tramping new zealand

After an 8.5-hour sleep, my best in months, I was good for a big day.

The plan was for Skippers “Township”, where I had been thwarted a few days before.

First, I needed my food, etc, sorted, but that was now a pretty good system. I already had each day’s rations prepackaged, so it was a case of just counting them out and putting them in the right food bag. Those are divided into breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It didn’t take long, as I had big plastic containers with the meals generally separated out. I guess I liked to know where to find things. Also, I try not to leave things behind.

Then, it was an easy pack up and head through town early on to avoid the crazy traffic that conglomerates later in the morning. There was time for a decent breakfast at 5 Mile.

I put my pack out by the side of Skippers Road at the saddle and changed from my smart Queenstown tourist clothes into tramping gear.

The first car stopped and asked if I wanted a ride even before I’d fully locked up my car.

For sure.

The driver and his elderly dad were in a more appropriate vehicle than mine, but when I reached the point where I turned back, it was clear. I had made an excellent decision to return in my own vehicle, as the road immediately deteriorated and was not suitable for two-wheel drive, low-clearance vehicles. One stretch on Blue Slip was particularly steep and bumpy.

However, before an hour had passed, I was at the schoolhouse, a stone building restored in 1992, which had served as the school from 1879 to 1927.

A lovely site, with the campsite adjacent. I whacked my tent up on a patch of lush green grass and headed up to Crystal Hut, which was pretty much an hour each way. Not quite a four-wheel-drive track, but it had a relatively even gradient that made walking fairly comfortable, particularly as I was on a day walk without the weight of a pack.

I believe there was some graffiti from 1896, but the old Crystal Hut hut book only went back to 1984.

It was interesting to see another mining hut, this one in much better condition internally than some of the others I’d seen recently.

Then I thought I’d visit the high bridge over the Shotover River, which we had crossed earlier on. I dropped down to examine it.

With my poor head for heights, I didn’t make the most of that decision.

However, I was glad I went back into the valley.

The following day, I’d be heading for Dynamo Hut and beyond.