Kahurangi NP: Heaphy Track, Day 1, Brown River to Perry Saddle Hut Hut:

...a return to the Heaphy Track after 32 years....

I recently completed the Heaphy Track which is a Great Walk located in Kahurangi National Park.  Over 4 night and 5 days I covered the 78.4  kilometers from the Brown River carpark in Golden Bay to Kohaihai on the West Coast. 

Start of the Heaphy Track at Brown River carpark

The side track to Shakespeare Flat...from the main Heaphy Track

I have walked the track in sections back in the 1980's and 1990's but never the full length in one go. The last time I was here was way back in 1992 and although I have touched areas of Kahurangi NP since then I have never immersed myself in the park for multiple days.

First view of Perry Saddle Hut, Heaphy Track 

The Heaphy Track is noted for a couple of things...it is the longest of the Great Walks by over 20 kilometers, it has Giant Snails and Takahe along its route and each day is different from the others. Day one is a long grind up nearly 1000 meters from the Brown River carpark to Perry Saddle. The second day is spent walking across Gouland Downs with its limestone structures, stunted forest and wide open plains of tussock. 

A rare backcountry sign...Mind the Takahe!!!

Me standing outside Gouland Downs Hut on day 2...

A well benched track between Gouland Downs and Saxon Hut

Once you get to Gouland Downs Hut or Saxon Hut you have the opportunity to see one of the rarest birds in the world...the Takahe. There are roughly 300 of these birds left in total and if you are lucky you might get to see 2-4 of them. I was privileged to see Takahe at Saxon Hut and I was so pleased as it was one of the reasons I wanted to return to the Heaphy Track. 

The Takahe at Saxon Hut....Heaphy Track 

Day three for me was more travel over the Downs as I made my way to James Mackay Hut but you also pass through an area of classic glaciation. There was a glacier overlaying this area as little as 20 000 years ago and the signs of its passage are everywhere. You will see Roche Moutons, glacial erratic's, striated rocks, moraine walls and kettle lakes. 

One of many streams you cross between Saxon Hut and James MacKay Hut

On the MacKay Downs on day three....Heaphy Track 

Another stream near James MacKay Hut

From James MacKay the terrain changes once again and you find yourself walking downhill through lush West Coast Podocarp forest to the Lewis/Heaphy River Junction. The forest forms a thick canopy overhead for much of the day and the rain that fell made for a dark, wet environment amongst the trees. 

Enroute for the Heaphy River on day four...

 

View down to the Heaphy River from the track...

Once over the Lewis Bridge you walk through lowland forest with massive Southern Rata over 20 meters around the trunk, densely thick tropical forest and Nikau Palms. 

Massive Southern Rata tree near the Heaphy River Bridge

Limestone lowland forest on the way to Heaphy Hut

Heaphy Hut is your destination and once there you are right next to a beautiful river mouth with the rough Tasman Sea washing across the beaches. The river is home to a multitude of native wading birds and you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the Heaphy River if you dare defy the multitudes of sandflies. 

At the Heaphy River mouth near the hut

 The view from the river back up into the mountains was dark and moody with dark angry rain clouds heralding heavy rain which fell through most of the afternoon. 

View up the Heaphy River from near Heaphy Hut

Mouth of the Heaphy River, Heaphy Track 

The last day of the trip is equally as spectacular as you walk the 16 odd kilometers along the coast to the end of the track at Kohaihai. You start in dense Nikau forest before breaking back into the open as you walk along the remote wind swept beaches heading south. Cliff side walking is then interspaced with more Nikau, dense coastal rain forest and those golden beaches. 

On the Heaphy Track on the last day...

Wekakura Creek Bridge, Heaphy Track 

20 Minute Beach half way to Kohaihai, Heaphy Track 

Scotts Beach sits at the end of the coastal section and is a good place to stop for a short break before tackling the climb over the ridge to Kohaihai and the end of the Heaphy Track. The forest over the Kohaihai Bluff is very attractive and there is a lookout point at the apex where you can see right back down the coast. 

Scotts Beach near the end of the Heaphy Track 

View north from the lookout on Kohaihai Bluff, Heaphy Track

Then it is down to the Kohaihai River Bridge and the short walk alongside the river to the carpark, campsite and shelter at the track end. 

Kohaihai River Bridge...Heaphy Track 

Mouth of the Kohaihai River at the end of the track

I have broken the trip down into several parts so lets have a look at the section of track from Brown River carpark to Perry Saddle Hut on day one...

Day 1: Brown River to Perry Saddle Hut: (6 hours, 18 kilometers)

I had to start walking the Heaphy Track on a Wednesday as this was the only day I could get transport into the Brown River carpark on the Golden Bay side of the track. Most of the transport companies have either gone out of business or reduced trips due to Covid. At the moment only Heaphy Bus visits on Sunday and Wednesday and Golden Bay Air runs people into the track start. 

The new shelter at the Brown River carpark

There were just the three of us using the Heaphy Bus Shuttle that day and as we were in a four wheel drive the trip was quick and efficient. Ed and Bella were an English couple and we spent the next five days together as we stayed in the same series of huts. We were at the bus shelter at Brown River by 9.45 am and I was off and walking down the track by 10 am. This was nearly an hour and a half earlier than expected...beauty!!!

The Brown River carpark, Kahurangi NP

On the 4 W/D road to Brown Hut, Kahurangi NP

I headed down to Brown Hut which is about 10  minutes walk up the Heaphy Track and sorted my gear and took some photos before hitting the track proper. I had a small packable day bag with me that I had to stash in my pack with my phone, tickets and water inside. Then I went into the hut to have a look at how it had changed since 1992 which was the last time I was here...its hasn't!!!

Brown Hut (1971), Kahurangi NP

Table and bunks inside Brown Hut, Kahurangi NP

I would like to have stayed a night at Brown Hut but I just couldn't get any transport there on a date that suited me. It is the second oldest hut on the track (built in 1971) and only Gouland Downs is older. I will talk about it in more depth in a forth coming post about the huts along this track. 

Brown Hut has bunks for 20 people....

The track from Brown Hut is flat for about the first kilometer but once you cross over the Brown River suspension bridge you start the climb up to Perry Saddle. It is 17 kilometers to Perry Saddle Hut and you will spent at least the next five hours slowly winding your way up to the hut site. 

On the track to Brown River Bridge, Heaphy Track

Brown River is the first of many bridges you will cross over the course of the track and you will walk over a number of small creeks, streams and rivulets all the way up to Perry Saddle Hut. Almost all of them can be used as sources of drinking water as there is very little to no human habitation along the length of the Heaphy Track. 

Brown River Bridge, Heaphy Track

...prior bookings are needed for all huts and campsites on the Heaphy Track...

There were signs of the old NZFS and Ministry of Internal Affairs days along the track...old NZFS signs, Walkways Commission posts and some old track signs from the days before DOC had responsibility for the track. 

Old NZFS track marker near Brown River Bridge

Start of the climb to Perry Saddle Hut

The Heaphy Track is one of several Great Walks which have marker posts a kilometer away from the huts. These are great pick me ups when walking as you know when you are getting close to the end of the day. Other tracks with these posts are the Kepler and Milford Tracks down south and the Northern Circuit Track in the North Island. 

Heaphy Track: hut markers which note distance to hut....

.....we are one kilometer from Brown Hut....

The track from Brown Hut to Perry Saddle is all up hill until you reach Flanagan's Corner just 30 minutes from the end of the day. It is not especially steep but it is long, rocky and unrelenting in nature. It is quite hard work and I was feeling tired by the end of the day...

Heaphy Track: benched track section....

First water source along the Heaphy Track

The track on day one is almost completely in the forest except for the occasional clearing where you can see out into the Aorere River Valley. The forest changes as you climb from lowland forest to Beech forest and then into sub alpine forest as you get close to Perry Saddle. 

View back down to the Aorere Valley from near Pt. 435

A small slip next to the Heaphy Track

There are a number of bench seats scattered right along the track and they tend to be spaced out about 2 hours apart so you can rest in between the various huts and shelters you pass. Apart from that it was just a case of grinding away for the first couple of hours to gain some distance and height...

Heaphy Track: there are seats scattered right along the track...

Windfallen tree over the Heaphy Track

Moss, lichen and ferns populate the track margins...Heaphy Track

The standard of track is good as you would expect on a Great Walk and it is mostly nice benched track for the first day. The track cannot be too steep or rough as it is used by as many cyclists now as trampers and they need to be able to climb the track on their bikes...

Typical track conditions on the climb to Aorere Shelter

The clouds were hanging low in the Aorere Valley

More open section near Shakespeare Flat turnoff

There is a side track about 2.5 hours in which branches off to Shakespeare Flat and the campsite next to the Aorere River. You might remember the name as this is the place those two people from Nelson got lost last year. The flats are about 2 kilometers away and takes about 45 minutes to walk down to them...

Junction of Heaphy Track and Shakespeare Flat Track

I stopped near the track junction for lunch as it was about 11.20 by that time and I had not had anything to eat since breakfast at 5.30 that morning. I had crackers, Baby Bell cheese and salami sticks on this trip...the good old standards. 

Lunchtime sitting near the Shakespeare Track

Continuing along the Heaphy Track after lunch

Past the Shakespeare Flat turn off you head around to the other side of the ridge you are climbing with some good views down into Beecham Creek. On a sunny day you would need a hat on as this section is out in the sun for about the next 30-40 minutes...

The water is clean from all these small creeks...Heaphy Track

It was a muggy overcast day on the Wednesday and I got a bit hot climbing up the track in temperatures in the low 20's. You could see for a distance from the open places in the forest but the views were very local as the clouds blocked out the views to the distant coast you normally have...

Looking down into the Beechum Creek area, Heaphy Track

Dracophyllum Tree along the Heaphy Track

One of the numerous small streams along the Heaphy Track

Bluffs alongside the Heaphy Track

As I got closer to Aorere Shelter it got a bit cooler and the low cloud had drifted down and settled over the forest so that I was walking through thick mist. I saw very few people along the track so it was a bit eyry waking along with the sounds of the forest amplified by the clouds...

Misty cloud descends over the forest...Heaphy Track

There is a bench seat close to Aorere Shelter with the last cell cover for the next three days so I sent Karen a couple of quick shots of the misty forest and checked the weather forecast for the next couple of days. The next place your phone will work is right at the extreme edge of Heaphy Beach about 40 kilometers and three days away...

There is cell reception at this seat...Heaphy Track

Looking down to Shakespeare Flats from the Heaphy Track

Rocky section of the Heaphy Track near Aorere Shelter

...interesting rock strata along the Heaphy Track...

I got overtaken by a group of young women just before Aorere Shelter and we kept leap frogging past each other for the rest of the afternoon. 

I was overtaken by all the fit young things on the uphill...

Crazy shape of a juvenile Dracophyllum Tree

Heaphy Track is covered with Dracophyllum leaves...

I eventually arrived at Aorere Shelter after walking for about four hours...it was great to see it come looming out of the mist. The shelter is located next to the Aorere Campsite and it is a three sided open structure with benches inside, water tanks and a set of flushing toilets. There are picnic tables here to eat at and a nice bench seat right around the outside of the shelter. 

First view of Aorere Shelter through the mist

Aorere Shelter (1984), Kahurangi NP

I didn't stay for long as the sandflies are hungry there...just long enough to replenish my water, eat a snack and have a look at the map. Then I set off along the last five kilometers of the track to Perry Saddle. 

Interior of Aorere Shelter, Heaphy Track

Water source and sinks at Aorere Shelter

The Heaphy Track continues uphill from right next to the shelter...it is five kilometers from here to Perry Saddle Hut. Half the distance is uphill to Flanagan's Corner and the last two km's downhill to the hut. The DOC sign tells you it is one hour walking and it is fairly correct as it took me about 1 hour and 10 minutes to walk to Perry Saddle Hut. That is fast travel over five kilometers...

The Heaphy Track continues past Aorere Shelter...

...it is 5 kilometers from the shelter to Perry Saddle Hut...

The track from Aorere Shelter to Flanagan's Corner is a lot less steep than further back along the track and I made excellent time even with my tired legs. The track was rougher with extensive areas of rocky terrain and places where the track has obviously been blasted from the rock. There were a couple of slips along here as the area gets pummeled by every big storm that blows in off the Tasman Sea. 

From Aorere Shelter the track starts off gently...

...before getting rocky and steep further along...

View down to the Aorere River from a slip....

After 30 odd minutes Flanagan's Corner hove into view...there is a side track here to a lookout with views of the Aorere Valley and further into Kahurangi NP. It was cloudy near the Corner so I did not go up to the Lookout...I have been there before and the cloud meant there was nothing to see...as confirmed to me by the group of women later at the hut!!!

Flanagan's Corner comes into view...Heaphy Track

There is a viewpoint near Flanagans Corner...

Jon grimacing at the Flanagan's Corner track junction...

Descending sharply down to Perry Saddle Hut

I stopped for a five minute break here and then shouldered my gear and started the short and steep descent down to Perry Saddle Hut. It is all downhill for the last two kilometers which was a blessed relief after walking uphill for most of the day. 

...the track is all downhill from Flanagan's Corner to the hut...

Before long you pass the one kilometer marker and you are on the home stretch of your walk for that day. Just past the pole is an opening in the forest canopy and you can look across and down on Perry Saddle. The hut is very obvious as it is tucked into the bush on this side of the saddle in a small clearing... 

The one kilometer post for Perry Saddle Hut

First view of Perry Saddle and the hut...Heaphy Track

A stream 200 meters from Perry Saddle Hut

Finally the Perry Saddle Hut came into view and I had completed the first and hardest day of the Heaphy Track. 

The end of the road...I arrive at Perry Saddle Hut!!!

Man...was I glad when Perry Saddle Hut hove into view...I was tired after that 18 kilometer and 5+ hour walking day. The track up to Perry Saddle is not overly steep but it is a unrelenting climb for all of the day. Make sure you get some training in before you arrive folks...and keep hydrated!!!

At Perry Saddle Hut:

Perry Saddle Hut was built in 2012 to replace the older hut on this location which I visited way back in 1988. This was my 178th DOC hut and my 328th backcountry hut or shelter overall. It is a lot flasher than the old hut that I remember and typical of the new breed of modern Great Walk huts. They are generally comfortable and warm huts with plenty of space and better attention to detail than older examples.  

Perry Saddle Hut (2012), Kahurangi NP

When I was here in 1988 we got dropped off by a RNZAF Iroquois helicopter and after 10 minutes sorting our gear out we set off for Saxon Hut. Not much time to enjoy the scenery!

Sign on the outside of Perry Saddle Hut

Perry Saddle Hut is a 28 bunker sitting in a basin between a number of ridges and it is a sunny, airy spot for a hut. We were about 2/3 full that night so there were somewhere between 18 and 20 people in the building. I arrived just before 4 pm and there were still people arriving as late as 7 pm that night. 

Kitchen and dining area in Perry Saddle Hut

Perry Saddle Hut: gas cookers in the hut

There are three bunkrooms separated off from the living space with two rooms with 10 bunks and one with 8 bunks. I was in Kaka Saddle which was the 8 bunker...I was in with a group of older ex DOC and NZFS guys revisiting the scene of old glories. One of the chaps had just recovered from cancer so they were out doing it before age and health stopped them walking a harder track like this. 

One of three bunkrooms in Perry Saddle Hut

I was in Kaka Saddle bunkroom, Perry Saddle Hut

All of the bunkrooms were named after areas in Kahurangi NP so we had Kaka Saddle, Perry Saddle and Dragons Teeth which are all accessible from the Heaphy Track. It was all trampers as the Great Walk MTB ride season had finished the previous week so no cyclists are coming until April 2022. 

Dragons Teeth and Perry Saddle were the other two bunkrooms

There is a veranda along the southern side of the hut with views back down to the Aorere Valley and the whole area is covered in low stunted sub alpine scrub which is about shoulder height. From the front of the hut you can see down the valley towards Gouland Downs and the next days route. 

Looking up to Mt Perry (1238) from Perry Saddle Hut

The route to Gouland Downs on day two, Heaphy Track

Day two was set to be a lot easier as I only had around 12 kilometers to cover to get to Saxon Hut where myself and the English couple were staying for the night. Everyone else was either walking down to Brown Hut or all the way to James Mackay Hut which was 21 kilometers or 7-9 hours away...

....its is 7 km's to Gouland Downs Hut...

View back down the Aorere Valley from Perry Saddle Hut

There were a lot of birds around the hut site including some cute as baby Weka but also Bellbirds, Kaka, Tui, Bush Wrens, Wood Pidgeon's, Ruru and Kiwi. You will also get an occasional visit from the Takahe at this hut but they tend to hang out around Gouland Down and Saxon Huts as they like the tussock land around those areas. 

There were lots of Weka around Perry Saddle Hut including this chick...

There is a campsite at Perry Saddle with platforms for around 6 tents and also a nifty campsite shelter with a sink, water, picnic tables and three sided cover. It would be a decent spot for the campers except for the voracious sandflies which live in massed squadrons right along the length of the Heaphy Track. 

Perry Saddle Campsite Shelter, Kahurangi NP

It was a nice atmosphere within the hut that night and I talked to a number of people about this and that. Most of the people were in larger groups of from 3-6 but there were a couple of other solo trampers and some couples in the hut as well. It was warm enough so we did not need to light the fire...the weather had been surprisingly mild right through the day. 

Track to the riverside Mountain Spa...cold..real cold!!!!

It was a good end to a long and tiring day and everyone in the hut including Jon were in bed before 9.30pm. Come back soon and see what happened over the next four days as I tramped from Perry Saddle along the Heaphy Track. 

Access: Getting to the track ends at either Brown River or Kohaihai is extremely difficult at this time. Covid has meant that many services are not available. See my post from earlier this year about planning a trip on the Heaphy Track for more detail....

Track Times: Brown River carpark to Brown Hut 10 minutes, Brown Hut to Aorere Shelter 4-5 hours, Aorere Shelter to Perry Saddle Hut 1-1.5 hours. Total track time of 5-6 hours on day one...
Hut Details: Brown Hut: Great Walk, 16 bunks, wood burner, woodshed (coal supplied), toilet, water from tank, Aorere Shelter: Shelter, cooking bench, picnic table, watertank, flush toilet;  Perry Saddle Hut: Great Walk, 28 bunks, watertank, wood burner, woodshed (coal supplied), flush toilet; Perry Saddle Campsite Shelter: Shelter, water from tap, cooking bench, picnic tables

Miscellaneous: All huts and campsites MUST be booked before starting the track. MTB riders from April to October. There are several rivers and creeks to cross enroute and some may be difficult or impossible in very heavy rain. 

You Tube link: Brown Hut to Perry Saddle Hut