The bus from Wanganui took us to Wellington where we caught the ferry to Picton and stayed the night in a hostel. Hitchhiking the next day we made it to Tapawera where we got a ride to the trailhead of the Karamea Track. Halfway through that track we crossed over the Wangapeka saddle and continued down a new track to the end of that hike. The same guy that dropped us off came and picked us up and we stayed at his hotel for one night before catching a bus to Hokitika where we have be lounging on the beach for several days before going back into the bush for a six day hike.

Approaching Picton from the ferry.

This is one of the huts we stayed in that was built into the cleft of a rock. This swinging seat was in the patio/fire area.

Here is the inside of the hut with the slant of the ceiling being the rock itself. The sleeping pad is up on its side.


The second day of hiking we got rained on so we waited in a delightful hut with three other folks and set off the next day. Steve is walking in his rain pants since the brush is soaked. This is day three. No pictures of hut #2


A peek through the woods down to the Karamea River on the way to the Karamea Bend hut. What a hard day of hiking. There was so much downhill that our legs were aching by the time we had gone the 11 miles.

Evening at the Karamea Hut where Steve caught a huge brown trout (65 cm)

Getting ready the next morning to leave this plush roomy hut. We always seem to get out the door around 9:30 am each day after our oatmeal breakfast.

Approaching Crow Hut where we made tea and took a nap before continuing our day of tramping.

River crossing, yikes!

A landslide from the nearby mountain created this lake where we had a rainy tea party before reaching the next hut.

A view up the valley from another hut where we stayed. While Steve was fishing in the evening, the rain came down so hard I was shocked. So glad to be in a hut instead of a tent.

Hiking through the sun dappled woods.

On the bus going down the coast on the way to Hokitika