[Peter Gent]

Hi,

I’d like to take a couple of friends on a short tramp into a hut for night and then back out just to introduce them to overnight walking. Any suggestions on huts that are a couple of hours from a road end in the lower north Island?

thanks

Pete

[Mike McGavin]

Hi Peter.

Off the top of my head you could try Kapakapanui (starting from near Waikanae). There’s a (hopefully) shallow river to cross a few times near the beginning for about 10-20 minutes, before you get onto a loop which has a small stint above the bush-line about half way through with nice views of Kapiti Island on a clear day. It’s either steep going up to the hut if you go clockwise, or steep coming down from the hut if you go anticlockwise. It’s usually a daywalk which might take about 6-7 hours at an easy-medium’ish pace, and people walk their dogs around it quite a lot.

Other ideas might be Field Hut (or further to Kime Hut) from Otaki Forks, or maybe Jumbo Hut (or Totara Flats) on the other side from the Holdsworth road-end.

I’m sure that other people in the forum would be able to suggest a lot of other places.

Mike.

[Geoff Keey]

The tramping club has a hut in the Orongorongo Valley, Rimutaka Forest Park called Paua Hut. It is 2 hours walk from the road end behind Wainuiomata. We use it for introductory trips

Geoff

[Peter]

Hi,

thanks for both your suggestions. Will start planning post long weekend…

thanks

Pete

[Gail]

Powell Hut’s also quite a good one as an introductory trip, especially if you get a good day as the views across the Wairarapa are impressive and a good reward! The hut can get quite busy though. Jumbo and Powell Hutts are both accessed from the Holdsworth Road end. Mitre Flats is a steady relatively level track in, but then you don’t get the views ….

[Mike McGavin]

Oops, my mistake. I meant to say Powell Hut instead of Jumbo. Jumbo’s usually further than a couple of hours (unless you’re really going quickly I guess). It’s still a nice place to visit.

[Ray]

Hi Peter,

You need to consider the ability of your friends. If they are relatively young and active, any of the tramps suggested above would be fine. However, if either of them are couch potatoes or complete novices, I would suggest Paua hut as the better option. As the trip leader you need to be a member to use this hut. If you are not, there are other huts in the vicinity that are administered by DOC which you can hire for the weekend. I’ve led a lot of easy trips over the last few years and it is surprising how the odd person has struggled with what most trampers would regard as an easy trip.

Regards,

Ray

[Mike McGavin]

There’s also Baines’ Hut along the Orongorongo River in the Rimutakas, for the record. (This is right next to the turn-off where you’d start walking up Mount Matthews from the river, and hidden in the trees on the left-hand side looking up the hill.)

It’s a privately owned hut, but the family have left it open for anybody who needs it to use it. (At least this was the case when we walked past it earlier last year — it’d be worth double-checking if you plan to actually go there, or have a backup plan.) It’s a 4-bunk hut and definitely not the flashiest hut in the world, so you’d need to be prepared to sleep outside under a fly in case other people get there first. It’s also on the far side of the Orongorongo River so there’s an outside chance of difficulty getting there (or back) if there’s lots of rain, I guess, although that’s also the case with Paua Hut. Still, if you’re looking for an experience…

I took a photo of Baines’ Hut when we stopped there for lunch last March, which is visible at http://www.flickr.com/photos/83154423@N00/433378745/in/set-72157600039925073/

[Craig]

Hi Peter,

I would recommend visiting Herepai Hut from the Putara Road end (inland from Eketahuna).

It is couple of hours up the hut for lunch. Then you can drop your packs and stroll up to the tussock tops of Ruapae and drop back the hut for the evening.

Regards,
Craig.

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