1893 - 1910 Hunters Hut
Mid-Wairoa Hut is, of course, at the bottom of a valley. This meant today started with a long, sometimes precarious, walk up the riverside to Top-Wairoa Hut.
There were some nice waterfalls and in general it was a pretty nice walk although I wouldn't want to do it in the wet.
Just before getting to Top-Wairoa Hut the landscape changed completely as we had entered Red Hills country. It all looks a little bit martian.
According to Geoff Chapple book 'Terrain' the Red Hills are piece of up thrust mantle. The book also talks about Geoff turning up at the hut only to find he had already been signed in with the comment,"Te Araroa, I'm so sorry for everything" which can't have been that long ago as the entry was still in the book when we got there.
After that it was up and around the side of Mt Ellis and then a long walk down to Hunters Hut.
In general I am holding together well on this walk but the long downhill parts are beginning to be a bit of a pain in the knees.
Hunters Hut is very nice though and you can sit on the loo with the door open and see the whole valley.
Hindsight
- The walk up the Wairoa is a little bit dangerous in the wet.
- There is water at Hunters Hut. Mr Frodo carried water up there from the river and it was a waste of time.
- The view from the toilet is spectacular.
Hunters Hut Map
