Background
The Milford Track is one of the nine ‘Great Walks’ of New Zealand. The walks are long distance tracks ranging from 32 kilometres (twenty miles mls) to 82 kilometres (51 mls) in length and take between 3 and 6 days to complete. The Milford is arguably the most famous and popular of the routes (although Routeburners might argue about that) and at fifty-three and a half kilometres (just over thirty three miles), is walked in one direction over four days; if things go according to plan! It is located on the west coast of New Zealand in the Fiordland National Park.
Managed by the Department of Conservation (DoC), the Great Walks cover a range of different habitats from rain forest to alpine terrain; coastal beaches to high mountain peaks. The routes are well maintained and the paths on the whole are in good condition. There are campsite huts that provide sleeping accommodation and cooking, showering and toileting facilities. There is a charge for the overnight accommodation.
Walked over four days, the Milford Track has three hut locations, which can each accommodate forty people. The DoC strictly controls access to the track and the huts particularly during the Great Walks Season (roughly October to May). Off-season the winter walking is much more arduous and facilities are much reduced with even some of the bridges over the powerful and fast flowing rivers removed to prevent their destruction from avalanche and water damage.
Forest Views
The Milford Track can only be accessed and exited by boat with an exciting hour and a half journey from Te Anau Downs to the beginning of the walk and a shorter but glorious journey out of the Milford Sound to exit. Some thought and planning is required as to how you progress onwards from Milford Sound, with various transport options available.
Views from Te Anau Downs
Our journey started in the town of Invercargill where we were visiting with our daughter, Morven. Invers, to give it its nickname, is the most southerly and westerly of New Zealand’s cities. It has a population of just over fifty one thousand people (2013 Census). Many of the streets in the town are named after Scottish rivers and towns. It is home to one of the world's largest private collections of trucks and classic cars in the Bill Richardson Transport World and since 2016, the Classic Motorcycle Mecca has housed New Zealand's premier motor cycle collection. The links provides access to photographs and details of some of the more elaborate of the exhibits and for 'petrol heads' is a must visit!
Bill Richardson Transport World
On the outskirts of the town on Oreti Beach, the wonderful Burt Munro Challenge is held. Burt Munro, the subject of the 2005 film ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’, set three world land speed records. The last of these, set in 1967, still stands today at 183.58mph. The modern Burt Munro challenge features a number of different motorcycle events including hill climb, beach racing and speedway.
View from Oreti Beach
For the duration of our stay in Invers, we had decided to go 'airbnb', lodging with a couple who owned and operated a small holding. There were Jersey cows on the smallholding and there was no chance Joanna would be leaving without trying her hand at the milking. While it was a close run thing fitting it in to our busy schedule, on our last day she was up at the crack of dawn and out bringing in the kai!
Sherry and Geoff produce their own milk, cheese, yogurt and sourdough bread and run cheese making courses. Sherry is a dedicated GAPS (Gut and Psychology (and Physiology) Syndrome) practitioner who spends a lot of time speaking at seminars and providing individual learning programmes focussing, among other things, on correcting the workings of the gut to facilitate healing in the body and mind. When she speaks about, for example, the benefits of full fat milk, as opposed to the various skimmed varities, she is a very convincing advocate. A visit to her website may change how you view the food you eat.
Sherry and Geoff produce their own milk, cheese, yogurt and sourdough bread and run cheese making courses. Sherry is a dedicated GAPS (Gut and Psychology (and Physiology) Syndrome) practitioner who spends a lot of time speaking at seminars and providing individual learning programmes focussing, among other things, on correcting the workings of the gut to facilitate healing in the body and mind. When she speaks about, for example, the benefits of full fat milk, as opposed to the various skimmed varities, she is a very convincing advocate. A visit to her website may change how you view the food you eat.
Joanna, Sherry, Geoff & The Jersey Girls
Morven had planned the trip, sourced basic equipment for us and done all the food shopping, so that all we had to do really was turn up and walk. Joanna, Morven and I left Invers on 26 November 2016 on the long drive to Te Anau, following the Southern scenic route. We stopped for lunch at a nice restaurant in the town of Riverton, before completing our journey to Te Anau where we had booked over-night accommodation. Kendra McGrath, our other walking companion for the trip, would be joining us mid-morning the next day (27th).
We ate supper that night at our accommodation. The evening was spent going over our equipment and food for the last time, immensely excited, but also a little apprehensive about the journey and the challenge ahead.
We ate supper that night at our accommodation. The evening was spent going over our equipment and food for the last time, immensely excited, but also a little apprehensive about the journey and the challenge ahead.
Southern Scenic Route