Iain's Great Adventure - Te Araroa

Garmin Connect The night at Telford campsite was just a little too much on the stormy side of discomfort. I do like a good 'Stormy, stormy night', but alone in the middle of nowhere it is cause for concern. Unfortunately, when i pitched the tent is was a beautiful afternoon, so i had not paid too much attention too the depth of the pegs, or indeed using all the pegs to ensure optimum resistance against wind and rain. I woke about 2am with the side of the tent folding in and a small river running through and along the floor of tent. Minor concern, but not too worried, i and my sleeping side of the tent was still dry. As i investigated i also realiaed my head torch was low on battery, so if there was an emergency, like the tent blowing away, i would not beable to see. Not good. so i put the torch on charge and tried to get back to sleep, cozy in my bag, listening to the sounds of nature. I did survive the night and woke to a bleak morning, Dreich as we would day in Scotland. ...

Garmin Connect Aparima hut was close to full, Jane and Pip had arrived last and stayed in the older hut with 3 beds, while the other 5 of us stayed in the newer 6 bed hut. 3 sobos, 2 nobos and 2 just checking out the area in semi-retirement. I believe this section was the longest uninterrupted forest, 18km under the canopy, is seems lush with strong healthy looking trees and diverse undergrowth, moss, ferns, and fungi. Check out this little guy. not sure what it is, but unusual colour. After stopping at the lower wairaki hut for lunch (14km, 4hrs) the track continues in the forest, climbing to just over 1000m.  I reach this helpful graffiti on the trail marker, thinking, understandable i had reached the top. I stopped, enjoyed the moment, and checked in with Internet, before pressing onto the downhill, only to discover there was still more up. A final steep climb, broke out of the forest with a great view south. The last point above 1000m on ...