7-13 March 2021

Leader: Dave Cox

One English translation of Kahurangi is ‘treasured possession’ and this is a very apt name.

New Zealand’s second largest national park is spectacular, with a variety of ruggedly beautiful landscapes, high craggy ranges, lakes and mountain tarns, cascading waterfalls, beech forests and valleys of native palms and alpine meadows.

The plan for this trip was to park at Cobb Dam, spend 2 nights in Sylvester Hut, walk back to the car (picking up stored food supplies, changing clothes and dropping off the rubbish!) drive to the top of the reservoir, park near Trilobite Hut and walk to Fenella Hut for 4 nights.

The plan worked perfectly and allowed us to explore this stunning area carrying only day packs.

Highlights included walking up to Iron Lake from Sylvester Hut, climbing up to the Lockett Range, circling Xenicus Peak and exploring Lake Cobb.

On the first full day at Fenella we were ‘confined to barracks’ by the inclement weather. Not be to discouraged, we made excellent use of the time by drinking cups of tea, reading the high quality literature found in the hut, and completing a huge and complex jigsaw puzzle. This was a challenging project, with the placement of some pieces the subject of vigorous debate and the disappearance of at least 1 piece (the puzzle was missing 2 pieces before we began, and 3 pieces after we finished...)

This was a terrific trip with superb walking, lovely weather on most days and great company.

Special thanks to Lyndsay and Michelle for wonderful hospitality before and after the trip and for help with transport and logistics.

Those on the trip were:

Dave Cox, Susan Robertson, John Glover, Pam Glover, Chantal Heller, Lyndsay Fletcher, Kate Livingston