New Zealand Walking

[numpty]

Lauraine and I returned a couple of weeks ago from a 3 week tour of the south of the Sth Island of NZ. We hired a camper to get about in and did around 160 k's of walking including a couple of their Great Walks.

The Routeburn Track was the first to be completed, but owing to my fuel stove failing due to a leaking pump, we had to return to our start point at The Divide on the Milford Rd after 1 night and complete the walk from the other end.

Apologies for this being picture heavy.

Overlooking the Hollyford Valley

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A side trip up to Key Summit

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A waterfall on the main track, complete with water nymph

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Lake Mackenzie near Mackenzie Hut which was our first nights camp

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[numpty]

We then made our way around to the other end the following week and started again

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There are a number of these suspension bridges in the the first couple of hours

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The Routeburn River Valley

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The Upper Routeburn

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And the Routeburn again from above Routeburn Falls Hut, our overnight stop.

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The next day we continued over Harris Saddle and to a point overlooking Lake Mackenzie, where we'd got to a week previous.

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Harris Saddle Shelter. It was a tad cool up here.

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[numpty]

Over the Saddle and ever southwards

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The Hollyford again

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Some greenery

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Lake Mackenzie

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Lunch stop on top of the world

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North again back towards the Saddle

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[Don 130]

Looks like you were lucky with the weather.
Don.

[numpty]

Back over the Saddle and Lake Harris which we couldn't see on the way up due to the low cloud

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Back down the hill past Routeburn Falls to Routeburn Flats Hut where we stayed for the final night

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Evening from the hut looking up the Upper Routeburn Valley

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[numpty]

Looks like you were lucky with the weather.
Don.

We had great weather, especially for the 2 main walks we did and it only rained for 3 days out of the 23 we were there.

[grey_ghost]

Great pics - thanks for the write-up... SWMBO is from the South Island, and I'm going over there at Christmas (only for a week). I'm not fit enough to do some of these walks though! [bigwhistle]

[Gordie]

Awesome pics....making me homesick!

[scarry]

Nice pics and looks like a good trip.
We recently did the Queen Charlotte walk,another top walk,but a lot shorter,around 70k's all up.