Search |
|
|
|
|
Hollyford Track
The Hollyford Track is one of my favourite tramps in New Zealand and not just because it is mainly downhill! The access the walk gave to troutfishing locations certainly helped.
It has been described as a walk in ‘the most beautiful valley in New Zealand’. The Hollyford 3 Day Wilderness Journey is suitable for a wide range of fitness levels and takes in snow-capped mountains, glaciers, rainforests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, reefs, sand dunes and wild West Coast surf.
In late 2004 a brand new lodge was built at Martins Bay to replace the existing lodge. It includes a lounge, dining room, kitchen and stores area, capable of catering for up to sixteen guests at a time and reflecting the quality accommodation already available at Pyke River Lodge.
Over the past six years the company is proud of a record that has seen it receive a 100% recommendation rate and 98% satisfaction rate from clients. The Hollyford Track guided walks experience is diverse, including hiking, wildlife, a fantastic diversity of flora, historical interpretation from knowledgeable guides, jet boating and an inspiring scenic flight to Milford Sound. Day One includes travel through the majestic Eglinton Valley to the start of the track in the Hollyford Valley, visiting the fascinating Gunn’s Camp museum on the way. That’s followed by an undulating 17km walk re-tracing the footsteps of early explorers along the Hollyford River to Pyke River Lodge. Guides on the walk are full of stories about the history of the area, and knowledgeable about the forest and bird life as the track passes through native beech forest and beside waterfalls.
Day Two begins with a short walk to beautiful Lake Alabaster, a fun crossing of Fiordland’s longest swing bridge, then a captivating Jet Boat journey down the Hollyford River and across Lake McKerrow to the historic site of Jamestown, originally intended to be the capital of the South Island.
The walk to Martins Bay Lodge is fascinating, passing through ancient podocarp forest with huge rimu, totara and kahikatea trees wrapped in massive rata vines. Day Three includes a visit to the fur seal colony at Long Reef, looking out for the rare Fiordland crested penguin. A jet boat trip to Martins Bay beach enables people to explore the sand dunes and lagoon, then a scenic flight to Milford Sound includes views of Mt Tutoko, Fiordland’s highest peak.
Customers who fly into Milford have the option of an afternoon cruise on in Milford Sound and an overnight stay in Te Anau, or a night at Milford Sound on the Milford Mariner. Both options are at additional cost. Further information is available on the website www.hollyfordtrack.com Photos for this article were supplied by Hollyford 3 Day Wilderness Journey.
Four of us tackled the Hollyford Track a few years ago. We had chosen the comfort of the guided walk, as the need to carry only clothes meant we could take in more fishing tackle.
We set off in formation but after lunch, Paul and I forged ahead, aiming to get in a couple of hours fishing before the girls arrived at the Pyke Lodge. Unfortunately the weather gods were against us and steady rain set in. It was obvious that the river was already up considerably thanks to the rain a day or two before. We forged on, only just managing to keep up with the long stride of our guide, Fiona.
Suddenly our ears were assailed by the sound of screams just audible over a loud engine noise. A large jet boat roared by and we were greeted by the jeers of two distinctly non-tramping wives. Fiona soon explained that the arrival of the jet boat meant the river had flooded the track further down and we would also need to resort to the boat.
It was only once we got inside that, we noticed that our American tramping companions were in trouble. The teenage kids were saturated and already shivering from the cold weather. The reason why was soon revealed when they peeled off their borrowed PVC raincoats. Underneath they only wore cotton tee shirts and cotton sweatshirts and these were soaked through. They had made this unwise choice of tramping apparel despite clear warnings during the briefing the night before about the severity of the southern climate.
Rainfall here averages 5000 - yes, 5000 mm per year and it rains 180 days each year. And when it rains, it is usually cold as well. So it was just lucky that the Americans were in a guided party or they would have been in serious trouble. Once they were dried off and into warm clothes in front of the fire, they recovered quickly. But their choice of garments was just crazy for this extreme climatic region. Wool, or synthetics like polar fleece, are the only materials that should be considered and breathable parkas for walking in the rain are worth the investment. |
Fishing the Hollyford River
