With the forecast looking amenable to a pleasant day on the Heaphy, we hastily prepared for a trip in to James Mackay Hut – weather didn’t look so great on the way out, but that was a risk worth taking for time on such a track. Repacking done, the slow drive to Karamea (plenty of roadwork on the winding road) over, and a remarkable pie at Vinnie’s Cafe devoured and we were at Kohaihai trying to evade the sandflies late-morning.
Kohaihai itself not a bad spot, ignoring the insect bites.
All my riding seems to be at a leisurely pace currently, but that’s ok – the Heaphy is wonderful and worth savouring. Far more details and photos from past visits here.
Tom leaving the first beaches and Kohaihai Bluff.
Certainly was looking like a great late-autumn day.
Into the nikau groves.
Rachel emerging from forest on to one of the many swing bridges.
Snacks at Katipo Creek Shelter probably weren’t necessary, as Heaphy Hut is so close, but it was getting warm – I was bewildered to be delayering to summer riding kit. The trail opens up a bit here, in no time we were lunching outside the hut amused by the antics and fighting of the cheeky wekas. It looked as though there were a lot of pigs around, such was the damage to the big lawn in front of the hut – but no, just the wekas ripping up the turf hunting for tasty morsels.
Last time I was through here with Pete, there was the bridge over the Heaphy River had been swept away in a flood – so I was keen to see the new bridges (one crossing the Heaphy below the confluence with the Lewis and the other crossing the Lewis).
This is unusual – quite the convoluted ramp structure to get on to the true left side of the bridge.
Impressive.
The new bridge is much higher above the river. A deceptive incline on the true right side, quite unusual for a swing bridge in the NZ backcountry.
It’s a short section of new trail to cross the Lewis – that bridge not so big, but also more of a climb at the other side than one expects. Another break at the weird Lewis Shelter, because snacks are necessary – especially with a steady two-hour climb next.
The shelter has been closed in, albeit in a rather temporary-looking fashion.
At least that door-of-sorts will keep some weather out.
I suspect this was done for the bridge building, there was a stack of mattresses outside – they weren’t there when the shelter was newer. I pottered on up the climb, nice not to have to spend twenty minutes clambering over a big slip as on last visit. We settled in to a quiet evening in the hut, two other hikers our company. Again with such a large hut and few people in it, it’s difficult to heat – especially with coal no longer supplied and a ropey wood supply.
Supposedly there was some weather to get ahead of on our return, but it sure didn’t look like it. Rachel wanted to go a bit beyond the hut and we were happy to oblige. Fun to attempt slightly more challenging trail – scoured out rocky bits.
We found some rocks and climbed them.
The aforementioned slip about halfway down the long descent to the rivers seemed a good spot to regroup – read: for the others to make sure I’d not gone off the side of the mellow trail – and snack.
Nice to have this bike for the trail riding.
Crossing the Heaphy again. Freewheeling down that bridge, it’s alarming just how much speed one picks up. Hitting an upright definitely to be avoided at that pace.
Pausing in the sun (the weather certainly didn’t come in) to make sure we didn’t carry excess food out, I took the opportunity to wander to the beach – which I’d never had time or bothered to do before. Lovely. At sea level it was warm again, I spent even more time in short sleeves than the previous day. Plenty of time to appreciate the ride out…
A very pleasant two half-days of riding in a beautiful spot (the coastal section always feels like it is somewhere more tropical), we were back at the truck rushing to cover skin and load-up to avoid the bites. Back for another pie in Karamea.
And look at the real estate listings; alas, this has been sold.