I've definitely got end of track fever. I'd been intending to just walk through to Anakiwa today, but ended up doing tomorrow's intended route through to Portage as well.
The morning started with some unintended bush bashing uphill through blackberry. As I followed a coastal track, it faded to a driveway, leaving me 100 meters or so from the road. At least it warmed me up - it was a very cold morning. After an hour or so I bid farewell to the Pelorous Sound.
Another hour of road bashing saw me through Linkwater to Anakiwa. It was interesting watching the Outdoor Pursuits Center in action, but it seemed silly to stop for the day after having only walked for 3 hours, so I farewelled my last piece of road for the trail and hit the Queen Charlotte Walkway.
The first section, through to te Mahia Saddle, was a broad, flat and somewhat muddy highway of a track. The recent storm that I had sat out at Pelorous Bridge had taken a bit of a toll with numerous trees down across the track, but nothing particularly strenuous.
The walk along this side of Queen Charlotte Sound provided an interesting point of difference from the views I am used to along the Queen Charlotte Drive, on the other side of the sound. Opposite Momorangi Bay there was an extensive view along much of the Sound...
...and an interesting angle of a ferry about to enter Picton Harbour.
Past here the track became marginally more difficult, with some small climbs. Where the terrain was steep extensive switchbacks were always provided to make things easy though.
Verdant bush dropping to the water was the order of the day.
Having climbed to a ridge I now dropped down towards Torea Saddle, enjoying views down to Kenepuru Sound on the left and Queen Charlotte Sound on the right.
From Torea Saddle it was a 5 minute walk down to Portage Hotel where I'm going to lord it up for an evening - I got a free upgrade to a swanky room with private balcony.
The morning started with some unintended bush bashing uphill through blackberry. As I followed a coastal track, it faded to a driveway, leaving me 100 meters or so from the road. At least it warmed me up - it was a very cold morning. After an hour or so I bid farewell to the Pelorous Sound.
Another hour of road bashing saw me through Linkwater to Anakiwa. It was interesting watching the Outdoor Pursuits Center in action, but it seemed silly to stop for the day after having only walked for 3 hours, so I farewelled my last piece of road for the trail and hit the Queen Charlotte Walkway.
The first section, through to te Mahia Saddle, was a broad, flat and somewhat muddy highway of a track. The recent storm that I had sat out at Pelorous Bridge had taken a bit of a toll with numerous trees down across the track, but nothing particularly strenuous.
The walk along this side of Queen Charlotte Sound provided an interesting point of difference from the views I am used to along the Queen Charlotte Drive, on the other side of the sound. Opposite Momorangi Bay there was an extensive view along much of the Sound...
...and an interesting angle of a ferry about to enter Picton Harbour.
Past here the track became marginally more difficult, with some small climbs. Where the terrain was steep extensive switchbacks were always provided to make things easy though. Verdant bush dropping to the water was the order of the day.
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| Looking back along the ridge I had traversed - Kenepuru Sound center and right, Queen Charlotte Sound left |
From Torea Saddle it was a 5 minute walk down to Portage Hotel where I'm going to lord it up for an evening - I got a free upgrade to a swanky room with private balcony.
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