I was in no hurry to leave in the morning.
High haze, while still dark, when I arose. My tent was drenched by dew and condensation.
Time for coffee. I sat quietly and soaked up the atmosphere, realising I was the only person in the long valley.
The ultramarine of the 6 am sky turned lighter. Then, when it was almost light, the mist rolled into the hills.
The wekas came calling, then screeching with replies across the valley. Three robins had a sibling tiff with lots of chasing around.
I slowly ate my porridge amidst this and then packed up from my favourite campsite of the summer.
At least the unmarked trail was over, with the day fully Permolated and cut vegetation. That’s not to say it was easy; it was still hard work.
I checked out the other campsite an hour upstream that the DOC contractor had told me about, but overall, I was happy with my selection. This one was certainly in the forest, under a large silver beech tree, but the ground was sodden.
What had seemed a big adventure on the way in, had changed to a highway. I could spend time appreciating my surroundings. And spending time throwing stray lengths of wood off the track and snapping twigs.
As the DOC contractor said, and I wholeheartedly agreed, the track would be in excellent condition if everyone did that.
At about 2 pm, I was back at the Little Wanganui River, and that part of my life was over. Just the three-hour drag down the valley to Belltown Hut.
It was 6 pm when I arrived and found three blokes in residence. That meant some conversation after three big days without it. Their expedition started at Lake Matiri, traversed the Matiri Ridge on a fine day, with the Luna Tops thrown in. It was Day 9 for them.
I mentioned it was Day 6 for me and that I’d only managed to get three hours from the roadend.
With few sandflies and it being almost dark, by which time they tend to go home, I chose to sleep on the verandah. Once I’d settled in, I was joined by mosquitoes for once, which are real nighttime beasts, unafraid of the dark.
I would’ve put my tent up if the pole hadn’t been broken, but instead, put my top half inside the tent inner, which sort of did the trick of isolation.
Overall, not much of a sleep.
A guide to the night’s accommodation: Belltown Manunui Hut
