THE LONG PATHWAY

Kat Young and Liv Bolton both walked New Zealand’s South Island from north to south via the country-spanning Te Araroa Trail. Here they each describe a section of this spectacular and life-changing route

- Kat Young and Liv Bolton

PART 1 MANY RIVERS TO CROSS

Kat Young tackles the Richmond Ranges

A SWOLLEN WATERFALL poured out of a gorge across the path. I paused. A slip trying to cross it would send me into the raging Pelorus River a few metres below.

I walked up the bank to see if there was an easier crossing, but eventually returned to the path. I poked the water with my poles to gauge the depth, then tentatively waded in. My first leg went in up to my knee and I immediately felt the force and breath-taking cold of the water. My next step went up to mid-thigh. Slowly, I edged across.

Finally, I pulled myself up the bank, heart pounding. If this was what the rest of the trail was like, I would need to rethink my schedule!

THE UNBEATEN TRACK

It was my first day in the Richmond Ranges, the longest stretch on the Te Araroa (‘The Long Pathway’ in Maori) trail between resupply points and civilisation. My backpack was filled with nine days’ worth of food – the heaviest it would be during this whole three-month walk, and I knew the Richmonds contained a number of large river crossings. I looked ahead with no small amount of trepidation.

Then there was the trail itself. The ‘path’ for the Te Araroa through the Richmonds was a narrow, muddy semi-route, crisscrossed with tree roots; every foot placement required concentration. Entering these mountains felt l like a step into the wild.

The next morning we (I walked intermittently with Liv and her friend Ali) got into the mountains proper, with views emerging through areas of storm-felled trees as we climbed a peak. It made for slow progress, clambering over metre-wide tree trunks with a big backpack. My rucksack was heavy with food but at least water was in plentiful supply on Te Araroa. Some walkers didn’t bother filtering from the rivers; one Kiwi even got offended when I said I had been.