A solo tramp to do a Cattle Ridge circuit 30/04/2010 to 02/05/2010. Even if the weather is bad; should be doable except if high water level in the Ruamahanga river especially the last kilometer.
Aims
- Remove any religious matter from huts.
- Friday - Drive to Putara Road end and walk to Roaring Stag hut; sample some whisky and sleep.
- Saturday - Walk down the Ruamahanga river to the track up to Cow saddle. Head up to Cattle ridge and along to Cattle ridge hut. Sample more whisky and sleep.
- Sunday- Walk down to Roaring Stag hut and out to the road end. Drive back to Wellington
The malt for this trip was Jura Prophecy from
Regional Wines and Spirits
Friday 30/04/2010
Drove away after work.
2206 Left the car at Putara Road End and headed off into the wet with the full moon shining, before the rain came.
Bridge in the dark.
The worm under a flash, big enough for a meal.
Satuurday 01/05/2010
0008 Arrived at Roaring Stag hut just after midnight, got organised and before bed had a whisky Tasting Tararua style.
Jura Prophecy, a gold colored whisky thats peated with a whiff of smoke slightly medicinal; I much prefer this to the normal Jura. If I didnt know the bottle it came out of I would have been thinking it was an Islay. Excellent dram for such wet weather. Slept with notes of rain.
Heres where I need to go.
Looking back at the hut on the way to Cattle Ridge.
And from furthur up the ridge got some good cloud shots, weather looking so fine.
And this is Cattle Ridge hut, a sad looking hut, probably on its way towards removal.
Heading back as weather isnt too good and there is no fire in the hut.
So it was 45 minutes back down to Roaring Stag and not long before a fire was warming me up.
Reading a book thats not a book Keithy asks "Big draft. Kirin. Cold one." and its a big crash in that theres no beer here. This hut Roaring Stag that I walked to, am eating here and a having whisky here just dosnt have easy access to beer. Thats an example of no civilization. And now I want a beer except its dark, its raining, and two hours walk to my car and then probably thirty minutes or more driving to a pub. Plus Ive had too much whisky.
Sunday 02/05/2010
Wandered out nice an slowly and it still is just two hours walk time, a great place to come for short walks.
At least a few mushrooms.
The map of the walk yet to come...
