· Autumn TreasuresTe Anau, New Zealand · 2nd Apr 2008 · Posted by Margaret
We woke to drizzle again. Alan set off back to the road end and we began our tramp in the other direction towards Alabaster Hut. The day began rather stormily with quite heavy rain and lightning but improved as we went along. One major advantage of the improving weather was that we could discard our rain hats which severely restricted our ability to enjoy the scenery. Glasses too are a real nuisance in the rain as they keep fogging up.
About an hour after leaving the hut we began the gentle climb to Little Homer Saddle, hardly worthy of the name at 186m. The bush was beautiful. Whatever time of year you tramp, the bush has something special to offer. This time, being Autumn, it displayed a variety of interesting fungi including a bright red one which we had never seen before, small pale pink ones on the banks and a mass of dark brown ones with bright orange frills clustered on the end of a fallen log. The low shrubs and spreading plants on the sides of the track were covered with colourful berries and we saw some vigorous astelias with bunches of bright orange berries in their centres.
The drop down the other side of the saddle to Little Homer Falls was much steeper. The falls were quite impressive after the rain. We were very pleased when the sun came out just as we rejoined the Hollyford River which the track followed for most of the rest of the way.
We passed the confluence of the Pyke and Hollyford Rivers where we would catch our jet boat the next morning then Pyke Lodge, used by the guided walkers. About twenty minutes later Lake Alabaster was a welcome sight with the hut just around the corner. This is a very attractive, new 24 bed hut with large picture windows looking down to the lake.
We wasted no time in going down to the lake for a rather chilly swim/bath. It was a very invigorating experience but we certainly felt a lot cleaner afterwards. A cup of hot chocolate and a spell of sawing and chopping firewood soon warmed us up. Later we spent some time watching the bellbirds and tomtits feeding on the strange blue berries of the matagouri on the lake side. In the evening we heard and saw a kaka flying high overhead. A patch of the pretty little white orchid, Earina Autumnalis, drooped from a tree by the track.
One of our hut mates went off to try his hand at trout fishing and we were hopeful of having fresh fish for dinner but, unfortunately, his luck was not in and we had to resort to dehydrated Thai Chicken Curry instead.
About an hour after leaving the hut we began the gentle climb to Little Homer Saddle, hardly worthy of the name at 186m. The bush was beautiful. Whatever time of year you tramp, the bush has something special to offer. This time, being Autumn, it displayed a variety of interesting fungi including a bright red one which we had never seen before, small pale pink ones on the banks and a mass of dark brown ones with bright orange frills clustered on the end of a fallen log. The low shrubs and spreading plants on the sides of the track were covered with colourful berries and we saw some vigorous astelias with bunches of bright orange berries in their centres.
The drop down the other side of the saddle to Little Homer Falls was much steeper. The falls were quite impressive after the rain. We were very pleased when the sun came out just as we rejoined the Hollyford River which the track followed for most of the rest of the way.
We passed the confluence of the Pyke and Hollyford Rivers where we would catch our jet boat the next morning then Pyke Lodge, used by the guided walkers. About twenty minutes later Lake Alabaster was a welcome sight with the hut just around the corner. This is a very attractive, new 24 bed hut with large picture windows looking down to the lake.
We wasted no time in going down to the lake for a rather chilly swim/bath. It was a very invigorating experience but we certainly felt a lot cleaner afterwards. A cup of hot chocolate and a spell of sawing and chopping firewood soon warmed us up. Later we spent some time watching the bellbirds and tomtits feeding on the strange blue berries of the matagouri on the lake side. In the evening we heard and saw a kaka flying high overhead. A patch of the pretty little white orchid, Earina Autumnalis, drooped from a tree by the track.
One of our hut mates went off to try his hand at trout fishing and we were hopeful of having fresh fish for dinner but, unfortunately, his luck was not in and we had to resort to dehydrated Thai Chicken Curry instead.
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