitchhiked into Geraldine (another easy one, but the stress about the shuttle spoilt my afternoon). I met several hiker friends from the Richmond Ranges at the campground and we ate burgers together and I contributed the beer. 10 kms 

5 February Rest day in Geraldine. 

6 February I took the shuttle to Bush Stream on the other side of the Rangitata. The Rangitata was in flood, flowing fast and coloured a pale brown. I had been worried about the walk along Bush Stream because of the many crossings and recent rain; I was intending to do the bad weather forest route but the others persuaded me to do the stream. I was glad of this because it turned out to be a lovely day’s walking and the crossings (about 15) were not bad in dry weather and when I knew others were around. We stayed by the stream for as long as possible to avoid nasty climbs.

The stream was in a gorge of sorts and after a couple of hours the trail climbed high for a wonderful view of the gorge. I could also still see the Rangitata. Then we had a descent on scree followed by an even longer climb away from the stream. This climb was punctuated by a hut for lunch. The trail continued to a saddle at 1500 metres. There was a view of tussock and scree covered mountainsides in all directions. The trail went over a series of tussock hillsides and was a cut single track but I kept losing it. There were also some scree slopes to traverse and little streams to cross. I came back down to Bush Stream and Stone Hut but I arrived late and it was full so I slept on the floor. 20 kms

7 February Straight out from the hut was the first of the final 5 crossings of Bush Stream. The water was freezing. The trail was alongside the stream and was easier to follow. Only problem is that sometimes I mistake the Spaniard flower for a marker post! I chatted to a guy who is even more of a purist than I am: doing the TA to the metre on the official map. When I got to Royal Hut half way mark on SI) I thought I was done with river crossings and I wrung out my socks. But there was another set of streams that got me wet feet. The trail had been climbing gradually and now the climb to Stag Saddle began to get serious. I couldn’t see the saddle and the climb took longer than expected, especially since I went completely the wrong way and summited a separate knoll before reaching the saddle. The saddle (1925 m and highest point of the TA) was a sea of scree and windy.

From there I crossed slopes of big rock chips and then traversed scree slopes. Suddenly I went around a corner to start on a long descending ridge and the wind got significantly stronger; it was insane, and when I stopped to put on my jacket this was a huge ordeal as I didn’t want to lose anything. The walk down the ridge, despite the wind, was one of the highlights of the TA: I had views of the mountains around Mt Cook (Mt Cook’s summit was in a cloud), distant ranges, the Rangitata with its large number of braids, the tussock and scree Camp Stream valley, and above all the startlingly turquoise Lake Tekapo.

I came down towards Camp Stream and after losing the trail again for a while I got to a hut. This was a tiny hut and already over-full so I had my very overdue lunch and went on. I crossed the Coal River where people were already camping, and ascended steeply onto a tussocky plateau. I decided to camp by a stream near the ski area and when I arrived I was most surprised to see about 8 tents there, mostly people I knew. So I joined them. 28 kms

8 February Coldest morning so far. I put on a lot of clothes and headed along the plateau, still with good views of the mountains and lake. The ground was totally covered with minuscule plants. When I was into sunshine I was instantly warm. I came off the plateau to Boundary Stream and was finally able to have the coffee that it was previously too windy to make. After that I had a long 14 kilometre slog along a gravel road; it was beside the lake and I could see mountains but the road had no shade and too many cars. The section ended with a little path by the lake (which was fully raging because of the wind), an unnecessary detour to the famous stone church, across the control gates, and I rushed to the nearest cafe. I stayed at the YHA hostel with a stunning view of the lake. The bed was really comfortable. 30 kms

9 February I started out on my monster day: very early on in my TA I had decided I would try to walk from Tekapo to Twizel in a day and now I had to do it. Most TA walkers do this stretch by bike (or skip it) and I didn’t see another walker but I was passed by plenty of bikes - unsurprising as this is a bike trail. I listened to several podcasts and some NZ radio. The route was first alongside the Tekapo Canal and in the distance I had a cloud free view of Mt Cook with a massive amount of snow. I made a few short stops and had a longer break at the salmon farm, which was closed but some staff let me get hot water and use a couch to get out of the sun. The trail descended to Lake Pukaki, even more turquoise than Lake Tekapo if that’s possible, and I walked along the lake edge (lots of shingle beaches) for hours.

I had a perfect view of Mt Cook across the lake, while cloud began to hang around the lower peaks. I was lucky with the temperature, warm but not baking. When I turned inland I had a few kilometres of pine forest and then I was onto the 8 kms of Pukaki Flats; this was a vast open area of grass and the wind was roaring across so it was horrible and there was nothing to look at and also no possibility of stopping for a rest. Result: I got to Twizel an hour earlier than expected (11 1/2 hours after leaving Tekapo) and I was able to get some food at the supermarket. I walked over to the motel that had backpacker rooms and as I was looking around for the office I saw Tom standing outside a room; he called out to me that they (Tom, Femke, Elise, Roy and Sonja) had a spare bed! Perfect. 55 kms

10 February Rest day in Twizel with Chris and Tom. 

11 February I walked out of Twizel and turned off the highway at the Ruataniwha Dam then went along the side of Lake Ruataniwha. It was cloudy and I thought it might rain. After the lake I followed the Ohau River; the terrain was like a wasteland until I got to Lake Ohau and back onto the Alps to Ocean bike trail. I was then walking at the lake edge, the sky cleared and I could admire huge conical Ben Ohau across the lake.

Then a rocky range speckled with snow came into view and Mt Cook was somewhere in the background. Unfortunately I felt tired and hungry and it got very hot. I walked to a campsite as quickly as possible, which wasn’t fast at all, so I could rest and make a coffee (in the cool of the toilet block).

I felt better after that and continued by the lake to the turnoff for the Ahuriri valley, liking the feeling of the late afternoon sun. The trail started climbing and went through wooded patches, some of which had been burnt. I was aiming for a picnic table to camp beside and when I reached it I was surprised to find Sonja and another hiker there. We were effectively on a ledge above the lake with a superb view. 37 kms

12 February This was supposed to be a difficult day: the TA notes implied the need for expertise at orienteering to follow the route, followed by the widest unbridged river crossing of the trail. For these reasons I had decided to make my own detour and avoid this section, only relenting at the last minute. All turned out well and the day’s walk was a highlight of the TA.

The trail climbed to a saddle, initially in beech forest and I had breakfast in the forest beside Freehold Creek then continued onto open tussock. The low cloud was lifting and by the time I reached the saddle the sky was blue. I had to follow the Ahuriri River East Branch which was tiny here, crossing a few times and contouring huge scree slopes. The path was obvious and well marked and the river snaked along glistening in the sunshine. It was slow going with a lot of swampy stuff. The trail climbed and then contoured above the river as it went through a golden valley.

I had a loose arrangement to meet Chris and Tom at the big Ahuriri River crossing but I feared I wouldn’t make it in time. Where the valley widened the going got quicker and I was at the river only 40 minutes later than our agreement. The river appeared much less threatening than I had anticipated. I packed up my gear for the crossing and suddenly heard Tom on the far bank calling out. They both crossed the river to collect me and then the 3 of us crossed together and it was a delightful experience. Chris talked the whole way so I had no time to worry. The water was up to my waist but the current wasn’t too strong and I didn’t slip on the underwater rocks. We walked back to their car (passing a marker showing nobo hikers had done 500 kms), had a cup of tea and they left. I walked up a farm track

and just after a stream I saw a place to camp that had shade from wild rose bushes (and lots of sheep and cows nearby). I mused that this has become my way of life now. 26 kms

Day 110: 13 February Bluebird day. I am in Otago now. I walked along Avon Burn and crossed multiple times.

The vegetation was matagouri and wild roses. At one stage I walked by a high fence and saw a bull with big horns on the other side. Then I got onto a 4WD track to climb towards Martha Saddle and the stream below went into a narrow gorge. The golden mountains were beautiful looking back where I had been. I had a break at a hut and continued to climb, now among bigger mountains with vast scree slopes. This was a particularly long ascent. It was windy at the saddle (1680 m) with a superb view down the Timaru River valley ahead and I could clearly see the scree path I was about to sidle down.

The descent was steep but enjoyable and soon I was traversing tussock alongside the river. It was very hot and my back was sore so it was good that the stunning scenery and a light tailwind could keep me going. I was relieved to reach Top Timaru Hut and go inside for a while, and I prepared my couscous for dinner in case I couldn’t cook by my tent. The trail went into beech forest, undulating above the river, and I loved it even though the path was sketchy by SI standards; it was cool and I could always see/hear the water. As soon as I emerged onto a grassy river bank I set up my tent. The sandflies were bad. 25 kms

14 February Straight from my camp spot I had my first of 14 river crossings - cold. The trail went back into the forest (yay, no more wasps) and I bumbled along slowly, some hairy slips to contour and more steep rooty descents. It was a junior version of the Richmond Ranges. I had some time on the shingle/rocky river bank, going into the forest to get past cliff faces and avoid gorges. Around midday the real climbing began and it was steep. I had some openings in the forest with views of mountains across the river, mainly tree covered, and later on some more distant peaks. I stopped at Stodys Hut for lunch, above the tree line.

My afternoon was hiker heaven. I had a good trail that climbed to a ridge and then went over the tussock hills with views west to the velvety green mountains across the Timaru River, south to a series of rugged ranges with Mt Aspiring prominent, and east over Canterbury hills. When I reached the summit of Breast Hill (1578 m) I was astonished by the sight of Lake Hawea, much larger than I expected, deep blue, and I could see a bit of Lake Wanaka beyond.

The descent was on a single track through scrub along a cliff edge with continuing views over the lake, until I came to Pakituhi Hut in the middle of a tussock slope; it was full but I was able to sleep on a bench by the window. I could look up and see the stars. 23 kms

15 February My day began with a steep descent (950 m in 5 kms) down the cliff like edges of the hills between the hut and the lake, to Lake Hawea. It was tricky in places with rocks but overall ok. The second part was along the lake and once in the town I made a dash for the store/cafe. I had my first ice cream in ages. I walked along the Hawea River bike path to Albert Town; it was a gravel trail just above the river, which had rapids and rocky islands. When I got to Albert Town I had a milkshake and chips but I didn’t think much of the dusty featureless place. I continued to Wanaka; I made a deviation from the TA and went via Mt Iron, a prominent low rocky mountain, on a quiet trail. Wanaka was crazy busy. I went along the lake to the nearest campground. I wasn’t sure I had the energy to go out for dinner but I managed to get to a bar (overlooking the lake and its huge surrounding mountains) for a burger. 31 kms

16 February I had a slow morning doing shopping and having breakfast at a cafe (separately Elise and Sonja stopped by for a chat) and then Viv arrived with Tim and we had a lovely time. I bought sushi to have for a picnic lunch and walked out of town along the lake, passing the famous tree that grows in the lake (with ducks protecting it).

There were many little beaches and I stopped for a swim; the water was just right. Then I ate my sushi overlooking the lake. The water was so serene. The trail undulated a lot and it was hot work, the landscape was dry with matagouri, bracken ferns and manuka. As soon as I got to the campground I had another swim. 16 kms

17 February I walked a dirt road to the start of the Motatapu track, renowned for its steep ups and downs. Things began easily in farmland and then I went into beech forest following Fern Burn with typical slow progress. Nice and cool though, on another hot day. I came out onto a grassy ridge higher above the stream with craggy mountains around. Lots of lizards. After a while I could see the hut not far away but to reach it I had to descend steeply to cross the stream and climb back up; a perfect place for a long suspension bridge, maybe one day… After a break at the hut I continued to go up, much of it steep, with several dips down to cross Fern Burn.

I could see the path snaking over the hills in both directions. I reached Jack Halls Saddle (1275 m); the high points are getting lower though I still have to earn them. The mountains have much exposed granite and they look more folded, all crowded together, with no spaces in between. The walking was mainly on a knife edge ridge and no wind. I descended steeply to a side stream off Highland Creek then climbed again only to descend to the main creek. I was at Highland Creek Hut before 3 pm for a nice short day. I enjoyed a long nap. 17 kms

18 February It wasn’t possible to see a way out of the mountains around the hut! The trail climbed steeply (of course) to a high point with close up views of the mountains with bare granite outcrops, and distant peaks with snow, then descended along a spur. Below I was surprised to see a road. Next a steep descent into forest and across a stream where I would have made coffee were it not for the sandflies. Another steep climb to an equally high point from where I had a view east into the wide Motatapu River valley. The trail has been a properly formed path but when it was over tussock there were still unexpected holes and I managed to fall into one of these; I pulled myself up with difficulty by hanging onto handfuls of grass. Then a descent to a rare piece of farmland (I heard sheep) and a start to the climb to Roses Saddle. Roses Hut was a little way along the Motatapu River and I was more than ready for a break after a lot of hard work. After lunch I continued the climb to the saddle (1270 m) and was pleased to have a breeze (and I ignored the black cloud above me). This was another steep stretch and I was rewarded with a view into the Arrow River valley, again completely enclosed by mountains.

My knees felt completely shot after all this steep terrain. I descended along a ridge and reached the river. From here I was supposed to walk in the river, which was cooling, fun and not as daunting as it sounded. The river had lots of rapids and whirlpools but the current wasn’t as strong as it looked and the bottom wasn’t slippery. I swapped from side to side, walked near the edge on little beaches and sometimes in knee deep water to avoid bluffs. Increasingly there were worn tracks in the grass beside the river, but there was too much matagouri for my liking. After 4 kms of this I came to a 4WD track which still kept crossing the river but was easier walking, and I arrived at Macetown, a former gold mining settlement with only one remaining building, where I camped. 23 kms

19 February Swarms of sandflies in the morning. I had to cross the river about a dozen times leaving my feet numb, then I commenced the final big climb of the range. Suitably named Big Hill with a saddle just below the summit. This is one of the last serious climbs of the TA. There wasn’t much view there but as I descended I could see Lake Hayes and Arrowtown. The descent was gradual, bits of forest and along a ledge cut into the hillside. The lower part was busy with day walkers and Arrowtown was absolutely heaving with people. I had a wonderful evening at the pub with Viv. 14 kms 

20 February I had some road walking to Lake Hayes and then followed the lakeside trail. I went through a new development and through urban parks to cross the Shotover River on the original bridge.

I ended up in Frankton where I bought new shoes, trying not to feel awkward about the ones I was wearing, and had a coffee to celebrate. Then I continued down the hill towards Queenstown and went onto the walkway along Lake Wakatipu. It was suddenly hot and I was anxious to reach my motel. Later I walked to the Queenstown wharf where the TA has another of its forced interruptions because the lake is in the way. I thought the town centre was a mess with lots of streets dug up and dirty looking cafes - disappointing. 23 kms

South Island so far: 1030 kms 

Total to date: 2717 kms

Te Araroa Trail, New Zealand - 4: Picton to Rakaia River

5 January My first day on the South Island and it rained. I walked down to the Picton waterfront to get the water taxi to Ship Cove, start of the Queen Charlotte Track. I sat in a cafe by the harbour and this island already seems like another world. From the boat the views of the Marlborough Sounds coastline and islands were misty with rain falling but after I set out walking the rain cleared.

The trail began inauspiciously in a tunnel of green, climbing, and improved at the top of the hill with views over Resolution Bay. From there the water views were more frequent. I had lunch at a lookout over Tawa Bay and towards Endeavour Inlet, which is very long. A weka strolled around seeking scraps. There were lots of slips down the hillsides. I walked around the edge of Endeavour Inlet, passing plenty of houses and boats.

The trail was busy in places but not too bad. For a while there was slip after slip above and below the trail. I saw more wekas. Next came Big Bay, quieter and sunk between high ferny hills; I had a rest on both sides, giving the sand flies something to feast on.

I just got to Camp Bay in time to camp before it started pouring. The campsite was extremely crowded, in a nice setting by the water near Punga Cove. 27 kms 

6 January I virtually had the track to myself, apart from lots of wekas, thanks to the rain. A few hikers hung around the shelters (so I had a few chats) but I wondered where everyone had gone. I didn’t get to see much at all thanks to either the rain or being in cloud, very indistinct views of hills appearing occasionally and sometimes the outline of an island. I had a brief sighting of the bay at Portage and of Te Mahia Bay in the late afternoon. I had long climbs to Kenepuru Saddle and Te Mahia Saddle followed by ridge line walks with nothing but white on both sides. The trail was muddy in places. The vegetation switched between punga forest and manuka forest and sometimes grass. Since the rain was mainly light I decided to walk as far as I could, and I ended up at Mistletoe Bay. It rained heavily all night and at some point I relocated to the kitchen floor to sleep. 33 kms

7 January Better views today from Te Mahia ridge over lots of little inlets, but the Sounds seemed less intricate here.

It rained so much last night that all the streams were pumping and high, and waterfalls coming down the hillsides were roaring with white water and flowing over the track. Plenty of mud. I stopped for coffee once I was at the water at Davies Bay.

Soon I finished the QCT at Anakiwa and then continued to Linkwater on an off-road path; unfortunately a stretch was flooded so the water was as deep as the adjacent stream. I was looking forward to the shop in Linkwater so I wasn’t happy to find it closed, then I debated whether to camp at the pub across the road but decided to get the road walk to Havelock done while the weather was gloomy. I was tired and hungry. The road and part time pathway were along the edge of an arm of Pelorus Sound (tide out so all mud flats) and I climbed in drizzle to a lookout from where I had a good view over Havelock and of the spurs jutting into the sound, as cloud started to engulf everything. The whole way the road was punctuated by roadworks to repair slips. The descent to Havelock was speedy and I got my tent up and chocolate purchased before the rain returned. 33 kms

8 January I had breakfast in Havelock and bought a lot of food so my pack was insanely heavy. I started out on SH6 then turned onto a gravel road through farmland and then onto a route across cow paddocks. This was beside the Pelorus River. There were masses of stiles, which are harder with a heavy pack. Mainly I walked on flattened grass in the paddocks and through turnip fields, with a few streams to cross. The last part was in forest before crossing a suspension bridge and arriving at Pelorus Bridge. I was meeting Chris and Tom there and we arrived at the campground car park at exactly the same time. We had a great afternoon chatting and then ate some healthy food, much of it home grown. I disgraced myself by finishing all the ice cream, which they were going to pour out as it had melted. 22 kms 

9 January Just over 100 kms into the South Island and already none of the TA people I meet have walked all of this. Yet again I’m surprised, and irritated, that I’m so unusual to be walking.

I had a second breakfast at the cafe since I wouldn’t have this opportunity for a while, and began the gravel road walk towards Richmond Forest Park. The road was mostly in farmland alongside the Pelorus River, a lovely pale turquoise, with distant mountains. Not a cloud in the sky. I found my heavy pack and strained chest muscle (partly from a sneeze yesterday and also a legacy of my fall in the Tararuas) uncomfortable. After 3 hours I reached the start of the Pelorus Track in the forest and soon a sketchy swing bridge. It was a narrow track and tricky in places over rocks and roots but overall it was ok and maintained. I had a little paddle in the river. The trail climbed and crossed several streams in beech forest, with glimpses of the river below. It was all very pretty but slow work. I was happy to reach Captains Creek Hut in an idyllic setting in a clearing by the pebbly river bank and opted to sleep inside. I had a really short swim; the water was cold but refreshing. 23 kms

10 January I undulated along the river, crossing it and a couple of creeks on swing bridges. I still feel very uneasy on these. I wanted to have a break at Middy Hut but as soon as I put down my pack the sandflies swarmed all over my legs. So I immediately left and began the climb to Rocks Hut. It was slow and steady without great obstacles and I was at the 800 metres high hut in 2 hours. From the deck of this large hut was a view of high mountain peaks. The trail bumbled along the tops with infrequent views and a lot of fallen trees, but it was never an issue getting over or around them, and climbed more. In places the path was hidden by ferns. I came out onto an area of rocks and tussock grass with great views of the mountains (in a bit of cloud) and towards the open ocean beyond Nelson. Then more undulations back in the forest and a descent towards Browning Hut. Shortly before the hut I had to cross a stream with a slip on the far bank that would have been impossible to get up so I walked in the stream. I was tired when I reached the hut and took a long break. I wanted to get to Hacket Hut so I continued. Soon I came to a point by the Hacket River where there were several slips and it was necessary to walk in the river (ending the day with wet shoes). This was a bit tricky as there were rapids and changing water levels and rocks, and I was glad to reach a grass path. The hut was busy so I put up my tent. 24 kms

11 January Start of Richmond Alpine Track. The first kilometre was in and out of the river which was nice for keeping my feet cool but I didn’t like the slippery rocks and I slipped over twice. Then I started on the long climb to Starveal Hut in the forest. Sometimes really steep and always rooty. It sounded like it was windy outside the forest. Amazingly I got to the hut quicker than expected. I sat around for a while until I was feeling cold and set out again. I was immediately on a rocky ridge and the wind was ferocious, gusting in different directions. There were wonderful mountain views and also the coast and flatlands beyond the mountains. It was easier walking despite the gale. Once the trail returned to the forest it was as if the wind was suddenly switched off. I had a pleasant downhill before ascending again to Slaty Hut, with a brief return to the open.

We were 11 people in the 6 bunk hut - I slept on the floor. 1400 metres of elevation gain. 12 kms

12 January I set out on the open tops for a wonderful walk to the Old Man Hut junction with fabulous mountain views in every direction.

From Old Man Peak I had a view of the Rintouls I was about to climb and they didn’t seem that far away, but appearances can deceive. In the far distance I could see peaks around Nelson Lakes with serious snow. It was sunny and yesterday’s wind had gone. I had made fast progress.

Then I turned into beech forest and began steeply climbing up Little Rintoul (1643 m), came onto open scree slopes and it got steeper. From the top I could see the narrow trail up Mt Rintoul but I didn’t appreciate how far I had to descend first. The descent was on scree, boulders and rock and not easy, with some narrow gullies and really steep. I kept thinking I had reached the bottom so I would start climbing Mt Rintoul only to see there was more descending. Then the climb up Rintoul was very steep with some exposed sections. I could see the crevice I had just descended on Little R.

It was great to reach the summit (1731 m) and notice even more snow clad mountains. I headed on down, more scree and boulders, sliding quite a bit, and I could see the Rintoul Hut toilet far below. Finally I came back below the tree line, the trail still really steep, and I made it to Rintoul Hut. I had been thinking for the last hour that I should be able to get a bed in the 6 bunk hut as I had passed 4 hikers and only knew of 2 ahead of me; so when I opened the hut door and saw 7 people I was devastated, but fortunately most of them were leaving and I snagged a lower bunk. An 8-9 hour walk in 6 1/2 hours. 15 kms

13 January I was in a cloud in the morning. The trail went up to an open area and then into forest with a few lookouts but I saw nothing. I wandered along past Tarn Hut and on to Mid Wairoa Hut with a very long downhill; mostly it was cruisy but there were some steep slippery parts and I annoyed myself falling several times. 

From Mid Wairoa things became rather less enjoyable. The trail rose above the Wairoa River, in forest, and was constantly on little dirt ledges held together by tree roots with a sheer drop off. Once I had to negotiate a big rock and I got stuck. Another time I had to remove my pack. I was walking with Elise (French) and I felt so much safer not being alone. I was fairly frightened for quite a while. I was so focussed on the danger that I barely noticed we were climbing. Then we both crawled under a log that was across the path and unfortunately there was a wasp nest underneath the log; we both got stung 5 times which was horrible. After that I decided the TA had hit rock bottom and I cheered up. The trail crossed the river 8 times; the water never got above knee deep and it was refreshing but the rocks were slippery. There were some amazing waterfalls on the river, one falling into a turquoise pool, and the river went through narrow rock gorges. It was truly beautiful and even more atmospheric when it started to rain lightly. We got to Top Wairoa Hut (clambering up a vertical scree slope) and as expected the hut was already overfull so we weren’t welcomed with open arms. Floor again for me. 21 kms

Day 80: 14 January Promised to be a good day. I left the hut in cloud for a serious climb and was surprised to see I was already at the tree line. The trail traversed upwards with little but whiteout at first, lovely red rock hopping and then following a tiny stream through tussock grass, then I came onto a saddle and I could see blue sky ahead. The mist broke up to reveal peaks on all sides but cloud remained in the valleys. It was a wonderful sight. I passed Mt Ellis and traversed several huge scree falls and went through small patches of stunted beech. Then I had to suffer another unpleasant scree descent. Half way down I came across 3 of the group from last night’s hut, one of them had fallen and was in great pain so they were deciding what to do. I got down to the Motueka River left branch and followed it for a bit with some slips to negotiate.

Next several river crossings followed by a steep climb to Hunters Hut; this last part seemed never ending. As I rested at the hut I saw a helicopter fly over and wondered if that was a rescue of the injured hiker. (It was.) 

The next section had 3 steep climbs and descents with more river crossings. There was more slippery bare dirt and overall the scenery was almost desert like with red outcrops and vast areas of red dirt. This area is called the Red Hills. From the last high point I could see the next hut - it was bright orange - and I had a gentle descent over a couple of kilometres, although it was mentally hard being able to see the hut the whole way. I got a bed! 18 kms

15 January Another morning of tricky dirt slopes. I undulated alongside the Motueka River right branch, crossing a few times and once having to scramble up an almost vertical cliff.

I looked around and saw I was surrounded by mountains with no apparent exit. Slow going and I felt tired. After a few hours of going down to the river, hop some boulders, maybe cross it, climb a little, descend, repeat, I was ready for the easy climb on tussock to Red Hills Hut. This is a wonderful area but it is wearing me out. Near the hut I had a panorama of different mountains, the St Arnaud Range. It was a beautiful day.

I took the easy route out of the Richmonds and as soon as I moved away from the hut I had the wide Wairau River valley laid out before me. The good path descended gradually in forest, no roots and no loose stuff, becoming a mountain bike trail at the bottom. Then I had 10 kms of highway with views towards rugged mountains and I reached St Arnaud. I went straight to the shop, lucky it was still open, for pie, muffin, kitkat, mars bar and coffee, and I bought sandwiches for dinner. 30 kms

South Island so far: 259 kms 

Total to date: 1946 kms 

16 January Rest day in St Arnaud. 

17 January Today’s walk was exactly as I think of the South Island: a wide pebbly river, meadows of yellow grass, high mountains with specks of snow. In addition I had peaceful beech forest (soft underfoot), lots of friendly SI robins, sunshine and stress free walking. Quite rocky and many stream crossings but nothing sketchy.

I walked the length of Lake Rotoiti, paused at Lakehead Hut (couldn’t find the toilet) and continued up to the swing bridge crossing of the Travers River.

The last few hours switched between meadows with mountain vistas and forest, always beside the river. I crossed such pretty streams.

I came to John Tait Hut and called it a day as I was tired with a heavy pack full of food. For lunch I ate corn chips dipped in nutella. Soon really dark clouds rolled in and I heard thunder. A weka wandered by. I had a 2 hour nap. 4 of us shared the 26 bed hut. 25 kms

18 January A really enjoyable walk in the forest, cool. I detoured slightly to look at Travers Falls cascading forcefully into a blue pool

and continued with several scree crossings, a couple of proper bridges and lots of crossings of streams that flowed into the river. Upper Travers Hut was in a fabulous setting below Mt Travers and as I arrived a pair of keas were hanging out on the toilet roof - despite the awful smell!

Then Kevin from last night’s hut arrived and he had dislocated a finger. There was no mobile reception but 2 women at the hut had good first aid supplies. 

I now had a big climb to Travers Saddle (1787 m) and the scenery was magnificent: high rocky peaks all around with Mt Travers (speckled with snow) dominating.

I climbed alongside a tiny stream.

At the saddle a new set of mountains came into view; and I also saw that I had passed the TA 2000 kilometre mark on the ascent.

I descended quite steeply and entered forest, the descent continuing to be steep all the way to the Sabine River. From there I followed the river to West Sabine hut. (The Travers-Sabine circuit had long been on my bucket list.) 

I had lunch at the hut: nutella with corn chips and nut bars dipped in nutella. Then I started another section, to Blue Lake Hut. The trail began with very slow walking over rockfalls and other obstacles and I doubted that the TA notes’ 3 hours could be possible. There was a massive area of fallen trees to get around, and the river was full of logs also. But the trail improved markedly and I made good time, just as well because I was tired. The whole time I was by the Sabine River, getting close to its headwaters so it wasn’t a roaring mountain river but had a calmer smaller flow. I emerged from the forest to see huge scree slopes and rugged mountains again. A very steep section heralded that I was nearing the hut and I was happy to arrive. It was busy but not full. After a short pause I went to have a look at Blue Lake; I’m afraid that while it was a pretty lake I was underwhelmed. 24 kms

19 January Along with the Tararuas and the Rintouls, the Waiau Pass was a reputedly more dangerous part of the TA that I had worried about. The day had come. I started with easy climbing in forest and through grass, stopping to look down on Blue Lake which was a more impressive sight from above. Then I approached Lake Constance and descended to its gravelly shore.

The trail climbed above the lake with a fantastic view of it nestled among mountains

and then the real climb to the pass began.

I was walking up a huge steep scree slope and going well when I suddenly realised I was on the left side of the slope and the markers were on the right side; I had missed a turn. There was no possibility of crossing the slope and I didn’t want to go back down so I had to get to the top on my side and hope I could get across on grass up there. It was very scary especially at one stage when I started slipping down the slope and barely managed to cling to a secure rock. I finally rejoined the real trail and reached the pass, with a breathtaking view of bare mountains, patches of snow and a river far below.

The descent began with rocks and wasn’t difficult but in a few minutes I got to the section I had worried about: this was a series of crevices in sheer rock faces that I had to ease myself down. Not so much dangerous as difficult. I managed all but one, and to get down that one I resorted to dropping my pack and poles to the base of the rock (only a few metres) and scrambling down, collecting the things that had fallen out of my pack on the way. I lost nothing and the only thing damaged was my bowl, which broke. It seemed a small price to pay for a safe descent. After that all was fine but slow. When I reached the Waiau River I stopped for my Waiau Pass treat: Oreos. And I made coffee.

The trail crossed and recrossed the river and I made no attempt to keep my feet dry as it was baking hot and the cold water felt great. Sometimes I put my hand on a rock covered with cold lichen. The trail traversed several vast rock falls. Eventually the walking was more and more in the forest or across grassy meadows as the river valley opened out, but still constantly crossing the river. I stopped to camp when I found a lovely spot by the river, and I could still just about see the pass. 18 kms

20 January The sandflies were diabolical in the morning so I left quickly, walked through freezing cold wet grass and had breakfast at Waiau Hut with a view towards the pass.

After that it got hot and I was glad of the repeated stream crossings. The trail was mainly across grassland with low spiky bushes (matagouri). I had a break beneath a moraine with large patches of snow. All day I was walking down the broad valley, mostly on a single track through grass. My back was sore.

In the early afternoon the weather suddenly turned windy and completely clouded over. For once I had a headwind. The trail joined the St James Walkway and made an abrupt turn to cross the Henry River on a wobbly swing bridge. I was in a new valley with lower forested mountains. Finally I reached Anne Hut, and I heard everyone else’s experiences of the pass were similar to mine including dropping packs down. The hut was in a huge meadow of yellow grass. 28 kms

21 January I had a lot of grassland walking when I left the hut. I was feeling a bit unhappy because I had only just found out from another hiker that there was no cafe or proper shop at Boyle Village, the end of this section and today’s destination. I had been looking forward to a good dose of junk food. The only climb early on was up to Anne Saddle, no view but a lovely winding descent in the forest that lasted for ages. I emerged by the Boyle River and followed it in a narrow valley.

The trail returned to forest as the river went into a gorge and after that I was back to grass. I sat by the Magdalena swing bridge for lunch before more undulating forest. I saw some silvereyes. I saw cows for the first time in ages, one was standing in the river. The last stretch was long and tiring but I made it to Boyle Village and I was pleased I knew not to expect much. I collected my resupply box including new shoes and I sat in the communal kitchen; I ate a whole 250g block of cheese with almost a whole packet of crackers, then camped and ate dinner. 31 kms

22 January I didn’t want to get my new shoes wet immediately crossing the river so I walked 10 kms along SH 7 alongside and above the river until a turn off to a swing bridge. This one was scary with a large sharp rock under the middle of the bridge, but as a redeeming factor the calm water, in a gorge, was a bright turquoise. Then I rejoined the main TA to do the Harper Pass trail and the next walker to come by was a German I’d met several times between Auckland and Bulls. The trail went into the forest and ambled around with a little climbing. It was lovely and I so much enjoy the airy SI beech forests compared with the NI forests that got to feel claustrophobic, although the individual trees were more majestic. I had a brief stop at the halfway hut then continued on grass river flats beside the Hope River. I soon got my shoes muddy in a swampy place. The river was wide and shingly and the tree covered mountains here are lower without so much rockfall/scree. Hope Kiwi Hut was in a meadow surrounded by mountains; there were single tier beds in the eating area and I chose to sleep there to have the great view while lying down. I had a long nap as a practice run. 28 kms

23 January It was overcast with cloud over the peaks and I had lovely walking in the forest, even when the only sound was the buzzing of wasps. I could see Lake Sumner vaguely through the trees from Kiwi Saddle onwards and the path gradually descended almost to the lake; I overshot and went right down to it. It was a large lake but fairly ordinary. After the next bout of forest I came to grassland with cows and a much nicer sight of the lake with mountains behind.

I crossed the Hurunui River (lots of geese in the water) on a swing bridge that sagged a lot, but I am getting to like them finally. I climbed to Hurunui Hut for lunch.

The trail descended to the river flats and I decided to walk in the river which meant walking on the exposed pebbles with frequent crossings of river braids. This was really fun, especially with the cold water as it had become hot and sunny. After a while I came to a waterfall of warm water running down a rock face and I clambered up to a hot pool among the trees; I sat with my legs in the hot water. Then I did the last hour in the river and on the flats. Hurunui #3 Hut was old and the sandflies were so bad it was impossible to be outside. 28 kms

Day 90: 24 January I needed a shorter day today. The trail returned to forest and soon came to a river crossing with a 3 wire bridge, but I chose to cross in the water. The next hut was odd, having bunks but no mattresses (apparently the beds are the wrong size), and the toilet was nicer than many (probably because nobody stays there). Then the climb to Harper Pass began and it was really gradual almost the whole way. The path paralleled the upper Hurunui River for a long time. Near the pass the trail came into the open and was briefly very steep. At the pass (962m) there was a great view of mountains to the west and a few more nearby.

The vegetation had abruptly changed to a brighter green.

The descent was something else entirely. Steep. It started on grass with overgrown flax and similarly large serrated grasses so the path was hard to see, and this was interspersed with stretches of loose rocks. Lower down there were 2 bad slips to negotiate. There were some huge collections of fallen trees. I came to the Taramakau River swing bridge and then had to walk down the river, on rocks and shingle with frequent crossings of side braids, without signage. Quite enjoyable but very slow. I was always concerned I might miss the turnings away from the river but I didn’t go wrong. The clearing with Locke Stream Hut (hut #4 of the original huts) came as a welcome surprise.

It was right by the noisy stream. For lunch I ate some of the couscous I’ve been carrying since Havelock, with nutella/peanut butter. Dinner: couscous with tuna. I had the hut to myself. 16 kms

25 January I walked quickly on river flats for several kilometres, crossing river braids and negotiating rocks. Many rocks are tinged with bright orange. I had to cross the main flow of the Taramakau which I had been concerned about but it was only knee deep. I then crossed the Otehake River almost without noticing it. The trail, rather surprisingly, entered an area of gorse where I couldn’t see anything but got prickled a lot, then more rocky river bed, then another surprise but this time a lovely one: I walked through a little section of punga forest with young totara and rimu. When this was finished I was at a river bank with a marker indicating where to cross and after that the markers stopped. I was on an immense field of pebbles next to a stream that wasn’t on the map so I tried just following the gps. I had another stretch of gorse, lots of open flats and I saw plenty of footprints, but no markers for a good 45 minutes. It was disconcerting but the gps had me exactly on the trail. In the midst of my confusion a weka scuttled by and 2 keas flew overhead. Eventually I joined a grassy 4WD trail with signs. I went into another bit of punga forest with a tiny stream so I stopped for a coffee break and lay on a mossy log. The sandflies gave me maybe 10 minutes before they attacked. I heard a train toot from Arthur’s Pass. A bit further on I headed for the Otira River which I crossed easily. I walked in the river bed until I’d had enough of it then walked along the highway for a couple of kilometres to Morrison footbridge. From there I got a lift to Arthur’s Pass, put up my tent and hit the shop. 23 kms

26 January This may have been my hardest day on the trail. I had a day without my pack to do the Deception/Minga Rivers track over Goat Pass, and I was dropped off at Morrison footbridge. There was a lot of cloud around. The landscape was really wild from the start, mountainsides covered with rockfalls, as I walked beside the Deception River. Soon the repeated crossings began; they got shorter as I went upstream but the current became stronger. There were welcome interludes in the forest. I had a lot of scrambling over rocks by the river; it had started raining and that made the rocks slippery.

Although I couldn’t see much I got glimpses of really imposing mountains and it seemed a very rugged place. I made slow progress. After ages I reached Upper Deception Hut with 2 kms to the pass. Then the real work started: I had numerous powerful waterfalls to cross, gigantic boulders to get over and steep slopes in and out of forest. It was exciting but made more difficult by the rain and altogether went on for too long. I was so happy to finally leave the river and climb a steep rocky corridor to reach Goat Pass Hut and shortly after the pass, which was boardwalked. The area was grassy and undoubtedly surrounded by high peaks.

The descent was so different. At first a lot of boardwalk. Then well made trail through bush. But then some very steep ups and downs in forest. It rained harder. I had to cross the Mingha River a few times but there were none of the huge rocks or boulders in the way. The descent also took too long. I must have crossed the rivers at least 30 times, just counting the times I had to wade in the water up to knee deep. Near the bottom everything was dry, no rain. I got down to the valley, crossed the Bealey River and got a ride to Arthur’s Pass. 6 hours up the Deception and 3 hours down the Mingha. The shop had just closed but the cafe was open and I ate a bowl of chips. 27 kms

27 January The sun has returned. I had breakfast at the shop (including what I thought was an egg sandwich that turned out to be cheese and chive when I took a bite). Then I got a lift back to yesterday’s finish at Greyneys shelter and headed into Arthur’s Pass National Park. I began on a grass path but it kept petering out so at Klondyke Corner I moved onto the road. The road walking was tricky when I crossed the Waimakariri River on a long single lane bridge since trucks were as wide as the bridge. The view up the river valley was wonderful: a lot of snow on the rugged mountains. Even on a state highway this feels like wilderness.

I turned off for the Lagoon Saddle track. This was my kind of track: it went straight up, no messing around, first in beech forest, then pine, then back to beech. When I came onto the tussock tops I had an amazing view down into the Bealey valley (vast grey river bed) and the mountains above the Waimakariri. Lagoon Saddle was grassy (I could see a tarn) and I went immediately into a mossy beech forest on the other side. The descent was also pleasant, and when I got to the Harper River I had to cross it about 12 times but mostly I found stepping stones, such a contrast to yesterday’s river experience. Above me were granite cliffs and huge dirt/scree/rock slopes. I went on to West Harper Hut (built 1957) which is really there for its historical value but it looked fine for the night.

The floor was dirt and sacking, the beds were canvas not timber, no mattresses, the beams and bunk frames were just logs and the window had a lovely view I could see from my bed. I don’t think many people stay here. 22 kms

28 January It rained in the night (not good for today’s river crossings) and the morning was cloudy. I was in forest until a couple of swing bridges and then the massive number of river crossings began as I followed the trail through the Harper Valley. Most crossings were knee deep in parts and the current was noticeable. I was surrounded by mountains, some peaks cut off by cloud, lots of round topped conical things, yellow grass and scree. It was quite desolate. On one mountainside there were dozens of pinnacles weathered out of the rock. The trail was flat but that didn’t speed up my walking, probably because of the extra weight of soaked shoes. I found it somewhat a slog, particularly when the section ended with a TA special: walking along an embankment made from river rocks. I finished at a campsite near Lake Coleridge (lake) where it was incredibly windy. 26 kms

29 January I left the campsite with the sole purpose of getting to Lake Coleridge (village) as fast as I could. The route was a gravel road and scenic, passing mountains on either side and several lakes. I stopped as little as possible. It is not allowed to cross the Rakaia River on foot so the TA comes to a break at Lake Coleridge and I decided to go to the nearest point to the river that I could, so long as it would be possible to get to Methven from there. I walked the hot 29 kms in 5 hours, noting that there was no traffic at all going towards Methven, which did not bode well for hitchhiking there later. The final few kms I had a nice view of the Rakaia River and mountains beyond. When I reached my finish point I took off my pack and settled in for a long hot wait for cars. The first car came by less than 10 minutes later and took me to the Christchurch junction; I got straight into a second car which took me to Methven. I had finished walking at 1.10 and I was in Methven at 1.45. I checked in to the Brown Pub for 3 nights and relaxed. 29 kms

30 January Rest day in Methven 

31 January Rest day in Methven

South Island so far: 590 kms 

Total to date: 2277 kms