Mt Holdsworth

Well another beautiful, hot weekend - and after my wonderful Southern Crossing it was good to get back into the Tararuas again. Aaron also decided it was time to give his back a test after all the resting, stretching and physio sessions.

So after picking up a couple of the girls on our way out to the Wairarapa we were on our way up the "Gentle Annie" track. The last time we have headed up the Gentle Annie track with my brother and his wife and baby it was far from Gentle, but they have spent a lot of time over the summer working on it and now it is a very nice, smooth track with nicely built stairs. This only lasted up to the Rocky Lookout (the first hour of walking).

It was really hot.... it was forecast to reach 32degrees in the Wairarapa on Sunday and it was very hot and sweaty walking up. We did get the occasional nice cooling breezes. We got up to Powell Hut at the tree line for lunch and decided that as the weather was so nice it would be a shame not to go all the way to the top. We had amazing views down to the very dry Wairarapa, and down to the south, but out to the west there was a blanket of cloud.


Just above the tree line - about to reach Powell Hut


Helen and Anne-Laure at the top


The girls - Helen, Anne-Laure, Kathryn and Carolyn

On the way down it was equally hot and sweaty and we found a wonderful swimming hole in the river and cooled off. No photos - it was beautiful clear water, but we were all in our underwear so the photos are too risky! It was the perfect way to end the wonderful tramp - topped off by the compulsary ice-cream stop on the way home!

(Aaron's back was fine - yay! His legs however were a little sore the next day!)