Roebuck Hut

Anthony, and I go to Roebuck, both for a first visit.

Whisky

Thursday 9th October

Left from Hacket car park, heading to Browning hut for lunch stop.

Nice relaxing lunch then off on a mostly flat contour thru forest.

Some slip work, sorta mid way.

Roebuck hut, and a dip in the creek before settling in for the night.

Friday 10th October

Left Roebuck hut, added a bit more wood, was well stocked, and last night was too warm for a fire.

Perfect walking weather and a few selected snack spots on the way to Browning.

Lunch at Browning, then easy out to car park.

Got this badge

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.

Took 2h52, over 8.77km.

Thursday 11th September 2025

Ministry of Works Hut to Blue Shirt Creek, much easier on the way back.

Took 2h8, over 6.17km 

Blue Shirt Creek to Saxon Hut.

  

 Saxon Hut to Gouland Downs Hut.

Damian Webster Hut

 

Friday 12th September 2025

Gouland Downs Hut to Perry Saddle Hut with a stop for refreshments, then continued to the road end.

Again taken the three km chop, easier downhill.

References

YR WX

Heaphy track brochure

Heaphy track guide

Heaphy elevation profile

Climb Cupola with Jayarn

Brian dropped Jayarn off in Motueka just after twelve pm, then we off to Lake Rotoiti to catch water taxi.

Great Water Taxi

Friday 08/04/2022

Boat ride up the lake to Coldwater hut. Walked into the evening, arriving at John Tait hut with torch light.

Stopped for an hour of food and rest and then on up to Cupola Hut, arriving before 2300 hours.

Saturday 09/04/2022

Evening meal for breakfast, wanting lots of energy for today.

Took us four and a half hours to the top of Cupola. Missed the entry to the zigzag ledge, so carried on up the gully to the left which turned out to be an ok scramble

Such a warm, windless day on the top, no close cloud as the photos show.

Headed down back to Cupola Hut for food and a relaxation, taking the zigzag route (5.27) back to the scree fan. No intention of down climbing the gully. 

Cupola Hut Inside

Cupola Hut Outside

Sunday 10/04/2022

Leisurely breakfast, tidy of the hut, and a fast downhill to John Tait for water and snacks.

A bit of a rush out to Coldwater, boat to catch.

Trip Times

Friday

1504 Left Cold water hut

1608 Hukere Stream 

1635 Travers swing bridge

1751 Hopeless Creek 

1930 John Tait hut - stopped for food etc.

2029 Left John Tait Hut

2043 Turnoff to Cupola

2236 Cupola Hut

Saturday

0808 Left Cupola Hut 

1234 On top of Cupola

1315 Heading down

1539 Cupola Hut

Sunday

0955 Left Cupola Hut

1059 Track Juntion

 1109 John Tait Hut

1120 Left John Tait Hut

1220 Hopeless Creek

1344 Travers swing bridge

1508 At Coldwater Hut

Boulder Lake - Kahurangi National Park

Saturday 19/09/2020

A nice drive over the Takaka hill and onto Collingwood then past the Bainham store and over that James Road Right Branch bridge to park up spot with an intentions book.

Walk time. Says eight to ten hours, had read a horror story of "its twelve hours!".  For me this weekend, traveling light, with good weather was a cruise of seven hours each way including photo and food stops.

At the hut, only one there. Nice old historic hut, aint sleeping in it.

Boulder Lake Hut Historic

Reckon this is a good shower in the summer.

Suspicion Creek Waterfall

Sunday 20/09/2020

Up once the sun was good and warm and the frost was melting.

Breakfast and coffee and a read for an hour or so, then firewood mission.

Boulder Lake Hut

 Walk time back to the car, much better views than the previous day.

Boulder Lake

Map Diff

BN24

Trip Times

Saturday 19/09/2020

1009 Left car

1144 Lookout Knob

1218 Junction with map marked track

1332 Beathams Clearing

1557 Cow Saddle

1650 Boulder Lake

1708 Boulder Lake Hut

Sunday 20/09/2020 

1023 Left Boulder Lake Hut

1148 Cairn at top of Brown Cow Ridge, snack time

1350 Beathams Clearing

1534 Junction where the map track ends

1600 Lookout Knob

1714 At the car