tramping new zealand

I was away early and made my way up the unrelenting slope. The start is a constant 500 m burst without relief, other than occasionally plonking myself down. That pack sure was slowing me down.

The other two caught me after an hour, despite leaving 20 minutes later. I plodded on.

The sky had started clear, all the stars shining brightly, but by the time I make out Point 1496 through the trees it was shrouded in cloud.

Sometime after Conical Knob, 1216 m, it started to rain, but more importantly the wind really got up. I sheltered for a while waiting for the drizzle to stop, maybe an hour, but it was still fairly blowy.

Just below The Chain you get above the bushline and have plenty of exposure to the elements. That added to the general level of nervousness with the significant drop, maybe 100 m, immediately to my right. That’s where The Chain bit comes in useful.

Climbing Mt Fell an hour or two later it all cleared up, the wind dropped and the views became spectacular. I thought it would be worth sitting around on the top of Mt Fell to watch the sunset, but it turned out the Full Moon rising over Mt Fishtail was more spectacular. A huge orange orb popping over the hills and shining with considerable luminosity.

No point in making it all the way to the hut on Easter Saturday night so I stayed at the old hut site. Flowing water nearby and one of the most comfortable night’s sleep in a tent I’d had.

I was quite tired after my 12.5 hour day. All tucked in bed by 9 pm, disturbing the local wildlife with my snoring.

Oh, just before I hit the bushline near where I camped I heard a strange mewing sound, almost like a cat. Then a morepork came for visit and shyly turned its back as I illuminated it with my head torch in the now complete darkness.

What a great day! So lucky to live so close to this kind of Little Adventure.

I keep saying this is the best day out in Nelson to anyone interested, and the others. Walking that long ridge with the 200 m cliffs at your right shoulder is entirely exhilarating.

And tomorrow, Mt Richmond.

Strange that can be considered an easy day after today.