Swimming fishes and running pigs

The Aims for the weekend

• Remove those things that are not footprints from huts.
• Visist the 1940's wreckage on the side of Johnston Peak.
• Back in Nelson Sunday evening for a well deserved beer.

Saturday 02/10/2010

Got Duang (wife) to drop me off at the end of Brook street just after twelve and set off walking hoping Id compress twelve hours into eight, as Id imagined starting at 0600 hours. Off I set to walk all day and get up near Fell hut so as to sample some 1940's plane wreckage early Sunday morning. All went well for the first two hours. X marks the destination after dropping into the Pelorus from Rocks hut and climbing up over the two hills to the left. Which are Conical Knob and Mt Fell.

Shortly after this photo things got a bit wrong, I decided that I would try a shortcut, one that I hadn't done for 15 years. As I "knew" where I was going the map didn't get consulted. Slight mistake and heres a photo heading into the mistake, still heading in the right direction.

Now at the bottom of the mistake and realisation that it is a mistake. Nice wee spot, did not want to drink the water as it comes from very metallic hills.

Finally I had no choice except to get to the top of one of the rocky pinnacles for a view and GPS reading. As my GPS is a android phone and dosnt work in the bush. Discovered that the track was only 50 meters away and Id been horizontal to it.

Now that Im back on the track with a short cut that added an hour onto the trip! Onto Rocks and on down towards Middy where I meet a running pig just before the swing bridge.

Past Middy and on up Conical Knob, bivvy'ed out just before Roebuck junction where it flattens out. Stopped here as the darkness arrived. Nice ground for sleeping as its dry not like the Tararuas.

Sunday 03/10/2010

A nice leisurely start to the day after coffee and fruit. This was the bed for the night.

Down hill in the heat, forgotten how hot it could get. Been tramping in the wet hills north of Wellington for the last couple of years. Off to Middy for a bit of a lunch break and then heading towards the swing bridge.

Onto the swing bridge and looking down on a trout snacking, probably 40 to 60 centimeters long.

Up the hill towards Rocks hut where I stopped for another snack and decided to do the shortcut from the Lookout end as its a marked track to start with. From Rocks hut veranda view of, from left, Fell, Johnston, and Mt Richmond.

Out of the bush at the bottom of the track. Nicely tagged with orange tape. Thank you.

Up a bit of a ridge and down to the creek and then up the other side and back onto Dun railway. Easy wander out to Brook street.

Travel Times

02/10/2010
1204 Started
1234 Dun turnoff
1323 Third house
1422 Windy Point
1436 Mistake under way
1513 At the bottom of the mistake
1604 The latter part of the mistake, getting a GPS fix and discovering the tracks only 50 meters away thru scrub.
1636 At Rocks hut.
1746 The running pig.
1758 Middy
2012 Off to sleep somewhere up a Conical.

03/10/2010
1026 Heading off back down Conical Knob to Middy.
1133 Middy hut.
1213 Left Middy.
1434 Rocks hut.
1517 Left Rocks heading up lookout and down short cut...
1539 Out of the bush.
1630 Back on Dun railyway
1635 Windy Point
1733 Third house.
1815 Dun Mountain Brook street junction
1833 Brook Street


Little leggy fish increment by ONE.