From Queenstown our “run” towards Bluff began. Only 320 km to go. But instead of putting in short days with long breaks at the end of our strength, we walked as far as we could every day and fell onto our mattresses so tired in the evenings that no energy was left to recap the days for you.
- Days 102-108
- This section: 256 km
- Total: 2932 km
From Queenstown it meant bypassing a hazard zone one last time: Lake Wakatipu, on which Queenstown sits. This time in a relaxed manner with an organised transfer, though, rather than hoping for the goodwill of passing cars.
The Greenstone Track was a genuine joy: well built forest paths without mud, leading to one of the best huts we have seen on our trail. Greenstone Hut has not only its own little house for the “warden” (which normally does not exist either), but even flushing toilets. Reason enough for us to call it a day after only 14 kilometres.
The next day took us onto the Mavora Walkway. We had no idea what to expect from this stretch, nor any expectations of it. Which made us all the more surprised by the beauty of this section. Snow had fallen overnight on the nearest mountain tops. The landscape was a swamp, admittedly – which was rather unpleasant for walking (cold, wet feet) – but it opened up in such pastel-coloured vastness that we felt as though we had finally arrived in Middle-earth…
After that day on the Mavora Walkway, where our eyes simply could not get enough, the following day’s route was rather sobering. Well, not every day can be a highlight. Not even in New Zealand.
We did at least manage to hitch into Te Anau and back out again that same day for our final resupply, and were ready for the last days far from civilisation.
The Takitimu Track the next day looked like this:
- into the muddy forest, where we wished we could see a bit more of the blazing sun
- out into swampy tussock fields where the path was barely visible and the sun was burning
- into the next muddy forest
- out onto the next swampy tussock field
- repeat
Oh, how glad we were to finally reach Lower Wairaki Hut – our last hut (!) – at 7 in the evening!
The next morning our alarm went off at 4:45 – towards the end we wanted, in a fit of over-motivation, to enjoy the sunrise from the next summit.
Did I say summit? 90 minutes, we had read, was how long the climb should take. Either somebody was moving genuinely fast, or they rounded the time down very generously.
I have not puffed as hard anywhere on the whole trail as on that climb. It was a proper race against time to get out of that wretched forest in time for sunrise. The play of colours had long since begun while we still could not see the end of the forest. Aaaaah, why do we get up so early if we then miss the best part?!?
It was not entirely in vain, though, and we enjoyed the breaking day from the summit.
After that worthwhile start the rest of the day was fairly unspectacular and led mostly across farmland.
Sadly we had to say goodbye to Felix, who wanted to hitch into the village of Nightcaps to stock up again.
As we walked on and, for once, had phone reception, we heard from Felix that nobody would give him a lift to Nightcaps and he had to walk all 16 extra kilometres. One way!
To avoid having to walk the same stretch back (there was no reason to expect the road would suddenly become busier), he tried to hitch back onto the trail via a different road and save himself some official trail in the process. He had walked enough by then anyway.
And what happened?!? His supposed benefactors delivered him to exactly the point where he had started his 16 extra kilometres. Hm, we probably would not be seeing him again, then.
At the end the route finally led out of the sun (am I really writing that?) through a bit of forest, where we found a very fine camp spot under pine trees.
And to round off the day there were two small surprises after all:
We met Bettina from Hello Mountains, whose blog we have followed since the very start of our trail and from whom we have always picked up good tips on places to stay and so on. She had set off about two weeks ahead of us, and now we had finally caught up with her! This few days before the end we will hopefully manage without her expertise.
And at 10 pm a light suddenly shone past our tent. It could only be one person: Felix! The madman really had covered the entire day’s section despite 16 frustrating extra kilometres. A section that was hardly short for us either at 43 kilometres, and that had started at 5 in the morning!
The next day held the last feared section of the trail: the Longwood Forest, which was supposed to be muddier than the Raetea Forest in Northland.
We were ready for anything!
And then from the “summit” we sense more than actually see it: Bluff – the end of our trail. Crazy: so close and yet still 110 kilometres away! It is a little emotional, that…
From here it was only a few kilometres to Martins Hut – the definitively last (and possibly oldest) hut on the trail. Sadly it was completely full, not only inside but on the outside spots as well… no room for our tent.
It was already evening and the next “possible campground” was another 7 km away, and finding something in the forest before that was not particularly likely (densely overgrown, very uneven, and so on). In the end we tore through the dark forest by headtorch until, at half past nine after another long day, we could finally pitch our tent. 101 km to Bluff…
The next morning we had exactly one goal in mind: a burger and a cola at the tavern in Colac Bay. First it meant putting a few kilometres of forest behind us, but our wish really was granted at midday. 78 km to Bluff…
Then, for the first time in over a thousand kilometres, we were back on the beach. It ends the way it began… but happily this time it is not 90 endless kilometres along the sand…
In the coastal village of Riverton we stocked up on snacks one more time. It was already 6 pm, but we wanted to walk until it grew dark and then pitch our tent in the dunes. That was the plan.
Until we passed a hostel advertising “hot shower”, “special rates for Te Araroa trampers” and “free wifi”. Hmmm, that sounds tempting, and asking costs nothing…
You can probably guess where we have made camp for the night instead of somewhere in the dunes.
66 km to Bluff!
