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





A side trip up to Key Summit







A waterfall on the main track, complete with water nymph





Lake Mackenzie near Mackenzie Hut which was our first nights camp

[numpty]

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



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



The Routeburn River Valley



The Upper Routeburn



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



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









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

[numpty]

Over the Saddle and ever southwards



The Hollyford again



Some greenery



Lake Mackenzie



Lunch stop on top of the world



North again back towards the Saddle

[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





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



Evening from the hut looking up the Upper Routeburn Valley

[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!

[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.