Te Araroa : Levin to Waikanae

KM this section : 74
KM completed : 1605

Hiding from the rain, in a hut.

I have a good rest in Levin, plenty of food and beer, I do feel a bit of a pall hanging over me though, truth is I am dreading the next section.  The guide is not encouraging about the Tararua range, suggesting a mere fifty-two kilometres could take six days.  Phrases include 'extreme weather' and 'be prepared to wait out storms'.  It doesn't mention the route on the ground being twice the length of that on the map, or that it will consist of kilometre after kilometre of mud, but I have my suspicions.  Can it really be that bad?

In a word, yes.  This is the worst walking since that first bit of bush way back in Northland, it is truly awful, I manage that fifty-two kilometres in three days including one 'twelve kilometre' day, haha, but it is three days of misery.  The sad fact is, this will be my take away memory of North Island.  Not the beaches, or the alpine crossing, or even the kayak, but rather the day after day of terrible, terrible 'paths' that simply aren't fit to walk on.  I find myself wondering why the trail comes to these awful places, surely there must be better walking here?  One clue is the signs telling us what a 'privilege' it is whenever we cross private land - right to roam never happened here I fear.  And I guess the DOC just love their bush - maybe conservation isn't always the best fit with trail management.  It's a shame... as I write in a hut log book, hopefully South Island will be better.

So much horrible mud, so much.

Speaking of which, I do at least get to spend a couple of nights in huts, which is... different.  Hell, it is a bed, and shelter, who needs privacy.  Nice to see Transient again, interesting chap, a veteran of the Appalachian Trail and PCT, he has plenty of tales for the hut.  I'm most impressed that as well as keeping pace with me, he is also researching for a guide which will cover things like stores and accommodation in a way the official guide frankly, does not.  More power to his elbow.

It is such a relief to walk on my ruined shoes into Waikanae - sadly, short for 'Waikanae not find a pub here?'  Oh, there was one but we demolished it.  Stupid country.  Well, the campsite is five kilometres past town anyway... and what is another three kilometres further to a pub?  Wish they hadn't told me it was a fifteen minute walk, but whatever.

Bless you your lordship, we're not worthy of the privilege of walking on your land, blimey, strike a light guvnor.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.