It was great to rest up in Queenstown, Have Sophia visit and also fit in a great walk being the Milford Track which took 5 days. On the plus side being match fit made the daily walks a pleasure and then to top it off a shower, proper bed, cold beer and a 3 course meal each night. What a great time with a great group of people.
We started back on the Greenstone track and were joined this time by 3 other TA walkers. This whole section should take us less than 2 weeks to complete and we are both feeling it’s time to be home.
We walk down past the Mavora Lakes and then over Mount Linton station. For Linton station we have to walk thru this area on the same day (they are quite particular an no camping allowed) so at about 27ks it’s a long day for us with lots of ups an downs and not to mention the bloody sandflies the night before. It’s a very big station to walk thru with sheep and beefies running around.
The final challenge that’s been in the back of my mind is the mud and bog of the Longwoods Forest. Reports have it that you can wade thru thigh deep mud in some areas.
With the Southland area being so dry and with some careful foot placement and brush bashing we avoided any of these issues coming thru reasonably clean.
It’s great to run across TA walkers starting their journey from Bluff, I hope the weather looks after them like it has done for us.
We stayed at Colac Bay tavern for the night having a well deserved beer an fish meal.
We meet another friendly couple who we would have coffee with the following morning on our walk.
No more tent or hut sleeps for us and it’s just a flat walk now to the finish.
Staying with Bill an Jo for the next few nights makes it feel like we have already finished. But that’s not the case.
The weather since we have been in Queenstown has been amazing with cool morning an blue skies, long may it continue.
Well the weather had to change and it was on our last day to Bluff. Light rain an strong winds we had to battle to the very end but it was worth it.
Done, ticked off, bloody finished.
That’s it back to Bill’s for a beer an to start a fire an burn some stuff.
This section took 12 days an covered 317ks finishing 24 March 2022
Wow !! What a journey, adventure, challenge, hardship ! But you killed it !
Well done, what a great satisfaction. Love your work ! See you soon and goodbye.