Days 116 and 117 Tekapo to Ohau

Day 116 4th March

Tekapo to Twizel (55km) After a zero day yesterday, today I’m doing what will, in all likelihood, be the longest day of my TA experience. It will also be the first day I’ve walked over 50km. Steph and Chris are biking this section, as do the majority of TA “walkers”, but I’m pretty keen to finish having walked the entire length of the country with the obvious exception of the water sections and designated hazard areas. I decided to send the heavier contents of my pack on with the bike company so have only about 5kg or so on my back today. I got up early and was on the road a little before 5.00am. Despite the forecasts high winds at this time of the morning it was still but5 very cold, also very dark so until about 6.30am I needed to walk with my headlamp and even then a c purple of times nearly walked into things in the dark.

This walk today follows the cannel from Tekapo until Lake Pukaki. This was relatively uneventful, the monotony of the walk being broken by encountering a few salmon fishermen on the bank of the cannel and one large salmon farm.

What was interesting as how manual the feeding of the fish in the farm was, a few guys throwing feed in from plastic buckets, something I would have thought would have been automated.

I reached Lake Pukaki mid morning after a little over 30km so was making good time averaging at that stage about 6km/h which for me walking and having the odd stop to chat to fishermen was good going. Interesting, none of the fishermen I talked to had caught anything but without exception they were optimistic they would!! After reaching the shores of Pukaki I was afforded fabulous views up the lake with Aoraki/Mt Cook in the distance.

The trail then followed the shores of Lake Pukaki until the Pukaki Hydro dam at which point it left the road/lake front and joined a track to Twizel. Unfortunately I, in my trudging along, carried on past the turn-off and found myself a couple of km further around the road. Deciding that going back was not an option I diverted across a bit of rough farm land, down through a pine plantation and then managed to join a cannel that ran through to the Tekapo/Twizel road. This probably added a couple of km to what was already a long day. Once back at the cannel the route to Twizel was straight forward, albeit, exceeding tedious and very hot with the sun out and the promised wind just not eventuating. I finally arrived in Twizel about 2.30pm so 9.5hours of walking without a lunch or other meaningful break but really great to get there. I was actually in Twizel nearly an hour before the cyclists so adjourned to the pub for a well earned beer and pizza while waiting for them and my pack contents to arrive.

Late lunch

While in the pub I spotted a women’s beauty place over the road (had won the beautician of the year award for the South Island last year) so rang them asking if they could do a buz cut and beard trim. To my surprise they were able to do this so I’m leaving Twizel looking a little less feral than I arrived!! Jared, who I’d not seen since day 2 of the South Island had met up with the others while cycling so was great to catch up with him over a really great Indian meal.

Phone summary of a big day!!

---

Day 117 March 5th Twizel to Ohau Lodge (35km) Again today is one most walkers bike but again I’m walking it. The forecast for today is bad weather coming in early afternoon, however, the lure of a nice breakfast before that walk overrode the common sense option of starting early and getting to Ohau before the change. I will live to regret this!! After, what was a memorably good breakfast I headed off following the official Te Araroa route which despite being a little longer than the cycling route looked pretty good on the map. Another decision I would regret. Leaving Twizel on the highway I passed a deer farm where I befriended a small fawn.

After crossing the Ruataniwha Dam the trail left the highway and followed a four wheel drive track along the shore of Lake Ruataniwha. This track was really hard walking with large round stones and uneven footing, just not enjoyable. The morning was broken a bit, as with phone coverage, I was able to listen to the unfolding drama with the earthquake at the Kermadecks and ensuing tsunami alerts. Reaching Ohau A power station the trail rejoined the Alps to Ocean cycle trail and improved immensely although now I had to contend with cyclists speeding by as they focused on getting to Ohau before the storm you could see building across Lake Ohau.

Unfortunately I was somewhat slower and the storm hit with my having about 14km to go. So full wet weather mode and on I wandered. It took me nearly three hours to cover the last 14km mainly due to the really heavy/cold rain and strong winds. Despite being very cold and wet it was not unenjoyable, frankly, in some perverse way I enjoyed the challenge of plodding on in this.

By the time I got to Ohau Lodge, I was very cold but on entering found Chris, Steph, Guy, Paul (who I hadn’t seen since Arthur’s Pass) and a couple of other TA walkers had commandeered the fire and set up around it. The poor cyclists were relegated to the colder sections of the bar or TV room!

After a hot bath (yes my room had a bath!), I joined the others and spent a really nice couple of hours exchanging stories, drinking beer and eating nachos! Ample reward for another big day on the trail.

So over the last couple of days I‘ve covered over 90km, it will be interesting to see if I pay the price for this in then next section of backcountry starting tomorrow!

---