Mackintosh to Lawrence, Kaweka FP, Saturday 27 April 2024
Banner Photo: Smoko at Mackintosh Hut, situated in a lovely spot
It was a stunning autumn day, but a tad chilly when we set off from the Kuripapango road end about 8.25am, while Geoff took the van around to the Lawrence Road end and headed in from there to eventually meet us.
The bridge over the Tutaekuri at the bottom is still there. Once over it, Campbell gave us a hint of a little hill ahead – and that it might be a good idea to strip a layer or two. That turned out to be a solid work-out – elevation gain 377m. Part of the original track has been replaced by a new post-Gabrielle section.
Descending to the Donald River along Mackintosh Spur
The last 30 minutes to the hut was through beech forest with autumn sun filtering through it – beautiful. It took us about 1 hour 50 and 5km to get to the Mackintosh for smoko. Campbell aced it and there was a fire going in the hut by the time we got there. We were amazed. How did he manage that?
Ablutions were completed once John found the lost loo.
The track to Lawrence goes off to the left side of the hut as you look at it from the front porch – heading along the Mackintosh Spur and on to Lawrence via the Donald River. It took us a couple of hours to get to the Donald; the track is a little hard to follow at times and you have to keep your eyes peeled. We passed a hunter and his son not far from Mackintosh Hut, where they were staying. Now we knew who’d lit the fire…
The old track marker spotted on the Lawrence section, gradually disappearing into a tree
There were some knee-testing downhills and some beautiful moss-carpeted sections of track as well as lush fern covering as we got closer to the river. The highlight for Di was sliding down the clay pan bits on her bum.
About 15 minutes away from the river, Campbell says “I was expecting to see Geoff by now” and 30 seconds later a smiling Geoff comes loping up the slope.
Trying to stay on one part of the track, we had a bit of fun negotiating some tree falls and onga onga. Not much later, we spotted some of John’s favourite: putaputaweta, or marbleleaf.
The track finally comes out onto the Donald 6.7 km and two hours from Mackintosh. Geoff had marked the track from the river and the exit toward Lawrence with some ribbon; it would be tricky to find otherwise, though there was a cairn marking where we came out to the river.
Lunch done and dusted – a good square meal downed in rapid time. Uta didn’t want to follow the tradition of drinking river water out of her new boots. Is that a real thing?
Next decision: river route home or overland? We went overland and within minutes were wondering maybe we should have taken the river route. But the climb was short and we were soon back on a flat track. It was well marked on this section. Not far down the track, there is a route option to the Lotkow Road end.
A highlight on the way back was spotting one of the original track signs of solid metal in an arrow shape – pointing toward Lotkow – but the lettering was back to front and a tree is gradually enveloping the sign. And what was once the final bridge over the Tutaekuri is gone, carried away by Gabrielle.
Crossing the Tutaekuri River at the Lawrence Road-end
And that was it, apart from the 600m climb up the road end to the van. Thank you to tramp organiser and driver Geoff (and driver John), and well done trampers. A great day out in perfect weather.
Trampers: Campbell Living, Shona Tupe, Uta Benecke, Mary Campbell, Juliet Gillick, Amelia Moorhead, Di Reid, Geoff Donkin, Ali Hollington, John Dobbs and reporter Bryan Powlesland
MACKINTOSH HUT: All you need to know! Huts of New Zealand (youtube.com)
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