The finale of our hiking holiday proved to be a fitting act. It included lots of incredibles: the route, the scene, the views, the challenge and the sense of accomplishment at the end.
Day three required hiking up from the Angelus hut to the spine of Robert’s Ridge and eventually down to the start of the Robert’s circuit near Lake Rototi, thereby almost closing a big loop.
We had consumed all the provisions save a lunch sandwich but loaded up on water given there was no drinking source awaiting us in the next six plus hours. The backpacks did feel slightly lighter or perhaps our shoulder muscles no longer had any feeling. The early start created a movie set scene of mist on the lake.
We had to climb out of the volcano by traversing a steep rock fall in order to access the ridge at the top. It too was from a movie set, perhaps, on Mars.
We were able to look back down on the lake at our now tiny hut and marvel at Mother Nature’s work.
Then we found ourselves above the clouds and in the bright sunshine. Jaw dropping.
There was still a few hundred meters of climbing before we escaped the volcano.
Finally after a couple of hours we crested the ridge.
And now we could start down albeit along a narrow track called Robert’s Ridge. Not surprisingly there were still some ups to come as well.
The track was slippery given the loose shale but the grade was bearable. Not exactly a walk in the park but we were on our way down.
This sign greeted trekkers on the way up along Roberts Ridge heading to the Angelus hut. It shows what we did from right to left.
Finally we stopped for our sandwich and a mini celebration as we found a picturesque ridge overlooking Rototi Lake. We still had an hour to go but the hard work was done.
The final stretch was a series of switchbacks and finished, fittingly, in a beech forest.
And so it ended. A thousand thoughts, a thousand memories. A short bus ride to Kerr Bay where we jumped in the freezing lake to rinse the salt off and reflect. The other trekkers, all vastly more experienced, agreed this had tested their limits like nothing else had. The sense of satisfaction was immense.
We finished the day by driving through the Wairau valley, home to many major NZ wineries, including Yealands, Matua, Kim Crawford and Misty Cove. Mile after mile of vines in perfect rows. Literally thousands of acres of greenery that seemed so at odds with the brown and barren hills on either side of the valley. Sadly, no time to stop and taste. In Kaikoura we raced (a very relative term) to have showers with water just short of boiling and after a great group dinner simply collapsed in real beds with real pillows etc. Luxury.
Tomorrow, after a short “shake it off 5 km walk” along the ocean, it will be back on the bus and off to the Christchurch airport and for us, another week of adventures on the north island based in Auckland. Stay tuned.
The Bennetts On Tour 