Hump Ridge Track

Rosemary and Catherine

Back in March this year Catherine and I did the Hump Ridge, Milford Track and the Otago Rail Trail one after the other. The latter two will be in the next two blogs. For the Hump ridge Catherine's sister, Rosemary Millar, joined us.

After a good breakfast which included whitebait fritters at the hotel in Tuatapere we walked up the isolated beach, along the coastal track and through the mainly board-walked track to the Hump Ridge. Up on top there were stunted plants, magnificent rock formations and superb accommodation.  Next morning we descended the ridge to the coast in light mist.

At the bottom we turned westwards to stay at the Waitutu Lodge.  Here the local land Trust was meeting and they made us welcome - especially after we de-mudded ourselves in the nearby river!  We strode off westwards the next day; into birdsong and did a circuit along the coastal cliff  tops and back via the coastal track.  Nice walk.

Sessile Plants  (Photo: R Millar)

Descending Hump Ridge in Mist

Female Tomtit on Hump Ridge

On the way back to Port Craig the next day I met Dene Cole and his wife Sally and he showed me yet another gem of the coastline - a place off the track where he'd hunted as a youth.  Meanwhile Catherine and Rosemary bathed in the sea at Port Craig under a sandfly eclipse of the sun! We walked out to our vehicle in overcast weather the next day - our only real disappointment of the trip was sighting a stoat out hunting on the track.

Coastline near Sandy Hill Point