Hiking adventures in New Zealand
Hiking adventures in New Zealand
We used the excuse of snow in the mounatins, to make a weekend trip out to the Kahurangi lighthouse and keepers house. This beautiful West coast walk was a delight! The long drive in to the Anatori River, via the causeways of the Whanganui inlet near Farewell Spit was incredible in itself. The main event - the hike to Kahurangi Point and the lighthouse crosses beautiful farmland to the Turimawiwi river. From there you...
A decent climb of around 5kms up to the 959m peak of Mount Malita is a great way to spend a day if you're around the Richmond area of Nelson. We managed the up and down (just over 10Kms with +750m elevation) with a leisurely lunch at the top in around 4.5 hours. It wasn't the prettiest walk I've done and much of it is on easy roads through forestry plantation, but it has great views from the top.
To get to Mount Malita take the Aniseed Valley road off...
Today I ventured out on a local mission from Stoke in Nelson, exploring some tracks around Marsden Valley and Barnicoat walkway. As I will be living in Stoke on a long house-sit, I wanted to have a wander round and find out about the trails on my doorstep. I started with the Scout track and headed to the top of the Barnicoat range, detoured to Jenkins Hill and made a loop route coming back down the Widdershins track...
This is a great little 15Km hike in Mount Aspiring National Park. It takes in the Sugarloaf Pass via the Sugarloaf track, then heads down the Rockburn track to the old Rockburn shelter site. Finally it picks up the Sylvan track around Lake Sylvan and back to the Sylvan DoC campsite. Apart from the initial 650m climb, it is a moderate (I didn't find it too easy nor difficult) loop trail, and I made it in a 7 hour day. DoC rate it as an...
Today's distance walked - approx 13 kms (8 miles).
Ascent - approx 100m (328 ft).
I woke at 5am and had a coffee and Museli bar in my little hotel room. I went downstairs for breakfast at 7.15am, and chatted to the new hotel owners about the history of the building and their plans to restore it's seafaring heritage. I left at 9am. The sun came out at 9.30, as I was making my way back via the marina. At Ferrybridge the trail followed a historic railway line route to Weymouth.
Mid way, I...
Today's distance walked - approx 38 kms (23.6 miles).
Ascent - approx 1661m (5449 ft).
I woke at 5.30am and spent a while getting myself together and finishing my blog for the past couple of days. As I was finishing up, a few big fat spots of rain fell on the tent. I got the tent packed away quickly, because I didn't want to carry it wet, but in my haste I damaged a tent pole a little bit which I mended with the duct tape I keep wrapped around my hiking poles. The rain turned out to be...