28 February 2007

Over the Hill

The Mavora Walkway

Day 4 page 1 Boundary to Carey

This is a relatively short hop of about 6 km, along 4WD track, and to make things better still, Mike loads all the heavy gear into the 4WD and we are carrying only raingear, water and a jersey in our packs.

It's pretty easy going on the whole. The cloud is still low on the tops, and it's pleasant walking.

Carol is walking with us as far as Carey and then she and Mike head back to civilisation and work, and Miranda and I will walk out tomorrow at a leisurely pace.

The vegetation is still subalpine, similar to much of what we saw yesterday.

The 4WD track is rutted deeply enough to require a certain amount of caution.

Thriving everywhere on DoC land: Californian Thistle

Bush lawyer - I was interested to see it such a feature of the scrub along here. I'd imagined it to be primarily a forest dweller.

We cruise along beside the river. Walking without the full pack is a welcome experience after more than a week of snailing with a big pack.

Up ahead you can see the 4WD track heading up the hillside.

and here I am toiling away manfully under the crippling weight of a 7kg pack.

photo by miranda woodward

Mountain tutu is very much a feature of the scrub along here, as distinct from the larger leafed northern variety. Just as poisonous, though.

There's also some more of the bright red bidibid we saw yesterday

photo by miranda woodward

From high up on the hillsiode we get a fine view back down the neighbouring valley. This is also a walking/4WD track, but unofficial, and not signed and poled as such.

We head downhill toward the North Mavora Lake

Cloud is lifting, though there is fine mist remaining.

Miranda takes a shortcut

And here we are. Carey's Hut is not even listed on the major DoC signage for this walkway. It's principally used by fishermen and 4WD people in for a relaxing weekend.

Across the lake the reflections are still wonderful

photo by miranda woodward

The hut boasts a large fireplace and a wood range, but the creme de la creme is a hot shower supplied by a wetback on the wood range.

photo by miranda woodward

You'd need to bring in your firewood, as all that's available locally is dead matagouri scrub and you have to hunt around for that too. We get enough for a shower.

Toilet is a long drop.

This is possibly the sickest pic I took all month. There's a very good marksperson somewhere out there with a severe woman problem. If the spent shellcases were any indication (s)he was firing from around 30 metres, from the shoulder.

There is a large and very solid table inside that looks like a piece of Auckland Grammar School desk.

We get our gear out of the 4WD, grab a bite to eat and say goodbye to Mike and Carol.

The lake is calm as it gets.

We could probably walk out this afternoon, but it's a lovely peaceful day and we rather fancy lying around in the sun, and the water is hotting up nicely for a shower.