Marlborough Region. Lonely Planet Publications 129

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1 alboough egion Lonely Planet Publications 9 The alboough Sounds a convoluted labyinth of bays, islands, coves and wateways was once the poo cousin of the popula elson egion to the west. o moe. The beautiful shoeline, abundance of sunshine and many possible adventues of the alboough Sounds aea have now been discoveed by oveseas tavelles, and tampes in paticula, thanks to the numbe of good tacks that have been developed o extensively upgaded. Two of the tacks coveed hee, the Queen Chalotte and ydia Tacks, give tampes an oppotunity to see diffeent pats of the pictuesque Sounds while spending the nights in something othe than a C hut. long the Queen Chalotte Tack you can end each day by descending the idge to a wide vaiety of esots and hotels. ppotunities hee include eveything fom sampling fine estauants and fiendly pubs to enting kayaks fo a sunset paddle. Some places ae even staffed with a masseu. n the ydia Tack you can bunk up at a fam-stay, helping to feed the chickens, o a small backpacke lodge ovelooking pictuesque ydia. The thid tack, the Pelous Tack, links the Pelous Scenic eseve with elson via a seies of tacks though t ichmond Foest Pak. o hotels with hot tubs along this tamp, just C huts ovelooking a beautiful ive that swils though a seies of deep pools, which ae often home to lage tout. End the day with a soak in one of these pools it s as nice as any hotel spa along the Queen Chalotte Tack, but is enjoyed at a faction of the pice. HIGHLIGHTS Sipping bee at Funeaux Lodge ( p35 ) on the Queen Chalotte Tack, a pub accessible only on foot o by boat Viewing the of any Coves ( p36 ) along the Queen Chalotte Tack Tamping though the beautiful boad-leaved coastal foest of mio, nikau palms and imu on the ydia Tack ( p37 ) Taking a long, cool dip in Emeald Pool ( p4 ) on the Pelous ive on a hot sticky day TELEPHE CE: 3

2 3 Histoy Climate 3 alboough egion alboough egion ichmond ange Pelous ive Waiau ive HISTY The agillite quaies of Uville ae just some of the many achaeological sites in the Sounds that yield infomation about the long aoi occupation of the aea. It appeas that the pa (fotified villages) and the sites suounding them wee not pemanently occupied, and that the aoi wee highly mobile, moving with the seasons to haness diffeent esouces. The fist Euopean to visit the alboough egion was bel Tasman, who spent five days shelteing off the east coast of Uville in 64, but neve landed. It was to be moe than a centuy befoe the next Euopean, James Cook, tuned up, in Januay 7. Cook stayed 3 days and made fou moe visits ove the next seven yeas to Ship Cove and the stetch of wate he named Queen Chalotte Sound. In 87 the Fench navigato Jules umont d Uville discoveed the naow stait now known as Fench Pass, and his offices named the island to the noth in his honou. In June 84, Goveno Hobson s envoy, ajo Bunbuy, aived in the alboough Cape Stephens Stephens Golden alboough egion aps Sepaation Queen Chalotte Tack pp34 5 Clifton ydia Tack p39 angitoto s Pohaa 3 Pelous Tack p4 Totaanui 'Uville Takaka bel Tasman ational Pak alboough Sounds t Evans dele aitime Pak Uppe(56m) Takaka aahau Kaiteitei Tasman Cape Soucis nakoha iwaka Cobb otueka Pepin ive anaoa Tennyson aii Inlet Pangatotaa uby SH6 Potage Woodstock apua abbit ai Valley nakiwa Havelock elson Waikawa edwood Stoke Pelous Canvastown Valley Picton Bightwate ichmond SH6 Koomiko obetson Tapawea SH Wakefield 3 kaamio Tuamaina Belgove t ichmond t ichmond SH6 Foest Pak Cloudy (756m) Blenheim t intoul ed Hill (73m) enwick (79m) Valley Hwy Tophouse St naud SH63 t Phillips (54m) See elson egion ap (p47) 5 km 3 miles Queen Chalotte Sound C o o k S t a i t Tio Chetwode Fosyth alboough Sounds SH Seddon Big Lagoon otuaa Cape Campbell Long apawa Sounds on the HS Heald to gathe aoi signatues to the Teaty of Waitangi. n 7 June, on the Sounds Hoahoa Kakahu, Bunbuy poclaimed Bitish soveeignty ove the South. In spite of this, the alboough aea was not the site of an oganised settlement; it was moe of an oveflow fom the elson colony. When Waiau settles ealised that evenue fom land sales in thei aea was being used to develop the elson distict, they petitioned fo independence. The appeal was successful and the colonial govenment called the new egion alboough appoving one of the two settlements, Waitohi (now Picton), as the capital. fte a peiod of intense ivaly between Picton and Blenheim, the capital was tansfeed peacefully to the latte in 865. s ealy as the 8s, the alboough Sounds wee becoming a popula eceational aea. EVIET The Sounds habitat vaies fom gassy famland to gose-coveed egeneating foest and, most impotantly, undistubed nat ual foest. The Queen Chalotte and ydia Tacks offe chances to expeience this geat divesity, and ae epesentative of much of the Sounds. f paticula inteest to fans of fabulous floa, is the emnant podocap boadleaved coastal foest, such as that seen on the ydia Tack. gawhakawhiti ( p4 ) is a good example of this kind of foest, with pukatea, tawa, matai, imu, mio, beech, nikau palm and a colouful blanket of iotous kiekie. eanwhile, the Queen Chalotte Tack is distinctly divided into thee ecognisable foest types, with coastal boad-leaved foest at Ship Cove, egeneating foest fom Kenepuu to Toea s, and matue beech foest between istletoe and nakiwa. Bid life is polific. The bids of the foest include tui, bellbid, tomtit and silveeye. In summe you will hea long-tailed and shining cuckoos, and at night moepoks and wekas. Wades ae pominent in tidal estuaies. CLITE The alboough Sounds aea has a tempeate climate. High ainfall is expeienced in a numbe of places, as the lush ainfoest attests. In the cental Sounds the bad weathe is mitigated by the suounding hills. Summe days ae paticulaly pleasant, with the wate often still and the only evidence of moistue in the ai being the clouds that hug the idges. IFTI aps good map fo the Sounds aea is the :, Pakmap (alboough Sounds). The map coves both the Queen Chalotte and ydia Tacks, but only a small potion of the Pelous Tack. The best place to puchase maps is the Picton visito infomation cente ( ight ). Infomation Souces If passing though Blenheim, infomation and bookings can be aanged at Blenheim visito infomation cente (%577 88; malboough.com; ailway Station, Sinclai St). The alboough Web iectoy ( is also vey useful, with details on accommodation, dining and tamping tacks. GTEWY Picton %3 / pop 36 t the head of Queen Chalotte Sound is Picton, a scenic little pot that is a beehive of activity duing summe. Picton is the tanspot hub fo the alboough Sounds, with the fey fom Wellington landing hee, and wate taxis and buses tanspoting visitos to almost evey cone of the egion. IFTI C Sounds ea ffice (%5 3; soundsao@ doc.govt.nz; 4 uckland St) Picton visito infomation cente (%5 33; Foeshoe) Located m fom the fey teminal, this is the main souce of infomation fo both the town and the egion. In summe, C maintains a counte hee. Between the two you will be able to obtain tamping infomation, buy maps and hut tickets, and book accommodation and tanspot. SUPPLIES & EQUIPET Fo tamping equipment o stove fuel thee is Picton Spots & utdoos (% ; 8 High St; h8.3am-5.3pm on-fi, to pm Sat, 9.3am-pm Sun). Just up the steet is Picton Fou Squae (% ; 49 High St) fo tail food. SLEEPIG & ETIG Picton Top Holiday Pak (% , 573 7; 78 Waikawa d; sites fo $8, cabin $48-65; is) is only 5m fom the town cente and is a well-kept camping gound with communal kitchen, laundy and spa. t last count thee wee almost a dozen backpacke hostels in Picton, including the popula Villa (% ; 34 uckland St; dm $-3, d $5; i), which is housed in a enovated villa, and Sequoia Lodge Backpackes (%8-57, ; lodge.co.nz; 3a elson Sq; dm/d $/6; i), whee fee stoage of suplus baggage is available while you e off tamping. Fo a step up in style, thee s Boadway otel (%8-99, ; motel.co.nz; 3 High St; $-75), conveniently located, moden and always clean. High St, ight in the heat of Picton, is loaded with estauants. The og & Fog Cafe (% ; High St; h8am-8.3pm) seves up good beakfasts and sandwiches, and it offes outdoo seating.

3 3 Queen Chalotte Tack Queen Chalotte Tack 33 GETTIG THEE & WY Soundsai (%8-55 5, 5 38; ai.co.nz) has egula ai sevice acoss Cook Stait to and fom Wellington (adult/child $79/67). fee shuttle bus is povided between Picton and the aistip in Koomiko, 8km south of town. umeous buses go south fom Picton to Blenheim and Chistchuch, and west to elson. tomic Shuttles (% , ; is the cheapest, with buses to Chistchuch ($35, five hous), Geymouth ($6, nine hous) and elson ($, two hous). the bus lines ae InteCity (%573 5; and K Bus (% ; to elson, the Heaphy Tack and bel Tasman ational Pak. epating fom the Picton fey teminal ae the Inteislande (%8-8 8, ; feies, which shuttle up to six times daily acoss Cook Stait to Wellington (adult/child $6/4). Its Lynx fey is a high-speed catamaan that cuts the thee-hou tip to little moe than two hous. QU EE CHLTTE TCK uation 4 days istance 7km Tack Standad easy tamping tack ifficulty modeate Stat Ship Cove Finish nakiwa eaest Town Picton ( p3 ) Tanspot boat, bus Summay Tamp aound bays and along idges between Queen Chalotte and Kenepuu Sounds, combining beautiful coastal sceney with accommodation in inteesting lodges, hostels and esots. Those put off by the numbe of people encounteed on the bel Tasman Coast Tack may wish to conside the Queen Chalotte Tack. It connects histoic Ship Cove with nakiwa (Cave of Kiwa), passing though pivately owned land and C eseves. The coastal foest is lush, and fom the idges you can look into eithe Queen Chalotte o Kenepuu Sounds. In ecent yeas, sections of the tack have been eouted, making it a less ugged walk along the idge. Thee ae still some long climbs and descents, but the tack is now well-defined and suitable fo people of all ages and aveage fitness. Keep in mind that mountain bikes ae pemitted hee, and they will be encounteed often on the Queen Chalotte Tack (see opposite ). The exception is on the section fom Ship Cove to Kenepuu, whee they ae banned fom ecembe though Febuay. Scatteed along the Queen Chalotte Tack is a wide ange of accommodation some offeing fine estauants, watefont pubs and even spas. It s one aspect of the tamp many people like; you spend the day tamping, but at night you can enjoy a hot showe and a cold bee. The tamp can be done in segments o as a single thee- to five-day jouney. good two-day tamp is fom Ship Cove to Punga Cove (7km), while a ecommended day walk is fom Toea (a shot boat ide fom Picton) to istletoe (9km). PLIG When to Tamp The tack can be tamped yea-ound, with summe being a pleasant and popula time to be in the alboough Sounds. What to Bing The sun can be intense along the Queen Chalotte Tack, and at times thee is little o no shade fo potection. Bing a widebimmed hat and good sunsceen. lso pack an exta wate bottle; along the cest of the idge you can go long stetches between wate souces. aps & Books The :, Pakmap (alboough Sounds) coves the entie tack in sufficient detail. Fo bette coveage you would need to puchase fou maps in the :5, Topomap 6 seies: P6 (Fench Pass), Q6 (Cape Jackson), P7 (Picton) and Q7 (Cook Stait). With the exception of the fist day, most of the tack is on P7 (Picton). The book alboough Sounds aitime Pak is an excellent intoduction to the aea. The small C Queen Chalotte Tack pamphlet has a bief account of the stages, and is useful fo planning. UTI BIKIG QUEE CHLTTE TCK The biggest change on the Queen Chalotte Tack in ecent yeas is the inceasing numbe of mountain bikes. The tack became moe bike-fiendly when majo segments of it wee eouted in the late 99s, afte which the numbe of off-oad cyclists exploded. The esult was a conflict between tampes and bikes, which the ew Zealand ountain Bike ssociation, estination alboough and C stepped in to esolve. What they came up with is a list of ules to encouage goodwill among uses on the tack. ountain bikes ae allowed on the Kenepuu to nakiwa section any time of the yea, but only fom Ship Cove to Kenepuu duing ach to ovembe. Bikes should give way to walkes; tampes have the ight of way at all times. Bikes need to avoid excessive baking as it can damage the tack suface, especially afte ain. Bikes need to contol thei speed and not supise tampes fom behind; use a bell o give a yell. Tampes need to espect the bikes ight to be thee, and shae the tack with them. You can ent bikes in Picton, and most wate taxis will cay them to the tack fo you. If you e inteested in biking and walking the Queen Chalotte Tack, the alboough Sounds dventue Company (% , ; has a thee-day Ultimate Sounds dventue (dom accommodation $495, in double ooms $695). The tip includes bicycle and kayak ental, plus all tanspot and accommodation. You walk fom Ship Cove to Endeavou Inlet the fist day, kayak the second day to Potage esot Hotel, and mountain bike the thid day. Lodges & Camp Sites Thee ae no C huts along the Queen Chalotte Tack, but thee ae six camping gounds (adult/child $6/.5), many of them in spectacula settings. The lodges and esots along the tack ae coveed in the tamp desciption, along with contact infomation. It s best to book beds o ooms to ensue you have a place to stay each night. In the Chistmas and Easte holidays many places will be booked a month, o longe, in advance. n altenative is a Feedom Walk package ($48) offeed by the alboough Sounds dventue Company (% , ; The package includes thee nights accommodation on the tack at Funeaux Lodge, Punga Cove esot and Potage esot Hotel, along with a packed lunch each day, wate tanspot to the tack and luggage tansfe, so all you cay is a day-pack. Guided Tamps The alboough Sounds dventue Company (% , ; in Picton offes a ange of guided tamps along the Queen Chalotte Tack, including some that combine tamping with kayaking o mountain biking. Tip pices cove all tanspot, lodging and food, and options include a five-day walk ($39) and a fou-day paddle-and-walk ($). GETTIG T/F THE TP The only way to each the stat of the tack at Ship Cove is by boat, a 45-minute tip fom Picton. Thee ae seveal wate taxis that can take you to the stat o dop you off at spots along the tack. Some will also fowad you luggage to any hotel o esot they sevice. Endeavou Expess (% ; depats the Picton town whaf daily at 9am,.3am and.5pm duing summe fo Ship Cove (adult/child $45/3). It also has a package that includes pack tansfes and boat pick-up at nakiwa (adult/child $/5). The fae fom nakiwa to Picton is $5 pe adult and $ pe child. Slightly moe expensive is Couga Line (%8-54 9, ; which depats Picton at 8am, am and.3pm daily fom ctobe though pil. Fom ay to Septembe it depats at 9am and.3pm. It chages $75 fo tanspot to Ship Cove, a pick-up fom nakiwa, and pack tansfe duing you tamp. West Wate Tanspot (% ; and Beachcombe Fun Cuises

4 4 6 3 ntimo ny ine Tack gi iv e Big Tit ia I ep Black ock Kumutoto (4m) ( Blackwood 3 Lo ch Ba ma y a E 5 Y Funeaux Lodge e 4 Tac 3 k C Y 3 K k c Ta 5 Big a 3 Ch t 5 een 6 Camp u The Kenepuu Funeaux Q 5 Pines (74m) (83m) E BL Punga Cove S Cook 6 emoial ahana 5 (438m) Homestead Schoolhouse 34 STT G Lodge I Ship (37m) TIT Tawa Cove Endeavou otuaa Kenepuu esolution eep Inlet S (353m) Cabins Head of any Side Tip (44m) Coves esolution k aine Queen (33m) Chalotte Tac Head Eatwells Lookout of Whatapu (494m) (44m) (474m) any Bottle Coves 4 ock Edgecombe Scott 3 Long of uakaka any Coves esot I Endeavou7 esot 6 5 tte lo 4 km miles G 3 TITI 4 GI 3 LI Pihaka gatawhetawheta Wedge llpots (88m) Gants Lookout (863m) W IL Kaipakiikii t obinson (778m) d n 5 Potage Shop Cowshed Y 4 Potage esot Potage Hotel (47m) Toea (463m) T 3 (38m) uu (46m) d en Toea : 95, m Contou Inteval abel 8 K To Picton (5km) Waitaia (85m) ouble Cove t cahon (57m) Clak (55m) 6 Hilltop Lookout Lochmaa Lodge (47m) istletoe nahau Potage Jo House 3 6 TITI nakiwa Backpackes (9m) avies Iwitaaoa nakiwa t Queseve een Chalot FIISH Q ue d kiwa Umungata en iwa Ch k Bottle a a n l o t te The Houhou Gove 3 3 Goulte Kaiabo Te ahia nahau 3 (555m) L B U G H E G I Q u e e n C h a l o t t e T a c k 4 6 To Havelock 5 4 (km) Te ahia esot t Bolton (55m) 4 Schnappe K e nepuu d (56m) 5 3 Ba y B Y Queen Chalotte Tack 43 o e t a pu 3 3 Queen Chalotte Tack 34 L B U G H E G I Q u e e n C h a l o t t e T a c k Queen Chalotte Tack % ; also offe seveal one-day options, allowing you to walk shot sections of the tack. Fom the nakiwa ca pak you can also catch the ual ail (% , ) van, which can pick you up between am and noon onday to Satuday fo the tip to Picton ($). You must book and pepay fo this sevice at the Picton visito infomation cente. ay : Ship Cove to Funeaux Lodge 4 5 hous, 5km It is fitting that the dop-off point and the stat of the tack is Ship Cove. Cook anchoed hee five times between 7 and 777 (once in the Endeavou and fou times in the esolution), and thee is a pominent memoial on the gassed aea beyond the jetty. It s not had to imagine why Cook etuned fou times to this poignantly beautiful spot. Today, Ship Cove is a picnic aea with tables, toilets and a beach, all cented aound the Cook emoial. The tack climbs quite steeply, at fist though podocap and boad-leaved foest of kahikatea, imu and kohekohe with an undestoey of fens and pigeonwood, and then into beech foest. bout 45 minutes up thee is a lookout ove otuaa and oute Queen Chalotte Sound. Cook declaed soveeignty ove the South fom otuaa, now a bid sanctuay. Pines. Fom hee the tack stays in the foest until it aives at a signposted spu tack to Funeaux Lodge, eached 5 minutes fom the Pines, o ½ hous fom the saddle. Funeaux Lodge (% ; dm $3-35, chalets/studios $95/5) is ensconced in tun-of-the-centuy Bitishness, with manicued lawns, gadens, tennis couts and a fountain, as well as a estauant and possible the only pub in ew Zealand accessible by foot o boat only. You can stay in its backpacke lodge, an old stone cottage called the Coft, o in moe comfotable self-contained chalets o studios. 94; eso@xta.co.nz; camp sites fo $3, dm $3, cabins & cottages pe peson $3), a delightfully ustic 4 hous, km place. Even if you don t plan to spend the night, a sign invites you to stop in fo hot dinks and muffins, which is had fo many tampes to pass up on a ainy day. The tack climbs out of esolution initially along a bulldozed path, then an old bidle path and in ½ hous eaches a saddle between the bay and Endeavou Inlet. Thee ae benches hee, so you can plop down afte the long climb and enjoy the stunning views of Endeavou Inlet. Stay long enough and most likely a weka will pop out looking fo a hand-out. The descent povides additional views of the inlet along the way. You bottom out and then pass though a cluste of holiday homes and boat sheds known as the ay : Funeaux Lodge to Camp The tack wandes though a egeneating foest and then, in km, emeges into an open aea and passes Endeavou esot (% ; dm $3-35, cabins $75), which has a backpacke lodge and eight cabins along with showes, laundy and kayaks. bout minutes past the esot you use a swing bidge to coss the steam that empties into the inlet. n the othe side of the bidge is a signposted junction. To the noth (ight) is the ntimony ine Tack, a two-hou etun walk to the naow and dak emains of abandoned antimony mines. The Queen Chalotte Tack continues south (left fok) as a gassy coido that hugs the westen side of the inlet, passing though pivate land whee one of the ownes occasionally sets up a fuit stand. Just befoe a boat shed, whee a sign indicates Big Hs, the Queen Chalotte Tack climbs away fom the shoeline. Fo the next 8km the tack passes though egeneating bush as it skits the westen side of Endeavou Inlet above the shoeline. The walking is easy, with only gentle climbs and descents, and along the way you e teated to views back to Funeaux Lodge acoss the inlet. Within ½ hous of passing Endeavou esot, the tack ounds the idge sepaating Endeavou Inlet fom Big and you aive at a view point into Big. sign hee announces you e halfway to Camp fom Funeaux Lodge. The tack swings nothwest and in 3 minutes you coss Big ive on a swing bidge. Camp is an hou away, and is eached afte a bit of climbing. This section of the tail can be muddy afte a had ain. Eventually you pass a signposted junction to Kenepuu. Tun left and follow a lowe tack, which beaks out of the bush at Camp camp site. Fom the gassed camp sites it takes about five minutes to each Punga Cove esot (% , ; cabins $-75, d $-45, chalets $65-; si). The esot has hillside chalets ovelooking beautiful Punga Cove, plus lodge ooms and budget cabins with shaed bathooms and a deck ovelooking Endeavou Inlet. THE TP It is about minutes fom the lookout to a saddle at the top of the idge, whee thee is an obsevation platfom and sweeping views down to esolution. The tack dops steeply to the bay and then sidles the hill until it comes to a signposted junction. The tack to Schoolhouse camp site is down the left fok, which heads back in the diection of the saddle. o fies ae pemitted at the camp site. Continue southwest (ight fok), eaching esolution two hous fom Ship Cove. In esolution you coss pivate land with sheep, so you need to espect the owne s wishes egading access and gates. The tack passes esolution Cabins (%579

5 36 Queen Chalotte Tack Queen Chalotte Tack 37 own at the jetty is a delightful little pub, while above it is the Punga Fen estauant (hbeakfast & dinne daily, lunch Fi-Sun), one of the finest along the tack. Futhe along the bay, about minutes fom Punga Cove esot, is ahana Homestead Lodge (% , dm/d $3/65), whee evey oom has a view of the sea, and kayaks and a dingy ae available fo an evening on the wate. ay 3: Camp to Potage 8 hous, 3km This is a tough day s walk. Fom Camp camp site, the tack climbs steeply south to emege at kebloms d. Signs diect you to continue climbing along the oad. Twenty minutes fom Camp you each Kenepuu, located at the intesection of kebloms and Titiangi ds. lage signpost indicates the way to the of any Coves shelte to the south. The tack sidles the idge, and at fist you ae teated to views of eep to the east, but most of the time you ae gazing down at the head of Kenepuu Sound to the west. This section of the Queen Chalotte Tack has been ecently eouted, and is now a well-benched tail that no longe skits the cest of the idge. You e still constantly climbing and descending, but you effot is ewaded with egula panoamas of the inlets and sounds on both sides. Within two hous of leaving the saddle you aive at the longest and steepest climb of the day. The tack tops off at a signposted spu tack to Eatwells Lookout (see opposite ). Fom the junction you begin a long descent that bottoms out at of any Coves, whee a sign announces that the C camp site is only 5 minutes away. That 5 minutes involves one final climb befoe you aive at the of any Coves camp site, thee hous fom Camp. shelte is peched on the edge of the idge and has geat views of the beautiful of any Coves. Thee is also wate and toilets, making this a nice spot fo moning tea o lunch. If staying, keep in mind that high winds can make pitching a tent a challenge. Fom the shelte thee is a gentle 4- minute climb to a high point and signposts indicating a spu tack to of any Coves esot (% , ; covesesot.co.nz; s/d $95/3, ste fom $36), a vey stylish seaside esot with a estauant, pivate balconies and a spa whee you can get a hot-stone massage afte a day on the tack. You just might need that massage, because the spu tack is a ½- to two-hou descent along a vey steep oute that you definitely don t want to be walking in the ain. Fo the next hou the Queen Chalotte Tack is elatively level, and passes views on both sides of the idge, befoe moe climbing is encounteed. oughly halfway to Black ock camp site, o ½ hous fom of any Coves camp site, the tack skits the south side of the idge, and fo almost km you enjoy a continuous view of Blackwood. The tack then dips into the bush and emeges to moe geat views on the noth side. Less than 3 minutes fom Black ock you make a long descent, and then an equally long climb, until you top off at the camp site. Black ock camp site is a six-hou walk fom Camp and two hous fom Potage. Its shelte is positioned on the south side of the idge and has panoamic views, including a vista of Picton acoss Queen Chalotte Sound. Black ock also has toilets and dinking wate. Fom Black ock the tack begins with a gentle climb and then levels out, poviding geat views fo the next 3 minutes. You leave the cest of the idge and descend into beech foest along the south side fo the next hou. This section of the tack is elatively new, and in places you can see whee C wokes had to blast out the tack along the side of a cliff. Evey once in a while you get a glimpse of Queen Chalotte Sound to the south. Fo the most pat, this last stetch is a gentle and easy descent at the end of what is a long day. lmost two hous fom Black ock you pop out at a wa memoial on Toea d. The oad that cosses the Toea goes along the same oute used by the aoi to haul thei waka (canoes) fom one sound to anothe, thus saving themselves a consideable sea jouney. To the south, Toea d leads to a jetty on Toea, whee it is possible to catch a wate taxi to Picton. To the noth, on Toea d, you head downhill to Potage (5 minutes) and Cowshed camp site ( minutes). In summe Cowshed may have numeous ca campes because of its poximity to the oad. In Potage thee is Potage esot Hotel (% ; dm $5-3, d $- 95; s), which was ecently enovated into a moe upscale esot, featuing 35 hotel ooms and a backpacke dom with its own lounge and kitchen. The hotel s Te Weka estauant is outstanding both fo its food and the views fom you table while also on site ae two bas and a spa. ext to the esot is Potage Shop (% ; dm/d $3/85), which opeates a small stoe and a backpacke lodge. You can also ent a single kayak fom the shop (pe hou $) to paddle aound the quiet wates of Potage. SIE TIP: ETWELLS LKUT minutes, 74m ascent The shot spu tack to the left (east) makes a steady climb to Eatwells Lookout (474m), one of the highest points along the Queen Chalotte Tack. The climb is woth it. Fom the lookout you can see both Queen Chalotte and Kenepuu Sounds, and 3m t Stokes, the highest mountain in the alboough Sounds, is to the noth. ay 4: Potage to nakiwa 7 8 hous, km etun to Toea and head west on the tack. This section follows the idge pope, and involves the ascent of two featues that ae each moe than 4m high. You begin with the steepest ascent of the tip, a 45- minute climb in which you gain moe than m befoe the gadient eases. Within ½ hous of leaving Toea you each the fine viewpoint at the top of a 47m knoll. long descent follows befoe the tack bottoms out in a pastue on pivate land. You continue on an old bidle tail that gently climbs to a view of Lochmaa, and then passes a side tail to Lochmaa Lodge (% ; Lochmaa ; dm $4, d $-35, chalets $45). The wondeful Lochmaa bills itself as an eco-eteat, and featues a spa, kayaks, comfotable accommodation and a deck to enjoy the watey views. You now begin the steady climb towads the 47m knoll, the highest point of the day. The tack skits its nothen flank, begins descending and then comes to the Hilltop Lookout tack junction (see ight ). The descent now steepens until you aive at a signposted junction with James Vogel Walkway. The walkway is a -minute descent to istletoe. This seene little bay was fomely a C consevation aea, but is now administeed by istletoe Tust (% ; and featues a small stoe, picnic aea, wate, camp sites (adult/child $8/6) and lodge accommodation at the newly enovated Jo House (dm/ cottage $3/). Bookings can be made though the tust. It s a 9km, fou-hou walk fom Toea to istletoe, making the bay ideal fo an extended lunch beak, o even a place to spend the night. Just beyond the junction with James Vogel Walkway, the Queen Chalotte Tack cosses nahau d, which heads south to povide vehicle access to istletoe, and noth to each Te ahia esot (% ; d $5-55, ste $). Te ahia has spacious motel ooms, two apatments and a small stoe, but no dom beds. Past the oad you follow old bidle paths above nahau, passing though egeneating foest and skiting gazing land fo about ½ hous befoe a long, gentle descent though beech foest to Bottle. Thee ae wondeful vistas on this section, with Queen Chalotte Sound visible to the Gove m. Fom Bottle the tack stays nea to the wate, which spakles though an undestoey of fens, pittospoums, fivefinge, boad-leaved angioa and tawa. bout ½ to thee hous fom istletoe, you each the spacious camping aea at avies (Umungata) camp site, which has toilets, dinking wate and a picnic aea. The last hou of this long jouney is one of its best pats. The tack passes though Iwitaaoa eseve and its splendid stands of beech, befoe emeging at a dit oad with two houses. The nakiwa ca pak is anothe m away and featues a shelte and toilets. nothe 8m west, along nakiwa d, is a public jetty whee most of the wate taxis pick up passenges fo Picton. If you aive late and need a place to stay, nakiwa Backpackes (% ; backpackes.co.nz; 4nakiwa d; dm/d $5/5) is nea the end of the tack. SIE TIP: HILLTP LKUT hou, 5m ascent Hilltop Lookout Tack is eached thee hous fom Toea. Follow the left

6 ydia Tack ydia Tack 39 ydia Tack fok as it climbs to the lookout, located between Lochmaa and nahau s. This is the best viewpoint of the entie tip and a ewading moment as you look back at the idge you have tavesed all the way fom Camp. YI TCK uation days istance 7km Tack Standad tamping tack ifficulty easy Stat Shag Finish uncan eaest Town Havelock ( ight ) Tanspot boat, shuttle sevice Summay Coss the Kaiuma and ydia s and walk along the shelteed shoeline of histoic ydia ; a pefect complement to the Queen Chalotte Tack. The ydia Tack was completed in 979, and most of it follows old bidle paths though pastues, vigin foest and scubland. t one point in the ealy 9s, steampoweed haules dagged logs ove a saddle into ydia, the site of a lage mill and a 3m whaf. Today the tack offes two shot and easy days of tamping, which will allow you to appeciate the full beauty of the alboough Sounds aea. If you ve just aived in ew Zealand, this is a good walk to ean you tamping legs. PLIG Fo infomation on when to tamp and what to bing, see p3. aps Pactically the entie tack is coveed on the :5, Topomap 6-P7 (Picton). small stetch at the nothen end is on 6-6 ( Uville). Huts & Lodges n ydia, ydia Lodge (pe peson $5, minimum chage $6) is a complex of C huts, 3 minutes walk fom the main tack, that sleeps 5 people. It s a deluxe facility, and has a bathoom with showes and a dining oom with a kitchen. It is designed fo use by schools and commecial goups, but individual tampes can also bunk thee. Bookings should be made though the C Sounds ea ffice (%5 3; 4 uckland St, Picton). Thee is also accommodation at iftwood (% ; diftwood@nydiabay.co.nz; pe peson incl meals $9), a fam-stay nea ydia. eaby is Te ahoeangi Backpackes (%579 84; te.mahaeangi@nydiatack.og.nz; dm $5), an ecofiendly place ight on the wate. EEST TW Havelock %3 / pop 5 The attactive little town of Havelock is situated at the confluence of the Pelous and Kaiuma ives, 35km fom Blenheim and 73km fom elson. Havelock is the only place whee a main oad touches Pelous Sound. IFTI Thee is no longe a C office in Havelock. The best place fo infomation is uthefod YH & Tavel (%574 4; fodtavel.co.nz; 46 ain d), which can also book tanspot to Picton o elson, and wate taxis to the tack. SLEEPIG & ETIG Havelock oto Camp (% ; 4 Inglis St; sites fo $, cabins fo $34) is conveniently located nea the maina, and has tent sites and vey basic cabins. The fiendly uthefod YH Hostel (%574 4; 46 ain d; camp sites fo $, dm/d $/5) has dom beds in an 88 schoolhouse, o you can pitch a tent outside. Havelock is the mussel capital of ew Zealand, so natually the most inteesting place to eat in town is ussel Boys estauant (%574 84; 73 ain d; h.3am-9.3pm). It s unbelievable how many diffeent ways it seves geen-lipped mussels. Fo food on the tail thee s Havelock Fou Squae (%574 66; cn ain d & eil St). GETTIG THEE & WY K Bus (% ; uns between Havelock and Picton ($5, one hou) and elson ($5, one hou). tomic Shuttles (% , ; also stops at Havelock on its Picton elson oute. GETTIG T/F THE TP The official stat of the tack is at the end of Kaiuma d, 3km noth of Havelock by oad, and the end is at uncan, 7km notheast of ai Valley. Both points can be eached by oad, but you can also aange to be dopped off and picked up by boat opeatos in Havelock. ost tampes aange a wate taxi to Shag, and then walk the 3km to the southen end of the tack. t uncan they book van tanspot back to eithe Havelock o Picton. uthefod YH & Tavel (%574 4; oganises tanspot packages to the tack ($55) that include the wate taxi to Shag, and van tanspot back to Havelock fom uncan. You can also add anothe night staying at eithe ydia Lodge ($) o Te ahoeangi Backpackes ($8). THE TP ay : Shag to ydia 4 5½ hous, 5km This tamp stats at Shag, a ocky pomontoy that juts into Kaiuma in Pelous Sound. Fom hee it is 3km to the ydia Tack ca pak, whee you e immediately faced with foding the Kaiuma Steam. uing nomal weathe it is a vey shallow cossing. Fo the next km the tack winds though a gassy paddock and then swings noth and begins to climb towads a 49m point above Kaiuma. You move into beech foest and sidle aound the point s westen flank, and in one hou descend to coss two banches of the mahakie Steam. n the othe side, the tack e-entes beech foest and climbs steadily to Kaiuma. This is not a high saddle only 387m but it is a steady climb, and most tampes need one to ½ hous to each it fom the steam. Halfway up you pass a watefall that cascades down a ock slide into a small pool. Views fom the saddle ae limited to ydia. Still, it s a pleasant spot to take an extended beak o even lunch afte the long climb. Fom the saddle the tack is welldefined and benched, and within minutes you e enjoying gand views of ydia. The tack emains in beech foest until you bottom out in famland and fod a steam. You coss anothe paddock (follow the tack signs and watch out fo the cows) and quickly fod a second steam ydia Tack Havey uncan FIISH poui Peak (9m) 3 ydia Y Te ahoeangi Backpackes (576m) : 45, m Contou Inteval Tennyson 4 Inlet 6 d iftwood Kaiuma Steam Cullen Havelock 3 (598m) mahakie Steam Pelous Sound Within fou hous of leaving the ca pak you aive at ydia and a signposted junction. To the east (ight fok) is the tack to ydia Lodge ( opposite ); it s a 3-minute walk to the C facility. To the west (left fok) the tack skits the bay biefly and then swings into the beech foest. You climb above the shoeline gawhakawhiti (47m) (63m) ydia Lodge 4 Kaiuma (387m) 3 9 ydia (347m) Watefall (49m) (976m) 3 3 km miles Kai uma ydia ydia Tack Tack B ay 3 d ydia Kaiuma ahakipawa m t Stanley (97m) STT Shag

7 4 Pelous Tack Pelous Tack 4 and descend to iftwood ( p38 ), eaching it 5 minutes fom the junction. Fom iftwood the tack continues to skit the shoeline of ydia, weaving in and out of the bush and passing a handful of pivate homes and Te ahoeangi Backpackes ( p38 ). Within 5 minutes you pass the ydia whaf, and within an hou of the whaf you coss a steam and pass an incedible pool that is pefect fo a soak on a hot day. The signposted junction fo the ydia camp site is just down the tack. The camp site has toilets and seveal sites ovelooking the bay. ay : ydia to uncan 4 4½ hous, km Fom the signposted junction to the camp site, the main tack heads left (noth) and begins climbing. It s a ½- to two-hou ascent along the west side of the valley to ydia (347m). Like Kaiuma the climb is a constant mach but neve steep. t the ydia tees block most of the views. The tack down to gawhakawhiti also passes though thick bush, and it is adequately benched and signposted. nce again, the bush is woth moe than just a cusoy upwad glance. The foest geeney is pedominantly made up of beech, kamahi and fens, with the odd kahikatea and imu also on show. sign nea the bay descibes the bid life that can be obseved along the tamp. The boad-leaved coastal foest hee is beautiful, featuing a collection of mio, nikau palm, beech, matai and imu. Thee is a toilet located at the point whee the tack eaches gawhakawhiti. Fom hee the tamp on to uncan emains level and easy almost the entie way, passing along a tack that has been cut into the bluff above the wate. It will take you an hou fom the saddle to each gawhakawhiti, and anothe hou to get to uncan ca pak, whee tampes ae picked up by van tanspot. The C camp site that used to be located at uncan is now gone, as the gound was used to expand the ca pak. The neaest facility is now Havey camp site (adult/child $6/.5), a five- to -minute dive o about an hou s walk futhe up the oad. PELUS TCK uation 3 days istance 36km Tack Standad tamping tack ifficulty modeate Stat aungatapu d Finish Hacket picnic aea eaest Towns elson ( p47 ), Havelock ( p38 ) Tanspot shuttle sevice Summay This tack offes a emote foest expeience up the Pelous valley at the edge of bustling elson. The Pelous ive is noted fo its deep geen pools, which ae the delight of both tout and soe-footed tampes. ften ovelooked by tampes ushing off to bel Tasman, t ichmond Foest Pak is ight on the doosteps of Havelock, Picton, Blenheim and elson. The ichmond ange foms the backbone of the 77-sqkm pak, which coves most of the steep, bush-clad mountains between Blenheim and elson, eaching noth to the Tasman Sea nea Whangamoa Head. Thee ae moe than 5km of cut and maked tacks in the pak, with about 3 huts scatteed along them. The tacks ange fom challenging alpine outes, to easy ovenight walks suitable fo families. ne of the moe popula tamps, especially with angles, is the Pelous Tack. The Pelous is enowned fo its lage tout, which often use the ive s deep, geen pools as thei hideaways. But the tack doesn t always offe easy access to these pools, so tampes caying a od would do well to take an aftenoon off o even an entie day and be willing to get thei boots wet scuying off-tack though the goges. Tampes without a od and eel will find the pools delightful afte a hot day on the tail. fficially, the westen end of the Pelous Tack is the Hacket picnic aea, but it is difficult although not impossible to aange tanspot fom thee to elson. Fo this eason, an altenative oute into elson, the un ountain Tack, has been included. This tack conveniently lands tampes on Book St, on the edge of elson, and is the moe popula finish. Tampes following this oute hike diectly fom iddy Hut to elson, a long seven- to eight-hou day. bette altenative, especially if you get a late stat on day one, is to stay the fist night at Captain Ceek Hut, and hike to ocks Hut the second night. ocks Hut, with its mountain views, offes much nice accommodation than iddy Hut. HISTY aoi had a numbe of agillite quaies in the t ichmond aea, whee they mined had mudstone fo weapons and tools. The fist Euopean visitos wee also attacted by mineals initially coppe and chomium. Thee was a mining company on un ountain as ealy as 85, and Hacket Ceek chomite was being emoved fom open shallow-cuts by the 86s. Thee ae still pats of an old, benched bullock tack the ld Chome d nea Hacket Ceek, on the westen side of the foest pak. Gold was discoveed in the Wakamaina ive in 86, and within thee yeas thousands of canvas tents had spung up as mines flocked to the pospeous goldfield, which was one of the ichest in the county. The township of Pinedale, in the Wakamaina valley, 8km west of Havelock, eaned the nickname Canvastown. Howeve, the boom lasted only until 865. When most of the accessible alluvial gold had been mined, quatz eefs wee developed. Companies opeated in the Wakamaina valley fom 874 until the 9s. EVIET The whole pak is coveed by foest, with the exception of small patches of alpine tussock aound the summits of talle peaks. The bush includes all five species of beech, as well as the podocap species of imu, mio, totaa, matai and kahikatea. Uncommon bids found in the pak include the blue duck (whio), the yellow-cowned paakeet, kaka and, occasionally, weka. CLITE t ichmond Foest Pak s climate is simila to that of neaby Kahuangi ational Pak (see p65 ). The Pelous and niseed valleys eceive some of the highest ainfall in the pak. When thee ae extemely heavy falls, steams might become impassable although if you wait fo a day, o sometimes fo just a few hous, wate levels will dop enough fo you to safely fod. Flooding should not be a poblem on the Pelous ive because the tack uns high above it. PLIG When to Tamp The tack is best tamped fom ctobe to pil. aps Two maps in the :5, Topomap 6 seies, 7 (elson) and 8 (Waiau), ae needed fo this oute. If you ae exiting the oute via un ountain Tack all you need is 7 (elson). Huts ll huts in t ichmond Foest Pak, including ocks Hut ($5), Captain Ceek Hut ($5), iddy Hut ($5), oebuck Hut ($5), Bowning Hut ($5) and Hacket Hut ($5), ae Standad. EEST TWS & FCILITIES See elson ( p47 ) and Havelock ( p38 ). Pelous Scenic eseve The most popula aea of t ichmond Foest Pak is Pelous Scenic eseve (%57 69; sites fo $, cabins $35), 8km west of Havelock, whee SH6 cosses the Pelous ive. The eseve featues natue walks, geat swimming holes and a teaoom. The fully seviced C camping gound ovelooks seveal swimming holes, and has showes, toilets and gas cookes in a kitchen aea. The Book Conveniently nea the tailhead fo the un ountain Tack is Book Valley oto Camp (% ; 584 Book St; sites fo $, cabins $3-5), with a camp stoe, laundy and a eceation oom. The closest backpacke lodge to this end of the tack is the Gingebead House (% ; 4 Westbook Tce; dm $3; i), which has luggage stoage fo those beginning and ending in elson. GETTIG T/F THE TP The stat of the tack is 3km up the Pelous ive valley fom the Pelous Scenic eseve, along aungatapu d. The westen end of the Pelous Tack is at the Hacket picnic aea, at the confluence

8 T ICH Ceek t alita (959m) e Goat Hill (549m) FIISH niseed Valley Vall din ey d g iv e 4 3 H CS Hacket Y 5 Picnic t eaes 4 8 iddy Whispeing 3 ea (88m) Hut 9 Ha 9 6 Falls cke ine ive 5 8 3t C 43 eek 8 6 Pe lo 4 5 u st 6 a Totaa 3 4 ck 6 5 (69m) 6 5 o Conical owning Steam Clove ebu 4 oebuck B Knob ck Ceek Knob (578m) 6 Hut 3 (6m) Y Hacket Pelo 6 Bowning Hut us T 5 8 Ceek 4 Ec4h ack Hut o St 3 tes 3 e am t To t Fell; t ichmond 8 Stewat (83m) 3 3 The ocks (939m) 6 5 United Waimea Inlet 3 ES B LT Pig 5 S E V LL EY Captain Ceek Hut id Knob dy Ce Knob ek (7m) (85m) ck s C e ek ocks Hut Lookout 8 Windy Blue Knob (93m) S G E ST Stoke YL LK FF d SU a in B T K H U U I CK PI CES S IT P Saxton ltenative Finish 9 un (96m) Coppemine 6 Thid House Shelte Jenkins Hill (775m) ive 5 g 34 odin W K E U FI QU TI E 5 34 Emeald Pool Picnic ea STT Wooded Peak (m) i T 7 aitai Caves a ou n u 8 n 3 ott Sc Ceek (South 6 yste T ICEH I VI Y U E SB I T L Sichmond S L G ET I E PE ST H I LL H T P ichmond Hill (53m) o ok S The Bo Book Valley oto Camp 3 tai n Finged Hill (793m) FIISH (lt) Tasman 8 Little Twin (5m) un ountain (9m) h) 43 6 B 4 4 To elson (km) 6 5 g aun t a p aungatapu (4m) 9 ush Pool aungatapu Tack 8 6 ) (oth Banch 4 4 elson 8 PK 6FEST aungatapu 8 6 Hill (3m) t a i Va 3 ok E To Pelous (km); Havelock (8km) 4 km miles 3 :, m Contou Inteval Bests LEE VLLEY E 5 Bells o d 5 5 TE HI W S T ES U TE B ni s e ve ie e SepentinE IV I T E P SE JH y eb pl y p Hw P 4 3 PI CH abbit Q 4 E ST ET 3 3 Q ve E UE 9 EL Pelous Tack L B U G H E G I Pe l o u s T a c k 43 of Hacket Ceek and oding ive, in the niseed valley. This picnic aea is 9km fom elson and is eached by diving.5km south of Hope on SH6 and tuning east onto niseed Valley d. Fom elson, Tek Expess (% , 54 89; supplies an ondemand van tanspot sevice to Pelous ive valley tailhead ($3). It will also pick you up at the Hacket picnic aea, tanspoting you back to elson ($). thewise, numeous bus companies will dop you off at Pelous Scenic eseve, which is on the Picton elson oute. K Bus (% ; depats elson fou times daily duing the summe, and passes the bidge ($3) within 45 minutes. nce at Pelous, stop in at the teaoom and ask about a lift to the tailhead. ften thee is somebody who will povide tanspot fo a small fee. If you take the altenative finish to the Book, which is by fa the most popula option, you aive 4km fom the elson city cente, so tanspot will not be a poblem. switchbacks, the second time ight back to the edge of the Pelous. The tack now swings to the west and in 3 minutes eaches the shot side tack to Captain Ceek Hut located in a cleaing just above the ive. The hut is a thee- to fou-hou walk fom the ca pak; it has six bunks but no ainwate supply. ight in font of the hut is a nice pool fo swimming, while angles will be able to access othe pools and uns with od in hand. Fom hee, the main tack continues to follow the ive and within minutes cosses Captain Ceek, a good-sized steam ushing out of the mountains. In anothe five minutes the tack aives at a swing bidge that spans a tight, ocky goge high above the Pelous. If swing bidges make you uneasy, this one will have you gipping its cables all the way acoss. nce on the tue ight side (south) of the Pelous, you climb steeply out of the goge and then sidle the bluffs until the tack descends to a swing bidge acoss Fishtail Steam, eached one hou (3km) fom Captain Ceek Hut. Fom the ceek you climb again, and coss a bush-clad teace whee the Pelous foms a wide loop. It s anothe km befoe you pop out at iddy Hut, a two-hou (6km) walk fom Captain Ceek. eaby is a signposted junction with a tack that heads south to Conical Knob (6m) and t Fell (66m). iddy Hut is a six-bunk hut opposite the confluence of iddy Ceek and Pelous ive. The ive is close at hand and thee is a vey deep pool unde the neaby swing bidge. Be foewaned, this place gets moe than its shae of sandflies. THE TP ay : aungatapu oad to iddy Hut 5 6 hous, 4km The stat of the tack is just down the oad fom the ca pak at the end of aungatapu d, and begins by descending towads the ive. In to 5 minutes you aive at the fist of many swing bidges, this one ove Scott Ceek, nea whee it empties into a deep pool of the Pelous ive. You continue following the edge of the ive on the tue left (west) side to ente the foest pak, and one hou (3km) fom the stat aive at Emeald Pool. picnic table tips you off that you have aived at the popula day-walk destination. The pool is well named, and if the sandflies ae not too thick, o you e not in a huy, you can take a dip and then lay out in the sun on a gavel bend of the ive. The pool also maks the stat of the good tout wates up the Pelous. t this point the tack leaves the ive and makes a steep m climb though a thick foest of imu, tawa (quite ae in this pak), matai and beech. Within 3 minutes you e sidling the ive bluff and the walking is easie. You sidle the ive fo one hou (3km), descending shaply twice via ay : iddy Hut to Bowning Hut 7 8 hous, 6km bout 5m west of iddy Hut, a swing bidge cosses the Pelous ive to its tue left side. Fom hee you climb shaply to a junction with a tack that continues up the spu to ocks Hut (see ltenative Finish, p44). The Pelous Tack heads southwest (left fok), woking its way to a saddle above ocks Ceek and then dopping steeply to the ceek some distance upsteam fom the Pelous ive. fte cossing the ceek the tamp becomes moe difficult; fo the next 4km, the tack goes though thick foest and you fequently need to step ove potuding tee o a 9 t an c F 4 3 B am te ls tai ish T T ck Ca ai C k ee in pta lley d ive i ta ai ive 5 s H am Ste ou 3 ga ein Pel d u 6 a L B U G H E G I Pe l o u s T a c k Pe o l u s T a c k

9 Lonely Planet Publications 44 Pelous Tack E TPS t ichmond Foest Pak 45 oots. The foest is lush hee, a mixtue of beech and imu, along with tee fens, peppe tees and an undestoey of fens. Eventually the tack descends to oebuck Ceek and a pai of swing bidges. The fist one cosses the ceek; the second extends ove the Pelous ive, m upive. Six-bunk oebuck Hut is thee to fou hous fom iddy Hut, and is on an open teace diectly acoss fom the junction of the ceek and the Pelous, which at nomal wate levels can be foded hee. etun to the swing bidge ove the Pelous ive, whee on the tue left side the tack immediately climbs the idge that sepaates oebuck and ates Ceeks. It s a steep 3-minute climb fo the fist 5m of ascent, and then the tack begins to climb at a moe gadual ate to Totaa (69m). Befoe eaching the saddle the tack woks its way acoss the slopes of the oebuck catchment, and has good views of t Fell and t ichmond. t the saddle thee is a junction with a tack heading nothwads to ocks Hut (fou hous). The main tack (left fok) heads west, dopping 8m in km. It taveses an open slip and goes though beech foest on the way to Bowning Hut. This hut is in a lage open aea on the edge of Bowning Steam, and can sleep eight, with mattesses placed on a communal shelf. LTETIVE FIISH: THE BK VI U UTI TCK 7 8 hous, km, 8m ascent, 88m descent Wate is scace along this section, so cay at least L with you and efill at ocks Hut. This is a long day that begins immediately with its longest climb. n ealy moning stat is wise. t the tack junction, minutes out fom iddy Hut, take the ight fok and continue climbing. Fo the next 4km it s a steady 6m tudge uphill. t one point you descend fom a 7m high point and then, within 5m, descend again fom a 85m high point with the most noticeable dop of what is basically a thee-hou climb with no views. Fom hee you esume climbing, quickly passing moss-coveed ock pinnacles, and within 3 minutes aive at a signposted junction. The left fok is a idge tack that heads southwest to Totaa and then Bowning Hut. The ight fok quickly emeges fom the bush into subalpine scub and aives at ocks Hut, eached 6km o ½ to thee hous fom iddy Hut. This is a vey appealing 6-bunk hut, with a dining aea and outside benches ovelooking t ichmond and t Fell. Thee ae few sandflies (if any) and a ainwate supply. If staying at the hut, follow the Bowning Hut tack fo 3 minutes to check out a seies of pinnacles known as the ocks. Fom the hut the tack heads notheast towads un and quickly passes a side tack to the lookout, a -minute spu tack to an open pech with a view to the west. Within 45 minutes you beak out of the tees and stunted scub fo good, and then each un (96m). The open saddle is one hou (km) fom ocks Hut, and is usually too windy to hang aound on. The saddle is maked with a lage signpost, indicating that un ountain is 45 minutes away (.5km) via a poled oute that heads ight. If the winds ae light, conside a side tip to climb un ountain (9m) fo the excellent views of elson and the suounding egion. You then head left along a baen oute, which is not maked nealy as well as the pevious section of tack (keep an eye out fo metal poles), but the views ae geat. You biefly e-ente the bush, but within 3 minutes of un ountain you each Coppemine. This is the stat of the old un ountain ailway, ew Zealand s fist ailway, which was constucted to enable hose-dawn cats to haul chomite oe fom the mountain to elson. The ailway is not paticulaly distinct hee, but will be in less than an hou s walk. The tack now begins sidling a idge off of Wooded Peak, and in 3 minutes (two hous fom ocks Hut) aives at Windy. This exposed tip of the idge is signposted because the winds hee ae legenday so much so that at times it can be had to stand. Hang onto you hat with both hands. Just as amazing, walk 5 minutes down the tack and the oaing winds ae often just steady beezes. epating fom Windy is the poled Wells idge oute to Wooded Peak (m), ½ hous away. The un ountain Tack continues to skit Wooded Peak, and with evey step looks moe like the aiload bed that it is. The walking is easy, a pleasant end to a long day fo many. You quickly e-ente the beech foest and ½ hous fom Windy you each Thid House Shelte. This is stictly a place fo a beak, as camping is not allowed and thee is no wate. t this point Book St is two hous away along a well-signposted tail that still looks like a 4W tack. The final 3 minutes is a apid descent, ending just noth of the Book Valley oto Camp ( p4 ). It s 4km fom hee to elson s city cente. ay 3: Bowning Hut to Hacket Picnic ea hous, 6km The tack immediately cosses to the tue ight (noth) side of a tibutay of Bowning Steam. Fo the next hou it s easy walking though foest and acoss seveal eoded steam beds. uing high wate you can follow a steep, altenative tack aound these steams and slips. Shotly befoe cossing Bowning Steam fo the last time, you pass a side tack that leads south (left fok) ove a low saddle to six-bunk Hacket Hut. The main tack cosses the steam afte five minutes, nea the confluence with Hacket Ceek, which is foded immediately. The othe side of Hacket Ceek is pivate famland, but you don t need pemission to walk though it. n easy, benched tack follows the ceek on its tue left (west) side fo an hou, almost to the Hacket picnic aea. bout km befoe the picnic aea the tack cosses a swing bidge ove Hacket Ceek, and then joins a 4W tack to a wooden footbidge ove the oding ive. E TPS Cape Campbell Walkway ew Zealand s newest pivate tack is the Cape Campbell Walkway (% ; campbellwalkway.co.nz), a fou-day tamp acoss two coastal and hill-county stations that is ated easy. Set up in 6, the 54km walkway follows geneal fam and stock tacks, and the highlight of the tip is spending the thid night in a cosy bach next to Cape Campbell Lighthouse. The tack begins at Thopelee Homestead, located on SH south of Blenheim. The cost is $4 pe peson, which includes accommodation in fam cottages with kitchens, hot showes and linen. Pack tanspot and a two-day option ($6) ae also available. T ICH FEST PK Wakamaina Tack This easy two-day 8km walk in t ichmond Foest Pak begins at the end of Wakamaina d, 9km fom Canvastown, and cosses the ichmond ange to a ca pak off Kiwi d, in namalutu valley. ost people undetake it as a weekend tip, with a two-hou tamp to evils Ceek Hut (six bunks) on the fist day, and a fivehou tamp to the namalutu valley on the second day. Use two maps in the :5, Topomap 6 seies: 7 (elson) and 8 (Waiau). The tack can be accessed though Tek Expess (% , 54 89; which will un tampes anywhee on demand. t ichmond lpine oute This thee- to fou-day cicuit along the exposed alpine idges and peaks of t ichmond Foest Pak is ated demanding. The tip geneally involves leaving fom t Staveall Hut (accessible fom Hacket picnic aea) and cossing Slaty Peak, Pelous Tops, da Flat and ld an, to each t intoul. elatively new tack, maked fom Bishops Cap to the Lee ive, allows tampes to complete the loop of the lpine oute. It is essential to cay adequate wate on this tamp because it can get extemely hot. Use thee maps in the :5, Topomap 6 seies: 7 (elson), 8 (Waiau) and 8 (Golden owns). The tack can be accessed though Tek Expess (% , 54 89; which will un tampes anywhee on demand. The best infomation souce is the C egional Visito Cente (% ; elson visito infomation cente).