NATURE'S GRANDEUR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 508, 17 April 1933, Page 3

NATURE'S GRANDEUR

SOUTH FIORDLAND PARTY TRAVERSES TRACK TO MANAPOURI VIA BRADSHAW. MAGNIFICENT SCENERY. One of the least known of New Zealand's scenic regions because it is possibly one of the most out of the way, is the south-west corner of the South Island — the southera fiordland to the south of Lake Manapouri. Recently, on instructions from the Tourist Department, a party consisting of Mr. J. W. Maleolm, Tourist Department manager at Invercargill, Mr. E. C. Muir, of the Wellington Evening Pst„ Mr. A. iE. Darling, an English tourist, and Mr. Leslie Murrell, Go'vermnent guide, made the round trip to Lake Manapouri via Bradshaw Sound, through country fringing the unexplored fiordland whieh lies off the coast of the Princess and Billow mountains. These mountains, which can be seen from Invercargill on .a clear day, are snow-covered all the year round, but so little is known about them that they are not named on very many maps of New Zealand. In his report, Mr. Maleolm sayig : — "As advised, I left Invercargill for Manapouri on Monday, March 13, and returned to Invercargill" on Monday, March 20, To give the location in brief, the new route is a. walk from the North Arai of Lake Manapouri, approximately due north for about 17i miles to Bowler's Saddle, then due west 12 miles to Gear Arm of Bradshaw Sound, launch' 28 miles through Gear Arm, Bradshaw, Smith and Doubtful Sounds, and finishing with the old track from Doubtful Sound to the head of Lake Manapouri, a distance of 11 miles. The total distance for the round trip, Manapouri to Manapouri, including launches up and down the lake, is 1KE miles, 70 miles being by launch, and for ordinary tourists the trip would require seven days, which leaves two days to spare for bad weather or for hide-trips in the Sounds or from the track. "As far as is known the new portion of the route wa.s discovered in 1902 and revisited in 1916 hy a Mr. Fowler, and was not again traversed until Murrell cut the present track this summer. Consequently, it is a virgin country of magnificent scenery in a mountainous region with most of the peak.- unclimbed and unnamed. Our party climhed one peak, from which we could see fully a dozen lakes, and at least three of them have never been mapped. On this account, as this country can .alford the thrill of discovery, it should have strong appeal, particularly to the youthful and adventurous, as there are numerous other peaks from which it is certain hitherto unknown features of the landscape may be sighted. The scenery frequently changes in character so that one never tires of the outlook. Track Well Defined. The track is well defined and should present no difficulties to ordinary people. I consider the stages more strenuous than those of the Milford Track, for naturally the condilions underfoot have not had the same attention. Two ladies, who were recently on both the Milford and the new route, eonsidered Milford harder, but they were particularly unfortunate with the weather there, and, of course, hy doing Milford first had become physically fit and were in good walking trim before leaving Manapouri. However, the comparison is interesting. There are no huts on the route yet, but good tents have heen erected on the camp sites. Tourists sleep in sleeping bags on a mattress arrangement of wire netting stretched on stakes about 18 inches above the ground. At the first camp there are two 10ft by 12ft tents and also a large tent fly which covers a bush table and has a bush fireplace at one end. The other two camps consist of but one tent with the fly adjoining, as in the first camp. This makes a convenient dining room. 1't is expected that by next season another tent will he erected at the second and third camps, to be followed by huts as soon as time and funds permit. er the facilities satisfactory. For a time it must he essentially a trip for people wanting something a little more "uncivilised" and strenuous than Milford, and who are prepared for camp life with its attendant atmosphere and methods. Food supplies are at the camps, so that tourists have just their our personal effects to carry. People are expected to have their own capes and ruc sacs, though' usually one or two can he obtained at Manapouri. As is the case on Milford, travel as light as possible and take a change of clothing. Fiordland is rich in native bird life and kiwis are often heard, particularly at night. Wekas frequent the camp sites, and bellbirds abound, their liquid notes re-echoing through the forest glades, while the smaller native birds, such as tomtits, fantails, and wrens, are very common. Having one day shorter than future parties will he allowed, we douhle staged on the first day and were not particularly' distressed. Our trip then was as follows: — •

The First Day. Leaving Manapouri immediately after breakfast, we arrived at the North Arm of the lake at 10.45 a.m. Manapouri, Lake of a Hundred Isles, acknowledged Queen of New Zealand Lakes, is a perfect introduction to the region. The walk commences where the Freeman tRiver empties its waters into the lake, and the track follows along the banks for many miles in a great river valley, which sometimes bends slightly east or west hut generally spealcing takes an almost due north course from the lake. One is immediately struck hy the profusion of ferns and graceful beauty oi the mossy forest of beeeh, white pine and other indigenous trees. ■ Always one is within sound of the cry-stal clear river, and with freque'nt hreaks in the trees one can gaze up or down its course, and with always some precipitous stone peak towering above. Lake Manapouri is 599 feet above sea level. The first camp, where we lunch'ed after a 7£> mile walk, is about 800 feet, showing the grade is negligible on this section. The track was easily followed, was soft underfoot with mosses, and we took 2\ hours travelling time. We were told of isome very fine falls named the Stevens Falls, near the track ahout fiye miles after leaving the lake, but,

owing to .our douhle stage, did not i find it convenient to see them. For nearly seven miles, we were on the left, or east, side of the Freeman River, and then crossed by means of a wire hridge. This consists solely of three wires, one to walk on and two for 'the hands, and provides a little excitement. Unless the river was in flood, one could ford it if nervous of the hridge.. Except for the second camp (which is named Minerva Camp) ( no names have been given to the camps as yet and numbers are used. It was soon after this hridge that we reached the first camp, situated on the right, or west, bank of the Freeman. "Continuing for two miles on the west hank ahove First Camp, -in similar country to that already. passed, we recrossed the Freeman hy a second wire suspension, to commence a steady steep climh through the bush for almost 1000 feet. This brought us out on an open spur with' a fine look-out. The nature of the Freeman Valley to the south, from whence we had come, was shown to be comparatiyely flat, forest-clad, winding between tremendous sheer rock 'faces rising ahout 2000 feet overhead. "Northwards was a steady rise and the Omaki Valley came in. from the west. Still in the bush line, we advanced steadily upwards on a fairly easy grade to the Ranfurly Falls, 60 feet high, and a fine sight. Then a short, sharp' pull brought us to the edge of Lake Freeman, almost half a mile long and reflecting perfectly the surrounding mountains. Passing around the shore of this lake, we crossed a park lirie stretch, passed a sma.ll tara, and after a short rise where the Freeman (by this time only a mountain stream) broke into rapids, Lake Minerva came into view. The. track leads round its west shore to a spot at the far end, where the second camp (Minerva Camp) is.prettily situated in a beech glade 100 yards from the lake. We arrived at 8 p.m., ready for a meal and a rest, after a sixteen-mile tramp. The Second Day,. "Minerva Camp is situated in a.n upland valley. On all sides tower rocky peaks and crags forming a huge basin with Lake Minerva nestling under their sheer slopes, completmg a picturesque and arresting landscape. It is an ideal camp site, 2200 feet ahove sea level in the sharp clear mountain atmosphere. Three of us set out to climh a peak to the eastward. As we reached the higher altitudes we passed through an alpine garden of ranunculi, celmesias, gantians and other alpine flora. We scaled the peak, estimated at 4200 feet, .and were rewarded with a grand outlook over Lakes Te Anau, Hall Minerva and many smaller ones, some of which are unnamed, and indeed hal never before been located. Being the first to climh this mountain, we erected a cairn on top, and exercising the right of conquest, we named it. Two other peaks and a lake were also named, hut we must first map their location to the 1 satisfaction of the Lands and Survey I Department before the titles receive olficial recognition. The Third Day. Minerva Camp was left at 10 a.m. for the next day's journey of 8J miles. The mountain valley turned to our left a half a mile above the camp and we proceeded through a tremendous bowl in the mountains. A mile along its floor proved easy walking, before a sharp ascent of a few hundred feet to Lake Tauraki, on a saddle at 3200 feet altitude between Mt. Baird to the north and Mt. Fowler to the south. The lake has an area of 25 acres, with a small island in the centre. Murrell plans to huild a rowing boa.t to convey people to the far side of Tauraki, from whence they can commence the downward trip to the Sounds. "In the meantime, one must climh a further 400 feet, as cliff faces line the lake and descend about 250 feet in a -cleft in the mountain side, passing under a hole in a rock, so small that : packs have to he taken off and lower- ' ed through afterwards. The next mile is fairly rough going over "another alpine garden, when the bush line is again reached. A stream rising in Lake Tauraki follows the length of a winding valley and eventually emerges into Gear Arm as the Camolet River. Our track follows this stream fairly closely right to the Sound. "The saddle ahove the lake, 3600 : feet, is the hihest point of the track j and is known as Fowler's Saddle. Once j i fairly into the Camolet River valley, | the rocky ramparts of the mountains ; tower 2000 feet and more overhead, whilst the track zig-zags steadily downward seven miles from Fowler's Saddle to the third camp, dropping Some 2500 feet in this distance. Again an ideal location has been chosen, this time beside a beautiful pool in the Camolet River, perhaps 100 yards across, into which the waters crash after their triple leap of more than 100 feet down a cataract and over the Bedivere Falls. Conclusion of Trip. On leaving the third camp, we proceeded half a mile down stream to another suspension hridge, then as the track was rough, we kept on the river bank for a few hundred yards. Re~ ioinine: the track, we proceeded for an

easy walk of 3i» miles to the fourth camp. This part of the walk, through a forest of moss-clad trees, was particularly pretty. Depending on weather and other circumstances, parties will sometimes camp here instead of at the third camp, four miles baelc. A •short distance downstream we 'embark ed in a dinghy and rowed a mile down the Camolet River to the head of Gear Arm, where the launch is kept. The river here is clear,. deep and tidal, with a wealth of forest on its banks. Altogether it is a charming finish to a splendid walk. "As we neared the Sound, a varied eollection of water birds hailed ns with noisy greeting. Swans, paradise duclc, mallard, blue mountain ducks," teal, brown ducks, and shags were there in plenty. The tidal flats provide them with a plentiful fish diet and we folowed their lead hy 'a short excursion with a spear, resulting in a. supply of flounder for the tahle in a few minutes. "Leaving Gear Arm we proceeded through Bradshaw and Smith Sounds to Deep Cove, at the head of Doubtful Sound, a distance of 28 miles, by launch. Th'is took under three. hours. The scenery was typical of the grandeur of the Sounds, and. one has to curb one's pen to prevent a lengthy rhap-sody on the glories of this region. "We left the comfortable hut at

Deep Cove (the terminus of the Doubtful Sound track) for a day's fishing in Hall's Arm. This was our only really wet day and the rain was no drawback as it added to the magriificence of this arm, which is the nearest rival of all the Sounds to Milford. We caught blue cod, "Jock Stewarts," and for extra excitement one member landed three sharks, one heing 7ft 6in long. "An eleven mile walk from Doubtful Sound to the head of Lake Manapouri, followed hy the launch down the lake, completed this splendid round trip. The totally inclusive cost from Manapouri to Manapouri, starting, say, on a Sunday morning, and finishing on the next Saturday night, is £10. This allows two extra days for had weather, climbs from any of the camps, or for launching and fishing in the Sounds, as stated early in this description. "The trip could he done. in the reverse direction with equal facility, hut it is intended to endeavour to commence on the new route first, as the going is slightly easier this way.