I’m a big fan of Kahurangi National Park, and I’ve tried to explore as many areas as possible. One area which I hadn’t visited (up until this easter) was the southern end. One of the main features of Kahurangi is its limestone formations, and the southern end is no exception.
The walk up to the plateaus is a great cross section of the south island. You leave the wide muddy dairy farming tracks, walking along a nice easy riverside track, then hitting a gnarly,slippery and steep track that (after what feels like forever) pops you out onto some stunning tussock fields.
To our surprise and my tramping buddies disappointment (they’d been hoping to do a bit of hunting on the tops) Poor Pete’s hut was surrounded by tents in all directions, and the intention book told us there were trampers camping all over the plateau.
The next morning we decided to make our way to Larrikins Hut and explore 100 Acre plateau, along with a group of trampers from the Tararua Tramping Club. After having lunch at the hut and making our way up the ridge we quickly realised that the tramping club had missed the track and was trying to make their way up the small creek.
Once above the ridge and on a small flattish grass area it really becomes a free-for-all in terms of getting up onto the plateau. We unwisely chose to head up small gully and proceeded to be stabbed to a bloody mess by spaniards and what felt like every other small shrub. Although on the way back down we found that there was a much easier path down, I would still be happy to climb that gully again for the veiws into the mokihinui river catchment!
The next day we made our way out in the pouring rain, hoping to get out before the river flooded (which apparently it does quite often). I’m already thinking about my next trip up there, this time not over a public holiday so I don’t have to drag a tent up the hill.
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