Our Iconic Huts: Styles and types of DOC huts

...huts for all seasons...

 There are over 900 public huts in New Zealand scattered from the top of the North Island right down to the Antipodes. The history and origins of these huts are many...some were working huts, some private accommodation, there are historic huts and those built for tourism.

Boyle Flat Hut, an old Walkways Commission Hut on the St James Walkway

I thought I would have a look at the the different types of huts, their origins and how they came to be available for public use...

Working Huts: Musterers huts, water races, rabbit control buildings and farm buildings

Many ex working buildings have been converted into DOC huts over the years. These can range forom farm buildings to water race cottages and include some iconic examples around the country. Many of these buildings came into the conservation estate with the formation of national Parks and the set up of the forest park system. Others were acquired as part of land tenure review.

Top or Bealey Spur Hut, Arthur's Pass NP.

An older example of a musterers hut is Bealey Spur or Top Hut in the Craigieburn Range, an out building that belonged to a long defunct high country station. This hut accommodated shepherds when the local area was used for grazing sheep.

The interior of Bealey Spur Hut

Another type of building that has been converted into a DOC hut are old farm houses. The newest example of this is the old farm cottage on Quail Island, Lyttleton Harbour which is being converted into a 10 person hut.

Otamatua or Quail Island Hut, January 2018

There are also numerous huts on land which has undergone tenure review, where station huts have now come under the aegis of DOC. A good example is Comyn's Hut near Hakatere in the Central South Island. 

Comyns Hut Hakatere Conservation Park, Central South Island

 This is now a 6 bunk hut well utilised by people walking the Te Araroa Trail.

New Zealand Forestry Service (NZFS) huts:

There are a multitude of NZFS huts scattered around the contry. The NZFS was the New Zealand Forestry Service which built the same standardised 2, 4 and 6 bunks huts for deer culling. 

Mid Robinson Hut: a classic largely un-touched SF70 hut

They were scattered along tracks often 3 -4 hours apart to facilitate teams of men who spent much of the 1950's-1970's based at the huts and scouring the surrounding area for the deer that were in numbers and were eating the forest cover. 

Standard set-up inside a SF70 hut: Bunks, zinc bench, louvred windows

...lockable storage cupboard, and veranda/wood storage area...Anti Crow Hut

These huts have a number of the same features namely they had cupboard space for storing food, a fire and tend to be located near a stream. Once deer cullers were found to be ineffective they were removed and replaced by men in helicopters. 

Huts built for scientific study

There are a number of huts around the country that were originally built for scientific purposes. Mostly these were owned by Universities or Technical Colleges but government departments also had huts built for long term studies taking place in remote regions. The scientists needed a place to stay while undertaking their studies with the most basic of amenities.

John Haywood Hut...built to study erosion in the Canterbury foothills

The purposes varied but huts were built to study forestry, erosion, glaciation, endangered species recovery, pest control, river hydraulics and oceanography. Many of these huts were built with features that assisted with their purpose, for example Cupola Hut in Nelson Lakes has a long observation window on one side of the hut. It faces an open high alpine pasture much favored by local Thar. 

Cupola Hut, Nelson Lakes NP....built to study Red Deer and Thar herds

Once the need for the accommodation subsided these huts usually became available for general public use. 

Huts for tourists: Private/THC/Internal Affairs/Walking Commission

Tourism was an early reason for accommodation in the back-country, New Zealand has always had a reputation as a tourism mecca even back in the 19th Century. Tourism has been variously controlled first by individuals, and then successive government departments tasked with getting tourist into the country. 

The Hermitage in Mt Cook National Park

For much of the 20th century tourism was the preserve of the Department of Internal Affairs, they had their own tourism arm called the Tourism Hotel Corporation. For the most part they controlled hotels in the great tourism spots: Lake Rotorua, Mt Tongariro NP and Mt Cook NP to name three. They also controlled many huts & lodges in scenic spots such as on the Milford Track, Milford Sound and Mt Taranaki. Most of the lodges and hotels were sold to private groups in the late 1980's but many of the huts were passed onto DOC when it was formed in 1987. 

  

The chateau in Tongariro was open till this year

The Walking Commission was another government incentive to increase tourism, they advocated for and built huts aimed at getting more New Zealanders into the outdoors. The St James Walkway and the huts along its length are an example of their handiwork. Again they were folded into DOC when it was formed in 1987...

Christopher's Hut, St James Walkway...built by the walkway Commission in the early 1970's

Hut No. 3 is another example of Walking Commission hut

Very few of the originals survive but here and there around the country you will strike an old Internal Affairs or Walking Commission hut.

Great Walk Huts

Some huts are built just to take advantage of the Great Walks at variety of locations around the contry. The first were huts built on the Milford Track as money was to be made guiding people along the tracks. These tracks were taken over buy the tramping community and huts such as Anchorage are the result.

Anchorage Hut in the Abel Tasman...

In the modern world these huts are the home of tourists who are looking for an easy track with not a lot of  hazards causing access problems. While some tourist are fairly exprieneced these hut and tracks offer a more simple experience. 

...Anchorage again...a more classy option... 

You will find few of any New Zealanders on these tracks...they prefer to visit some hard track usually on the West Coast or some other area were there are fewer visitors. 

Club Huts: Tramping and skiing huts

  A number of huts were built by tramping clubs for general use. They tend to be built in places were there is a high concentration of tramping and can range from basic to lavious in the extreme. Examples include Field Hut in the Tararuas, and Aspiring in Mt aspiring. 

Field Hut...oldest continuosly ocuppied hut in the country

Others like Kea Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park are old ex ski lodges which were built for some skiing adventures...they can be either private or public buildings and were built to serve a purpose. When the need for the hut wans the hut becomes general property.

Kea Hut is an ex ski field hut

Kea Hut is located in Nelson Lake National Park

These type of huts tend to come into DOC's care when the maintainence of the hut or connecting track becomes too expensive or hard. There are several huts which are administered by DOC but controlled by a particular tramping club. 

  Memorial Huts: Remember those who are gone

Some huts were built to remember people who ha died in the outdoors. Examples of these huts are widespread and include such hut as Fenella Huts in Nelson and Manson Nichols built here in Canterbury. These huts where built to remember those who went before. 

Manson-Nichols Memorial Hut at Lake Daniell

Another memorial Hut is Fenella Hut in Kahurangi National Park, this hut was paid for and partially build by the friends and family of a tramper who died when the Three Johns Hut was blown off a ridge-line near Mt Cook. Fenella Druce's family raised the money for this hut and assisted in its construction.

Fenella Hut in Kahurangi National Park

These are still being built as the demand for huts has not dimished as the years hare progress. 

Historic Huts:

 Some huts were built to take advantage of trampers going into the bush to enjoy the scenic pleasures. 

Historic Packhorse Hut on Kaituna Saddle

  Packhorse Hut was intended to be one of several huts built on the Banks Peninsula to take advantage of the rise in the popularity of tramping there. It was recently repaired (sice the Christchurch earthquakes) and is open to all comers to visit.

 

Modern DOC huts

The Department of Conversation or DOC have responsibility for the public estate; all lands, tracks, huts and ancillaries owned by the government in the interest of the public. First set up in 1987 they have taken over functions of many previous government departments and are now the guardians of public lands.

Since 1987 they have built a number of huts around the country as well as replacing those that have been destroyed, damaged or reached the end of their useful life.

Magdalen Hut, Lake Sumner FP 2017

  Unfortunately DOC like every other government department are at the mercy of what ever political grouping holds power. At no fault of their own they have suffered from a lack of clear vision, plans are made but then the government changes and they are shelved. They have also been starved fr funds since their inception....DOC controls over 40% of the land in New Zealand yet has an annual budget of less than $300 million to do everything required to maintain the conservation estate.

Anne Hut, St James Recreation Reserve, 2015

When DOC build huts they tend to be focused on recreation and front of country areas...the huts are very comfortable and are build to comply with modern building codes so are insulated, have double glazing and utilise environmentally friendly materials. This means they are costly...a typical 6-10 person hut costs $200 000 a big hut like Anne Hut or Luxmore hut on the Kepler (both 30-40 person) will be $700 000. 

Anchorage Hut in the Able Tasman National Park....modern comforts included!

What this means is less huts ae built and those already in existence do not receive the finances to maintain them properly. Some assistance is provided by volunteer groups maintaining huts/tracks and facilities but this is really only a stop gap measure. Eventually the number of huts/tracks/facilities MUST drop unless sufficient funding is provided. I urge all people who enjoy the outdoors to vote for political parties that 

Public/Private partnership huts

There have always been private back-country huts in this country but they tended to be for the use of a particular group of people: friends, family, members of clubs etc. Many of these huts are run by or administered by trust groups and their numbers are growing each year.

One of the private huts in the Orongoorongo Valley near Wellington

A good example of this is Mt Brown Hut on the ranges around Lake Kaniere on the West Coast of the South Island. A private trust oversaw construction using their own funds, government donation and resources from DOC Westland. It was the first private/public hut collaboration in the country and really pointed the way forward for this type of operation.

Mt Brown Hut, high above Lake Kaniere, Central Westland

Another example is Rod Donald Hut on the Summit Walkway/Te Ara Pataka on Banks Peninsula. The hut was built to make it possible for a 1-3 day tramp to exist from Hilltop Tavern to Gebbies Pass. It and the 100 hectare replanted native forest surrounding it are administered by a trust but are feely available to any person to use.

Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula

In a time of shrinking budgets I think  it is appropriate and useful for private groups to assist with picking up the slack and building huts with a bit of outside assistance. 

The future?

So, where to now....perhaps a look at one of the newest DOC huts points to the future.

The newest DOC hut in the country is Waiau Hut at the head of the Waiau River. This hut was built by DOC with nearly $300 000 dollars donated by an anonymous international benefactor who is a Te Araroa Trail alumni.

Newest DOC Hut in New Zealand: Waiau River Hut, on the Waiau Pass Route 2018

The hut was completed over Summer 2017/18,  it will be the newest hut on conservation land and a vital link between various tramping/climbing/mountain biking trails in the Waiau River Valley. It looks to be built to the same pattern as Magdalen Hut on the mid reaches of the Boyle River.

The standard DOC 6 bunk hut design...Magdalen Hut

Talk about Hump Ridge and Old Ghost Road


Are we likely to see more examples of huts built using bequests/donations?  It is hard to say but it is definitely a possibility going into the future. Certainly if I was ever in a position to donate significant money to DOC I would do so (...for a swing-bridge over the Boyle River at the entrance to the  Doubtful Valley...for safer access for TA trekkers and to provide easier access to this lovely valley...).

The Doubtful River Valley, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

 
The Department of Conservation have control of 60% of the land area of New Zealand yet are strapped for money and are constantly pressured to increase revenue from the outdoors. As it is unlikely to ever receive enough resources to do their job other means must be sought.

 

You SHALL pass...New Zealand backcountry bridges

A vital life saver, avenue to adventure...

Rivers pose one of the most dangerous obstacles to people enjoying the outdoors in New Zealand. Trampers have learnt over the years to give our rivers the respect they deserve. During the Colonial Era (1830-1905) so many people drowned crossing rivers that it became known as the 'New Zealand Death'.

Swing-bridge over the Boyle River at Windy Point, Lake Sumner Forest Park

Prior to the 1940's there were very few structures in the back country of New Zealand and those that existed were mainly built for private use. There were few bridges, so most rivers were crossed at fords with the resultant danger or being swept away etc.. 

From the late 1930's a herculean effort began to cull the large destructive wild deer herds from the more remote areas of the country. This was also when the back-country started to be used for pure recreation. To facilitate both these undertakings huts and bridges were required.

Deer cullers crossing a three wire bridge, Waingawa River, 1957:from nzdeercullers.org.nz

The New Zealand Forest Service and Department of Lands & Survey hut-building era of the 1940s to 1970s coincided with a huge back-country bridge-construction effort too. Bridges changed the nature of back-country tramping almost as much as huts. The access afforded by bridges allowed tramping trips to occur in bad weather without the risk of trampers becoming  stranded by flooded rivers.

  Back-country bridges: a multitude of styles

There are a multitude of bridge designs used in the NZ outdoors, they are usually tailored to fit the particular conditions in the area to be bridged. Some are massive affairs while others hardly deserve to be called bridges at all. Obviously it is impossible to look at all the designs used but there are a few standardised types that stand out.

The symbol used on a topographic map to denote a back-country bridge

These bridge types are:

Boardwalks

In many respects board-walks are both the most common and simple of bridge designs. For the most part they are used to protect track margins from legions of passing human feet. The design is able to be used in a multitude of locations and circumstances only limited by the materials on hand and the track builders ingenuity.

Section of board-walk on the Lakehead Track, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes NP

A standard section of board walk is approximately 1.5-2 metres wide, it will have wooden piles and cross beams with a chicken wire covered walk way on top.  They might be raised a considerable distance above the obstacle or semi submerged depending on the location, water table and weather conditions.

Board-walk over a swamp at Aramoanna, the Otago Peninsula

Some of the extensive board walk in Travis Wetlands, Christchurch

Here are a few examples of board-walk being used to protect delicate environments, in this case wetlands, swamp or mossy areas:

Using board-walk to protect delicate mosses, the Lake Daniell Track

Board-walk and steps over a alpine swamp, Speargrass-Sabine Hut Track

Here are sections of board walk being used for other purposes: to span small ditches/ravines, as a bridge across smaller streams, to limit erosion of a track etc. etc.

 

Raised board-walk over a small ravine on the Sabine Valley Track

A bridge over a small stream utilising board-walk sections, Lake Daniell Track

Board-walk to lessen erosion of a steep slope, Speargrass Track, Nelson Lakes NP

Board-walk covering a drainage ditch, Lake Daniell Track

When walking on a board-walk make sure you lift your walking poles as it is really easy to jam a tip into a board-walk gap and snap your pole. Otherwise board-walk makes for an easy and swift walking surface, without dodging ground obstacles you can set a cracking pace. 

You will definitely strike board-walk while tramping in New Zealand. 

Fixed bridges

A fixed bridge will be a permanent rigid structure built to fit a particular location. These will be built of many materials: stone, wood, metal and concrete. These structures are often used to span smaller creeks and rivers but they can range in size from a couple of meters to tens of hundreds of meters.

Transportable rigid walk bridge, Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes NP

One material used for a rigid bridge is metal, normally steel this is often used on the well travelled tracks where the number of passing feet is greatest. There are now standardised bridge sections used by DOC around the country, similar to the two shown below in Nelson Lakes National Park. 

Steel and wood bridge crossing the Sabine River, Nelson Lakes National Park

A transportable walk bridge, Upper Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes NP

Wood is also used for smaller spans such as this example on the Travers Valley Track on the approach to Coldwater Hut. The creek is narrow so a stronger metal bridge is not required here. Wood is cheaper than metal and can be constructed on location more easily.

Chandler Stream bridge on the Travers Valley Track, Nelson Lakes NP

Wooden bridges are also used to span gullies that might otherwise cause soil erosion form all of the people passing that way. These spans are often used on the more popular walkways.

A new style wooden bridge on the Arthur's Pass Track, Arthur's Pass NP

These fixed bridges can be architectural features as well, designed to fit into the visual aesthetic of a particular location. They often feature interesting designs or ornament or can have an interesting shape. The bridge shown below is constructed of concrete and has both a curve and an arch so it compliments its location crossing a bend in the stream.

Architecturally designed bridge on the Arthur's Pass Track, Arthur's Pass NP

If the span of the bridge needed is long heavier steel girder bridges can be used. A good example is the girder bridge over the Devil's Punchbowl Falls outlet in Arthur's Pass. This bridge is long at +30 meters but also busy so it needs to be strong to handle all of the foot traffic it receives. 

Steel girder bridge over the outlet stream of the Devils Punchbowl Falls in Arthur's Pass

There are also combination bridges such as these examples...they uses strong steel girders for their base while the upper part of the bridge is constructed using wood. This type of tread-way bridge can be transported by helicopter sling load so you see a lot of them. Note the concrete caisson (foundation) used to anchor the bridge at the near end, the far end rests on a handy boulder.

Billy Goat Gruff bridge over the upper Maruia River, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

Speargrass Creek bridge, Nelson Lakes NP

The Sluice Box Bridge, Marble Hill camp-site, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

A fixed bridge will last for a long time so many of these will have been in their current location for 50-60 years now.

Suspension Bridges

There are many suspension bridges in the New Zealand back-country, they come in many sizes and styles but all have certain features. 

These are:

• a tower at each end of the bridge to support the foot way
• long arching cables from tower to tower...these suspend the foot way
• a central foot way, often made of wood and cable with vertical stability cables
• they often have ramps/steps for access on either end of the bridge

The photos below are of various suspensions bridges illustrating these points...

Good view of the support cables, Falls River bridge, Abel Tasman National Park

The support towers on the Falls River bridge, Abel Tasman NP

Anchoring point of the Falls River bridge to a handy rock face

Wide wooden walkway on the Falls River bridge

The anchor points for the hand wires, Falls River bridge

Steps at the start of the Waterfall Creek bridge, Abel Tasman NP. Note the Maori carving

Another example of this type of bridge is the Cedric Stream bridge in Nelson Lakes National Park. This bridge is an important link in keeping the Travers-Sabine Circuit track open in all weather. This bridge is over a stream with a history of extreme flooding so it rests high above the riverbed.  It has the standard towers at both end with the typical cable structure and a wooden walk way.

Support tower for the Cedric Stream suspension bridge, Nelson Lakes NP

You will notice chains have been used for the vertical stability supports, this is a common feature as they can be tensioned more easily than suspended cables. The chains also make the bridge more stable in high wind.

Cedric Stream suspension bridge, Nelson Lakes NP

Sometimes this type of bridge will have metal towers at each end, these tend to be use on smaller obstacles. The beauty of these are that they can be largely pre-fabricated and then lifted into place by helicopter or road. As you can see in the photo below these metal towers require bracing wires on each tower to support the weight of the heavy bridge-way.

A smaller metal framed suspension bridge over Hopeless Creek, Nelson Lakes NP

Detail of the cable supports, Hopeless Creek bridge, Nelson Lakes NP

As you can see above the legs of the tower are securely attached to concrete piles and backward tension is provided by the cables running over the top of the tower.

By the way all these suspension bridges could also be classed as swing-bridges, the terms are often used interchangeably in New Zealand. 

Swing-bridges: A New Zealand tramping institution

Swing bridges are the most common type of bridge you will encounter while tramping in New Zealand. The vary in size from only a few meters to great river spanning monstrosities and are built using cables attached to a variety of anchors: trees, rock faces, boulders and towers.

Swing bridge over the Travers River, Nelson Lakes NP

The standard design features 10 cables, two support the bridge structure, these are attached to the foot-way with short vertical cables. There will also be horizontal cables above and alongside the foot way structure. The foot way itself are a series of cables with a metal or wooden platform built along their top. Most of these bridges will have netting along the sides to stop people falling off the structure. 

Detail of the cable foot-way on a standard swing-bridge

The bridge below (over the Upper Sabine River) is typical of the newer swing-bridges you will encounter, this bridge was only constructed in 2016 so is very new. As with most of the newer bridges it has a wooden walk way to make crossing easier and safer.

Swing bridge over the Upper Sabine river, Nelson Lakes NP

More typical are the following bridges, these are of all metal/cable construction and feature aluminium support stays between the arching support cables and the walk way. They also have metal towers at one or both ends.

Good side view of a swing bridge, this is near Mid Robinson Hut, Victoria FP

Detail of the Mid Robinson swing-bridge tower: note the metal tower, stay wires and access ramp all in metal

The long and bouncy swing bridge over the Henry River, St James Walkway

The tower and approach ramp on the Mid Boyle swing-bridge, St James Conservation Area

Lower Boyle River bridge, St James Walkway.

Swing-bridges don't always have that classic form of course, you will strike all manner of swing bridges built to fit the particular location they are constructed in. Here are a couple of unusual examples I have struck over the years...

Swing-bridge over a side creek on the St James Walkway near Cannibal Gorge Hut

Swing-bridge over the Nina River chasm, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

One of the new swing-bridges on the Paekakiriki Escarpment track

Walkwires: three wire bridges

Back in the deer culler years the type of bridge you would most often encounter was a classic two/three wire. A three wire is just that...three wires (cables), one for your feet and two for your hands. Words often used when talking about a two or three wire are 'bloody', 'bastard', 'flaming',  'effing' and '..that ho'er of a...'.

These are natural reactions as they are quite literally a complete bastard/ho'er to use.

The daunting view as you start walking a three wire...Hollyford Track, Fiordland

  They have a most unnerving tendency to sway from side to side as you are crossing them...it is not a pleasant sensation. The buttock clenching aspect of some of these bridges is that they are often a long way up in the air...to fall off may not be fatal but it would certainly spoil your day!

Symbol for a walk-wire bridge on a topographic map

It is very easy to fall off a three wire bridge, which is why DOC have strengthened most of them with triangular cable stays, board-walks and netting.

The three wire leading to Mystery Creek, Fiordland

Wire bridges are gradually being replaced by swing bridges and suspension bridges, you will still strike them but just not as frequently. Good spots to see/use them are Fiordland (Dusky Track, Hollyford Track), remote West Coast valleys, the Urewera Forest and in the Ruahines/Kaweka's.

A classic three wire on the Harpers Pass Track, Taramakau Valley, West Coast

Three wire with netting on the Dusky Track Fiordland

Some of the three wires in Fiordland are way above the waterline as they get torrential rain there for a lot of the year. Because of this you often need to climb onto them using aluminium ladders DOC have lashed to the start/end of the walk-wire. 

Detail of various three wire bridges...note the access ladder

If you look further down this post I have given you some ideas about how to cross both three and two wire bridges. 

Walkwires: two wire bridges

Another type of bridge you might encounter is the two wire, it is a cousin to the three wire and consists of a wire for your feet and one for your hands. These are the quickest and cheapest form of bridge to construct but can be devilishly hard to use. If there is any degree of slackness in either cable it is common for the user to fall off them.

An example of a two wire bridge

In Europe and some parts of North America these bridges are known as via ferante or "sky roads".

A via ferante two wire bridging system in the Canadian Rockies

The only place I have had to use a two wire was on the way to the old Nina Hut in the 1990's, there was one you had to use in heavy rain to cross some difficult side-streams. There are also a few up the more remote West Coast Valleys.

 

Upper Nina Bivouac, Nina River Valley, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

Two wires have largely been replaced across the DOC estate with other safer means of river crossing.

 

Cableways

Where a river was too wide or expensive to span using a conventional foot bridge, the builders often chose to construct a cable-way instead. These consist of a thick wire cable strung between winching stations on either side of a river.  

Letting gravity do the work..speeding to the low point of a cable-way

To cross the river the passenger sits in an open sided metal box, called a cage, basket, box or chair. The box is suspended from the main wire on two large pulley wheels, with a secondary cable and pulley to steady it. 

The passenger covers the first half of the crossing using gravity they are then hauled the rest of the way using the riverside winch attached to a smaller loop of wire. This is a similar system used for ship to ship transfer using a bosun's seat. 

Ship to ship transfer using a classic bosun's chair, image US Navy

 

Using a cable way is more challenging for a solo tramper, requiring you to use a lever with a couple of hooks on its end. To start, you climb into the basket with your gear and release the brake on the main cable. The basket once released will fly down the cable, eventually coming to rest at the lowest point mid river. 

You then hook the lever to the main cable and laboriously pull yourself 30-40 cms along the cable in the direction you want to go.

Detail of a cable-way: note the pulley system and the lever bar hanging from the main wire

Cable-ways are incredibly dangerous...there are a multitude of stories about people falling out of the chair, getting hair/fingers/clothing stuck in the winch system and people getting stuck halfway across rivers when they discovered they did not have the lever bar to haul themselves along.

Things not to do while using a cable-way:

• get into the basket without your pack and the motion lever
• stand up while in motion
• swing the basket from side to side
• go onto one with lose hair, clothing, straps etc. flapping around
• and never, ever try to haul the basket by hand...this is a near guaranteed way to loose fingers/skin.

The now defunct cable way across the White River, on the Harman Pass Track, Arthurs Pass

Few cable ways remain in use today as they are gradually being replaced by safer bridges. Those that remain tend tom be clustered in the more remote valleys of the West Coast of the South Island in places like the Hokitika, Kokatahi and Whitcombe Valleys. 

How to cross a two/three wire bridge

A three wire is a bit easier to use than a two wire, you have two wires for your hands and one for the feet so it is easier to balance yourself as you cross. A lot of the existing three wires have had v shaped stays fitted to them to improve their stability. These stays anchor the cables in a fixed position and cut down on the 'wobble' effect these bridges naturally have.

Detail of the stability cable stays on a walk-wire on the Dusky Sound Track

Before jumping onto the walk-wire, store any trek poles etc. so you have two free hands and make sure there are no loose straps/equipment that could snag. Only one person on a walk-wire at a time.

The best way to cross a three wire is facing forward with your toes pointing out, your foot arch straddling the lower cable, heals on the outside of the cable. This way you can see where you are going while also maintaining the best balance possible on the bottom wire.

You slide/move your feet along the bottom cable while grasping the hand cables tightly. Watch those cable stays as I often find the edges are ragged and sharp

 

Good illustration of foot placement while crossing a three wire bridge

Two wire bridges are very, very difficult to use, that is why there are so few of them left. 

The most important thing when using a two wire bridge is tension, if those wires are slack then more than likely you are going to fall off. You shuffle your feet from side to side while holding the top wire and leaning slightly outwards to keep tension on the hand-wire. 

If you have a rope and harness it is a good idea to connect yourself to the top wire for safety. If you ever strike a two wire bridge only use it if you absolutely must, usually you will find the river it crosses can be forded in all but the worst conditions so just do that.

The side to side shuffle on a two wire bridge..the deep, ice blue abyss below!

 I sincerely hope you never have the opportunity to use one...

The bridge I have crossed the most is...

This is the bridge I have crossed the most number of times, a classic swing-bridge of course. It is the bridge over the lower Boyle River on the St James Walkway. I have crossed this bridge 15 times now on the way to/from some point in the surrounding area.

Lower Boyle River bridge, St James Walkway, St James Conservation Area

She is a familiar friend now, it means either the start of a trip or the end.