19 Nov, 23km, warm, clear sky.
Today’s walk was several tracks that followed the Kahuterawa Stream and then a forestry road to Moturimu Whare. I hoped to get there yesterday.

The Back Track and Scotts Rd lead into Gordon Kear Forest so forestry gravel roads for a bit.

Burrton’s Track was a walk through native forest in the Tokomaru Valley. It crossed many streams, was muddy, narrow and with steep up and downs. Some of the river tracks were so narrow there was no room for my walking poles and at times only one foot. The track was loose leaf, stones or mud or all of these. I slipped off one of these narrow ledges over the bank and grabbed a supple jack, fortunately otherwise I would have slid down into the river 20 metres below. I lost my glasses, and my footing hanging off the edge. I had to get up to the track by clinging to what vegetation would hold my weight. It took a bit to get back on the track and to find my glasses. A bruised head was the outcome and a confidence drain.

The largest river was Tokamaru, the track followed it for a long while dipping in and out literally. Wet feet! Here I entered Tararua Forest Park.

It took all morning to get to Moturimu Hut, I relaxed, had lunch and looked at the 14km to Tokomaru Shelter. Doable so off I went.

What I didn’t take into account was the slow wet mud and slush and the up and downs of Burrton’s Track. I arrived at the shelter just on dark.