Kaituna to Packhorse Hut

There was a hard frost in town and a fine day was promised. I wanted to take a walk up to Packhorse Hut (Lincoln M36 853 228) from Kaituna valley before it closed for lambing on Monday. Honora was due to arrive back from Mongolia later in the day so I only had the morning spare.

Out at Kaituna others had arrived before me and were off up the hill already. I crossed the stile and set off walking through the rich verdancy.

The frost had thawed everywhere touched by the warm sunlight.

A young bull across the fence was enjoying the morning as much as I was and gambolled about playfully in his field. A spurwing plover rattled off its tut-tutting tone of consternation from somewhere.

The air suddenly chilled under the trees in the gully. I tip-toed around some muddly patches and crossed the stream on slippery stones.

A sheep looked on, breathing steam, then stamped its foot at me before running off.

Some vines of bushlawyer hanging over the track caught my eye. They usually just catch my hat. I stopped to photograph them this time with the freshly melted frost still on their leaves.

The track climbed out of the stream back into the sunshine. I bent to the climb, then remembered my Pilates training to avoid the trampers' stoop. So I climbed standing up and was able to enjoy the sight of the dunnocks hopping about me and the wetness sparkling on the grass.

As I crossed the fence below the hut I saw the new development. The new loo has been installed by DoC. Yes!

The dreaded visits to the unsavoury overfilled Packhorse loo are no longer a part of the Canterbury tramper's experience. Thanks DoC.

The Kaituna track to Packhorse is now closed for lambing until the first of October. In Spring it's even better.