The Taipo River near the Mid Taipo Hut

On Sunday, we lay in bed for a while and had a slowish breakfast. Today was supposed to be the easiest day.

It started by a path through the forest and came to a three wire bridge – 2 wires for hands, one for feet, with struts between. We decided to ford the side river instead since we could, and since the bridge looked so crazy. The forest path continued to another swing bridge crossing many small creeks. This was a very long one across the Taipo.

We then came to Mid Taipo hut, where we met a very different person – A possum trapper. He had been staying in the hut for 2½ months and had caught 1300-1500 possums! He had a cute dog which helped him find the possum tracks. He went to town every week or two to sell the furs.

After this hut, there was clear evidence of man clearing the flat land for farming – which seemed no longer to be happening. We walked for a long way in grassy fields and came to a cableway. But to get to the cableway we were forced to climb then descend two impossibly steep slippery slopes. The cable car was hand operated and we used it, although an American we met said he was able to ford the river, we couldn’t see how.

After misdirection by an arrow straight up a landslip, we walked over more grassy fields and came to the new Seven Mile hut. Early in the day we also saw a Weka – it was almost totally unafraid and started pecking the ground whilst we were watching, right next to it. The new Seven Mile Hut was very new and nice, but the sandflys there were bad. There was a herd of cows nearby.

Jennifer and Roni both have pump up stoves and they are really loud but really fast also. ( I'll have to get myself one I think, my Trangia is a bit heavy and slow)

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