The following is a list of all Multiday Hikes I’ve completed since I began walking long hikes in August 2011. All but the first has links to the relevant write up I did on each hike.
A couple of days after my hike in the Tararua Ranges, I drove to Taranaki for another hike. Like that earlier hike, the weather got in the way, but I still got to walk on Mt Taranaki after trying several times this year.
Since being back in New Zealand, I’ve been planning the Around the Mountain hike in Taranaki. But in February, a wave of heavy rain came over the North Island on the week I was to do it, so I flew to Queenstown and did The Routeburn trek instead. In March, another wave of heavy rain took the entirety of NZ, so again I cancelled it. As the cooler months were upon us, I left it until the end of the year. The Around the Mountain track has high and low trails along most of its length to allow for people wanting different grades of difficulty. However, there are three parts where there is only one option, and during the winter of heavy rain, a slip wiped out the largest of the three, closing the hike indefinitely. So I was left with its baby sister hike, The Pouakai Circuit, which can be done over 2 days, but I decided to split it over 3.
Day 1 – North Egmont Information Centre to Holly Hut
I stayed in a hostel in New Plymouth and on the morning of the hike, watched cloud cover the entire region. I couldn’t see the mountain from the city, but the weather was due to clear up. So, in the afternoon I headed out to the North Egmont Information Centre. Even as I approached the mountain, it was enveloped in clouds. I spoke to the lady at the information centre and watched the repeating weather forecast on their TV.
At 1pm I finally set out up the manicured wooden steps following the sign that said I should be walking that way.
According to the topographic map on my phone, I had about 90 minutes climbing before I met the trail that would take me around the mountain and then another 2 and a half hours until I arrived at Holly Hut. After 30 minutes, the clouds blew off and I finally got a good look at the mountain.
The climb wasn’t difficult and the steps made it easier. After a while, as I pushed on, the steps turned into a stony trail.
The main Holly Hut Trail was muddier with fewer of the wooden steps and more raw rock to climb over. However, beside the trail were pallet sized stacks of wrapped wood dropped off by chopper. It looked like they intend to lay a kind of boardwalk along the track, which would stop the mud and would also make it easier, not to mention more accommodating for tourists. I walked on and eventually came over a ridge to see the Ahukawakawa – the Sphagnum Moss Swamp – nestled in the crown of several lesser peaks.
The muddy trail continued joining a boardwalk for the last hundred metres to the Holly Hut. In the hut were two other walkers, an American girl and a local guy. We chatted and drank Korean alcohol she’d brought with her from the Pouakai Hut the night before. Then when the hut lights came on – solar powered with a darkness sensor – we all retired to our separate sleeping rooms, of which there were three in the Hut.
Day 2 – Holly Hut to Pouakai Hut
The sky was clear overnight and plentiful stars were out and it stayed that way into the morning. The local guy had left early, and the American girl and I ate breakfast and chatted. Then after she headed off, I walked the side trek down to Bells Falls behind the hut. As today’s walk is short – 2 hours – adding an extra hour would give me something to do. I headed out down a less defined track avoiding large puddles and pushing grasses aside to get through. I even got a good view out to the sea in the west.
I followed the trail attached to the side of a large mound The Dome, dropping some two hundred metres in height until I came to the junction with the closed Around the Mountain trail. Five minutes later and I was rock hopping across the side of the river to see Bells Falls.
I climbed back along the trail back towards the hut. I had almost arrived when I heard a chopper overhead. When I came out at the hut, there were workmen there and the chopper that had delivered bags of firewood. They were also swapping out the shit crates – the large plastic crates the long drop toilets sit on that fill up with… well, shit, and toilet paper. I had to wait until they’d finished and flown away before I could continue.
I donned my pack and headed off just as two ladies with day packs arrived. I walked the 10 minutes back to the junction and took the route downhill towards the Ahukawakawa swamp. The trail is a wooden boardwalk all the way, and half way down I met a girl sitting in an information booth. We chatted before I continued on.
When I got down to the swamp itself, it was mostly tussock grass. I continued across it and over the Stony River on a footbridge – the river flows to the west where it cascades down Bells Falls. I climbed the hill on the far side on manicured wooden steps and a fair way up looked back to see the Ahukawakawa, the river, the mountain and the little green dot that was the Holly Hut at it’s base.
I pushed on, getting to the top of the ridge and around to a nice rocky outcrop beside the trail where I stopped for lunch. After eating, I continued on behind a large mound poetically named Hump. On the other side, I came to a rocky area with the trail heading down. I followed it for several minutes before arriving at the hut. I chose a bed and dropped my pack. Many groups of day walkers were coming up from the Mangorei Track. They would come across the deck to use the toilets, or go inside and have lunch on the tables. Across from the hut is another mound, this one unnamed. I chose to climb it to get away from the daywalkers and sat looking back at the Pouakai Hut.
Later, an older gentleman arrived, and we chatted for the afternoon. He’d come up from the Mangorei road end just for the night to relive his youth where he’d climbed Taranaki six times. Later an older couple arrived for the night, they’d walked the same route I had, but instead of stopping at Holly Hut had crossed the Ahukawakawa. They would be finishing the circuit the next day with me.
That afternoon I got several shots of New Plymouth when the clouds weren’t hanging low over it.
And even one in the dead of the night.
Day 3 – Pouakai Hut to Mangorei Rd
In the middle of the night, the wind picked up and the clouds swallowed us. When we awoke, visibility was at 20m or so. To finish the circuit, the three of us would have to climb over Henry Peak with the heavy wind gusts. I climbed up to the junction without my pack to check out the situation and found the winds rather strong.
We decided that climbing a mountain without any cover would be dangerous. The lone older guy offered to drive us around to the information centre when we got down, which sealed the deal for the three of us. We headed down the manicured wooden steps for the next two hours.
At the bottom, the lone man’s wife met us with their camper van and were driven to the end. This is the route we should have taken it.
Overall Without completing the last part of The Pouakai Circuit, I would rate the walk as fairly easy due to much of it being manicured. I do like how they are making it more accessible for tourists and day walkers and I hope they fix the trail for Around the Mountain so that one day I can come back and complete.
At the beginning of Spring, I set out on a road trip around New Zealand’s North Island to see some friends and walk a couple of hikes. After several days I found my way to Masterton preparing to head into the Tararua Ranges.
As I didn’t wish to spend the entire walk in the forest, I planned a walk across the open ridges, staying in huts as I went. The weather can change quickly in the ranges, and being a cautious walker I was prepared to change plans if needed, and indeed, I did. So, this hike is different to my original plan, which is described later.
Day 1 – Waiohine Gorge Carpark to Alpha Hut
I set out from my accommodation in Masterton and drove into the Tararua ranges on a dirt road, parking at the Waiohine Gorge Carpark. I then headed out from the carpark laden with pack and across the swing bridge over the Waiohine River.
On the other side, the trail began climbing steeply immediately. The track was thin and knotted with roots, moist and slippery underfoot, with puddles of mud along the way. I began at around 170m above sea level and climbed to around 570m before it flattened out a little.
I continued on, climbing another 100m over a longer distance before the trail headed down, to come out at Cone Hut built in 1946. I stopped here for lunch. I also noted that a previous walker had marked in the hut logbook that they had left a small bag in the Alpha Hut. I would keep an eye out for it.
To continue, I had to cross the river and had bought sandals for this occasion. Before changing I spent some time looking for a way to cross, but with not luck I waded across in my sandals and up the bank. Back in my boots, I began climbing up the Bull Mound Track towards the Bull Mound, although I never did figure out why it was called that.
The first climb of the day had been rough, but this trail was worse, steeper, muddier, more tangled in roots. At one point, it was entirely blocked, forcing my to take time to find a way around. My river crossing was at around 320m, and three hours later I reached the sodden top of Bull Mound at 1060m. After 900m, the trees had begun to change, growing barely taller than myself, and almost completely covered in moss.
And, of course, the best view when climbing so long in the forest, the exit into the high alpine region.
But, I couldn’t take a rest as it was cold and wet crossing the open area, so I pushed on and into the cloud layer. Fifty metres later and I crossed the top of a small hill blanketed in sodden moss.
Stepping carefully, I marched on before beginning a descent onto a saddle known as Hells Gate. Icy wind swept up from one side to another, but thankfully there were plenty of thin trees.
On the other side, I climbed to nearly 1200m, thankfully leaving the wind behind, but my breath was coming icy and temperatures had dropped. I descended to below 1100 before climbing again. The topographic map I was following on my phone didn’t have my hut on it, so I assumed to was near the summit of Alpha, still 200-300 metres higher than I was. But not long after, I came out of the trees to find the hut.
I rushed inside, and tried to get the fire going to get some warmth, but alas, none of the wood would light as it was all wet, and not being a serviced hut, firewood wasn’t periodically dropped off. I quickly cooked some food, changed into warmer clothes and still freezing, got into my sleeping bag in hopes of getting warm. During this time I did locate the small bag left behind and squirrelled it away in my pack.
Day 2 – Alpha Hut to Tutuwai Hut
I’d gone to sleep breathing into my sleeping bag, and woke up in a cloud of warm air even though it was freezing outside. I even had to throw my sleeping bag off, and remove some of my thermal clothing as I was too hot. There had been a change in weather overnight, the icy clouds were getting a push along by some pretty heavy gusts of wind. The next couple of days were to have been spent in the open ridgetops, and as a cautious hiker, I felt that high gusts on the icy ridges was not going to be safe (or fun), so I decided to descend back to the lower huts for the rest of the hike.
After packing I headed back along my entry the trail. I descended to Hells Gate, which was again windy, but not as cold as the afternoon before, and on the other side I came to a junction and headed up towards the summit of Omega which opened out onto the rocking area. Low clouds hung over the area but I got my first views of the low lying lands of the Wairarapa. I also had reception on my phone and contacted the owner of the small bag, informing her that I would send to her when I exit the park.
The trail down was similar to the Bull Mound Track I’d climbed the day before. But I would imagine climbing it would have been more difficult. Eventually, after several hours, I came out at the Tauherenikau River I’d crossed upstream the day before. Again I studied the best place to cross, swapped into my sandals and headed across. I’d decided that I would be staying in the Tutuwai Hut that night, and as that was not far from where I’d crossed, I kept my sandals on and walked up the track. I got to an open area with a lunch table, but no hut. It took me a few minutes to locate the hut hidden up the hill – the sign had been smashed. I settled in for the afternoon, found dry wood and got a fire going. Practicing fire making skills is always a good thing!
Just as darkness fell, a pair of young guys appeared, the only other people I’d seen in the two days I’d been in the Tararuas.
Day 3 – Tutuwai Hut to Totara Flats Hut
After a warm night in the hut, I contemplated whether to exit the park or find another hut to stay in for the night. I’d set aside four days in the Tararuas so I located another hut far enough away to give me a fair walk, but also within a fair walk ofwhere I’d parked my car. I followed the river for an hour back to the Cone Hut I’d stopped at on my first day, passing three middle aged guys going to the Tutuwai Hut.
I stopped at Cone Hut for a bit as it had begun to rain lightly, but when it didn’t stop after 15 minutes I headed on. I climbed up the track I’d come in on the first day but split off towards the Cone Saddle. The sign said 30 minutes to the saddle, but I’d discovered that most of the timeframes on the signs are works of fiction, often heavily underestimating the times… it says 1 hour to the hut, 3 hours later I arrived. In many cases, other walkers had scratched off the original times and added more realistic ones. I climbed on, and arrived at the saddle 45 min later.
Perhaps I should have climbed the extra 500m to top of Cone peak and followed the ridge down, but I chose the easy path and headed down towards the Waiohone river. I crossed a small plateau and stopped for some lunch before continuing down to the river.
For the rest of the day, I followed the trails beside the river where I could. There was little climbing and I could take a rock hopping option instead of going up onto the knoll. There were plenty of flat areas, although this is also where the muddy ground is most prevalent. At one point the trail led me up a knoll and I decided to try rock hopping instead, but ran into a dead end and would have to wade into the river to get past, so I went back.
Then I came out onto the Totarani Flats, and for the next 45 minutes it felt like I was crossing a grassy paddock, but in slight drizzle. At one point I found a dry covered spot to have a rest, but was harassed by sand flies, so after five minutes continued on. The trail headed into the woods, and soon after the hut appeared.
As with the day before, I set about making a fire and got ready for the evening. An hour later, a lone runner appeared, stopped in to say hi and sign the hut book, the ran on again. She had started her ‘jog’ 12 hours earlier and still had a bit to go. Trail runners are insane.
Day 4 – Totara Flats Hut to Waiohine Gorge Carpark
The next morning, the weather was fine and once ready, I headed down to the bridge to have a look before donning my pack and leaving. I retraced my steps along yesterday’s trail through the flats, enjoying the sunshine. I crossed the long sections of flat trail and mud to eventually arrive at the the junction I’d passed coming from Cone Saddle. The sign said 2 hours, but who knows.
The trail turned out to be more difficult, with plentiful knotted roots and rocks. It felt like I was climbing over hurdles, up and down and up and down. 2 hours in and I was only half way towards the carpark. The final hour of the walk, and I noticed the trail was more manicured, with sections of boardwalk, cut steps lined with wood and long easy trails. I eventually arrived at the bridge I had crossed at the beginning and crossed over to my car, where I took a rest, changed and prepared to exit the path. After I’d left the Tararua Ranges, I stopped at Carteton and shipped the small bag back to the lady. Later that day, as I was relaxing at my friends’ farm south of Palmerston North, the clouds over the ranges where I’d just been looked ominous.
The Original Plan
The original plan had me going past Alpha hut, along the ridge lines known as the Dress Circle up to heights of 1500m plus to Kime hut, then the next day along the open ridge line to Maungahuka hut. In the cold wind and under cloud cover, the walk wouldn’t have been fun, and with no guarantee of heating at the huts I feel I made the best decision. Then from Maungahuka hut to the carpark I estimate the day would have been between 10 and 12 hours, with long steep descents and a huge climb. If I had done in mid summer it would have been more fun, and perhaps I would have split the last day.
Overall
The walk was good although as I had chosen to not go into the high open ridge tops, the majority of the hike was in the forest. The huts were pleasant, well, the ones where I could get the fire going. I felt cozy and enjoyed the warm solitude of the place. I was prepared for the possibility that I might not be able to get to the higher areas, and had alternative options. Perhaps if I’d chosen early summer, I would have had a different experience: more heat, more alpine, but then more people to contend with on the trail and in huts. Still, I give it a good rating and add it to my experience.
About six hundred years ago, the volcanic cone that is Rangitoto Island erupted its way out of Auckland Harbour beside Motutapu Island. Rangitoto is the largest of the approximately 53 cones in the Auckland volcanic field, all of which are considered dormant.
I’ve not previously been to either island, and at NZ$39 return for the ferry, I decided to make the most of it and do an overnight hike. There’s no formal hike here though, only a number of day hikes on one or the other. So I made one starting and finishing at the Rangitoto Wharf and camping at Home Bay, the only public campsite on the far side of Motutapu Island.
Rangitoto Wharf to Home Bay Campsite– 12.3km – 4 hours
I booked the last ferry to the island for the day at 12:15 pm. The trip over was only 25 minutes, with a stop at Devonport. There were few people on the ferry, one other guy and his son who would be staying at Home Bay, and a day walker. The Auckland weather was sunny and warm, and there was a slight breeze on the top of the ferry as we crossed although clouds hung across both islands, stretching off into the distance.
On arrival, I marched along the wharf and through the waharoa.
Rangitoto Island has the largest forest of Pohutikawa trees in the world, although large portions of the island are covered in jagged volcanic rock. A wide path had been cleared and flattened in many places for the numerous tourists who climb the peak.
After a while, the clouds moved on leaving a hot day for the rocky climb cutting a fairly straight line up the side of the 260m cone. About 15 minutes from the summit, I came to a small camping area with a trail leading off on the side track to the lava caves.
As I had no intention of returning this way, I cut off along the side track, finding some rocky paths that led back down the slope a little before coming to the first of two main lava tubes. At the first, there were two women and their young children, so I left them to it and continued to the second lava tube. This tunnel was about 30 metres long with a nice spot in the middle with a ceiling gap. At the end I had to stoop down to get through before following a trail back to the start of the tube where I’d left my pack.
The kids were just leaving the other tube when I got back to it, but the holes were only small. I walked the 15 minutes back to the main trail and climbed to the summit where there was a large viewing platform beside an old WWII bunker.
After my brief stay at the summit, I followed a trail around the side of the cone and down an overgrown path to the summit road.
This summit road cut through trees and rock fields all the way to the causeway, which was built to connect the islands during WWII. On the road near the causeway were several baches (beach houses), remnants of the 140 built in the 1920s and 1930s before they were banned in 1937.
I stopped for a rest and at the entrance to the island.
After my break, I cut along a path although the two inch grass made it somewhat hard to walk through. The two islands are like polar opposites, and could be described as Good and Evil, or Heaven and Hell. Motutapu has rolling hills, and lots of open grassy fields, while Rangitoto is harsh, with its volcanic rocks and good covering of trees and plants.
I followed the trail across the island, with good views of the harbour, islands and the Auckland Coast until Home Bay came into view.
I climbed down the hill to the campsite and found a spot to pitch my tent. The Home Bay Campsite has 142 non-powered tent sites and during my stay there was only two tents, mine and the man I’d met on the ferry on the way over with his son.
I hung out on a seat near my tent reading until the sun went down in pinks across the sky.
Home Bay Campsite to Rangitoto Wharf– 13.5km – 5 hours
There was a fine layer of dew on everything when I woke, but instead of the forecasted cloudy day, it was full on sun.
I decided I wanted to make the 2:30pm ferry, and arranged my pickup at the other end. This gave me some time to check out other parts of Motutapu Island. I headed north up the hill and along the Rotary Centennial Walkway.
The walkway came to the junction of several roads and further up a brief hill climb to a set of gun emplacements installed during WWII.
Further down the hill was the main gun emplacement area with several underground tunnels, rooms, and large emplacements along with signs explaining various parts.
After some exploring, and checking out another set of tunnels near the junction, I followed a road along to an education camp. I was supposed to stop off at reception and announce my arrival, no exceptions, but I passed through and up the hill on the other side without talking to anyone.
I crossed Administration Bay briefly before heading back up the grassy hills and around the North Western edge of the island back to the causeway. I stopped briefly to talk with some Department of Conservation workers who were scouting for Kiwi, of which they had caught, scanned and released 23 today with a target of 50. I had no idea there were Kiwi on the island.
I stopped for a break at the causeway before beginning along the coastal trail back to Rangitoto Wharf.
At Islington Bay Wharf, I realised the coastal track would take me too long, and I would miss my ferry, so I cut back along the road, followed it up towards the summit and split off part way to race towards the Rangitoto wharf. The sun continued to beat down during the afternoon, and it was again roasting on the rocky Rangitoto. I arrived back at the wharf just prior to the ferry arriving, but was utterly drenched in sweat. As soon as I could I got into a large bathroom and changed into my dry clothes for the trip back.
Overall, My Rangitoto Motutapu Island circuit was a success, there was plenty to see on both islands, and being a Monday, it was quiet. I enjoyed my time there.
Next, I will wait for an opening in the weather and will find another, hopefully longer, walk before winter pushes me into hibernation.
During the COVID pandemic, I chose to take a break from Europe and head to New Zealand for a bit. In early February, I’d planned a hike in the central North Island. But due to sustained rain over the two available weekends, I put that trip on hold and instead flew to Fiordland, at the the bottom of the South Island, where it was still sunny.
The Routeburn Track is a popular 3-day hike crossing the Mount Aspiring National Park and the Fiordland National Park. As it’s considered a Great Walk run by DoC (the NZ Department of Conservation), there are 3 huts along the way where most people will stay. However, at NZ$68 a night, I chose instead to camp for only NZ$21 a night. Unfortunately, there are only two campsites on the trail, meaning the first day would be very short, and the second day, very long.
Day 1 – Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats Campsite – 7.5km – 1.5hr
Having spent the night in nearby Queenstown, I caught a trail transport to the trailhead at the Routeburn Shelter where several of us were dropped off. I left the shelter feeling icy at just after midday, marching into the forest and following Route Burn. A burn is a watercourse, somewhere between a large stream and a small river.
Over the course of the day, there would be a gradual 250m climb, which was barely noticable. With only a short walk, I out marched the others from the trail transport, crossing several side streams on swing bridges and static wooden bridges. These bridges gave the only real views of the day other than trees. The water of the burn ran very clear and was a tourquoise blue in many of the pictures I took.
As I walked, I came to a purpose built toilet, just off the side of the trail. There’s nothing like the sense of being in the wilderness with random toilet blocks.
The trail itself could be described as the motorway of hiking trails, wide, flat and stony. This was purposeful, I assume, to make the hike accessible to beginning hikers. Before long, I could see the flats opening up on one side of the river and came to the Routeburn Flats Hut. Only 200m to the campsite and I was out of the trees, where I pitched my tent and hung out for the afternoon.
Day 2 – Routeburn Flats Campsite to Lake MacKenzie Campsite – 13.5km – 7hr + Side trip: Conical Hill
It had been cold overnight, but my new gear was warm. I was up early the next day, and as I packed up I watched the pink light on the tops of the mountains as the sun came up, well before it reached me and the other handful of tents. Once ready, I headed out of camp, back past the hut and up the hill. It began a fairly steady climb of 250m over the course of the 2.3km, but still in the trees. The trail became thinner and rocky as it skirted around the mountain until the hut came into view. After my first spot of hard work on this hike, I dropped my pack at the hut and took a 10 minute break, admiring the view back whence I’d come. It was around here that I first began to notice my pack didn’t feel weighted right.
After my break, I pushed on up the hill and out of the forest for the first time. Today, the weather was blissfully sunny, as I climbed another 250m over 2km and got a sight of the trail ahead crossing the small plateau. At one point I passed an older couple and their daughter having a late lunch.
Without looking at the map, I guessed a lake sat in the crater above. On climbing around the side of the peaks my guess was confirmed when Lake Harris came into view at the top of the Route Burn Left Branch.
As the path led around above the lake, I crossed the hike’s highest point (not including side trails) at just under 1300m, and rounded the peak to see the Harris Saddle Shelter. I crossed the saddle and set my pack down for lunch.
It’s here that the side trail up Conical Hill begins. I’d heard it was well worth the effort, so I donned my day pack with water bladder inside and begin the climb. I won’t lie, it was hard work, and I stopped many times for short breathers until I finally came over the top. At 1515m, the summit of Conical Hill gave me great views along the Hollyford River Valley leading to Lake McKerrow and further out to the Tasman Sea.
At the other end of the valley I could see a lake, but with so many lakes in Fiordland, I couldn’t tell which it was. I hung about for 10 minutes before heading down. As I got to the shelter, I discovered I was out of water with 3-4 hours of today’s walking still to go. I stopped for a few minutes before heading off south along the upper slopes of the Hollyford River Valley.
I’d heard much of the water in the streams, huts and campsites were good to drink without treating. So at the first stream I filled up. The taste was crisp, clean and refreshing. I continued along as the trail slowly undulated around the small peaks. I again passed the trio from before the saddle, they too had run out of water, but were more nervous about drinking from the streams.
I continued and eventually rounded a peak to see Lake Mackenzie below, the hut (the white block on the right), and the camp (near the largest of the visible beaches. After rounding the peak, it was all downhill to the lake.
The trail hit a couples of switchbacks before diving back into forest. Over the past couple of hours, I had begun to notice more and more that my pack wasn’t quite right. It was hanging to one side all the time, and the straps kept slipping. It felt more like a travel pack meant to sit on the back for an hour at a time, not a 9 hour slog over mountains. I stopped and repacked it, but while the balance felt a little better, but it still wasn’t quite right. I followed a girl down the hill and came out at the hut. Nearby people swam in the lake as I continued the the 10 minute walk to the campsite. Finding a spot, I pitched the tent, had a wetwipe ‘shower’ and zipped myself in for the evening.
Day 3 – Lake MacKenzie Campsite to The Divide 12km – 5 hours + Side Trip: Key Summit
Most of today would be in the forest, so after a late breakfast I headed out. I climbed the first of today’s two short climbs, barely noticing the 100m over the 1.5km distance. It was then fairly flat over the next few kilometres, the only views were in places where there had been slips although signs advised to hurry through and not stop.
At one point, I ran into the older lady and her daughter and stopped for a chat. Then a kilometre on I came out at the Earland Falls and met the husband with a family I’d met on the transport to the hike on the first day. It seemed we would all be on the transport out of the hike later that day. Earland Falls is a 179m tall with a large pool at the base. The water levels were low, but it can apparently flood during the winter.
From here it was a descent of 300m over 2.5km, but as it was through the forest, it was hard to tell. I passed several people going the other way in the early hours of their hikes before eventually coming out at lake Howden where I stopped for a 15 minute break. There was once a hut at this location, but it burned down a couple of years ago. After my break, I headed up the last 100m climb of the trail, still in the forest and stopped after a kilometer, when the trail led up to the Key Summit. I dropped my pack and headed up without it. The side trail climbed above the forest line giving wonderful views back north along the Hollyford River Valley from whence I’d come. At the top, it also gave a view of Lake Marian.
I stopped only briefly before heading down again. I donned my pack and continued for the last 3 kilometers of the trek, all downhill and all within the forest. I emerged at the Divide Shelter, took my pack off and rested. Not long after, others began emerging too, many of whom would be on the 4 hours bus ride back to Queenstown.
Overall The Routeburn trail is a classic three day hike centred around crossing Harris saddle, with much time spent above the forest line. It was a busy and popular hike that I’d rate as having a moderate difficulty. I’d recommend for beginners and and those fairly new to hiking, although advanced and experienced hikers would enjoy too, although there are other more challenging hikes around.
It was good to get out on the track after 18 months away from hiking due to COVID and moving countries. I was troubled by my new pack, so set a task for myself to buy a new one on returning to Auckland.
Next week, I head to Nelson to start the Abel Tasman Coastal Great Walk.
After walking the 4-day Abel Tasman Coastal Great Walk, I took a break and caught a transport 86km south of Nelson to the Nelson Lakes Region looking for more of an alpine hike.
Initially, I was due to arrive late afternoon and camp the night in St Arnaud. But due to a change in timing for the transport, I would be in the region several hours early, so chose to start the hike immediately with a short first day.
Day 1 – St Arnaud to Lakehead Hut – 3hr – 10 km
I arrived in St Arnaud, bought a coke from the Petrol Station/General Store, and with the lunch I’d brought with me, sat on the beach of Lake Rotoiti to enjoy them.
My big mistake was not to not know there aren’t any rubbish bins in St Arnaud. I’d have to carry an empty coke bottle for the entire hike. You live and you learn. After lunch, and a bit of harassment by a duck, I headed off around the edge of the lake climbing a little as I went on a thin non-manicured trail.
The 10km of today was entirely in the forest, and it would not sink in until later in day two that the vast majority of the hike would be this way. Lake Rotoiti looks somewhat like an angry sperm, with two large nobs at one end and and a thin tail at the other. Near this table end, I stopped and boots off, dunked my feet in the water. Around me wasps crawled everywhere, attracted to the Beech trees most of the forests in this region contain. None bothered me, and neither did the sandflies, as for this hike I had bought some DEET insect repellant.
It didn’t take me long to reach the hut and I settled into hut life, chatting to the people who were already there including some Te Awaroa walkers and a girl who had arrived via water taxi. I talked to her into the evening and once everyone else had gone bed, we too decided to slip off to our respective sleeping bags.
Day 2 – Lakehead Hut to Upper Travers Hut – 19.6km – 7.5 hours
The first part of today was walking through the long grass at the end of the lake, before I disappeared into the forest once more.
I left last from the hut, but within 30 minutes I ran into the girl I’d been talking to the night before, who was reorganising her bags, of which she had brought too much.
Once she was ready to move on, I walked with her through the forest for the first half of the day, talking about everything and anything. Even as the sole of her boot fell apart before me, we continued walking and talking, and before we knew it, we arrived at the John Tait Hut, where we stopped for a coffee and lunch.
After our coffee break, my new friend and I continued on, beginning the climb towards the Upper Travers hut. About 30 minutes in, she took a break, but told me to push on. I bid her farewell, that I would see her at the hut, and set off up the trail. Not long after, I came to the Travers Falls. I dropped my pack and climbed down the steep bank to get a better look.
I ran into my friend again while I was putting on my pack. She seemed to like the idea of not carrying her pack for a while, so I left her to enjoy the waterfall. The climb continued at a fair pace, although within the trees I really couldn’t tell how far I was climbing except when I came out to cross the occasional stream. I’d been alerted to one of the bridges in this area having been washed out, and I located it, or what was left of it, as I crossed the rocky stream.
Then after three hours of climbing since the John Tait hut, I came over a rise to a tussocky field with great mountain views and the hut nestled in a small copse of trees. I crossed the field and set my pack down, preparing for the evening. For the next couple of hours I kept an eye out for my friend, who did eventually arrive, having left one of her bags behind. That evening I discovered much of the rest of the hike would be through trees, except for 2 hours crossing the saddle the next day.
Day 3 – Upper Travers Hut to West Sabine Hut – 8km – 6 hours
My walking friend from the day before made the choice to stay another night in the hut and return down the same track we’d climbed the previous day. While chatting over breakfast, she suggested a more alpine route, which I decided to ponder on the way to the next hut. I bid farewell and began climbing straight into forest, but only for 10 minutes before it opened out into an alpine landscape including a crown of mountains.
The trail plodded up towards the crown for several hundred metres before beginning a steep climb up the side of Mt Travers before slowly rounding out to the saddle, a 90 minute climb total.
I dropped pack and took a break with the view of Mt Travers behind me.
At the advice of another walker, I climbed to see small tarn a little further up, and also got a great view back down the valley I’d climbed from.
On the other side of the saddle, I got a view of where I would be going. With no sight of other walkers, I took up my pack again, and began the climb down. Half an hour later, and near where the trail dove back into the forest, I stopped for lunch in the sun.
Back in the forest, the trail led steeply down and seemed endless. Very occasionally, I could see the mountains around to judge how far I’d descended. But again, it felt never-ending and my knees didn’t thank me for the effort. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I began to hear a river ahead and followed the noise along a gully until I came out at the bottom where a stream met the raging East Branch Sabine River.
Thankful for the break, I took off my books and dipped my feet in the water. Afterwards, I headed along what I thought was a flat rest of the trail, but I was wrong. It was for the first several hundred metres before it crossed a bridge where deep below, the wide river raged even harder through a thin channel. The trail climbed around the side of Mount Franklin, still deep in the forest, with often muddy areas, until after a handful of kilometres, began yet another steep decent leading down to where the east and west branch of the rivers met. Then it was a 500m flat walk to the hut where I found two ladies from the previous hut, and no-one else. That night, I did some research on my way forward.
I’d originally planned to do a return day walk to the Blue Lake, then on to Sabine hut, the following day, with a long day out to St Arnaud for my last day. But this would see me walking predominantly in the forest, which I was honestly sick of at this point. The other option was to skip Blue Lake, head straight to Sabine Hut and then climb into the alpine region to Lake Angelus Hut instead. This sounded much more my style.
Day 4 – West Sabine Hut to Sabine Hut – 14.2km – 6 hours
After making the decision to skip the day walk to Blue Lake, I headed out this morning and made for Lake Rotoroa and the Sabine Hut. A hundred metres from the West Sabine hut I cross the wide river on a suspension bridge and followed it into the mossy forest.
Today’s walk is six or so hours through the forest, but thankfully, unlike the previous day, there is no major climbs or descents, just a gentle downhill for most of the day.
And yes, with the exception of the 2 hours I spent crossing the saddle yesterday, this is my fourth full day in the forest. But even the forest itself seemed to feel my frustration and came out to remind me all was fine.
There were plenty of opportunity views back along the river…
And the occasional open grassy areas to cross, to break up the constant forest. This one led onto the only real climb of the day, passing over a knoll to get the heart pumping a little. At the end of the knoll, I met an exhausted looking couple who were carrying far too much. They’d only started an hour earlier after getting a water taxi across the lake.
With only a couple of kilometres left, I crossed the river and made my way through the flat forest waiting for the lake to appear. Then, for the first time this hike, the weather turned and a very light rain began. It continued until I finally arrived at the lake and then shortly after to the hut. On arrival, the sky opened up and bucketed down with lighting and thunder for much of the evening. About midway, a rather wet walker arrived, no doubt thankful to be out of the rain.
Day 5 – Sabine Hut to Angelus Hut 7.2km – 6 hours
After the rain of the previous evening, I was concerned that the steep first route that left from beside the hut would be overly wet and slippery, but I went anyway. The initial climb was very steep and foot placement was pertinent, carefully placed on dirt with a slight covering, no rocks or roots unless I could get a good foot holding.
It was slow work, and I used the trees where I could. After the first hour, the steepness eased with easier paths, but I remained fastidious, ever watching my steps. The climb grew easier, but the forest must have held a fairly low temperature, as I neither felt tired nor even broke a sweat as I climbed. This is odd, as I am an easy sweater while walking under weight. The trail grew steeper in hour three, only to round off and become flatter once again.
The Sabine hut is at 467m and at 1335m I emerged into a sunny Tussock covered rolling hilltop. I stopped just inside the forest to prepare for the open trail.
I climbed a further 200m in the glorious open sky to the summit of Mount Cedric and stopped for lunch. Below me lake Rotoroa stretched away while to the side mountains stood tall. Out of the shade of the trees the wind at this height was icy, so I put on my wind breaker.
A crown of mountains headed off to the right, and I saw that the Mount Cedric Track followed it, so after eating, I continued walking.
My climb, now in the open air, was glorious, and under the direct sunlight I began to sweat. The climb grew higher as I skirted around the rocky top of the crown and followed the ridge line off to the left, climbing even higher.
After being in the forest for four days, just being atop an open mountain ridge gave me a sense of enjoyment. The direct sun, the slight breeze, the rocky bliss and the sense of smallness among giants…
While there was a defined path, there was some rock hopping and thin somewhat precarious paths, but I always walk with caution on these paths. I got past and rounded the ridge line to look down onto the valley where Lake Angelus was supposed to be, but there was another smaller ridge in the way. Below me I could see the Hinapouri tarns instead.
I descended towards their smaller ridge with much rock hopping, which took some time, before I finally climbed down the slope to stand before Lake Angelus.
I climbed down to a flat tussock path, then around the lake to the Hut where, in the blissful sunshine, dropped my pack and chatted to some ladies on the front deck. Angelus hut turned out to be a very social hut with more people arriving through the afternoon.
Day 6 – Angelus Hut to St Arnaud – 18km – 5 hours
After my usual breakfast and packing regime, I set out across the tussock towards the ridge line behind the smaller two lakes in the basin, to the trail called the Robert Ridge Route. The climb affording good views back down the Lake Angelus basin as I climbed. The lake soon disappeared as I walked along the top of the ridge away from the hut.
As I climbed towards the Mt Julius Summit at near 1800m, I got a view down the valley to where I had crossed on the 2nd day of this adventure.
At Mt Julius Summit, I found a wide area where I could stop – wide in this case being 1.5 – 2m. I also found good 4G reception, so thought I would video call my parents at home in Auckland, to show them the view.
Afterwards, the trail cut across the side of the rocky ridges as it continued, before changing to the rounded hilltops with wide paths. There were some climbs, but nothing major, but all the time glorious views in all directions with the weather warm and minimally cloudy.
The route continued and I began to see walkers coming towards me, I climbed the last of the large round hilltops and stopped on some flat rocks for lunch.
After chatting with a couple of passersby, I headed off again along the ridge, this time slowly descending. The route continued down past a rest shelter likely build for day walkers, to the summit of Mount Robert, the final peak before my big descent out of the National Park.
I took a break at the top to chat to another climber and admire the view down on Lake Rotoiti.
The descent to the carpark was partially through the forest, but mostly in the open, growing steadily warmer as I got closer to the bottom. There are more than 22 switchbacks on the way down, and I find it handy to count then down. In my mind it helps as fast descents are not my knee’s favourites.
At the bottom, I set out along the road towards St Arnaud, a further 90 minutes along a dirt road which turned to a major highway. I had intended to camp 45 minutes from the end of the hike, but it was still early with plenty of daylight left, so I decided to crack out onto the road and thumb a lift back to Nelson, some 86km away. I made it getting two lifts and not having to walk too much.
Overall, I should have taken more care in selecting a hike, as I found this circuit to be particularly frustrating. If I had walked the entire length as planned, but added the side trip to Blue Lake, it would have been six days in the forest, with only 2 hours in the alpine region crossing the Travers Sabine saddle. As I particularly dislike walking in the forest for anything longer than a day, I was thankful for the girl I walked partially with on day 2 and her suggestion to go to Lake Angelus instead. As these are my first long hikes in the NZ mountains, I will be more careful with my planning in the future.
Next, after a week or so giving my legs a break, I have a couple of walks in the North Island. Until then, The Lone Trail Wanderer
For my second hike in as many weeks, I flew to Nelson at the top of the South Island. From here I will be doing a pair of hikes, but the first is a coastal and listed as one of New Zealand’s most popular hikes. Thankfully the school holidays are over and as I start on a Monday the trail is expected to be quiet.
The Abel Tasman Coastal Track Great Walk! is a 60 kilometre, 3-5 day walk which I did over four days, the last of which was a short day due to having an early pick up from my transport company. In addition, there are several inlet crossings on the trail, one of which doesn’t have an alternative high route, so tide times are important to ensure there are no delays.
Day 1 – Marahau to Torrent Bay Village Campsite – 17 km – 5.5 hours + Side trip to Cleopatra Pool
It was an early start from the hostel this morning to get to the pick up location, and I wasn’t able to find a coffee. I was collected with six others, most of whom were being dropped off like me at the southern start point.
As we pulled up I noted a cafe right next to the trailhead, but when I got there, I found it was closed on Monday and Tuesdays. I guess I’ll have to find time to make my own coffee. I started out along a boardwalk to where to the stony trail began and headed into the bush that I would annoyingly be spending much of the hike in. From time to time as I walked I got views along the golden sands of Porters Beach.
A couple of kilometres into the walk, I stopped at Tinline Campsite, the first of many, where I made a coffee. As I drank, I had my first meeting with a Weka. It seemed friendly, but I would soon learn not to trust these thieving little beasties, thankfully not because they took any of my stuff.
After coffee, the trail climbed a little, making the views just that little bit better. I climbed down a steep thin path to Coquille Bay Campsite before continuing on. A couple of kilometres later, I did the same at Apple Tree Bay Campsite, but learned that climbing down to every beach campsite meant climbing back up to the trail again, usually on a steep path.
I was looking for a lunch spot another couple of kilometres later as I rounded Stilwell Bay. A sign sent me to Yellow Point Lookout in hope of finding a nice spot, but after a short walk, I discovered to my disappointment, there was very little to see at said lookout. I also had my first encounter with the wasps in the National Park, which were everywhere. They paid me little attention, and I learned later that this entire region was rife with them due to the plentiful beech forests. Next to the Yellow Point Lookout path was the path down to Akersten Bay Camp where I dropped my pack and took lunch, but not before visiting the small cave at the end of the beach.
My camp for the night was to be on the other side of a bay usually crossed at low tide. But as I knew this ahead of time, and with low tide several hours away, I took the high tide route around and was able to walk 10 minutes on a side trail to Cleopatra Pool, part of the Torrent Bay River.
The river runs down a slide into the Cleopatra Pool, and as I dipped my feet in the cold water, I watched a couple of women slide down.
After my break, I walked the hour around the bay and when I got to the campsite, I found a nice spot, pitched my tent and went for a walk. The Torrent Bay Village is a village of baches (beach houses, to non-Kiwis) with numerous private property signs. I wandered around a bit and enjoyed the golden sand, swam in the bay and waited for more people to arrive, but even at low tide came, no-one crossed. Tonight, it would appear, I would be the ruler of the camping ground, with my sole subjects the mozzies.
Day 2 – Torrent Bay Village Campsite to Awaroa Campsite– 18.5km – 7 hours + Side trip to Awaroa Lodge
It was low tide on my waking and people were beginning to stream across the dry bay. As I got ready and had breakfast I watched more and more begin the soggy crossing. I bumped into some later and they told me they were all coming from the Anchorage Hut or Campsite.
When ready, I walked through the village and along the beach a little before beginning the climb up the hill on the far side. It was not a tall climb, and I soon came to the Torrent Bay View point.
I headed on, winding through the forest on a curving path that stayed fairly level. These paths/tracks are very wide, as are all Great Walk! Paths.
I crossed a stream and climbed a little until I came to the Halfway Pool, formed by a stream coming through the area. Compared to Cleopatra Pool, Halfway Pool isn’t even a half sized pool.
I continued on, crossed the Falls River Suspension Bridge and began a slow descent to the turn off to Medlands Beach. I had a quick look at the carving there before continuing on. I rounded the bay and came down onto the Bark Bay spit, where I dropped my pack, took off my boots and had some lunch.
When I headed out again I noted that the bay behind the spit was dry, so decided to cross instead of going the long way around. At the far side, the water was just coming in and was too deep to cross without taking off my boots. On the other side, I put my boots back on and climbed the short steep path to the trail.
It descended slowly down to Tonga Quarry where stones were extracted for the Nelson Cathedral. The quarry was once a Campsite, but was permanently closed after storm damage in 2018. Another short climb led around to Onetahuti Bay where there had been a warning of a deep stream crossing the beach. It wasn’t deep and I crossed with little issue.
I sand walked to the end of the beach, which is not the most fun, and dropped my pack and boots for a break. I then crossed a bridge and headed back into the hills before coming to a T-junction, one way heading down to the Awaroa Lodge, the other continuing the trail. A group of girls were deciding if they should go to the lodge, but decided not to, so I tailed them a little way before they stopped and I continued on. Just over a kilometre later was another shorter route to the lodge, and with the thought of a cider creeping into my mind, I decided to take it.
The Awaroa Lodge did indeed serve cider along with hot chips, so I had a couple of drinks and relaxed. After an hour, I pushed on, following a flat path that would lead to a bay crossing. The bay still had water in it and I had to decide to wait possibly hours for the tide to go down, or to go around. I decided to go around, although I hear I could have easily crossed as the water was only waist deep. I cut through the Awaroa Glamping site instead and ended up bushwhacking a little to get back to the path. The rest of the trail was hard work, especially as I had relaxed so long (nothing to do with the cider, nope). An hour later I finally arrived at the campsite, set up my tent and to get away from the sandflies and Weka, got in. Just before dark a noisy group arrived, but thankfully stayed at the other end of the campsite.
Day 3 – Awaroa Campsite to Mutton Cove Campsite– 14km – 5 hours
In the morning, everyone was up early to get the low tide crossing of the bay, all except the noisy crowd who were barely rising when everyone else was heading out.
Halfway across I noted there was still water higher than ankle deep, so I removed my boots and put on my flip flops. The rest of the crossing was slow and muddy, but I got there, cleaned up my feet as I looked back across the bay, put my boots on and headed off.
With a minimal climb, I crossed the peninsula to Waiharakeke Bay and walked along the bay until I came out on Goat Bay Beach.
There was a steep climb over the hill at Skinner Point, but I noted the tide was still out enough that I could try to rock hop around instead. I deemed there would be plenty of time to come back if I got stuck, but there weren’t any issues.
I jumped down onto Totaranui Beach and walked along to the campsite where there were plenty of RVs and people on holiday. I stopped and made a coffee before pushing on again, heading past the Totarani Education Centre on a grassy path…
…before climbing a small hill over to Anapai Bay Campsite, a small beach camp.
I stopped for a rest before pushing on over a pair of short ridges.
I came down into Mutton Cove Campsite where I would be staying for the night. The camp was a large grassy area, but there was a lot of wind coming off the sea. I found a tucked away spot and pitched my tent. For much of the afternoon, only the occasional other walker would come by to stop for a break then head on again. Of course, I was not to have the place to myself, as late in the afternoon the noisy bunch arrived, thankfully camping at the other end.
Day 4 – Mutton Cove Campsite to Wairau Bay Carpark – 8km – 2.5 hours Today is a short day as I need to meet the trail transport in the early afternoon. I set off at my normal time, again just as the noisy crowd awoke.
I headed up the first steep climb right out of the camp as it crossed the peninsula to Wharwharangi Bay, and walked along the trail off the beach. The trail cut inland and passed the Wharwharangi Bay hut where I stopped to get some toilet paper to clean my sunglasses, then off again straight away onto the highest climb of the trail.
I powered up the sometimes steep trail and eventually came to the summit feeling strong. I took a break on a seat before beginning the slow descent around into Wainui Bay, where I was 2 hours early for the pickup.
I had hoped there might be a shop of similar nearby, but it was not to be the case. So, I found a camp table, got changed into long clothes to avoid the sandflies and just waited. The vehicle was early, and as all five of us were already there, we packed up and headed back to Nelson.
Overall, The Abel Tasman was a nice little hike with one main issue for me, a large portion of it was spent in the forest. I’ve done plenty of forest walking in my time, but it tends to feel like I am on a treadmill with a screen showing forest displays. You climb and descend, turn left and right, but really have no idea where you’re going. I found this to be a typical case around the northern South Island. Other than this, I found the walk interesting and the various inlets a good respite from the forest. I did also note that two thirds of the people walking were woman. I noted similar on my next walk too and certainly aren’t complaining complaining.
After a day’s break in Nelson, I’m off to the Nelson Lakes Region for a more alpine walk. Until next time, The Lone Trail Wanderer.
Day 6 – Castleton to Hayfield – 11.5 miles (18.5 km) – 5 hours
The last day of the hike has the shortest distance but is the hardest with the most climbing. Unlike yesterday, the forecast today was for rain. But it’s England, and the Peak District, so I left my accommodation expecting the worst.
Castleton is known for the remains of Peveril Castle on the hill, not to mention an extensive cave system in the peaks around it. I could see the castle high on the hill from the Main Street.
I headed up the hill beside the castle on a rocky path and began a long slow climb with sheep and lambs bleating at me as I passed. As I came around behind the castle, I could see its back above me as I climbed. It was built to keep the townsfolk in check but was abandoned as it proved to be unnecessary.
On either side of the trail are small caves, but I didn’t stop to investigate. The path continued to the top of the hill between stone walls and eventually emerged onto a plateau, sectioned off for farming. I passed through a gate and it began to spit. I pulled out my pack cover but didn’t bother with a jacket, no point sweating even more than I currently do. Thankfully, the rain did not come, and the spitting subsided.
After a fair walk, I came to a junction where a thin road headed off to the north. My trail followed this road for about a mile, past a farmhouse, to a major road. On the far side, I could see where the trail was leading me, to the top of a Tor. It would be a fair climb, and by the number of people climbing it, a popular tourist spot.
The climb to the tourist carpark looked to be steeper than the actual climb up the Tor, but hiking is not about doing things the easy way. I climbed to the carpark and then on up the side of the Tor, which had been paved for ‘easy’ walking. When walking for distance, I find it easier to walk on the soft ground beside the steps as it uses less energy. At the top of Mam Tor there are great views down both sides, but because of the cloudy haze about, it is difficult to get a clear shot.
On the far side of the Tor the trail continued up to another pair of peaks, but I wasn’t to climb either of these. Partway up the first was Hatton Cross, which is more of a knob, marking where I would begin my descent from the peak on a rocky trail.
The trail eventually passed alongside a farm, crossing grazing paddocks with sheep and lambs, until it came to a major road. A few fields after and I arrived at the village of Grindsbrook Booth where I stopped for lunch: a bacon and egg butty, and a coffee. This was when it decided to start raining.
After my lunch, I struck out in the rain, which wasn’t too heavy and didn’t last long. Grindsbrook Booth, also known as Edale, is the official beginning point of the 286 mile Pennine Trail, of which I would only be doing a tiny section.
I climbed a hill at pace, the caffeine from lunch pushing my on with vigour. I soon overtook several other walkers, with others coming the other way, to eventually arrive at a tiny village called Upper Booth, and continuing quickly on.
From the village, the trail climbed steadily up the hill towards Jacob’s Ladder, a set of steps that have been built to ensure a quick climb to the top of the pass. I shot up the steps, passing other walkers, but stopping a couple of time to regain my breath before pushing on.
I soon crossed the pass, and with the understanding that it was only a handful of miles before the end of the hike, I raced downhill on a stone covered trail.
When the moors ended, and the farm fields began, the trail became less rocky and eventually became a road. I continued to race down the hill to the bottom and climbed the final small hill, a mile from Hayfield, the end of the hike. I then raced along the trail, my legs aching, until I hit the roads of Hayfield.
With the end of the hike nigh, I crossed through the streets of Hayfield to my beginning point, The Kinder Lodge and finally took off my boots for the final time on the hike. I celebrated with a meal at the local Italian restaurant, and several ciders.
The next day I was off and back to London, returning to normal life after my time in the Midlands.
Overall Thoughts
I enjoyed my time in the Peak District National Park. I expected the weather to be changeable but got a couple of lovely days and very little rain. I did have a small expectation that things would be a little more difficult and that it would feel a little wilder. There were periods during a couple of the days where I felt like I was away from other people and in the wilds. But this is England, and you have to take what you can get. Perhaps the further north I push for hikes, the wilder it will feel.
Next, I am off to Northern Wales into Snowdonia to do several days of walking, this time not in a circuit. During that time I will be summiting Mt Snowdon.
The Inn Way was a well-prepared hike, and I am glad I found it. While there were plenty of pubs along the way, that wasn’t the point of the walk. I would recommend checking out the website www.innway.co.uk for this and other books in the Inn Way series.
Day 4 – Youlgrave to Tideswell – 16 miles (25.5 km) – 8 hours
I had worried during the night about an infection in one particular blister and went to see a nurse to check it out. If it was indeed infected, I might have to cancel the rest of the hike, but it turned out to be just a painful, annoyingly located, blister nothing more. So, I packed my gear and set out from the hostel, ignoring the pain.
I headed down the very steep roads of Youlgrave to the river, and followed it on a dirt path, past a small footbridge and several fields.
I eventually came to a vehicle bridge across to Alport but did not cross. I continued alongside the River Lathkill crossing fields, for about a mile before coming to the Conksbury Bridge. I stopped and looked down the river where masses of flies buzzed about. In the water, a single fish preyed on those that got too close.
I crossed the bridge and entered Lathkill Dale, a three-mile stretch of trail along the river. I passed many other walkers, most who had come only to walk the dale. I walked with the thin river to my left, with views of weirs along the way.
To my right side for much of the dale was a rocky bank often covered with bush, but from time to time a small path would lead to a cave entrance in the rock. While I had a head torch with me, there were too many to investigate and my day was set to be long enough. About halfway along the dale, a wooden bridge crossed the river to a ruined house.
I decided to investigate and found a large hole behind the building with a ladder leading down. So, I climbed down for a look and found a short tunnel leading to a five-metre deep rocky hole beneath the house itself. Beside it a small hand generator to turn on the lights.
Back up along the river, I continued my walk along a mixture of concrete paths, dirt trail and rocky path. Towards the end of the dale, it forked, with the trail heading along the other fork from the river. The trail led up between two ridges, crossing rough rocky ground until it emerged near a road.
I stopped for lunch before continuing around into Monyash, a small village. Then my trail led up a road and across grazing fields before coming to the Magpie lead mine, which has not been used for many decades.
After a brief look around, I continued on to the small town of Sheldon. I then crossed more fields for more than half a mile before heading downhill in Great Shacklow Wood.
I rarely use my hiking poles, but I pulled one out to help my stability on the steepest descent so far of the hike.
At the base, I forded a river and followed a dirt trail through the forest for near a mile around a right bend to a weir, which I crossed at a metal bridge. The path then ran up the side of the hill, while not steep, it was a constant climb to emerge at Monsal Head and great views along the valley.
The trail headed down steeply again on the other side, to the old Monsal rail line, where the railway has now been all but removed.
The trail followed a hard road for a couple of miles, and through two old train tunnels, the Cressbrook and Litton tunnels.
After the second tunnel, I crossed the river at Litton Mill.
I made my way around and up Tideswell Dale for a mile and a half before coming to a road. The trail crossed and pushed me up a hill. With only a few hundred metres to go on a long day’s hike, who’s idea was it to climb a steep hill behind a farm? I eventually came into the Tideswell, exhausted, and began looking for my Airbnb.
Footsore and with the painful blisters, I did not feel like wandering too far for food, so I found a local chippy around the corner and a Co-op to get some cider, before settling in for a long sleep.
Day 5 – Tideswell to Castleton – 14 miles (22.5 km) – 6.5 hours
After a 10 hour sleep, and an excellent breakfast at my Airbnb, I headed out of Tideswell along Church Lane which headed over a hill. It was nothing too extreme and got my blood going as the wind was a little chilly.
I made it into Litton, just another tiny village dotted on the landscape. I found the trail on the far side and cut across a field with a group of seven people stopped ahead of me. They were all teenage girls; I wished them a good morning and continued walking. A few minutes later, I came upon a group of seven teenage boys and wished them the same. I headed quickly downhill into a gully called Tansley Dale, following a dirt path.
With the boys following behind, I walked on quickly towards the bottom. The gully was part of Cressbrook Dale I had walked beside yesterday. At the bottom, I turned left and headed along the base of the dale between two ridges. I followed it around to the right and began to rise. The lads likely went the other direction, but I could hear the girls, who were walking at the top of the left-hand ridge.
The gully eventually rose out of the dale to a road near a village, Wardlow Mires. I walked through and found the path headed between farm buildings, the smell was just foul, I don’t know how farmers do it. I then headed up the hill across grazing fields towards a Manor House.
I passed the manor and walked along a lane for a couple of hundred metres before crossing a grazing field with sheep and lambs. I crossed many more fields until I came to Foolow, apparently the Peak District’s prettiest village, where I stopped outside the pub for a five-minute sit-down.
After crossing a further 17 fields, mostly empty, but some with the obligatory sheep and lambs, I came to Eyam. This village has a sombre story behind it. It was struck by the plague in the 17th century but quarantined itself so as not to spread the disease. 260 died, but the plague did not get out.
After Eyam, the trail climbed a very steep road, through a less steep field and into a small wood where the even steeper path finally levelled out. As I emerged from the wood, I discovered the sun had come out, and it would stay out for the rest of the day.
I crossed several more fields before the landscape changed from grassy paddocks to scraggy moors. I climbed to the summit of a short hill and then down the other side following a winding trail that cut around the edge of a steep hill following a stone wall. It eventually dove down into a gully, across a stream and into a clough – a small gorge – where I followed a trail to the end, climbing out of it to the village of Abney.
From Abney, I followed a thin concrete road for half a mile to a sandy, gravel road for a further two miles to the village of Brough.
From here I followed the trail across many grazing fields, containing cows and their calves, sheep and their lambs, a goat and even llama! I passed the village of Hope before arriving at Castleton, the end point of the day.
Cutting a trail around the world, one country at a time…
The Lone Trail Wanderer 