We hunted in vain for a derelict hut – then found our own photo of it

Awatere Hut and Happy Daze Hut from Moorcock Saddle, Ruahine FP.
Wednesday 15 January 2020. Map: BL36
Banner Pix: Lunch at Happy Daze Hut

What a beautiful day to go tramping in the Ruahines. Fourteen of us set off for the day’s adventure. We drove the Kashmir Road route to Moorcock Saddle entryway. This road has at last been graded and has no scouring in it or deep crevasses or clay pans. It’s had metal put down fairly recently. You can drive it by car now.

I’d not been to Awatere, so was keen to pop up the hill and over to the hut. I was quite surprised. The setting is lovely and this would be a great trip to take kids overnight. It took us about 40 minutes to walk to the hut, which is set beside a beautiful stream, open and sunny. The hut has an open fireplace with plenty of wood about, and sleeps six.

From there, ten of us tramped down the Makaretu River north branch to Happy Daze Hut. The river is very shallow at this time of the year, ankle deep, and pretty easy going. It took some of us 2.5 hours down to the next hut. Others were quicker. Jeff and John both fell in the river.

Meanwhile Vic, Kelvin, Tony and Ted made it to Awatere Hut. Ted and Vic remembered a hut called Black Stag Hut that was derelict, just south of Awatere on the true left bank. They looked for remnants but couldn’t find anything.

It took us all a bit longer to return. It’s quite a workout back up the hill from Awatere. Bruce saw a long-tailed shining cuckoo. I could hear it.

We talked about sustainability and our bit. The club is doing pretty well; three quarters of us had used either Lily Wrap, a reusable container or paper wrap for our lunches. And the same percentage had something that they had grown themselves in their lunch.

We were back in the Bay around 6pm.

Trampers: Kelvin Shaw, Geoff Donkin, Bruce Hodgson, Sally Woods, John Burrell, Ted Angove, Tony Pluymers, John Bennett, Lynette Morgan, Dorothy Sole, Denise Bavidge, Sue Gribble, Vic Bullock and reporter Hilary Heath-Caldwell