Te Araroa 13/02/26

Day 145, Quarry to Turnbulls Hut (2967)

It was dry when I woke up but as I was having breakfast it started to rain so once again I had to pack a wet tent.

Leaving the quarry in the rain

It was certainly colder today and when a rain squall came through it felt like winter.

Into the woods

The Longwoods reputation for mud isn't misplaced, it didn't come above my knees but there was plenty of it.

Beautiful but not easy to walk through 

The first part up to Little Baldy wasn't too bad and I got up to the swampy high ground without the mud going above my ankles.

Open ground but still soggy underfoot 

The section through the woods from there to the open ground around Longwood top however was horrendous. It was like walking through a river at times but you can't tell where the bottom is. I don't know what I would have done if my pole repair hadn't been successful.

Mud, mud glorious mud

The walk over the top on the open scrubland was very good but cold, The view to Riverton, tomorrow's destination was good but Bluff was not really visible.

Oh dear

Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood

The descent through the woods to Turnbulls Hut was a bit less muddy but very slow over roots and fallen trees.

And still the wet goes on

El Tejido keeping his feet dry

Stating to improve 

At one point I slipped when climbing over a fallen tree and looked up from where I was lying on my back in a tangle of branches and took a photo of a lovely tree.

Martins hut, ten people here last night 

This is an old gold mining area and there are various waterways cut round the hill all overgrown now are more traps for the unwary.

Becoming more ferny 

Approaching Turnbulls Hut 

I had thought of going past the hut and on to the campsite at Colac Bay but it is nearly twelve kilometers further with nowhere to stop in-between. I had enough mud for today anyway and although it means another stretch tomorrow I was happy enough to stop for the day.

A lovely tree (view from a prone position!)

The Longwoods are winning so far; broken pole, the ass hanging out of my shorts, both shoes split down the side and one gaiter ripped. But I will escape,🥴

Even hairier inside Turnbulls Hut