Leader: Uta Purcell

It must’ve been good weather that allowed this trip to become a two-in-one-tramp; easy, relaxed, sociable and interesting.

Four members, Marie Lenting, Roger and Maureen Cotton and myself, reached the hut for an early lunch on the deck.

By 1pm we were ready to go exploring, meandering through the Sylvester Lakes to Lake Iron, meeting on the way eight happy North Island trampers, who were already in residence at the hut.

We had a look at the cairned route ascending Iron Hill, but as the cloud came down we retreated. There were alpine plants in abundance, wide views from the Arthur Range to Mt Peel to Lake Lockett, interesting rocks, and the New Zealand pipit darting about. Altogether, a very pleasing landscape.

On the way back we walked through the site of the old Bushline Hut. The new hut displays a photo of the old hut, removed in 2002, taken from Hans Willems’ book of South Island Back Country Huts. (I had taken this photo many years ago on one of the Club’s winter trips.)

Sunday morning was an ideal opportunity to also visit Asbestos Cottage and mine, which were new encounters for my companions.