Goat Pass to Bealey

January 24 20.8 kms 7.25 hrs

A cool but clear blue skies start to the day. Over Goat Pass and for all the way down to the river flats on a much improved track, with some significant sections of boardwalk to protect the wetland areas. A straightforward descent down into the Mingha valley with great views in all directions - to the tops and the valley ahead and behind.

Past the old Mingha Biv, and time for a final alpine stop at Dudleys Knob for morning tea. From there the track descends to the main river valley, and you then follow the river all the way down on increasingly wider river flats towards the Bealey River.

Rather than taking the foot track out to Greyneys Shelter, I followed a 4WD track alongside the Bealey River as far as the railway bridge, and then headed across the rocky river bed to Klondyke corner - the main river has now moved from where it is marked on the topo map.

After a lunch stop, a poled 4WD route continued on across the river flats towards the Waimakariri river and the Bealey hotel where Hazel was already in residence. She spotted me coming, so was able to come down to the river bank to watch one aborted river crossing, followed by a successful one. Not a river to play with, especially when there is a bridge not much more than a km away, but yet again I was fortunate that there had not been rain in the area for a few days, and my trusty old tent pole made all the difference between it being a safe rather than a dangerous crossing.

Hazel then dropped me off at my intended end point at the start of the Cass Lagoon track, and I walked back to the Bealey hotel from there.

A tremendous location with mountains and valleys all around, with the wide shingly river beds so typical of Canterbury rivers.

I now need to return home to Auckland, but intend to be back in the autumn to continue on some more - hopefully as far as the Rangitata River.

Deception River to Goat Pass

January 23 15 kms 8.5 hrs

A cold clear morning, with the sun taking a good couple of hours to reach me in the Deception River valley. Slow going on rough tracks, almost always close to the river, with a number of river crossings throughout the day - getting easier the further I travelled upstream.

A really lovely valley, with the rushing Deception River always providing a real picture to enjoy. A few marked sections in the bush, and rock cairns recommending river crossings, etc, so mostly easy to find the best route to follow.

The Deception - Goat Pass - Mingha route is the mountain running section of the Coast to Coast race that occurs around March each year, with the fastest runners taking an amazing 3 to 4 hours for the whole route. So I was duly passed by 4 runners in training during the day ... each to our own mode of travel !

Near the end the trail left the main river and headed up, mostly in, a side stream to the Goat Pass Hut, just a few minutes below the pass itself. The blue sky that was present for most of the day was replaced by high cloud and a cool breeze in the evening, but it was still a great time to get up onto the pass itself for a look around.

Otira

January 22 11.8 kms 2hrs 50 mins

A short day today, so a bit of a lie in, waiting for the last showers to finish.

Mostly easy walking following a 4WD track down towards the Otira River. A short diversion onto the marked start of the flood track, but even at the start that was muddy and uneven, so I reverted to my original plan of crossing the Otira River at the usual place near Aickens. The river appeared not influenced by the overnight showers, but still a significant river crossing to take care over.

From there a short walk along the marked edge of a paddock to SH73, and then a pleasant walk along the road to the Morrisons footbridge, the agreed meeting place with Hazel for the day.

We stayed the night in the large old Otira hotel ... very comfortably away from the rain ... and snow on the tops ... during the afternoon.

Harper Pass and Taramakau River

January 21 25.5 kms 9.5 hrs

Not especially fast going along the Upper Hurinui valley - again missing the frequent forest markers when the track went out onto the grassy river flats, etc. At one point after travelling for some time I was a bit stuck for the next section, so explored up a hillside, then sat down for break and a chance to check my GPS. Hmmm... that said (correctly) that I had just passed the (bright orange) Harper Pass biv a short distance up the hillside from the track !

From there a relatively short ascent to Harper Pass, and the view it provided along the Taramakau River valley - a long way below. As promised, the descent was steep and required a lot of care on the at time rocky or narrow path. But continued on reaching the special Locke Stream Hut for a later lunch break.

Soon after you end up on open river flats, with most of the time being able to follow a well enough used path, so easy to cover quite a bit of ground relatively quickly. A few crossings of the Taramakau River, but no issues because the last few days had seen minimal or no rain. Happy enough to do the side trip to the old Kiwi hut, where 3 hunters were in residence, having driven their 4WD vehicle up the valley to just below the hut.

From there a final crossing of the main river, and then a significant crossing of the Otehake River - made that bit more straightforward because it was in 2 channels. Target achieved for the day, so found a suitable camping place, with showers forecast for overnight.

Hope Kiwi to Hurunui No 3

January 20 29kms 8 hrs 20 mins

Off wandering up the valley on a 4WD track and easily navigated the bog at its end before starting the climb up through the forest towards the Kiwi Saddle area. From there sidling the hillside downwards, with occasional glimpses of Lake Sumner. Out into the open for a short while at the head of the lake, but soon enough back into a the forest wandering along for some distance - ostensibly to avoid boggy patches on the open valley floor.

Exited the forest at the sign for the Upper Hurinui swingbridge, but soon enough wandered off track towards the other side of the valley. The crossing of the river there was significant, but viable, and another chance to practise my solo river crossing skills. Almost immediately the track then climbed up a short distance to the spacious Hurinui Hut for a welcome lunch stop.

From there the track follows the river upstream, mostly in the forest, but occasionally exiting to river flats ... with minimal markers, but not hard to guess the direction of travel, while still watching out for the next forested section. A real highlight part way along is a natural hot pool, so a chance for a refreshing dip for all parts of me that could get below the water level - the hungry sandflies set to on the rest !

Then not much further to the old Hurinui No 3 hut for the night. On entering the foyer there were a set of old canvas bunks - but no cause for concern as through the next door were the main bunks with full mattresses !

Magdalen Hut to Hope Kiwi Lodge

January 19 37.5 kms 10.5 hrs, Plus 1 hour reprovisioning stop with Hazel at the Boyle shelter

An early start for what was expected to be a long day, and so a fast walk back onto the St James Walkway, then out to SH7 at the Boyle shelter (2.5 hours). I had requested a sandwich as extra supplies ... but Hazel had made 3 - isn't she wonderful !

With more food and an old 6 ft tent pole for river crossing purposes, I then set off along the Tui Track - first parallel to the main road, and then over river flats to my first significant river crossing - the Boyle River. All OK. Across some river flats to the next - the Doubtful River - more serious, but successful on the second attempt. Then on around following the Boyle River downstream on an old 4WD track. A slightly tedious marked deviation around the outside of a deer fence, and then up the hill and around and about for ages, mostly through manuka scrub.

This eventually joined the main Hope Kiwi track not that far from Windy Point, with this quickly entering the beech forest on terraces a good way above the Hope River. Faster travelling now, first in the forest to the Hope Shelter, and then soon after down onto a long grassy area that eventually ended in a swingbridge over the turquoise Hope gorge.

A sign said 2 km 45 mins to the lodge, which my temporary watch then told me took 10 mins - very temporary indeed ! Some fishermen in residence with fresh trout to cook for their dinner, and a number of other people staying as well, making this the most popular hut since I had been in the Nelson Lakes area.

St James Walkway - Day 2

Delta Stream - Anne River - Boyle River - Magdalen Hut

January 18 27km 8 hours

Awoke to a cold but clear morning with ice on my tent. Across the river flats to the new Anne River Hut, now no longer near the river after its recent rebuild, and then up the picturesque Anne valley towards the Anne Saddle. At this point I passed two family groups - one with an eager 5 year old - still eager after a few days on the walkway.

Over the Saddle and then down to and then along the Boyle valley. A few parts had obvious recent storm / flood damage, but no significant issues with that. Checked out the Boyle Flats Hut (Great location) which is accessed by its own swing bridge, and then continued on to the smaller Magdalen Hut, which is just 20 minutes off the main walkway. Sunny afternoon, so able to dry all gear - even my socks, although I well knew that in 2 minutes' walking the next morning they would be wet again !