A Walk in the Park

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A Walk In The Park Charlie Batho "I found this life enjoyable, up here on the quiet summits, not down there in the crowded streets. Silence is always more profound in places where once there was noise. Friday's worries were: seen to be nothing at all. The only things that mattered were immediate; the next foothold, the drifting mist, the darkening sky. There was no competition here with one's fellows, no jealousies of the man in the next salary grade; one's aspirations were simple and decent. n hese were the words of Alfred Wainwright, an Englishman who died at the age of 85 in 1990, who loved the English Lake District. With this philosophy in mind, our walk began with the same outlook on life, to a different lakes district. Described as the "finest walk in the world", the Milford Track is now the most popular tramp in New Zealand with 11,000 pairs of boots walking it annually. The problem is that true outdoor lovers seek the quiet summits and solitude as well as the views. We compromised neither by attempting the track out of season, thereby avoid- Our transport to the start of the Milford Track Charlie Batho ing the crowds. This trip was two months in the making for Wendy, Sa- The first day (effectively two days in one due to Clinton rah, Sarah-Jane, Gary, Richard and Charlie. The plan was Forks Hut being closed) through Clinton Canyon to simple: fly, drive and sail in, walk for four days, then Mintaro Hut was 21 km. We passed slips and tree avakayak and bus out. All eventualities were covered. lanches and one river (mercifully dry when we passed through) had a sign saying "Wait here until the river level All eventualities, that is, except for our reliance on third subsides". When we finally arrived at Mintaro Hut it was parties, where thel best laid plans went to pot. The keys dark although there was the most magnificent sunset on for the mini bus hire were not left for our collection at the snowy cliffs opposite. Dunedin airport; the sailing boat to take us up Lake Te Anau was late due to being grounded after a fall in lake As far as position is concerned, Mintaro Hut is set in one levels; Clinton Forks Hut (first night stop) was closed and of the most magnificent locations surrounded by mounabout to be pulled down for relocation; our bus book- tains rising 6,000 ft vertical all around. Afull moon and ing from Milford to Te Anau no longer existed due to the clear night was too irresistible for Gary, Richard and new winter timetable. The only part which didn'tlet us Charlie. Even after already walking 21 km they went for down was walking for four days from A to B. Despite ar moon walk. With thel light reflecting off the snowy tops these logistical upsets, the 2% hour boat ride from Te and the clear sky, one didn't need torchlight to walk; the Anau Downs on a clinker built boat was pure class. The shine of the moon was sufficient. weather was kind andi improving. Life was looking good mid-week with 54 km to walk and three days' holiday. The second day dawned frosty but clear for our jaunt over Mackinnon Pass (1,073m), along the saddle and The bellbirds mimicked, fantails danced in mid-air, and down to Dumpling Hut. There we were, walking the the weka rooted (for insects!). The trees were draped in track out of season, whereas during the peak season moss and lichen, and so dense was the bush that it was trampers sometimes have to be helicoptered over the almost impossible to get off the track: some have likened pass due to inclement weather and summer snow it to JR Tolkein's forest. storms. No such luxury for us. Tramping and Mountaineering 1997

From the saddle one appreciates the sheer size and magnitude of the countryside and the awe-inspiring "U" shaped valleys. Even from near the top of Mt. Hart one stili could not do justice to the magnificence through the camera lens. James Hingston poetically wrote in 1883: "For thousands of feet upwards the eye looks upon straight-cut rocky frontages, not worn smooth by time, or wind or water, but as sharply defined and as fresh-looking in all respects as if riven as under but yesterday by the stupendous wedges of Titanic masons. n By the time we reached Dumpling Hut it had started to drizzle which progressed to Fiordland rain for the next 15 hours. The waterfalls were even more spectacular because of this. The vegetarian sausages were good but cheesecake was better. Charlie had by now perfected the process of making the desert and made a very good impersonation of an electric whisk set on medium. Snorers weren'ta problem that night mice were, and plenty of them. We first realised something was wrong when, at 1.30 am, Sarah got out of bed, went over to Sarah-Jane's pack, waved her arms in the air, did aj jigi in the middle of the floor, realised mice may attack her and jumped back into bed. It must have worked as the only two people not to have been moused that night were Sarah and Sarah- Jane. F : Wendy's camembert was nibbled at, as was Charlie's bread. But what was humorous was that they ate SO much of his chocolate that View from Mackinnon Pass Charlie Batho there weren't just mouse droppings the bastard mouse had diarrhoea due to too much self-indulgence. Al little like a six-year-old child eating too We might not all class it as the finest walk in the world much chocolate cake at a birthday party perhaps? This as the walker was spoon-fed by man-made contraptions was fair game as the food should have been hung up. throughout the track (e.g. bridges, flush toilets, shelters, The only use our ice axes got this trip was to go search- monuments, motorway style tracks etc); however, the ing the next night when Wendy heard a rustling sound views from Mintaro Hut and on top of the Pass will burn in one of the packs. in my memory forever. The company made the trip, as did the snorers and mice. The last two days were easy: an amble to Sutherland Falls to within a few metres off the torrential spray caused Everyone had an injury and story to tell of some sort: by the 2,000 ft waterfall cascading down in three leaps Wendy's aggravated Achilles heel and firmness in repfrom Quill Lake. A game of hacky sack followed and was rimanding smokers in the hut; Gary's petrol stench from nearly abruptly ended when Richard threw the ball to a a leaking primus, his hideous and practical gubbers (rubgrazing weka which picked it up in its beak and started ber booties), and shorts well past their best-before-date; to run away with it. Charlie's schizophrenia with his mate Jonathan and soreness at losing Last Card; Richard's injured knee and sad- The 54 km track appropriately ended at Sandfly Point ness at leaving Lara, the Canadian; Sarah's insomnia, Rewith a sign draped with knackered walking boots and petitive Strain Injury in her right index finger (due to probably more knackered ex-owners vowing never to taking SO many photos), and amnesia in forgetting where participate in such an activity again. We kayaked out the her chequebook was; Sarah-Jane's broken heart from her last 2 km to Milford Sound in double kayaks but our spir- ex working in the Milford Lodge Hotel, and her small apits weren't dampened after a full day walking in Fiord- petite caused by having the smallest bowl for dinner. A land rain. truly Great Walk in a beautiful park. Tramping and Mountaineering 1997