Te Araroa 15/12/25

Day 85, Pelorus Bridge to Middy Creek Hut (1879)

A dry morning but cloudy. After packing up I went to the car park, where there was a phone signal, to make some calls before I headed for the no sinal zone and discovered that the coffee van was open, bonus.

Starting up the road

Fourteen kilometers of road walking, mostly on gravel, through dairy farming country following the River Pelorus.

River Pelorus 

It started to rain so I donned my jacket and managed to squeeze my pack into its raincover but it was a false alarm and soon afterwards the sun was appearing through the clouds.

Into the woods

There was a good track that continued from the road to the Emerald Pool, a swimming hole in the river.

Emerald pools 

The path then becomes rougher and steeper as it climbs into the bush. Nothing like the North Island as it is much more open with more light and space between the trees.

High above the river

The path was still rooty and rocky but, at least today dry.

Sidling above the river

Three suspension bridges today, the longest swooping spectacularly over the Pelorus River.

Wobbly river crossing 

On to Captain Creek Hut where I had intended to stop. There were two others already there, Ian and Bill, but I decided that it was early enough to push on the the next hut at Middy Creek as it was only two hours away.

Fallen trees often blocked the path

More good trails, some steep, to the hut where I found Martin, the German who was at the campsite last night.

A group of Outward Bound kids camped outside with the sandflies.