Monday 29th February: Brilliant sunshine, sunny cold and 3°C to 12°C
Luxmore Hut to Te Anau: 20k: 7hr walk
Accommodation: Te Anau Holiday.Park
Glimpse of Lake Te Anau
Track through Tussock
Down through forest to Brod Bay
Brod Bay - at the bottom
Womens business lake Te Anau
Kepler Track, bin there done that
Highlight of the day was just finishing the Kepler Track - all 6 of us without injury except for a few sandfly bites, at the Control Gates on Lake Te Anau Milton had more than his fair share of bites and had a few red spots on his toes from walking down hill in thin socks.
Our day started at 7am with breakfast of hot porridge and a cup of tea. Ian and I pack then clean the hot gas rings and sweep the floor before meeting the others outside. At 8.30am when it’s still only 0°C , we're off across the relatively flat mountain track through the tussock grass before we descend to the tree line. The cold wind blowing across our face instantly eases in the protection of the trees and it’s an easy grade downhill through the beech forest. We're moving fast and easily and soon the forest changes to an undergrowth of ferns.
After 2hrs of descending, the track flattens out and we suddenly see Lake Te Anau ahead through the trees and step onto the sandy beach of Brod Bay. Time for a leisurely morning tea in the primitive camping grounds, away from the smelly toilets.
The sign says 1hr 30mins to the Control Gates. It's an easy walk through wetland forest along the track beside the lake and at 1pm we arrive at the Control Gates 2hrs ahead of time. This is the official start of the Kepler track, though we have walked the track clockwise, in the reverse of that recommended. It made more sense to us that if we’re carrying four days of food, we should have two easier days walking Moturua Hut and Iris Burn Hut, rather than climbing up the hill on the first day to Luxmore Hut with a full load of food .
We're all feeling so good that after a picnic lunch at a real table, and using a real toilet we set off for the 1hr walk into Te Anau, and decide to give the Shuttle Bus a miss.
It's easy and flat as we chat whilst walking the last leg of our Kepler Track. It does take us 1hr, and we need to make a few quick stops at the Te Anau Holiday Park to let them know we're NOT on the 3pm shuttle bus because we walked, and to DOC, to pick up the tickets for the Routeburn Track in 2 days time. The weather forecast isn't wonderful but Milton has other ideas and thinks it should be OK. I like his forecast better. In 10 minutes, we're back at the Te Anau Lakeside Motel.
After lots of washing and a shower, we're off to the supermarket - and of course a squizzy at all the sports stores along the way. With six armfuls of steak, chicken, corn, an assortment of veggies, beer, wine, and cheese we walk back to the Motel to cook up a banquet and chat over the events of the Kepler Track - been there, done that.
Tomorrow is a day off to get ready for the Routeburn Track.