Posts Tagged ‘Browns Hut’

Day 8. 94km. Browns Hut – Farewell Spit

Posted: November 13, 2024 in Cycling, New Zealand
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The northwest part of the South Island of New Zealand looks like a kiwi. I am staying just under the start of the beak – at the base of a 30km spit of sand. I had a busy day exploring it, the nearby cliff faces and the famous Wharariki Beach.

Farewell Spit

I cycled out from the end of the Heaphy Trail and back to civilisation – the town of Collingwood. The weather has changed – the sun has decided to shine and the rain has stopped.

I left my accommodation at 1pm with a mission. To see as much as possible. The Farewell Spit.

Farewell Spit
Farewell Spit

The cliff faces looking over the Spit.

View out over the Farewell Spit

And Wharariki Beach.

Wharariki Beach
Wharariki Beach
Wharariki Beach

I returned to the beach for sunset.

Wharariki Beach at sunset
Wharariki Beach at sunset
Wharariki Beach at sunset

It’s been a long day. Tomorrow begins my trek to Picton where the ferry is waiting to take me to Wellington and my flight home.

Day 7. 29km. Saxon Hut – Browns Hut

Posted: November 12, 2024 in Cycling, New Zealand
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Leaky valve – change bike tube. Loose baggage rack – put in screws. Brake pads dead – use my one spare. Technical issues went through my mind today as I bumped along over the rocks in the rain.

It alternated from drizzle to heavy rain as I lay in my snuggly sleeping bag. It remained like that all day. The rain stopped as I crossed the Gouland Downs. A beautiful view over the wide expanse of swampy brown grass.

Gouland Downs

Then a short walk to the hut at the top of the track before I walked my bike down the mountain. On my bike it’s impossible to cycle over this playground of soccer ball sized rocks.
My brake pads continued to disintegrate at alarming speed as the rain continued to act as lubricant. The last 5km of track was cyclable with fewer big rocks, although I had to step off when it was even vaguely steep to spare the brakes. Tomorrow the sun is coming out, so it will be a return to normality.. 😀

I’m staying in the hut at the bottom of the mountain with an eclectic group of people. Most are going up. One guy has just cycled the whole Heaphy Track in one day. A group of 20 year olds are going to do it in one day. One has never been on a mountain bike before. A frenchman and an American are walking, as are a retired couple from New Zealand.

Gouland Downs