Fields Hut

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FIELDS HUT (14-16 June, 1963) Two hours on Friday night saw us The pale yellow plant-life merged softly safely in the cottage, where a small but with the mist and through this came a useful fire was quickly built. Needless lone tramper returning from a day's to say, it didn't add to the comfort of walk up to Kime. Ursula knew him from the hut which had degenerated to the her days with the C.T.C. stage where its greatest use was for the A short talk and then on again with testing of a human being's ability to en- only a faint outline of the next rise in dure thè cold. Some people preferred the front of us. Up this and over a boggy shelter of Fisherman's Cottage. Perhaps terrace brought us our first sight of it was warmer there but I didn't find snow. It lay in discordant patches, out, except that we were woken early gradually becoming larger and finally by a lusty female voice whose owner uniting into a single covering of snow spent the night there. She was a thought- as we passed alongside. ful soul because she not only set us free It was as we climbed up the sidepath from our endurance test but started the that we broke through the encasing mist fire also. and caught sight of the tops of several A quick meal and we were prompted ranges. They stood out, a patchy deep or prodded into a good start by our bluey-green and white appearing as rocks enthusiastic leader. It was not long be- sprayed with foamy mists. fore we were on the first terrace where The snow-clad Kaikouras impressed us some of us stopped to have our last to the south. glimpse of Margaret's party as they As the tops appeared closer, the two ambled along. of us forged ahead of Ursula's steady It didn't take long to get well above pace and went on up to where the guide the cottage and it was a pleasant sight sticks showed. There we waited for to look back down to where the Waio- Ursula and became silent as we felt the tauru and Otaki met and were joined by silence about us. A silence which was the Waitatapia Stream. For the keen disturbed only by the soft falling of photographer there was a good scenic weighted snow upon tussock. Then, with shot up the Otaki Valley where the dark Ursula again part of our group, we found bush curled up to the white-tipped tops our way to Kime. of the hills. In Kime a mysterious ceremony took After a steady journey through the place as we stood by and watched bush with many scenic stops, Ursula Ursula gobble up the fruit cake, which brought us to Fields Hut. was, I believe, eaten in memory of some Our conscientious leader kept us well obscure crossing! Leaving information informed on many aspects of tramping for the other party, we left for Fields. and we discovered that there was much Across the terrace, where a short stop logic in what she said. was made to greet the schoolboys, and The new members proved adept at then downwards where more people lighting fires and we were soon well could be seen silhouetted on top of Denestablished in Fields. A pack of descend- nan. It was not long before we realised ing schoolboys nearly swamped us out. that this weird mob, jumping up. and This, coupled with Ursula's forceful down to the delicate air of "Let's Limbo enthusiasm, caused two of us to be off Some More", could only be Margaret and on an afternoon walk up to Kime. Ço. It was not for us to question their Leaving the rest to food, more food, right to limbo at such an altitude, SO and food we went up into the mist and we encouraged them by yelling out a clouds and left such earthly things be- few melodious strains ourselves. hind, except for Ursula who sneaked After a quick conversation, during into her pack a minute piece of much- which John Patchett tried to persuade coveted fruit cake. This was not for our Ursula to return to Kime and Margaret consumption but was reserved for more discovered the number of people likely important things. to be sleeping there, we returned to We walked on in the silence of the high Fields. places with the folding mist surrounding The evening was spent in the preparaus, clinging to us, isolating us, and tion and eating of an "Urshie Stew" as concealing us from land, sea, and people. advertised and then the new members were introduced to the art of telling had found exhausted up the ridge. It was stories about trampers lost in the hills. fed and put in a farmer's shed to re- As the night wore on it became evident cover. that Margaret's party preferred to asso- With a late scrap meal over at the ciate with the schoolboys in Kime. cottage, we moved off along the road to In the morning, breakfast extended into the truck and home. morning tea, which extended into lunch, -HILARY CLINGIN. and we were away without a sign of Those on the trip were: Ursula Margaret's group. They caught us up Furkert, Kay Cooper, Barbara Parks, soon after the bush edge. Bill Lockey, Gavin Bickerton, Hilary They were carrying a dog which they Clingin. *