The persistent wet weather of 2022 not only disrupted planned trips, but also impacted trips due to damaged tracks being closed. Such was the fate of the listed Wakamarina Walkthru-  the  track had been damaged during Nelson’s ‘Flood” storm.  After a quick check with DOC, the Kill Devil Track was put up as a replacement, and 10 names were registered, of whom 8 undertook the final challenge – could we get to Riordan’s Hut and return in the daylight available?

The plan was to meet at the Badminton Hall in Richmond for an 8 am departure. We arrived at the “Kill Devil” Car park off Uruwhenua Road by 9.30am and were on the way soon after a quick confirmation that is was “Riordan’s or Bust”! That would require the group to keep moving along at a steady pace, even the slower (older?) ones! It is a well-formed track, so it was up to the leader to keep things moving along.

The start of the track is a succession of switchbacks that ensure steady progress up from the start at ~100 m up to the ridgeline at 1000 m at Tin Shed. That took just over 2 hours where we rewarded ourselves with a short break, before pushing on along the ridgeline. This was easier walking due to recent work to improve the track for mountain-biking, but it still required some descents and ascents to test the legs. The descent from the ridgeline to the turn-off to Riordan’s Hut was much larger than expected,(~160m)  but after 4.25 hours we had arrived for another deserved break- lunch!

Riordan’s Hut is a restored shepherds hut from the days when over-ambitious farmers thought that it would be good country to run sheep on. Remnants of the old fencing align the track to the Hut. It is hard looking country even in Spring, and one can imagine the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter. But a great backdrop for the ‘team’ photo! Time was moving on and the need to return to the cars before dark meant that we couldn’t stay too long After half an hour we were on our way again.

The walk back was steady with short breaks for photos of the spectacular scenery of the Devil Range; the Waingaro River valley and even out to Farwell Spit. The weather had improved during the day as much had been hidden by low cloud on the walk-in. We arrived back at the cars after 4 hours with the light adequate but starting to fade away, especially in the bush towards the end of the track. Eight happy trampers!

Thanks to Jo, CC, Ron, Diane, Peter, Tony, Maaike for their stamina and good humour.

Leader and Scribe; Graeme. Statistics: 28 km; 1300 m total ascent; 8.5 hours time.