Wednesday, 7 January 2026

Te Araroa 03/01026

Day 104, Hope Kiwi Lodge to Hurunui Hut (2156)

It was a rather damp morning, drizzle rather than rain but it did rain for half an hour and I delayed starting until it eased.

Leaving Hope Kiwi Lodge 
The trail follows the Kiwi river across wide grassy flats with loads of suckler cows before climbing into the bush and through some difficult areas of fallen trees.
Beautiful Beech trees

Fallen giant

Across various small streams and more fallen trees to the Kiwi Saddle before descending via to a suspension bridge over Three Mile Stream to more grassy flats by the Hurunui River which flows through Lake Sumner.

More bridges

Lake Sumner

Trees surrounded by washed down gravel and stones

Fallen timber everywhere 

Looking back to Lake Sumner
Across the flats, where a bull curled his lip at me, to reach the 'swing bridge' across the Hurunui River.
Cows, and bulls, on the flats

Bridge over the Hurunui
The path then climbed up through the forest, on a better path, to arrive fairly quickly at Hurunui Hut.
Hurunui Hut
I had hoped to get to the next hut today but it was two o'clock and there was another five hours of walking to reach it. I had found the walk today quite tiring so when I found Pete and Dean at Hurunui I decided to stay.

No comments: