Te Araroa : Twizel to Albert Town

KM this section : 129
KM completed : 2568

The horsey hut.

I spend a pleasant day walking out of Twizel, alongside a few of the many lakes boasted by this region, makes for easy, flat walking and fine views.  Last of the day is Lake Ohau, which has a lodge beside it where I've booked dinner and camping.  But they offer me a room for just fifty-four dollars which I cannot resist, and dinner is soon served - they are hosting a wedding so a small group of trampers and cyclists get the same meal, an excellent three courses.  Then after a welcome shower (two in one day!) I head for the bar, they're happy for me to crash the wedding reception it seems.  Beer and even dancing ensues, there is a band, but I do have to be up in the morning - the nice people give me a free upgrade to a quieter part of the building.  I approve of this place.

High above Lake Hawea.

Back to walking, and back to the hard stuff, as I climb from the lodge past some ski slopes and up to a saddle, seems not to be a well walked path and there are no huts, not that I need one.  That said, an hour past my camp spot is a hut not marked on the map, apparently privately owned, I pass it next morning and a bunch of horse riders are getting ready to go (cheers for the coffee!).  Seems Transient took the last bed anyway.

It is good to walk the horse graded track for a while, but one of the horsey types reckoned this was the worst section of the trail.  Well, soon enough I leave the horse track, and yes it is crazy up and down, yes there are some river crossings, but the worst?  Half of North Island is worse than this... still, the day ends with a brutal climb and I am glad to reach a hut, good not to have to put the tent up.  No big surprise to find Transient here, and nice that he has a fire going, this is an old hut, high up and it's going to get cold.  And it sure does... I walk out next morning, and it is absolutely perishing, there is frost on the ground and I wish I had gloves, but all I can do is dash uphill and into the sweet sunlight.   This turns into a fantastic walk over high ridges and well walked paths, then a stupendous descent down a ridge line with Lake Hawea below, almost a vertical kilometre below in fact.

A little way around the lake is Hawea Township, not much of a place, but then neither is Albert Town, a little further via a nice cycle track.  Can't complain about the seven dollar campsite, nor indeed the beer and fish and chips.  Back into the hills tomorrow...

Down the vertiginous slope.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.