Burtons Track

Sunday 21st Feb 16.6 kms 5.5 hours

This track is closed (actually road access is difficult, not so much the track) during the week, so being Sunday (with the shingle trucks not working either) we thought we were safe - until we reached the the start of the climb up Scotts Rd to find the road blocked off waiting for a logging truck to come down - and 3 empty ones pulled up behind us soon after. They were working an unscheduled day because of an urgent need for more logs down in Lyttelton, the centre of the recent Christchurch earthquake. But problem solved with cadging a ride up the road with one of the trucks, so Hazel did not have to dodge the trucks on what is only a one way road where logging trucks are concerned.

So to the start of the day's walk - on closer inspection of the map and GPS a bit short of the expected spot, but like all tracks through forestry areas, the reality and the maps / instructions can soon differ. Anyway, off up along forestry roads, soon in a different direction from the current logging operations up a minor old forestry road to a high point with a brief view out across the plains towards the sea. Then onto a real tramping track at last (the official start of Burtons Track) that went downwards towards the Tokomaru Stream. Time for wet feet from stream crossings for the first time since being in the Tongariro Forest a couple of weeks ago. Then I followed the tramping track and old vehicle tracks upstream, past the old Burtons whare site, until arriving at the pickup point for the day. Satellite phone calls to confirm the pickup time, and then time to relax waiting for Hazel in our white van. So I was a bit dismayed when a white van arrived at the right time and sped by, but fortunately that was not Hazel, who turned up 10 minutes later !