Thursday, 15 January 2026

Te Araroa 14/01/25

Day 115, Manuka Hut to Lake Camp (2369)

It rained a bit overnight, not much but enough to ensure that my feet got wet in the grass. I left my insoles in the hut and walked all day only noticing when I took my shoes off this evening.

Looking back to Manuka Hut 
A long day (32k) but gentle ascents and descents, except the last bit, which made it a very pleasant days walk.

Rough track near the Manuka River
The trail was on rough tracks, a bit of gravel road and a mainly good path across wide moorland between the hills. Again very much like Scotland.
Misty hills 

Towards Lake Emily
I'm not sure what happened to Pete and Dean, I expected them to catch me up but they never appeared. Etienne and Pauline who left the hut last caught up with me and didn't pass them, a minor mystery
Lake Emily 
The wide open spaces were beautiful but the pictures don't look very exciting.

Up towards Paddle Hill Creek

Lake Clearwater 
The last little bit to the road needed a river crossing that was impassable so I thought I would try to skirt round it but only succeeded in tearing lumps out of myself on the thorn bushes.

The path keeps on towards the Potts River
A change of plan then and I tried going straight up to the road with similar problems but managed on the second attempt.
Potts River running into the huge Rangitata River 
There is a long road bypass to get round the Rangitata River and I had hoped to get a lift to Geraldine tonight but there was almost no traffic on the road but I did get a lift to Lake Clearwater where I met Etienne and Pauline at the side of the road trying to get further.

I walked to the campsite but nothing else was on the road so I decided to camp for the night and try again tomorrow.




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