Salisbury Lodge and environs – Kahurangi National Park

Another awesome weekend spent exploring (and hut bagging) near the Cobb Reservoir! Thursday The trip began with our group and a medium-fit (MF) group meeting at Wellington Railway Station on a Thursday afternoon to catch the afternoon ferry. After arriving in Picton, we set off to drive to Motueka, via Nelson. Very unfortunately, we all … Read more

Mud, sweat and sour squirms: Waiopehu Hut – Gable End Ridge Loop – Tararua Forest Park

I was slouching up against the wall of an Indian takeaways on Kent Terrace when I made the call. A weather bomb had hit the Tararuas, swelling rivers and drowning my dreams of taking my troop of ‘easy-medium’ punters to Mangahao Flats Hut. Instead, I spent the time waiting for my butter chicken pondering an … Read more

Pukeamoamo/ Mitre via Mitre Flats Hut – Tararua Forest Park

Friday 14th Feb  We combined resources with the MF trip group who were heading to Holdsworth trailhead. We all set off in the club van from Wellington Railway Station at 4.30 pm. We had decided on this earlier meet up time to give us more time for the walk into Mitre Flats Hut on the … Read more

Te Puia Hot Springs – Kaweka Forest Park

Ten of us (4 M and 6 EM trampers) met at 1pm on Waitangi Day (a Thursday) for the drive to Kaweka Forest Park.  After stopping for leg stretches in Shannon and Woodville, and a meal in Hastings. We arrived just before dark at the road end campsite and pitched our tents for the night. … Read more

Sunrise Hut – Ruahine Forest Park

On Friday evening the five of us met at the traditional WTMC meet up point at Wellington Train Station for a weekend getaway to Ruahine Forest Park, located in Hawke’s Bay. We were joined by the Medium-Fit group, who were travelling in the van with us. Our group was a mix of new and more … Read more

Mangatoetoe Hut and Kawakawa Hut – Aorangi Forest Park

Friday: We met at 4 pm at Wellington Train Station in the carpark by platform 9. After a 2 1/2 hr drive we arrived at Aorangi crossing carpark, Cape Palliser road. It took an easy-paced 1 hr 10 min hike along Mangatoetoe Stream to reach Mangatoetoe Hut -just as the light started to fade. This … Read more

Herepai Hut – Tararua Forest Park

We met at the Wellington Train Station carpark for an 8am departure. We were sharing the club van with the medium group of four who were planning to go to Cattle Ridge Hut via Roaring Stag Hut. With heavy rain forecast for later in the afternoon and for much of the following morning, we were … Read more

A beautiful weekend for Blue Range Hut – Tararua Forest Park

On this beautiful sunny Saturday morning our group left Wellington Railway Station at 9am. Lizzy was having her first overnight tramp and we couldn’t have hoped for a better day for it. In Featherston we stopped for coffee and when we arrived at the Kiriwhakapapa road end the day was still looking great. As we … Read more

Sunrise Hut – Ruahine Forest Park

We met at Wellington Train Station at 5pm and piled into the van for the trip north, stopping in Levin for dinner on the way. We’d neglected to heed the notice on the DOC website that Fletchers Crossing Bridge was closed, so we unexpectedly came across a very-much-not-there bridge and had to backtrack to the … Read more

Devils Creek Hut – Mt Richmond Forest Park

The trip began with us all meeting at Wellington Train Station to catch a 4pm ferry sailing to the South Island. Our original plan was to camp at Butchers Flat campsite, but as the forecast was looking rather awful, we made a decision while waiting for the ferry to book accommodation in Picton for the … Read more