Tramping: MOW Hut from the Heaphy Track

Anthony and I been wanting to walk to this hut for a few years. Checked weather and decided looked ok enough for a few days.

Whisky

A very nice whisky to consume in a remote hut in a storm with an open fire.

Weather

It was a bit shit, hammered by hail while walking in shorts in the open country. Forty five minutes before we got to the shelter of the hut.

Tuesday 9th September 2025

Drive, coffee, "Brown Hut (on the map)" or "Brown River Hut (on the hut)" and off to the Gouland Downs Hut.

The demanding noise from the rules committee starts at the beginning.

At least this one is an ask with a "please".

Seems every time I go some where, the huts that were "first come first served" are no longer random encounters. For example an increasing number of the huts in the Nina area, and Nelson Lakes National Park, have become "Booking Required". Freedom of the hills is becoming controlled and regulated by the planning committee mentality.

The best thing about the booking system is that you know when nobodies there 😎.

Avoid three kilometers.

Almost there.

Wednesday 10th September 2025

Up early at the smokey Gouland Downs Hut

and off to Saxon Hut.

Easy walk from Saxon Hut to Blue Shirt Creek. Fun from Blue Shirt Creek, with hail storm and a bit of gentle bush bashing while on a bearing. Blue Shirt becomes Blueshirt.

From Blue Shirt Creek there is an obvious ground trail for the first few kilometers, with much bits of tape, blue markers, the occasional orange marker, and lots of cairns out in the flat lands that seem good to follow. Some of the sign is there for directions some where else maybe? Or we just walked wonky.