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So our main activity out here has been trecking, so I thought i would give you guys the run down of what the walks entailed!
Taranaki Circuit around the Mountain - This was a 4 day Hike round Mount Taranaki it was a pretty cool track, the East side is really well maintained with good condition tracks. So the first half of the first day we headed up the side of the mountain to very Alpine Tussock and started working our way around, then on our descent to the hut we were camping at we headed down a ridge lots of down climbing, very slippy, then we descended into a dried river bed and had to climb up this vertical metal ladder up the other side of the canyon, it was brill. We got to the hut just as the sun was setting and casting the mountain bright red it was beautiful. The second day we were walking old hunting tracks, the terrain was changeable, mainly in the Bush, lots of climbs up and down to river and the Fording the rivers (shoes off!!), climbing up ropes, up more ladders....it was a long and arduous day, but I enjoyed it immensley as it was more scrambling, climbing, and it really forced to think about what you had to do, especially with a bit pack on! We arrived at the next hut again as the sun was going down and had turned all the foliage golden, it was so beautiful! The next day was a rest day we hiked up to Pukaia hut that was opposite Taranaki and so we got a real sence of what we were walking around, it is an incredible mountain as it stands alone on the West side of the North Island. The next day we simply meandered home on again a much more well maintained track. A brilliant walk and the second day is one of my favourite walking experiences out here....much more dynmic!
Kuranghi Arthur Mountain and the Tablelands - This was a fab two day hike, up to Mount Arthur and then over the Tableands and down to a rock shelter. We basically we walking in the mountains for the day Pete was teaching me navigation and bareings. The best part of the Hike was where we stayed that night, we Bivied in a rock shelter, we lit a fire and had our usual tea...rice and now instead of peanuts we bring small tins of flavooured Tuna, my favourite is Thai Sweet Chilie. But the Evening was brill and a really novel way to spend the night, then we just trundled home the next day.
Wanaka Mount Lion - A nice day hike overlooking Lake Wanaka and the Edge of the Southern Alps that had snow on them, really beautiful:)
Cromwell Pisa Range - This was a hike that Pete did 5years ago when he was here last it was a beautiful walk right along the Pisa range the best thing about the walk was the desolate terrain and then these crazy rocky outcrops, very reminiscent of the Torrs on Dartmor. On our first night we went to explore the rocks and Pete and I scrambled up to the top of one and watched the Sunset over the surrounding mountains, all snowcapped and turned orange from the sun...so beautiful, and stunning sight we were so high up, all the clouds had turned pink and were hovering just under the range so it looked like they were floating! We camped in a dry marsh so the ground was nice and soft but the night was freezing we didnt sleep a wink all night we woke the next morning to a heavy frost! The next day we got to Mount Pisa and had lunch on top....it was a really great walk, as there is a vally down below and usually we were above the cloud which, the sun was shining but we were all chilly because the wind was so cold.....Pete and I have since donned the very stylish Shorts and Thermals look...however I bought thermals in Ecuador and therefore only come downt o my calfs beacause everyone is tiny over there!!!!!
Fiordland Kepler Track - This is one of the 8 Great Walks, it teaters on the edge of Fiordland, you walk up over to Mount Luxmore, along a ridge and then down the ptherside and follow a vally home, a circular route really beautiful, we saw some Kea a Rare Alpine Parrot that is Green but with Scarlet under its wings, they are famous for attacking peoples rucksacks and eating the rubber from peoples car windows. We saw lots of Fantails doing their dance, and BEllBirds and Tuis, Ive become facinated by the birdlife out here, and I think I know more about birds over here than at home now!!!
The Hikes we have been doing are a brillinat way to see the beauty of the country, which is afterall one of the reasons people flock here...the mountains are stunning as are the beaches we Snorkelled in, in the north it is such a dynamic country full of contrasts and we have all been enjoying exploring it so muc....we are embarking into Autumn here, the leaves are turning and they nights are getting extremily cold......and the light is making everything look beautiful!
Right, Weall hope everyone is well and happy and glad to be getting some more warm weather.....we think of you all often:0
Speak soon
Kate
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