Totara Flats via Waiohine Campsite…in the rain

I was keen for an overnight tramp despite the horrendous Tararua weather forecast. We’d decided that given the forecast for heavy rain and gales, our best bet was a trip in the valley that avoided any major stream or river crossings. We’d settled on Totara Flats as neither Kate or Emily had done the walk … Read more

Cone to Alpha Huts (via Neill, Winchcombe and Hector)

We headed into Cone Hut from the Waiohine roadend on Friday night (after getting Chinese takeaways in Greytown – recommended!), and got to Cone at 9.45 that night. Cone is a great little hut and is renowned in arachnologist circles for having some of the hugest spiders in the Tararuas. We crashed almost as soon … Read more

Tutuwai Hut Walk

See more of RIchard’s Photos. A great walk and a great hut! Not without its steep climbs as is to be expected in the Tararuas – but this time we were lucky to dodge the bad weather that has become associated with the ranges. After a cosy van ride on friday night to the Waiohine road end, … 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

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