Twenty-three kilometres! Easily my shortest day of bikepacking yet. It was utterly fantastic; such a luxury to take our sweet time through the deserted Heaphy – we saw no-one else on the track all day.
Hand scribbled notes and maps in James Mackay hut told of a short track up the hill behind. On a nice morning, there was no way I wasn’t going up there. Even with a rough track, which was mostly up a rocky, rutted water channel, it was only fifteen minutes to climb the hundred metres to the summit of Otepo.

Down to Heaphy mouth.

The trig on top has certainly seen some weather.

Over to the Tubman Range; Heaphy River down in between somewhere.

Can’t stay staring around at the summit all morning, time to head down. Lush.

By the time I returned to finish packing, who knows how many coffees Pete had had – and it had clouded over. Shockingly, I had to put my raincoat on for the first time on the whole trip – seven days on the West Coast! Incredible fortune with the weather late-winter. The drizzle was light and the jacket didn’t last long as it soon ceased.

Back into the forest for a short while as we climbed towards Tasman district.

A small drop, with some trail clearing, took us to these flats beside the Saxon River.

I was hopeful of seeing my first takahe some time during this sightseeing day. I was delighted to see this pair as soon as I looked around the corner of Saxon Hut.

It was time for a long lunch in the hut watching their antics; very cool, and at times amusing.

Out into the Gouland Downs section; pleased the rain has stopped, always feels a bit exposed out here.

Here’s another Big River.

It didn’t really matter how slow we were going, but progress was reasonable enough as we entered the Enchanted Forest for a short time before popping out to Gouland Downs Hut.

It’s such a charming little hut, we were tempted to call it a day there – but it is very dark inside and the open fire has leant it a decidedly smokey atmosphere inside. But nevermind, caves to be found! On previous rides through I had no idea there were a number of small caves back under the Enchanted Forest – I’d unknowingly ridden over one four times! Leaving our bikes at the hut, we went exploring.

Down off one side of the trail…

The caves certainly were not hard to find.

And none too wet, we could walk underneath the trail with dry feet soon popping out on the other side to clamber back up.

Beginning to see how the forest got its moniker.

Follow the water and they’re even easier to find.

Back on the bikes for the last stretch, climbing gently a few hundred metres to Perry Saddle.

Leaving the Downs, another brief spell of jacket wearing.

I had good fun clearing as much as possible as the trail got rockier and more difficult to negotiate.

At the hut just after three, that was a most enjoyable short day seeing more than I have on previous faster rides through. We even had plenty of time to properly heat the sprawling hut this time; again, a bunk room each. I found a large book detailing the history of the track and area – fascinated, I read much of it that evening.

The briefest of appearances for the afternoon.

After all the food we’d eaten in Karamea, I’m wondering how we even managed to leave at nine o’clock. Overnight rain had gone, so our purple patch of late-winter weather continued with a slight breeze helping us north during forty-five minutes of flat road. With timings and weather not throwing any spanners in our plans, we were planning two nights on the Heaphy Track – which I’ve easily ridden in a day a few times. I was very much looking forward to spending the time to go slower and see more of the national park.

The unknown factor in our day being whether or not we’d be able to safely cross the Heaphy River – the large bridge over it having been destroyed in floods earlier in the year. Many days since any significant rain and plenty of time and contingency up our sleeves, we were going to give it a good look and see. Pete, and many others, had waded through the river with a bike before the bridge was built – so the plan was sound. We’d also heard of a big slip on the climb after the river, but that was being worked on.

Heading for Kohaihai – can see the bluff in the distance.

At the trail head we met someone also going to check out the damage and do a little trail work. We learnt of smaller slips on the coastal section, but were encouraged in our plan. Straight into the forest, and nikaus galore – they give such a tropical feel to the area, before the short climb up Kohaihai Bluff.

A short diversion to the lookout – north along the beaches which we’d ride beside for the next two hours.

Back along Scotts Beach to Kohaihai Bluff.

Still a few bridges across the bigger creeks pouring straight out of the hills into the sea.

Nikaus! Tall ones at that.

A clear section of trail – much of it was littered with big nikau fronds, other tree fall and wash from big, stormy tides.

What a day, what a place! Again, with the bridge out, we were the only ones going through and pretty much had it to ourselves.

We did find a few small slips along the coast which required a bit of bike-carrying and -wrestling to clear – nothing too serious.

Shortly before lunch at Heaphy Hut, it was the turn of Pete’s rear tyre to spring a leak. Strangely a plug wouldn’t seal it, so it was a nice long lunch for me – chatting to a helicopter pilot who’d landed down on the beach.

Lunch views. Tough day at the office.

The next section of trail had been used even less, so there were still more obstacles to be negotiated – it slowed us a bit, but wasn’t much of an issue.

More green beauty.

This however…

Bridge has definitely gone.

Scrambling down the bank, without bike, we quickly found this spot was much too deep. Further upstream, with a lot of bush bashing, it was far shallower – but quite rapid; unloaded we crossed successfully. I didn’t fancy being exhausted by hauling bags and bikes through the tangled bush before even attempting to get them across the river. The right bank was far more open, so it was easier to head downstream, past the bridge site, and investigate below the confluence of the Lewis. The rapids here were easier, and just above them Pete found the best crossing site. Certainly was worth taking our time to find this spot.

We returned to our bags and bikes upstream and brought them to the crossing spot. It all went swimmingly, except in the literal sense, and the crossing was easier than the Mackley three days before. Generally it was mid-thigh and, once the spot was found, there was nothing to it.

Over the Lewis to the missing hut (such a shame, it was a classic and actually had character – unlike the big new huts on the track) and the strange new shelter perched higher.

After poking around the shelter perplexed (why reduce the facilities available in unforeseen circumstances – i.e. the river is up?), there was two hours of riding and seven hundred metres of climbing to James Mackay hut. Along with whatever obstructions we found…

A few minor trees to carry over, a quarter of the way up we found a much larger tree, and its associated eco-system, over the track. Off the bank wasn’t safe, up the other bank was an impenetrable mess. So over the tangle it was. Cue twenty minutes of clambering and sliding over all manner of branches and vines, heaving bags and bikes in our chain of two to the other side.

Where has Pete gone?

Oh, there he is.

Am I grinning far too much in this situation due to the absurdity of this self-inflicted episode, or due to it being far easier than the Nydia bike-dismantling with a buddy to help, or because it’s a grand day in a fantastic national park? All three I’d say.

Through; yes there’s a track either side of – and under – that.

No sooner were we back on the bikes we spotted motorbike tracks – the trail crew had got this far, encouraging! We were soon seeing evidence of all the work they’d been doing (based at the hut at the top of the hill, they were working down). So while we had to deal with that fallen tree, we found the track had been reinstated through the slip and our progress was barely interrupted on the rest of the climb.

Through the slip.

For the consecutive days, we arrived at our destination comfortably before dark – much preferred. The hut is so large that we had an entire bunk room each, but it was a challenge to heat devoid of warmth and charm as it is. The trail workers were based in the warden’s accommodation just up the hill; so surprised to see people in the main hut, they came down for a chat. Turns out they’d got to the big fallen tree last thing at the day, took one look at it and left it for the following day – damn! Another successful day of our trip going to plan, great to be out in such weather enjoying little traffic on a popular track.