This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 92, no 1, February 2020
Days Bay to Butterfly Creek, off-track return - medium trip
Wednesday 8th January
It was the perfect day to begin the Wednesday trip tramps for 2020 - no wind or rain, an easy temperature and a small party of seven trampers.
We started in Days Bay and headed up the Kereru Track to join the ridge route running along the tops before dropping down to Butterfly Creek. It was a strong party and we reached our destination early, but everyone was happy with an early lunch in the lovely mild conditions.
The off-track section began above the bridge we had just crossed. It rises fairly steeply to pt. 130 and meets the ridge route again at pt. 343. That spur always seems crispy-dry, no matter what time of year. The faint foot-pad follows trapping lines most of the way. It is helpful to keep an eye on general direction while watching the footpad carefully as it is a bitsy, meandering path that is fairly overgrown in places, has ribbons and misleading off-shoots for some traps and also does a lot of sidling before rising up to Hawtrey.
Pineapple lumps were enjoyed when we reached the main ridge route. From there we were about another hour back down, taking the alternative side route on the left for a bit more tramping adventure before arriving back at the cars. The trip took 5¾ hours.
- Party members
- Christine Whiteford, Brian Hasell, Peter Morten, Peter and Gayle Williams, Marg Pearce (leader and scribe), Bernard Molloy.