The Routeburn Track

I guess i should start this blog by mentioning that we have not actually seen rain since the 24th December, which is in itself impressive and we are also informed that the weather so far this season in NZ has not been great so we are indeed lucky and for that we are definitely blessed. I am also pleased to say that the weather stayed calm, sunny and stunning for the duration of this 4 day 'tramp' in the New Zealand wilderness.

After leaving the car with an enterpreneurial campsite in the village of Glenorchy we got on a bus to the trailhead where the adventure began. A splendid half day walk up through a vast valley and fine beech forest (or bush as they call it here) with a new friend Paul (the Auckland policeman) we got to our abode for the evening which was the Routeburn Falls hut which is poised on stilts overlooking some wonderful scenery, I will let the photos do the talking here!! A quick run up to a fabulous viewpoint and a wash in the clear blue water in the local mountain river pools and it was time got bed (naturally a night out on the veranda under the stars was the obvious option!).

The next morning was a bit misty and cloudy so we didn't hurry off but eventually we had to make a move and up towards Harris Saddle and the intriguingly named Conical Summit, a shapely viewpoint with reputed views towards the Tasman sea. After spending 2.5 hours doing sun dances and various coud clearing rituals on the summit with an Australian named Barry and a Taiwanese chap called Larry (no relation!) we were eventually rewarded with views of stunning hanging glaciers and wonderful scenery across rugged and forest clad mountains. The rest of the days walk was equally splendid hugging the Holyford Valley towards our destination the remote Howden Hut. All the huts on these 'great walks' have live-in wardens and there is a splendid little ritual where the warden gives a 'hut talk' each evening before bed time. The hut warden John was a loveable old chap who gave us lots of lovely anecdotes about his times as a warden and was hard not to love him like you would your Grandad. Naturally the next morning had could be seen heaving rocks about and working on the trail like a trooper proving he was clearly fitter and stronger than his elderly demeanor suggested and good luck to him I say and what a lovely chap he was too.

We chose to extend the walk along the Greenstone Valley the next day staying in a hut a good 25km away. Was a splendid day and was amazing to meet up with an old Uni friend not seen for 14 years in the middle of the NZ bush...amazing! 

Words escape me what a great walk this is and the stunning views and sociable atmosphere in the huts make it a great and memorable experience. Again I will defer to the power of photographs to fill in the gaps I have no words left to fill! :)