Start – Hope Kiwi Lodge
Finish – Hurunui Hut
Daily Distance – 18 km
TA Distance – 2138 km
The weather today can be best described as cycloney. With this area catching the remnants of a tropical
storm that broke on the West coast, it has been a day of falling branches, hail stinging my face, and being
glad for both of these things just to relieve the tedium of the walk.
Perhaps I have been spoilt by the last few weeks of superb walking, but so far this section could be
described as, “a mite dull”. Today was 5.5 hours of walking through a green tunnel of forest, 30 blessedly
lively minutes of trying not to get blown into fetid cow marshes when crossing a field, and a white
knuckle crossing of a swing bridge intent on demonstrating how they acquired the name.
Owing to the continual rain I don’t have any pictures from today unfortunately. Suffice it to say that at
times I had to walk closer to the horizontal than vertical and that I am not nearly brave enough to cross a
swing bridge gusting up to 30° off centre without wishing I was literally anywhere else. Owing to the
weather I count myself lucky to have gotten a bed in the hut tonight. Some people chose to sit out the
storm, so at least half a dozen people who arrived after me either had to camp or sleep on the floor. 15
beds sounds like a reasonable number, but with TA hiker numbers shooting up year on year, it pays to get
to huts early if you want to grab a space.
Addendum
The weather worsened after I arrived at the hut. People who arrived later talked about whole trees being
blown over, rather than the occasional branch that I had to watch out for. Hopefully the trail won’t be in
too bad shape tomorrow.
