I have been asked by several people to write a retrospective about the equipment that I took to NZ andlessons learned during the walk. So,…
There & Back Again
It has been almost 2 weeks since reaching Bluff and my Te Araroa journey finally came to an end.Returning home, I have been struck by…
Day 151 – Invercargill
Start – InvercargillFinish – BluffDaily Distance – 34 kmTA Distance – 3041 kmBluff Distance – 0 km And I’m done! After nearly 5 months on…
Day 150 – Riverton
Start – RivertonFinish – InvercargillDaily Distance – 33 kmTA Distance – 3007 kmBluff Distance – 34 km I’d forgotten just how quickly sand can become…
Day 149 – Colac Bay
Start – Colac BayFinish – RivertonDaily Distance – 11 kmTA Distance – 2974 kmBluff Distance – 68 km Well, I had hoped that would be…
Day 148 – Martin’s Hut
Start – Martin’s HutFinish – Colac BayDaily Distance – 30 kmTA Distance – 2963 kmBluff Distance – 79 km St Patrick drove the snakes out…
Day 147 – Merrivale Hut
Start – Merrivale HutFinish – Martin’s HutDaily Distance – 29 kmTA Distance – 2933 kmBluff Distance – 108 km “Every step is closer to Bluff;…
Day 146 – Birchwood Cabin
Start – Birchwood CabinFinish – Merrivale HutDaily Distance – 26 kmTA Distance – 2904 kmBluff Distance – 137 km To commemorate the passing of Steven…
Day 145 – Telford Campsite
Start – Telford CampsiteFinish – Birchwood CabinDaily Distance – 28 kmTA Distance – 2878 kmBluff Distance – 164 km I’m more confused than a sheep…
Day 144 – Aparima Hut
Start – Aparima HutFinish – Telford CampsiteDaily Distance – 21 kmTA Distance – 2850 kmBluff Distance – 191 km This evening I have mainly been…
Day 143 – Lower Princhester Hut
Start – Lower Princhester HutFinish – Aparima HutDaily Distance – 16 kmTA Distance – 2829 kmBluff Distance – 212 km A comment in tonight’s hut…
Day 142 – Te Anau
Start – Te AnauFinish – Lower Princhester HutDaily Distance – 8 kmTA Distance – 2813 kmBluff Distance – 228 km As a prelude to this…
Day 141 – Mararoa River
Start – Mararoa River (TA km 2776)Finish – Te AnauDaily Distance – 29 kmTA Distance – 2805 kmBluff Distance – 236 km I lay awake…
Day 140 – Boundary Hut
Start – Boundary HutFinish – Mararoa River (TA km 2776)Daily Distance – 29 kmTA Distance – 2776 kmBluff Distance – 265 km A dark and…
Day 139 – Greenstone Hut
Start – Greenstone HutFinish – Boundary HutDaily Distance – 22 kmTA Distance – 2747 kmBluff Distance – 294 km Today was really the TA in…
Day 138 – Queenstown
Start – QueenstownFinish – Greenstone HutDaily Distance – 14 kmTA Distance – 2725 kmBluff Distance – 316 km I have been finding sleep elusive in…
Day 137 – Rest Day
Start – QueenstownFinish – QueenstownDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 2711 kmBluff Distance – 330 km In the coming weeks I will return to…
Day 136 – Arrowtown
Start – ArrowtownFinish – QueenstownDaily Distance – 29 kmTA Distance – 2711 kmBluff Distance – 330 km During this section, our merry community of professional…
Day 135 – Roses Hut
Start – Roses HutFinish – Arrowtown Holiday ParkDaily Distance – 22 kmTA Distance – 2682 kmBluff Distance – 359 km “No-one should ever have to…
Day 134 – Highland Creek Hut
Start – Highland Creek HutFinish – Roses HutDaily Distance – 11 kmTA Distance – 2660 kmBluff Distance – 381 km An atmospheric day of cloud…
Day 133 – Glendu Bay
Start – Glendu BayFinish – Highland Creek HutDaily Distance – 15 kmTA Distance – 2649 kmBluff Distance – 391 km This morning a Northbound walker…
Day 132 – Wanaka
Start – WanakaFinish – Glendu BayDaily Distance – 15 kmTA Distance – 2634 kmBluff Distance – 407 km A grueling 15km day. Ordinarily I would…
Day 131 – Rest Day
Start – WanakaFinish – WanakaDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 2619 kmBluff Distance – 421 km Wanaka is a picturesque tourist town of the…
Day 130 – Lake Hawea
Start – Lake HaweaFinish – WanakaDaily Distance – 25 kmTA Distance – 2619 kmBluff Distance – 421 km Today a man looking uncannily like Marlon…
Day 129 – Stodys Hut
Start – Stodys HutFinish – Lake HaweaDaily Distance – 21 kmTA Distance – 2594 kmBluff Distance – 446 km Today has been a real highlight…
Day 128 – Top Timaru Hut
Start – Top Timaru HutFinish – Stodys HutDaily Distance – 14 kmTA Distance – 2573 kmBluff Distance – 468 km Today I have been reflecting…
Day 127 – Melina Ridge Track
Start – TA km 2539 (Melina Ridge Track)Finish – Top Timaru HutDaily Distance – 20 kmTA Distance – 2559 kmBluff Distance – 482 km Another…
Day 126 – Ahuriri River East Branch
Start – TA km 2526 (Ahuriri River East Branch)Finish – TA km 2539 (Melina Ridge Track)Daily Distance – 13 km + 10 km detourTA Distance…
Day 125 – Middleton Lake Camp
Start – Middleton Lake CampsiteFinish – TA km 2526 (Ahuriri River East Branch)Daily Distance – 19 kmTA Distance – 2526 kmBluff Distance – 515 km…
Day 124 – Twizel
Start – TwizelFinish – Lake Middleton CampsiteDaily Distance – 30 kmTA Distance – 2507 kmBluff Distance – 534 km My rain trousers show so much…
Day 123 – Rest Day
Start – TwizelFinish – TwizelDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 2477 kmBluff Distance – 564 km Well, I survived typhoon Gita with no greater…
Day 122 – Lake Tekapo
Start – Lake TekapoFinish – TwizelDaily Distance – 54 kmTA Distance – 2477 kmBluff Distance – 564 km I mentioned yesterday that I have a…
Day 121 – Lake Tekapo Ski Field
Start – TA km 2395 (nr Lake Tekapo Ski Field)Finish – Lake TekapoDaily Distance – 28 kmTA Distance – 2423 kmBluff Distance – 618 km…
Day 120 – Royal Hut
Start – Royal HutFinish – TA km 2395 (nr Lake Tekapo Ski Field)Daily Distance – 21 kmTA Distance – 2395 km I will never gain…
Day 119 – Crooked Spur Hut
Start – Crooked Spur HutFinish – Royal HutDaily Distance – 16 kmTA Distance – 2374 km I realised that yesterday I failed to provide context…
Day 118 – Geraldine
Start – GeraldineFinish – Crooked Spur HutDaily Distance – 9 kmTA Distance – 2358 km Today I kicked off operation “All the pies”. In common…
Day 117 – Manuka Hut
Start – Manuka HutFinish – GeraldineDaily Distance – 32 kmTA Distance – 2349 km Today’s chapter could, with no false flattery, be entitled “The many…
Day 116 – Comyns Hut
Start – Comyns HutFinish – Manuka HutDaily Distance – 21 kmTA Distance – 2317 km I am currently undertaking a porridge making apprenticeship in Rohan….
Day 115 – Methven
Start – MethvenFinish – Comyns HutDaily Distance – 16 kmTA Distance – 2296 km The busiest day he had ever known. That was the surprised…
Day 114 – Rest Day
Start – MethvenFinish – MethvenDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 2280 km A standard town day today, so not much to say. The only…
Day 113 – Harper Road Campground
Start – Harper Road CampgroundFinish – MethvenDaily Distance – 29 kmTA Distance – 2280 km Today I fixed my grumpy mood by consuming several pints…
Day 112 – Hamilton Hut
Start – Hamilton HutFinish – Harper Road CampgroundDaily Distance – 19 kmTA Distance – 2251 km Manly experiment to push through the early morning cold:…
Day 111 – Bealey Hut
Start – Bealey HutFinish – Hamilton HutDaily Distance – 15 kmTA Distance – 2232 km Before leaving town, I was fairly convinced that this 4…
Day 110 – Arthurs Pass
Start – Arthurs PassFinish – Bealey HutDaily Distance – 14 km + 5 km off-trailTA Distance – 2217 km Today, I walked like a true…
Day 108/109 – Avalanche Peak
Start – Arthurs PassFinish – Arthurs PassDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 2203 km Day 108It rained. I mean really rained. The kind of…
Day 107 – Locke Stream Hut
Start – Locke Stream HutFinish – Arthurs PassDaily Distance – 26km + 19km hitchTA Distance – 2203 km Day 5 since embarking on the Harper…
Day 106 – Hurunui #3 Hut
Start – Hurunui #3 HutFinish – Locke Stream HutDaily Distance – 15 kmTA Distance – 2162 km The doors were locked, the windows barred and…
Day 105 – Hurunui Hut
Start – Hurunui HutFinish – Hurunui #3 HutDaily Distance – 9 kmTA Distance – 2147 km It is funny watching the reaction of different nationalities…
Day 104 – Hope Kiwi Lodge
Start – Hope Kiwi LodgeFinish – Hurunui HutDaily Distance – 18 kmTA Distance – 2138 km The weather today can be best described as cycloney….
Day 103 – Boyle Village
Start – Boyle VillageFinish – Hope Kiwi LodgeDaily Distance – 25 kmTA Distance – 2120 km A pretty unremarkable day today. Pretty much all of…
Day 102 – Hanmer Springs
Start – Hanmer SpringsFinish – Boyle VillageDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 2095 km I guess I did exhaust my hitching luck yesterday after…
Day 101 – Rest Day
Start – Boyle VillageFinish – Hanmer SpringsDaily Distance – 7 kmTA Distance – 2095 km A thoroughly relaxing day made possible by the kindness of…
Day 100 – Anne Hut
Start – Anne HutFinish – TA km 2088 (nr Boyle Village)Daily Distance – 22 kmTA Distance – 2088 km Last night, on a whim, I…
Day 99 – Waiau Hut
Start – Waiau HutFinish – Anne HutDaily Distance – 26 kmTA Distance – 2066 km A day for getting the head up, looking around and…
Day 98 – Upper Waiau Forks
Start – Upper Waiau ForksFinish – Waiau HutDaily Distance – 7 kmTA Distance – 2040 km I can’t be 100% sure, but I’m reasonably confident…
Day 97 – Blue Lake Hut
Start – Blue Lake HutFinish – Upper Waiau ForksDaily Distance – 8 kmTA Distance – 2033 km Rarely have I felt so tired at 2:30…
Day 96 – John Tait Hut
Start – John Tait HutFinish – Blue Lake HutDaily Distance – 22 kmTA Distance – 2025 km A day of heroic deeds, mainly in the…
Day 95 – St Arnaud
Start – St ArnaudFinish – John Tait HutDaily Distance – 24 kmTA Distance – 2003 km Dear Lord my bag is heavy today. My food…
Day 94 – Nelson
Start – NelsonFinish – St ArnaudDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 1979 km Today was a day for unforeseen meetings, unanticipated reunions and a…
Day 93 – Mid Wairoa Hut
Start – Mid Wairoa HutFinish – NelsonDaily Distance – UnknownTA Distance – off trail When crossing strong rivers you have to be lucky every time…
Day 92 – Rintoul Hut
Start – Rintoul HutFinish – Mid Wairoa HutDaily Distance – 15 kmTA Distance – 1924 km Today saw a dramatic increase in the number of…
Day 91 – Old Man Hut
Start – Old Man HutFinish – Rintoul HutDaily Distance – 6 kmTA Distance – 1909 km To paraphrase; all 5 hour sections are equal, but…
Day 90 – Starveall Hut
Start – Starveall HutFinish – Old Man HutDaily Distance – 13 kmTA Distance – 1903 km Today has been the type of day I hoped…
Day 89 – Hackett Hut
Start – Hackett HutFinish – Starveall HutDaily Distance – 5 kmTA Distance – 1890 km The greatest challenge of today has been not binge eating…
Day 88 – Middy Creek Hut
Start – Middy Creek HutFinish – Hacket HutDaily Distance – 19 kmTA Distance – 1885 km A wet but lovely end to the Pelorus river…
Day 87 – Pelorus Bridge
Start – Pelorus Bridge Campground Finish – Middy Creek HutDaily Distance – 27 kmTA Distance – 1866 km Day 1 on the Pelorus river trail…
Day 86 – Havelock
Start – HavelockFinish – Pelorus Bridge Campground Daily Distance – 21 kmTA Distance – 1839 km My latest trail start so far today. It was…
Day 85 – Anakiwa
Start – Anakiwa (Smiths Family Holiday Park)Finish – HavelockDaily Distance – 14 kmTA Distance – 1818 km The link pathway between Anakiwa and Havelock seems…
Day 84 – Cow Shed Bay
Start – Cow Shed BayFinish – Anakiwa (Smiths Family Holiday Park)Daily Distance – 24 kmTA Distance – 1804 km War, famine, disease. Terrible afflictions that…
Day 83 – Camp Bay
Start – Camp BayFinish – Cow Shed BayDaily Distance – 22 kmTA Distance – 1780 km The Queen Charlotte track has many qualities to recommend…
Day 82 – Ship Cove
Start – Ship CoveFinish – Camp BayDaily Distance – 25 kmTA Distance – 1758 km Day 1 of the south island journey. To better savour…
Day 81 – Wellington
Start – WellingtonFinish – PictonDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 1733 km Goodbye North island, hello South! Having very little left to do I…
Day 78/79/80 – Porirua/Wellington
Start – Camp Elsdon, Porirua / WellingtonFinish – WellingtonDaily Distance – 32 km + 11 kmTA Distance – 1733 km It was pointed out to…
Day 77 – Paekakariki
Start – Paekakariki Holiday ParkFinish – Camp Elsdon, PoriruaDaily Distance – 28 kmTA Distance – 1690 km It has been a real slog today. My…
Day 76 – Waikanae
Start – WaikanaeFinish – Paekakariki Holiday ParkDaily Distance – 20 kmTA Distance – 1662 km Another day, another town I can’t remember the name of….
Day 75 – Parawai Lodge
Start – Parawai LodgeFinish – WaikanaeDaily Distance – 25 kmTA Distance – 1642 km Today I bade a fond, but relieved, farewell to the Tararuas…
Day 74 – Waitewaewae Hut
Start – Waitewaewae HutFinish – Parawai LodgeDaily Distance – 9.5 kmTA Distance – 1617 km Another short day of only 5.5 hours walking. I did…
Day 73 – Nichols Hut
Start – Nichols HutFinish – Waitewaewae HutDaily Distance – 8 kmTA Distance – 1608 km A most excellent New Year’s in the Tararuas! Today saw…
Day 72 – Te Matawai Hut
Start – Te Matawai HutFinish – Nichols HutDaily Distance – 12 kmTA Distance – 1600 km After yesterday’s reasonably large amount of ascent and late…
Day 71 – Wellingtonby
Start – WellingtonFinish – Te Matawai HutDaily Distance – 18 kmTA Distance – 1587 km Today I left Wellington, climbed up into the Tararua ranges…
Day 69/70 – Rest Days
Start – WellingtonFinish – WellingtonDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – off-trail A pleasant, but frustrating couple of days. Pleasant because I have been able…
Day 68 – Whakapapaiti Hut
Start – Whakapapaiti HutFinish – National Park / WellingtonDaily Distance – 20 km + 5hr bus rideTA Distance – off-trail You know you’re back in…
Day 67 – Mangaturuturu Hut
Start – Mangaturuturu HutFinish – Whakapapaiti HutDaily Distance – 11 kmTA Distance – off-trail Unfortunately yesterday’s sun has proven to be an aberration and we’re…
Day 66 – Mangaehuehu Hut
Start – Mangaehuehu HutFinish – Mangaturuturu HutDaily Distance – 15 kmTA Distance – off-trail One of the finest days hiking of the trip so far….
Day 65 – Rangipo Hut
Start – Rangipo HutFinish – Mangaehuehu HutDaily Distance – 8.5 kmTA Distance – off-trail Today my luck with the weather ran out. Mild – heavy…
Day 64 – Waihohonu Hut
Start – 2 km before Waihohonu hutFinish – Rangipo hutDaily Distance – 14 kmTA Distance – off-trail As many men of a certain age know,…
Day 63 – Taupo
Start – TaupoFinish – 2km before Waihohonu hutDaily Distance – 12 kmTA Distance – off-trail Today is the first day of the 3rd month of…
Day 62 – Rest Day
Start – TaupoFinish – TaupoDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – off-trail The weather today has been as perfect as could be. Sun, barely any…
Day 61 – Bulls
Start – BullsFinish – TaupoDaily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – off-trail I was very glad for a late start today. Owing to a combination…
Day 60 – Koitiata
Start – KoitiataFinish – BullsDaily Distance – 30 kmTA Distance – 1465 km Today’s walk was half lovely and half exceedingly boring. The day started…
Day 59 – Whanganui
Start – WhanganuiFinish – KoitiataDaily Distance – 36 kmTA Distance – 1433 km I loved the river, it was everything I’d hoped it would be,…
Day 58 – Hipango Park
Start – Hipango ParkFinish – WhanganuiDaily Distance – 20 kmTA Distance – 1397 km On the TA, as in cheap slasher movies, finishing something off…
Day 57 – Jerusalem
Start – Jerusalem (St Joseph’s Convent)Finish – Hipango ParkDaily Distance – 53 kmTA Distance – 1377 km My last full day on the Whanganui river….
Day 56 – Bridge to Nowhere Lodge
Start – Bridge to Nowhere LodgeFinish – Jerusalem (St Joseph’s Convent)Daily Distance – 32 kmTA Distance – 1324 km And so the river became suddenly…
Day 55 – John Coull hut
Start – John Coull campsite & hutFinish – Bridge to nowhere lodge & campsiteDaily Distance – 35 kmTA Distance – 1292 km Today’s departure was…
Day 54 – Whakahoro
Start – WhakahoroFinish – John Coull campsite & hutDaily Distance – 37.5 kmTA Distance – Off-trail Today we passed into scenery that wouldn’t have been…
Day 53 – Ohinepane
Start – Ohinepane campsiteFinish – Whakahoro bunkroom & campsiteDaily Distance – 35 kmTA Distance – 1245 km Today was notable for fewer rapids, unexpected reunions…
Day 52 – Taumarunui
Start – Taumarunui (Canoe hire company)Finish – Ohinepane campsiteDaily Distance – 21 kmTA Distance – Off-trail At last! Day 1 on the Whanganui river. It’s…
Day 51 – National Park
Start – National ParkFinish – Taumarunui (Canoe Hire Company)Daily Distance – 0 kmTA Distance – 1075 km A day of waiting around today. The bus…
Day 50 – National Park
Start – National ParkFinish – National ParkDaily Distance – 46 km cycle + 12 km walk to/from townTA Distance – Off-Trail (well, out-of-sequence anyway) Today…