6 Dec, light rain

After a long European breakfast with all the trimmings and best crockery Vronny a visitor offered to take me back to the trail head. She will collect me at 3:00 later today.

It was a rushed morning to re pack ready for Richmond Range. Due to the steep climbs ahead I removed anything I didn’t need for this section to lighten the load. Richard who has tramped over these parts for years was keen to see my gear and checked I was ready for the alpine climbs ahead and aware of the pending change of weather. He drove me to get a new gas canister, decided on a tiny one hoping it would last the 10 days.

All packed and on time Vronny drove me back to collect Marty at Pelorus Bridge Hilton (a hut behind the Pelorus Bridge Cafe) to see what his plans were. We agreed to stay at Vronny’s hut at Derelict Sawmill (old name on maps). Vronny has a block of land and is transforming it back into native forest, her hut is called Blue Moon. No electricity and the water pumped from the river.

On the 10km drive off the road to her hut a tree had fallen across the road, the dog was out first then Vronny and Marty. By the time I got my coat on the job was done. Tree shifted to the side and we barrelled on through.

A fire was lit in the flash hut by Marty and also a fire under an outside bath. This needed kindling Marty on the job.

We cooked a plate full of vegetables and chatted till we dropped.

I was first into the bath it was wonderful, filled with Radox and a hose to turn on to cool down the water if the fire made it too hot. Vronny was next. No stars but the hut was lit up and a pleasure to enjoy Vronny’s glamping hut build over 25 years.

Marty slept in another hut out the back and I slept inside the main hut. The dog wasn’t seen till breakfast choosing to sleep under the hut.