22 February 2007

A Step Up

The Greenstone Track

page 2

We continue steadily, and while overall the landscape hasn't changed much, there's still enough variety to maintain interest.

Some of the details are exquisite.

We reach the end of Lake Howden and the bush begins to open a little.

To the left is the Lake Howden Campground. For some reason I don't begin to fathom, camping is not permitted within 500m of the Routeburn Track, and persons camping inside this limit or using huts without booking first face considerable sanctions. It seems an extraordinarily arbitrary and draconian stance, with no explanation offered that might invite active co-operation instead of mere acquiescence.

Fatman time says 40 minutes walking.

We head back into the bush again.

It gets a trifle constrained here for a few metres. Never mind. Hold the tummy in.

Down on the ground, more wonderful things are happening.

The track is getting rougher. Nothing to panic about, mind.

Here's yet another small beauty I haven't identified. My copy of Salmon's Flowering Plants of New Zealand has gone AWOL at present, and I'm missing it quite sorely.

I'm not even sure this is a native, though it's in good company. I haven't seen it up our way.

Definitely rougher track, I'd say, and the bush is a tad scruffier.

The track smoothes out somewhat, but the vegetation is still limited in range compared with what we have been walking through

There's a bit more light here and there to add interest.

You could spend a long time simply photographing rocks for the variety of growth that they support.

Now and again we see out. The top of Lake McKellar appears, and we begin a slow gentle climb over the Greenstone Saddle.