Routeburn Track Day 1: Road to Routeburn
The Road to Routeburn is largely uneventful. I chase a cow for a kilometre or so, until she manages to find her way back into her field. I expect she will now taste tainted…or something.
The scenery is magnificent for the entire walk, but I am aware that I am still unlikely to make the Falls hut by dusk.
I am also aware that six litres of water gets quite heavy in the hand after a few hours of walking. Luckily, there is a hut before the Falls called the Flats, which I might still make. I hope so, anyway. It is getting chilly and I am now ‘allowed’ to camp.
I reach the start of the Routeburn Track by 17:00. A sign informs me that the first hut is 1.5 – 2.5 hours away, which is an average time of 2 hours. That’s a Guildman’s Hour*, which is just as well because it will be dark by 18:00.
The first part of the track is beautiful. It is quite enclosed, but there are breaks in the trees to see the waterfalls and lakes, so I stop by one to take a drink and some photos.
Soon, however, I notice that the darkness creeping in so, with the exception of a quick detour to The Forge (which I am obliged by awesomeness to check out) I head straight for the hut.
Wherever that is…
18:30 arrives and the hut has yet to appear. I am surprised; clearly the unexpected 16km of extra walking has taken more of a toll on my body than I realise and slowed me to a mortal pace. It is getting very dark…
It is also getting cold. I break out my new Macpac Shield jacket and, immediately, am toasty warm. Nice work, Shield jacket!
A couple of times I spot what appear to be huts in the gloom, but these things turn out to be rocks, breaches or simple tricks of the mind. Hut-lucinations.
At last, a sign! I scurry towards it, my tiny £2.50 torch barely shedding enough light to see my feet on the ground. The sign reads: “Falls Hut, 1.5 – 2.5 hours”. It seems I must have walked straight past the first hut some time ago…
Realistically, I have no choice but to continue; Rule 2: No Looking Back. Not that I have a choice – I cannot see my hand in front of my face without the ‘torch’.
In desperation, I sweep my light over the surrounding area…and that’s when I see it. A second sign. It reads “Flats Hut, 5 minutes”.
I have made it.
Excluding stoppages, it took an hour from the start to the first hut. This is good news. I have kept up the Guildsman’s Pace – twice as fast as…expected.
Dinner is dehydrated cottage pie. It is oddly delicious. Sleep comes quickly and last hours. 12 hours…
*To work out a Guildsman’s pace, take the average expected time and half it. Rule Nine: Everything Twice As Much