Humpless Humpridge: On the "Rail Trail" to Waitutu Lodge

I don't know what you think of when you  imagine a rail trail but I envision a wide, flat track with a gravel base fit for cyclists or hikers walking two abreast. Not that anyone ever mentions "cyclists" when they describe the rail trail part of our second-day hike up to Waitutu Lodge.

That should have been a clue that this track was only faintly related--a very distant cousin, in fact --of the usual garden variety rail trail. 

Lest we not quite understand what we were going to be dealing with on the radial track section of our walk, the Port Craig hut manager provided details.  She pointed out that rails on this ancient logging rail-road had been removed but the ties and spikes were still intact so it might be difficult to "find our rhythm".  She was right, although the mud, ferns and running water on the path--such as it was--were more of a nuisance.  Finding our rhythm was the least of our worries.  We just wanted to keep our boots dry.

The rail bed, ties and all.

The wet rail trail

What "rail trail"?  We are slogging through mud and water!

Almost hundred years ago, logging was big business in this part of New Zealand and such was the confidence of those long ago investors that they not only constructed the railroad through the bush in order to remove the timbers, but they also built sturdy viaducts over the rivers (or "burns" as they are known in this part of the South Island)

This 16 km walk makes four river crossings so that walking across trestles became almost mundane. These are big trestles, too.  The Percy Burn Viaduct is still considered the longest and highest wooden trestle in the southern hemisphere. Make that the longest, highest, impassible trestle;  Percy Burn is closed to traffic because parts of the deck are missing.  Pedestrians would fall through.

So, no bridge then? Huh?

One of 4 trestles on the rail trail.

 Percy Burn Viaduct: picturesque, but not passable

 The descent into the gorge begins.

Never fear.  The anticipated scramble into the gorge did not materialize.  Carefully placed steps zig-zagged down to the river and up the other side.  The steps looked pretty permanent to me.  I don't think that particular trestle is going to get an upgrade any time soon.

The other trestles were sturdy and fun to walk across until the rail trail abruptly ended.  We were spat out into the bush on a muddy, rocky uneven track that had us clambering down tree roots with the help of ropes.  Then we were suddenly at the Wairauahiri River.

The Waitutu Lodge was presumably somewhere on the other side, but first we had to cross on one of those suspension bridges that threatens to collapse unless only ONE person crosses at a time.  There is a possum gate in the middle of this bridge and solo pedestrians are required to CLOSE THE GATE!   It was a very bossy bridge, but we all knew that evil possums are a threat to native birds and trees.  We closed the gate.

Possum gate, here I come.