Mavora Lakes

Cambo the shuttle driver picked six of us up and dropped the other four off up the Rees Valley. We continued on towards the Greenstone and were nearly at Kinloch when Cambo got a call to say two of the lads he'd dropped off were in the wrong place, they were supposed to be coming to the Greenstone as well. The upshot was we scored a free coffee in Kinloch, but got to our trail very late with a big day stretching ahead of us. So we motored up the manicured Greenstone Track in 30 degree heat, had a late lunch at Greenstone Hut, took off again heading for Taipo Hut hardly having time to admire the kakariki, robins, riflemen and bellbirds. Lucky for us the massive tree falls had all been cleared just three weeks before, and the track was in good condition and in parts was a little like the Ruapehu Round the Mountain Track.

Passburn Valley

We enjoyed the track until the descent which was a bit boggy, nearly claimed my shoe and covered me to the knees in mud. We got to the hut at 5.45 pm and plunged straight into the gorgeous swimming hole in the Mararoa River just below the hut.

Mararoa River Valley

Next day we walked through a totally different but lovely open landscape, the Thomson and Livingstone Ranges on either side. Reaching Boundary Hut was very symbolic - here almost exactly two years ago we had met the young couple, Johno and Corrine, who were walking the Te Araroa Trail and inspired us to try it ourselves.

North Mavora Lake

An odd thing - there was a jet boat perched high up on a bank, way above the river. We thought it odd, and discovered later that a young lad had taken his Dad's jet boat joyriding up the river and smashed it - and hurt himself in the process. We later watched a helicopter retrieving the boat and wondered at the expense.



 We found a lovely spot to camp on the edge of the North Mavora Lake, and enjoyed mushrooms Rob had gathered en route and some delicious pasta donated to us by our camping neighbours.


Our final day on the Mavora was a day of angels, starting with the neighbours bringing us fresh fruit. We think they felt sorry for us, packing up our tent in the rain. We then foolishly turned down an offer of a ride, and plodded down the long, long road for 5 hours. We had heard the riverside track was a mess, and opted to walk out the quickest way. After doing 24 km we'd had enough and very dark clouds were gathering to the SW. Then Tony the Australian fisherman rescued us, went miles out of his way and dropped us at the highway so we could hitch to Te Anau for a much needed rest and resupply. In a few minutes with the skies about to open another angel - the local Presbyterian Minister Karl - picked us up and took us all the way to the door of the YHA - right next to his church! Which is where we are now before we head off into the wild Takitimus.

Notes:

Day 58: Greenstone carpark to Taipo Hut. 21 km
Day 59: Taipo Hut to North Mavora Lake campsite. 28 km
Day 60: North Mavora Lake to near Mossburn/Te Anau junction. 28 km
Day 61: Rest Day, Te Anau

The Mighty Motatapu Track

Wow, this track  was amazing, but first we walked around Lake Wanaka on a still and beautiful morning. We startled a group - a clutch? - of Californian Quails, and watched with great amusement as they tried to regroup while calling to each other "el guapo, el guapo" to warn of the danger we posed.
We arrived at Glendhu Bay to find the enterprising Laurel and Colin ensconced on deck chairs, with two more vacant beside them, and a gourmet lunch for us. What can you say?

We were so well fed we powered up to Fern Burn Hut in no time. I didn't even notice the tricky sidles with steep drop offs, but Rob didn't like them much.




The rain next morning made us lazy, but we finally got going up towards Jack Hall's Saddle, Matt and Seth our young American trail buddies passing us on the way. The descent was steepish and one section was along a narrow ridge with big drop offs - I noticed that all right! It was a huge surprise to turn a corner and see Highlander Hut - we were there by lunch time, and our trail buddies had our sleeping mats ready for us. The scenery was spectacular despite the rain - the hut is totally dwarfed by the surrounding mountain peaks.

Adverse comments in the hut book made us fearful of the coming track, but we loved it. It was hard with two huge climbs and descents and long sidles across very steep terrain, but by now we were fit and felt it was all okay. Of course those young lads passed us again on the second climb to Knuckle Peak - don't you love the name? - and we watched them disappear into the distance. We just sat and admired the views for a while in the sun, were rewarded with sightings of falcons, and finally descended to Rose's Hut way down below us in the Motatapu Valley.

Seth, Debby, Rob and Matt, Motatapu Track

Crossing the Arrow River

Next day, guess what? Yet another climb to Rose's Saddle at 1270 metres, but again we had stunning views and falcons to entertain us. Then it was down, down down all the way to the beautiful Arrow River. It was running high and bank to bank so we sidled on the wet weather track to avoid it, but then decided that was worse. Back to the river and we hoped there would be no swims. There turned out to be 60 - 70 river crossings but lots of  fun except for a tricky section through a gorge where we had to wade down the side of a rushing torrent. The river bed is a kaleidescope of green, gold, blue and white stones and we kept looking for nuggets of gold hiding amongst the stones. No luck on that score, but we did find other riches on the road down from historic Macetown - raspberries, blackberries, green gooseberries, black gooseberries and plums - all lusciously ripe. We ended up with purple hands and had to restrain ourselves from over-indulging. We met runners, cyclists, four-wheel drive cars and speeding motorbikes which was all a bit much after our lonely days in the mountains. The road we followed down into Arrowtown was a feat of engineering, perched on sheer sides reinforced with stone bastions high above the Arrow Gorge. We couldn't resist feasting on yummy fudge in pretty little Arrowtown, and dined out on Indian food at Mantra. Yobbos kept us awake all night which just served to remind us how much we like being away from it all up in the mountains!


Rob found a route through the backroads and alleyways of Arrowtown to get us back on our trail, which led us through Millbrook Estate with its astounding enormous houses and English village look. Slope Hill Road took us past more fascinating architecture, and we admired the restored Raceman's Cottage - more on that soon. Our next track took us across the historic Shotover Bridge, but then we found our next track closed for repairs! What to do? We had little option but to walk along the highway into Frankton where an angel stopped and picked us up. His name was Doug Henderson and he turned out to be the owner and restorer of the afore-mentioned Raceman's Cottage. He was on his way to get his stitches checked (mountain biking accident) in Frankton, but he insisted on taking us all the way to the Queenstown Gardens. How could we refuse? So we resumed our walk into Queenstown, did our chores, watched paragliders landing, then hit the road again. Lon the signwriter took us as far as Wilson's Bay, where we stood in the hot sun for an hour before another angel, Ed the architect picked us up. His son Zandy amused me with tales of Pig and Pigeon Islands and tree-planting, while Ed drove us all the way to the campground in Glenorchy. Of course Ed knew Doug - small world down here. By the way, in case you think we are cheating, we are allowed to get around Lake Wakatipu any way we can - we don't have to walk it, The Trail treats it like a mini Cook Strait.


Notes:

Day 53: Wanaka to Fern Burn Hut. 25 km
Day 54: Fern Burn Hut to Highland Creek Hut. 6 km
Day 55: Highland Creek Hut to Roses Hut. 11 km
Day 56: Roses Hut to Arrowtown Campground. 25 km
Day 57: Arrowtown to Frankton (Glenorchy campground). 16 km

Breast Hill

Rob on Martha Saddle

We awoke next day to a stunning morning and had a great time wandering up a well-marked track alongside the Avon Burn. The trail then followed a 4-wheel drive track that most remarkably threaded its way round rocky spurs high above the river up to Martha Saddle at 1700 metres. By now it was stinking hot and I was dragging my feet and gasping. Rob was simply a machine – he never seemed to flag. His back is obviously better.

Down the other side of the saddle we followed an even more unbelievable bulldozed road – built with Government  farming subsidies in the 60’s – which zigzagged forever down a massive scree slope to Timaru Creek. We made it to the brand new Top Timaru Hut to a friendly welcome from a couple of local trampers, Maurice and Phyllis. We enjoyed their company – and not long after we arrived our American trail buddies, Matt and Seth turned up!

Debby on a gentle section of Timaru Creek

We were pleased to be back in beech forest next morning until we realized what we were in for - a five hour nightmare of steep ascents, narrow sidles high above the river, ridiculously steep descents to multiple river crossings. Near the end we both quailed to see the track snake across a massive slip face with the river hundreds of feet below us. “Track?” - imagine a  faint groove in the slip face the width of a shoe and rounded off on the outer edge with loose material. A loose rock we dislodged bounced noisily down to the river reminding us what our fate would be if we made a false step....  The technique in these situations is to go into a trance, not look down and to place each foot and your walking pole with great care, sometimes kicking a step in the slip face.  I managed to avoid the dreaded freeze up; Rob experienced what he assumed was an extreme sports adrenalin rush through his body – not unpleasant but in no way addictive, he says.

Back in the river gorge just stepping across a pool of water Debby pulled her calf muscle.....arrgh.

A steep 600m climb took us up to Stody’s Hut with its long history of mustering, a dirt floor and a population of mice. My joy was complete. Really. Matt and Seth had beaten us there by a couple of hours. They had kindly written in the hut book  “Rob & Debby – you ROCK”. Slightly patronizing but very nice to get a pat on the back from a couple of fit young men after one of the toughest sections yet. Then at 7.00pm Gold, a  south-north trail walker joined us and helped fend off the mice.

Rob on Breast Hill

The track to Pakituhi Hut was easy and we had an early lunch there with a young Japanese tramper before beginning a descent to Lake Hawea on what was described in the trail notes as a “challenging” section. They declined to state death-defying and terrifying. Which it was.  A brand new track and they took it over a spiny ridge – imagine a dragon’s tail – a series of descending peaks that each looked impossible. My heart was in my mouth for two hours. I wanted to take photos but was too terrified to let go of my handholds – you will just have to believe me.  The solution was to take it step by step, ledge by ledge and loose gravel shute by shute. It was with huge relief we reached the end, high-fived and hugged.

Clutha River

But then all our spirits were restored - when we got to the control gates at Hawea we headed to the pub and there we were rescued by the wonderful Laurel and Colin. Since then they have run us around, sheltered us, fed us gastronomic delights and in general pampered us. I would give you a rundown of all the food we have consumed, but it would take another hour so here’s just a taste: - chicken cordon bleu, lemon and raisin lattice tart, manuka smoked bacon, French toast, greengages, gourmet sandwiches, jaffa balls, blue cod, banoffee pie, and pork pies. Not to mention a bottle or two of lovely wine.

It’s going to be very hard to leave tomorrow and get back on the trail  - and back to the dehyd....

Next stop Arrowtown.

Notes:

Day 48: Ahuriri River to Top Timaru Hut. 22.8 km
Day 49: Top Timaru Hut to Stodys Hut. 14 km
Day 50: Stodys Hut to Lake Hawea township. 22 km
Day 51: Lake Hawea to Wanaka. 24 km
Day 52: Rest Day, Wanaka

Lakes and more Lakes

After a long, hot and dusty 34 km day from Twizel we hit the luxury of Ohau Lodge, a family-run business that it was a pleasure to support. The owners kindly picked us up from the Glen Mary Ski Lodge and delivered us back next day. Our accommodation was lovely, we showered and soaked in a spa and ate a truly sensational three course set menu. Of particular note was the creamy polenta the lamb rump was served on – and Tracy the prize-winning chef shared the secret of it with Rob.

Ahuriri River

The next night was a complete contrast – after a 9 hour day we camped in amongst matagouri and dry cow pats on the south bank of the Ahuriri River, and ate our simple dehyd meal. We’d had an 800 metre climb in the morning, the usual battle with tall tussock and dastardly Spaniards on the top of a saddle, and an “interesting” rocky descent into the East Branch of the Ahuriri. We forged our own route down the river climbing high to avoid some gorges, stopping along the way to savour our delicious lunch from Ohau Lodge (including an amazing chocolate torte). We’d climbed barbed wire fences, snagging my leg on one of the barbs when I lost my balance – ouch – but amazingly enough it was an enjoyable day.

Notes:

Day 46: Twizel to Glen Mary Ski Club (Ohau Lodge). 34 km

Hydro Canals - Tekapo to Twizel

Tekapo Canal

The highlight of the day was sampling some Sockeye Salmon from the Mt Cook Salmon farm that is immersed in the canal.
After 36 kms of walking on lots of lumpy gravel tracks, we found a delightful informal campsite on the shores of Lake Pukaki, complete with table, cooking shelter, “armchairs” made from slabs of stone for a backrest and pine needles for the seat. It was all just wonderful and we were congratulating ourselves on our great find when horror of horrors I stepped in poo. Human poo. Don’t laugh, it was NOT funny. It really is not that hard to dig a hole if you need to and you do wonder about the human race sometimes. Grrrrr.

Campsite, Lake Pukaki

From our campsite it was a short walk along the “Alps to Ocean” cycle track all the way into Twizel. We were surrounded by barren rolling hills, depleted grazing lands and we had to watch we didn’t step in rabbit holes. Lining the track were countless numbers of empty cartridge shells, but it seems the rabbits are still winning - at one moment in time we counted 13 rabbits (a bevy?, a fester?) crossing the path ahead.

Notes:

Day 44: Tekapo to Pukaki informal camp. 37 km
Day 45: Pukaki informal camp to Twizel motorcamp. 20 km

Two Thumbs Track

Sam drove us to the Bush Stream car park on the south side of the Rangitata via a long and dusty dirt road – we got stuck behind an animal transporter – then stuck behind some cantankerous cows. Sam guided us up the track for a while until it was time for him to turn back, and we carried on up the stream then up and down a horrid little goat track, then a final climb up to Crooked Spur hut. This old musterers’ hut was perched amongst craggy peaks in a huge landscape that made us feel small.

Bush Stream from Crooked Spur

Crooked Spur Hut

A misty morning played havoc with finding our route markers, but we put paid to the trials of tall tussock and sneaky spiky stuff with my invented puttees – a pair of cut off long tramping socks. We had lunch in the delightful Stone Hut, situated at the bottom of a rock slide. One end wall was made of stone with a huge fireplace. Then it was on to Royal Hut on a reasonable track. The old door of the hut has a record of all the mustering teams going back at least to VE day in 1945. Rob put his handy man skills to use and fixed a broken window, and late in the afternoon we were joined by two trampers, one a Te Araroa walker from the States who called himself Cheese and was walking south to north.

 We enjoyed our morning trip up to the highest point on the whole of the Te Araroa Trail, Stag Saddle at 1925 m. But we made a HUGE mistake at the top – it was still a bit misty, so we decided it wasn’t worth going higher up on the ridge for the views, and proceeded down the valley. Well, that was just fine for a couple of hours and we did get lovely views of the brilliant blue Lake Tekapo – but then the trail deteriorated, the markers seemed almost senseless and it all became just hard work. Meantime of course the mist had lifted, and if we’d gone high we would have had a great track. What we thought was a five hour day turned into seven – very depressing!

Stag Saddle

View from Stag Saddle to Tekapo

Evening cloud viewed from Camp Stream Hut

But we did find the lovely old Camp Stream Hut run by the Mackenzie Alpine Trust in great order, and soon made it home. The hut book suggested there was water available from a seep in a horse paddock – it was gross – so we clambered down a bank to a lovely sidestream where we filled up every plastic bottle and billy in sight. To our delight at 8.00 pm, Sam and Lorraine arrived, having biked for an hour and hiked for five hours. They had only found the hut by sheer chance - just as well they did as that night was freezing, and we woke to frost on the ground. Rob was the only one who had spent a comfortably warm night – he’s a lizard.

View over Coal River

It was a lovely walk out together in the morning, discovering our own route up on to a high terrace and avoiding a precipitous climb. We said a sad farewell to Sam and Lorraine at the Round Hill ski field road, and we carried on through a stunning landscape of snow topped mountains and the blue lake in the distance, with the Richmond Ranges towering over us. A hot afternoon was spent walking on gravel road to an inferior backpackers (the YHA was full)in Tekapo, but a fantastic dinner at Monteith’s.

Notes:

Day 40: Bush Stream carpark to Crooked Spur Hut. 9.5 km
Day 41: Crooked Spur Hut to Royal Hut. 15.5 km
Day 42: Royal Hut to Camp Stream Hut. 14 km
Day 43: Camp Stream Hut to Tekapo backpackers. 33 km

From the Rakaia to the Rangitata

Dean from Lake Coleridge Lodge drove us to the start of the Clent Hills track and we set off in the mid-morning heat fortified by the thought of the delicious lunch Toni had prepared for us. I have to get that raspberry and white chocolate slice recipe! 

David and Kaye, old Comyns Hut 

It was a great track with awesome views and we were whooping and doing “The hills are alive...” antics as we skipped along. We stayed in the historic Comyns Hut with its corrugated walls and dexian framing, and for a delightful change we shared the space with two horse trekkers and two trampers.

Outside wandering around were two horses and three dogs. The two horses cornered me as I was coming back from the loo, and tried to follow me right into the hut. Leonardo kept looking in the window with great longing, but no room at the inn for a horse.

I’m glad that dexian framing was solid, I had to hold onto it and do an acrobatic hurdle onto a top bunk that night. There was no way in the world I was going to get up for any reason until morning as I don’t think I could have repeated the performance.

A good lesson – never decide all is going well and the tracks are getting easier because it turns around and bites you in the backside. Next day, although there was nothing scary (apart from a few rocks tumbling off a hillside), the track up and over Clent Hills Saddle was one of the toughest physically so far –  fifty-odd stream crossings to start with and then through high tussock with no defined track and pain inflicted by spiny Spaniards, mutilating matagouri and horrible hidden holes to jar your knees. We probably travelled at less than a kilometre per hour and it nearly made me weep - how I longed for puttees and sturdy boots! We actually welcomed the long sidles over huge scree slopes because they were faster and didn’t hurt.
Whose idea was this??

Lorraine and Sam at Double Hut

But oh the wonderful conjunction of reaching the Heron lake track junction and seeing Sam and Lorraine on their mountain bikes at that precise point. We walked the short distance to the lovely Double Hut together and once again enjoyed their great company. Sir Ed stayed in Double Hut in 1948 while he trained for Mount Everest on the surrounding peaks. Even though it was Waitangi Day, no one else came to share our hut. We have come to the conclusion that the South Island has been de-populated.

That evening Rob, locked in conversation with Sam, used Mycota cream instead of toothpaste....Arrrggh; and thought us unkind to crease up with laughter. 

Lorraine was very keen to try my Osprey Pack, so next day I walked free as a bird to Manuka Hut. Lorraine and Sam left us there to return to their bikes while we continued on over Emily Hill to pretty little Emily Lake. Cattle, merino sheep and four horse riders on Castle Ridge Station appeared as tiny dots in the vast grassland expanses of the Lake Heron Basin.


On the Hakatere Road Sam and Lorraine passed us on their journey home. Then we met Jane Liddle, a fellow “Trailer”, travelling south to north all on her own. Wow, admirable, and she’d done an impressive time. We all wished we could have spent more time chatting, but time was pressing, we said goodbye and went in our opposite directions.  We found a sheltered spot to camp in amongst the matagouri beside Paddle Hill Creek in the Hakatere Conservation Park and settled in for the night.

Rangitata River

A misty morning introduced us to an easy half-day to the Potts River, travelling past Lake Clearwater. We saw the mighty Rangitata River in the distance and then Sam’s head bobbing up above the tall grass! We were soon in Geraldine admiring the vegetable garden and the colourful dahlias and gladioli around the flat. We dined on roast goat wrapped in free-range bacon and a pile of yummy roast veges and fresh greens, and Rob had two helpings of chocolate pudding and ice-cream. I should have had a second helping too because Sam and Lorraine said I was looking a bit like a chicken carcass. Nice.

We drifted off to sleep with the lovely thought of no walking tomorrow. Yay! But the day after we will be heading up into the Two Thumbs Range, heading for Tekapo. See you later!

Notes:

Day 35: Glenrock Stream to Comyns Hut. 15.7 km
Day 36: Comyns Hut to Double Hut. 17 km
Day 37: Double Hut to Paddle Hill Creek camp. 23 km
Day 38: Paddle Hill to Potts Bridge. 16 km
Day 39: Rest Day, Geraldine

Arthur’s Pass to Lake Coleridge

To avoid the narrow winding road from Arthur’s Pass to Klondyke Corner, Rob and I turned into railtrack hobos for a while. We jumped clear of the tracks when a maintenance vehicle suddenly came towards us – we thought we would be in big trouble, but the driver just smiled and waved at us. It was a great way to travel fast in a straight line, but eventually we had to leave the tracks and climb a brier bank to the road - blood trickling from Rob’s finger - short cuts don’t always pay. A cheeky kea harassed us as we ate lunch at the Klondyke shelter. Even though it was only early afternoon, we couldn’t resist a slight detour into the Bealey Hotel for a cold beer before continuing on to Bealey Hut for the night.

Waimakariri River

Lagoon Saddle

We loved the trail up and over Lagoon Saddle – the climb was gentle, the terrain varied – through beech and exotic forest, tussock tops, alongside pretty tarns, over river flats and gentle rivers. The forecast bad weather never eventuated, the tracks were obvious and well maintained apart from a few “blowdowns” (fallen trees), a cute A-frame hut provided a comfortable spot for morning tea, and we saw kaka, kea and flocks of brown creepers.



The 3-wire emergency bridge over the Hamilton River was a laugh – it was so high that a pile of rocks had been stacked up underneath it, and even when I managed to clamber to the top of pile I still couldn’t reach the wires to haul myself up. Rob managed to swing himself up like a monkey, but thank goodness the river was low so I could just splash my way across. Hamilton hut was pure luxury after the old Bealey Hut and the historic West Harper Hut with its dirt floor. But, where is everyone? Again, no one arrived to share the 20 bunks with us.

Harper River Track

 It was a foot-numbing experience criss-crossing the Harper River down through the Craigieburn Forest Park and into Glenthorne Station – now owned by a rich American. The landscape around us was enormous and we were dwarfed by rounded and eroded mountain tops on either side. 

  

We made good time to Harper Village, got confused by directions to a campsite, walked about six extra kilometres and wasted nearly two hours. Ended up camping by some derelict baches but at least there was a composting toilet and a tap, and Rob turned one of the old, partly demolished baches into a handy kitchen/dining area with table and “chairs”.

View from Lake Coleridge Lodge

The next day was all on back roads, a very long day especially as we missed a track and again walked about six extra kms. By the time we arrived, hot and dusty, we needed all the pampering we got from Toni and Dean at the Lake Coleridge Lodge. They gave us a warm welcome, a lovely room and wonderful food. So we were well rested and ready to go by morning.



Notes:

Day 31: Arthur’s Pass to Bealey Hut. 14 km
Day 32: Bealey Hut to Hamilton Hut. 15 km
Day 33: Hamilton Hut to Harper Road campsite. 23 km
Day 34: Harper Road to Lake Coleridge Lodge. 33 km