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.
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