Heaphy Sept 7-9

The Heaphy track is one of New Zealand's 9 Great Walks- perfectly-graded, immaculately-manicured tracks that traverse some of New Zealand's finest and most varied landscapes. The Heaphy is known for being the longest of these tracks at 78km and for traversing the most diverse landscapes. The track connects Golden Bay to the top of the West Coast and follows one of the oldest routes Maori took to collect West Coast jade and was later used by Europeans as a route to the goldfields. Typically the track these days is done in 4-6 days (staying at a hut each night), but due to time constraints we opted to do it in 3 days. I had always wanted to walk the track since I first heard of it, but was always put off by the logistics of ending up about a 6 hour drive from where you start. This turned out to be a good time of year to go as the track and huts were clear of tourists and we only saw one group a day- not bad for such a well-known track.

The heavy rains that hit us on the West Coast also pelted Kahurangi, and the stream crossings had barely dropped low enough that we could drive to the eastern start of the track. We set out in our rain gear as light rain worked its way through the already soaked forest canopy. For several hours dark skies showed no signs of letting up as we steadily climbed through varied beech forests, occasionally glimpsing the Aorere River far below. As we neared the highest part of the track, the rain cleared to reveal glorious blue skies and white cumulous clouds that fortuitously stayed with us the rest of the trip. From Perry Saddle the track descends through stunted sub-alpine vegetation before emerging onto the expansive red tussock flatlands of the Gouland Downs. The Downs are an exposed erosional surface cut into quartzite with occasional remnants of overlying limestone delineated by hummocky hills of stunted silver beech, such as near the Gouland Downs Hut, the small old hut where we spent our first night.







Gouland Downs




Gouland Downs Hut at center


The Heaphy boot pole (note roller blades and high heels)




Day 2 I spent a small part of the morning examining the small caves and karst near the track (5 caves go directly underneath it!), then we continued across the Downs and into a beautiful landscape of mixed tussock fields and stunted beech with the occasional rock outcrop. Expansive views of the Tasman Sea and Heaphy River mouth could be seen at intervals. From James McKay Hut the forest changes dramatically on the long downhill to the Heaphy River. The beech trees become less abundant as rimu, podocarps and tree ferns become more abundant in the lush West Coast rainforest. We ended the long, but varied, second day at Lewis Hut on the confluence of the Heaphy and Lewis Rivers, where I had a brisk swim. Here enormous rata jut out of the forest at intervals, carrying a whole forest of their own on their large branches and vines.









The third day I set off at first light to try and find a cave based on some vague directions. I passed several beautiful blue limestone bluffs, some with enticing entrances in the cliff faces. I quickly found three marked trails where there should have only been one and after about 45 minutes of crashing through the bush I had to walk back out to meet my parents at the Heaphy Hut on the river mouth. In the end I was probably less than 50m away from the cave. Upon arriving at the coast we were immediately greeted by sandflies. The last 5 hours are along beautiful pristine beaches lined with extensive groves of Nikau palms. It was the warmest day I had had in months and the palms and blue waters and heat of the sun temporarily transported me somewhere tropical.