Te Araroa Day 85, A-Frame Hut to A Flat Patch of Ground in Hakatere Conservation Area

Starting km: 2289
Finishing km: 2333
km covered today: 44

I figured after the day I'd has before I deserved to sleep in a bit, so I didn't set an alarm.  Even so I'd eaten breakfast, packed up, swept the hut and was on the trail by 07:30.

It started off easy, walking through the grey morning down more of the valley I'd started down the previous night (with, of course, rather more light to see by.)

After a couple of hours I passed the Comyn's Hut, which was where things got fun.  The trail took a sharp right and headed up the South Ashburton River and later Round Hill Stream. All the way up there was no formed track, but rather river flat after river flat, each separated by a crossing. It might not quite have been the Tiraumea track, but it was close. I was in the high thirties when I lost count of how many times I'd crossed the river.

These ended with the climb up to Clent Hills Saddle (1430m). It was during this that the weather went from cloudy to rainy. The forecast was for occasional showers, but I was still glad I'd knocked off the travel in the river bed before they got going.

The way down was long, alternating between spiky tussock-land (grass, matagouri, Spaniard) and scree slopes. The valley I was headed down into looked beautiful but somewhat forbidding. It's a bit of a trick to look desert-like when it's constantly drizzling, but it managed.

Down on the flat the walking got easier as the trail followed an old farm track. I was almost disappointed when I got to the Double Hut at 13:50 and learned that my proposed destination for the day, Manuka Hut was only 5km distant. But although the rain had stopped it was still pretty grey. There were no other huts until after this segment of TA ended, 33km later and I hate camping in the rain, so the weather would have to improve pretty quickly if I was going to bypass Manuka Hut.

And it did. By the time I got to the hut junction, it was blue skies and puffy white clouds above and ahead (though still pretty grey and grim behind.) I stopped, took off my shoes and had a drink and a snack to wait and see if the weather was serious about changing or if this was just a blip. It seemed to be serious. Well then. Onward!

The rest of the afternoon was spent on the bottom and fringes of gorgeous wide valleys with huge skies. Up on the main divide the skies were still dark and obviously dumping rain on the high peaks. But down where I was the rain monster never quite felt at home enough to venture. Some clouds overhead.  A few raindrops even, but no more.

So pleasant was the afternoon that I felt I could keep walking almost forever. But eventually, after a short road walk and 4km through the Hakatere Conservation Area I figured it was about time to throw the tent up, if only so I could actually get some 'blog writing done for once.