Cone to Tutuwai

The sun shone strong on our transit as we wound along the highway north oh Featherston. The unseasonably warm and almost cloudless sky illuminated the countryside’s early spring greens. So marvelously distracting was the prospect of a golden weekend, that navigator couldn’t be blamed for the missing the first turn off, but perhaps he should … Read more

Tim Tams for Dinner

After Ngauruhoe high camp was cancelled, I decided I needed a weekend of tramping to keep my fitness for Tappy in a few weeks. For family reasons, Spencer was about to enter a period of tramping abstinence and wanted a good solid tramp. As well as keeping tramping fit, Elizabeth needed an excuse to avoid … Read more

Cone Hut

The punters who’d signed up for this tramp dropped like flies this weekend – so much so that we managed to fit the E, EM and M groups all in one van! However, given our trip was going to the rather cosy Cone Hut (which DoC alleges is a six-bunker, but that’s taking a liberal … Read more

Oatmeal for the Soul

I grew up happily located between Kahurangi and Abel Tasman National Parks. As a youngster tramping for me was an enviable choice between silver beech in the hills or golden beach on the coast. So naturally, when I first moved to Wellington I looked down my nose at the Tararuas. A fellow Mainlander, John Pascoe, … Read more

Tongariro Devil Creek Crossing

With an appalling weather forecast it was decided that a weekend trip to the lodge wasn’t a goer; chances are the Bruce Road would be closed and we wouldn’t even get there.  Spencer was keen to lead a local day walk instead and I for one really needed to stretch my legs, so did Tracey, … Read more

Dreaming of Daphne

I dreamed about Daphne, her spur, her ridge and her hut. After a couple of months filled with studies and deskwork it was time to get out and meet Daphne in the Ruahine’s.  I choose to be a novice leader on this trip, the 3 -5 of July. It would be great! There were 16, then … Read more