tramping new zealand

It has been really blowing for a few days so hopes were high it had finally blown itself out this morning.

Nothing doing, it was still going strong. Shaking the hut around despite the slightly sheltered hut location. The tussock was waving around wildly all the way up the ridge. All shiny despite the gloom.

I sat around for a while, despite getting up at 6 am. Plenty of blog to write, I hadn’t felt like it last night. It had been early to bed there.

Packing took two minutes, there’s a lot to like about these quick trips.

Unfortunately a shower swept through, still, what’s the hurry?

Time for another coffee.

Then it was returning from whence I had come yesterday.

I kept my hoodie on, and, of course, my raincoat because of all that rushing air. There were moments I was close to being bowled over, certainly no dandruff left after the weekend.

It’s quite scenic, despite limited visibility down the valley. Towards Splugeons Shelter.

Wow, a sporadic view at times of some massive limestone cliffs to the west, deep in Kahurangi National Park. It looked entirely rugged.

Then again around Lake Peel it is almost gnarly.

Just before the lake it was damp underfoot as mentioned, but I managed to skip my way through fairly successfully.

The drop down through the forest was straightforward, easier in the downward direction than the alternative.

By the time I reach the car park the sun was out, although the tops were still coated in gloom.

Still the bustling wind.

Looks like that was it for this little tramp.

Two nights out, two hill climbs, two descents.

Except I noted that today the route from Balloon to the car park managed to fit in more than 600 m of climbing.

I found I was an okay condition despite my general lack of physical activity in recent time.

Only four weeks to the start of my summer adventure.