south to north.
After getting myself organized in Invercargill I went for
a 3-day hike on Stewart Island. There's a very compact
village of 400 people and everything else is wild except
for a few scattered hiking trails or tracks.
I went on a three day 'tramp' called the Rakiura Track.
At first it follows the coast with intermittent beaches.
On the second day it cuts through the island to the other
shore and then returns to the starting point on the third
day.
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Hump Track
This was my first true mountain backpacking trip in New
Zealand. It's privately run and not one of the famous
Great Walks. I did it on the recommendation of my good
friend, Gavin Pond and I was glad I did. The trip runs
out of Tuatapere along the south coast of South Island
The first day started with a walk along the beach. When
it turned inland it was flat at first, then became very
steep and strenuous. When I got to the top of the ridge
I couldn't see a thing because it was in the clouds.
The second day however had great visibility. Below was
Te Waewae bay and the ocean 3000 feet below. To the
northwest were the mountains of Fjordland National Park.
On the ridgetop were striking rock formations and small
pools amid the wet mossy shrub.
From the ridge we descended back to sea level and a hut
set up in the abandoned lumbering town of Port Craig.
The last leg of that day's hike was an old rail line
complete with wooden bridges or viaducts.
The third day was a beach walk back to the 'carpark'
partially retracing our route from the first day
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Kepler Track
Now THIS is what I call a Great Walk!! Rakiura was a
nice warm-up. The Hump Track was cool but the Kepler
was spectacular. It's even withing walking distance
(for a hiker) of Te Anau.
After an hour's walk along the shores of Lake Te Anau
the track turned up into the mountains and was soon
above treeline with amazing views of the lake and
mountains.
Just when I was settling into the hut a helicopter
swooped in and a happy couple had their wedding right
then and there on the front porch of the hut.
Champagne for everyone, friend and stranger alike!
The next day was almost all above treeline,
zig-zagging over and around the steep sided mountains.
Even the last day was neat. Not just the usual boring
walk back out to where you started.
