Breezy Longview day out ends in a jam

Longview Hut, Ruahine FP, Wednesday August 1, 2018. Map: BL36
Banner Photo: Morning tea break, the hut just visible in the background

A full vanload travelled south towards the Ruahines on what was a lovely sunny and still day. A newly gravelled road with side clearings greeted us on Mill Road, which was much appreciated. Not so much the logging truck signs, but it seemed the logging was not quite completed before the contractor liquidated.

It was disappointing that the works didn’t extend all the way to the end of Kashmir Road but with Hilary at the wheel, we made it to just short of the track before the last uphill. This was where we left John M. and Vic to their own devices.

Once on the track, it was uphill along the ridge going through mainly hebes, flaxes, manuka and griselinas and some unwelcome cutty grass. It was a little muddy underfoot in places, but most of the time you are walking over rock. Lots of slips were evident from the track, showing the variety of rock colour.

We stopped for morning tea in the tussocks just over halfway up and out of the wind, with a good view of the hut. As we got to the saddle about 20 minutes from the hut, a very strong and cold wind hit us. So it was a quick hike to the hut for lunch and a catch-up. After a discussion, we decided it was far too windy to go back via Daphne Spur.

It might be two hours up but it’s only an hour and a half back down. Hilary had brought the van to the end of the track for those coming up behind her and then it was back off to Napier via the Tiko pub, where Hilary was shouted a coffee for her heroic driving.

The van door, which had been playing up from when we picked trampers up at Maraekakaho, decided at the Tiko to not close properly and we couldn’t open it again. Back at Church Road, it was a slow dismount from the van through the front passenger door. An amusing end to a great day out.

Trampers: Gordon, Hilary, Geoff, Lynette, John B, John M, Vic, Bruce, Amy, Tony, Dorothy and reporter and photographer Marie Deroles