Queen Charlotte Track 26th October 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No. 28

Queen Charlotte Track 26th October 2003

Was up visiting my Sisters and Mother, who were all living in Renwick and Blenheim at this time and decided to do a big day walk along the easy Queen Charlotte Track. Intention was to leave Anakiwa at sunup and try to cover 40KM to Keneperu Saddle and get picked up by my brother-in-law, Pete. I was late getting away, as I set my alarm wrong, but was on the track by 7:20am, loaded with Red Bull and plenty of lunch. Got to my first rest stop at the road intersection above Onahau bay at 9:30am after travelling 10.3KM and rested for 30 minutes. Started off again at 10:00am heading for my next stop at Torea Saddle, just under 7KM  in 1.75 hours with a bit of height gained on this section. things slowed down now with another climb up from Torea saddle and then another rest and some food at Black Rock Shelter. After this stop, I knew I wouldn't make it to my destination, but knew i could drop back down to the road from above Ruakaka bay. Got to the drop off point at 3PM after another 9.8KM from Torea saddle and rested for about an hour as Pete wasn't due for some time yet. Took about 20 minutes to drop down the very steep track to the road and started walking along the road as Pete still wasn't due for a while. Fortunately he was early and picked me up around 30 minutes after hitting the road. All up, ended walking about 30KM. According to my diary, I did take some photos on this trip, but I cant find them.

Black Hill Hut 18-19th October 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No.27

Black Hill Hut 18-19th October 2003

This was my first trip up to the nearby Black Hill Hut in the Oxford forest and my first trip with my friend Bryce, who had just come down to live in Christchurch.
We left the View Hill car park a 10:30am on a pleasant warm Saturday and had a pleasant walk along the Warfdale track for 3 1/2 hours, with a lunch stop at Warfdale saddle. The track up to Black hill was a good climb, but not a sustained one with a fairly steep section near the top, just before the hut. The top part of the track travels through twisted and stunted moss covered trees in fairly open forest, and is very beautiful.It took us 2 hours to get to the hut from the Warfdale track and after checking out the nice 6 bunk hut and having a cuppa, we headed up through quite deep snow to Black hill to admire the views. Back at the hut, Bryce attended to his war wounds, as he had several battles with sticks and branches on the way up and dinner was cooked and eaten.Two tired trampers were asleep by 9:00pm. Sunday, we headed down the other track to check out the Townsend Hut(Now Removed), encountering 3 lovely young ladies heading up to Black Hill. From the Townsend we headed back along the Warfdale and back out to View hill.

Resting on the Warfdale

Uncle Roddus showing off

Bryce's war wounds

The lovely moss covered trees

A slightly knackered Bryce in the hut.

Black Hill Hut with Mt Oxford in the background

On Black hill

Looking towards Mt Oxford

Bryce on Black Hill wit Chest Peak in the background

Great vista of valleys and mountains.