New Zealand, South Island – Mini-METHS March 15-18,
2013
Participants: Jean (Cheeky) Hayward, Andrew (Motley)
Motte-Harrison, Mike (Mad) Petzold, Verena (Muesli) Petzold
Referring to METHS 94 January 2013 circular,
Option 2 for the NZ Mini-METHS was decided upon. Tapawera Pub accommodation was booked for the
night before the walk and the night of our return. Good food and beer guaranteed. The dogs were booked into boarding kennels
for the period of our absence. We'd been
busy training in the hills behind our property and our backpacks were all
loaded ready to go.
However, for the last 8 weeks the country has
been in the grip of drought, unheard of in the Land of the Long White
Cloud, not a cloud in sight anywhere.
The worst drought in 70 years.
The whole of the North Island was declared a drought area so that
farmers could claim compensation, sheep and cattle were being sent off to the
works for lack of feed, doom and gloom everywhere. Then even the west coast of South Island was
about to be declared a drought zone when a tropical cyclone developed in the
Pacific and the weatherman told us the edge of it was headed towards NZ,
hitting the country on - yes - the weekend of 16th/17th March. Everyone in the country breathed a sigh of
relief and said 'hurrah', and I just muttered *&@#*@!!* Couldn't the system
have just held off for another couple of days?!
A heavy rain warning was issued for the western ranges of the
Nelson/Tasman region, slap bang in the middle of our planned route.
So, a change of plans: cancel Option 2, cancel
the pub accommodation, and cancel the boarding kennels. Mad Mike and Muesli made the trip down to
Murchison to join Motley and me to commiserate over beers, wine and rude
scrabble. A new route was planned for
Saturday - a day trip to the top of the Lewis Pass and a hike up to the Tops to
cross three peaks - 1568m, 1561m and 1535m. It's a hard, steep, 2-hour slog up to the
ridge but the 360° views are a fine reward.
We managed a hot brew in the shelter of some rocks and enjoyed lunch
whilst watching the approaching weather coming in from the west. We were able to look down towards the
wonderful St James Walkway, a 5-day walk we're planning for late-April. Any takers?
The weather should be good.
Sure enough, the heavy rain arrived on the
Sunday, so we had to put up with sitting around telling more lies, drinking
more beer, and playing more rude scrabble (I won!)
And the weather forecast? More clear, sunny weather for the foreseeable
future…
Cheeky
©
WDYFO, 2013