Gallery of log for Raglan Range ST387
For some time now I have been able to get a *FTF* on ANZAC day.
I knew I would have to travel a little further this time to get one that I could walk to in one day.
After some research and map drawing I had some new tracks and roads on the GPS to follow to get me to Raglan Range.
After going to the Dawn Service I met up with Pat who drove the 2.5 hour to what I thought was the start of a 4WD track, we worked our way down from the HWY and through the ever thickening scrub and onto a button grass plain trying to find the track with no luck. We eventually found ourselves having to wade across the Nelson River in search for the elusive track. At times the scrub was so thick I backed up to it and pushed / fell backwards through it while Pat wounded what we were doing here. It took 30min of this before we found a track that I started to follow, it didn't take long before Pat told me I was heading in the wrong direction so we turner around and he took the lead.
Now following an overgrown 4WD track the pace improved, most of the time it was single file walking up one of the wheel tracks then ducking across to the other as needed, occasionally pushing through / around fallen trees and thick scrub that had reclaimed the track. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best so there wasn't much in the way of views to speak of. Just before we got to the ridge we found the ruins of an old sawmill and some huts, from here the track became a lot more distinct and easier to follow.
I was very happy to see the trip appear through the mist like a crown on the knoll. After taking some photos we sat on the footings of the trip and had a quick lunch break in the rain before following the track back down the hill.
Back down on the flat we followed the very overgrown track all the way back to the HWY (NOT the way we came in). Just before the HWY we saw two signs one saying the road was closed to vehicular traffic and another that the bridge was unsafe, this was funny as the bush had well and truly reclaimed the track and the river had taken the bridge. We climbed across a fallen tree to cross the Nelson River at this point and clambered up the bank to the HWY then a 300m stroll to the car.
Although we were both very wet and the views weren't the best we had a great time.
5 hours walking time, 700 meters climb on a track that is at times hard to follow.
I knew I would have to travel a little further this time to get one that I could walk to in one day.
After some research and map drawing I had some new tracks and roads on the GPS to follow to get me to Raglan Range.
After going to the Dawn Service I met up with Pat who drove the 2.5 hour to what I thought was the start of a 4WD track, we worked our way down from the HWY and through the ever thickening scrub and onto a button grass plain trying to find the track with no luck. We eventually found ourselves having to wade across the Nelson River in search for the elusive track. At times the scrub was so thick I backed up to it and pushed / fell backwards through it while Pat wounded what we were doing here. It took 30min of this before we found a track that I started to follow, it didn't take long before Pat told me I was heading in the wrong direction so we turner around and he took the lead.
Now following an overgrown 4WD track the pace improved, most of the time it was single file walking up one of the wheel tracks then ducking across to the other as needed, occasionally pushing through / around fallen trees and thick scrub that had reclaimed the track. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best so there wasn't much in the way of views to speak of. Just before we got to the ridge we found the ruins of an old sawmill and some huts, from here the track became a lot more distinct and easier to follow.
I was very happy to see the trip appear through the mist like a crown on the knoll. After taking some photos we sat on the footings of the trip and had a quick lunch break in the rain before following the track back down the hill.
Back down on the flat we followed the very overgrown track all the way back to the HWY (NOT the way we came in). Just before the HWY we saw two signs one saying the road was closed to vehicular traffic and another that the bridge was unsafe, this was funny as the bush had well and truly reclaimed the track and the river had taken the bridge. We climbed across a fallen tree to cross the Nelson River at this point and clambered up the bank to the HWY then a 300m stroll to the car.
Although we were both very wet and the views weren't the best we had a great time.
5 hours walking time, 700 meters climb on a track that is at times hard to follow.
