On 29^th October we left Onerahi, Whangarei at 6am with Wally driving us in a hire van ($100 per day plus petrol) to Auckland to catch the 10am plane to Queenstown. The trampers were Loma, Marjorie, Pat, Sylvia, Jane (a last minute substitute for Margaret who was sick) and Ruth and our average age was 66 years.

The day was beautiful with the approaches to Queenstown being quite stunning; snow capped mountains, dramatic cliffs, wide valleys and narrow gorges.

Wattie Watson from Glenorchy met us and took us to Te Anau for $15 per person where we had booked in at Te Anau Backpackers at $17 per person.

Up early and we catch the bus to the Control Gates. It’s a crisp sunny morning and we’re all in high spirits looking forward to our adventure. We take 1-1/2  hours to go around the shore to Brod Bay where we have a welcome rest stop, eat the chocolate in our scroggan and attend to developing blisters. The beech forest thickly underlaid with ferns, mosses and perching plants has been a lush sight.(see photo)

Now we begin the long zigzag climb  where we hear tomtits and fantails and see mice scuttling in the leaf litter. Unbeknown to me my watchstrap breaks at a drink stop and Marjorie (bless her) spots the watch lying amongst beech leaves

The limestone bluffs are impressive and someone aptly likens them to hanging gardens. Wherever we look above us we find pockets packed with plants with their leaves and sometimes flowers dripping down the perpendicular rock face.

We eat lunch a little beyond this area and after another hour's climb we reach the bush line where panoramic views of the Lake Te Anau Basin and surrounding mountain ranges are stretching before us.

It’s becoming colder as we begin to cross the rolling tussock covered plateau and my tramping companions ahead fade into light mist. It’s like being in Brigadoon I think but rapidly abandon this fancy at the thought of a hundred year’s wait.

I catch them near Mt Luxmore Hut, a large attractive building overlooking wonderful views. (see photo) We’ve made it in 5 1/2 hours, a little under the stated track time – always good for our morale. After hot drinks we wander off to look at nearby caves. Later Pat kills a mouse on the deck but its mate lives on to scamper over Jane’s shoulder not long after we settle into our sleeping bags. She doesn’t get a good nights sleep after that. We’re all thankful we’ve hung our packs and food up on hooks suspended from the ceiling.

We set off at 7.45am in good weather and admire the marvelous views as we climb towards Mt Luxmore. It’s turning out to be a magic day and we all feel exhilarated by being on alpine mountain tops and ridges with such extensive outlooks.

However we are mindful of cautionary tales of changeable weather in these exposed places and so we’re all in polypro long johns, which we walk in all day. Most unusual for our hot-blooded group.

It’s becoming windy and Loma vetoes the suggestion of detouring up Mt Luxmore. We eat scroggan (where has all the chocolate gone) and take photos at Forest Burn Shelter and then press on for another two hours to Hanging Valley Shelter.

A heavily bolted wooden staircase is next ( see photo) and some of us sit down abruptly to combat the strong gusts that are bowling a few of us over. We hastily eat lunch and before long we’re dropping down into the shelter of the bush where we stop to exclaim over the cheeky robins.

Pat is finding her new pack far too long for her tiny frame and it’s most uncomfortable. Jane alters her own pack, swaps with Pat and they’re both content. We continue down this good grade zigzag to Hanging Valley where we cross a few slips, see many mice and admire the bush and a high waterfall.

Iris Burn Hut is another large comfortable hut, which we appreciate after our 7-½ hour walk. Marjorie, Sylvia and Jane walk to the Iris Burn waterfall and are away for an hour or so while I lie in the sun and the others potter about. I tell myself that I'm gathering strength, as it's my turn to cook dinner. Cantonese Rice with Pappadums.

I reflect on the day and my good fortune to be here with such good company. I’m also thankful it wasn’t a 10 or 12 hour day, which we have some times had.

There are quite a few others in the hut tonight while today we’ve seen perhaps  a dozen others on the track. Some were running!

A game of cards by candlelight and a cosy fire completes a rather special day.

We had a windy night and it’s still raining as we leave at 7.30am. Today is mainly valley walking and we’re just plodding along appreciating the gorgeous beech trees, which are dripping with lichen and rain. The Iris Burn is rushing by and Loma is concerned that the side streams are rising and may be too high for us, and those following, to cross. Perhaps she has second sight as a watery adventure does await us 10 days later.

Moturau Hut comes into view about midday where we discover the hut warden stirring a pot of home made vegetable soup. What a welcome. We can’t believe our luck. We quickly drink his soup, eat a few crackers and resist his blandishments to linger. "You’ve plenty of time to catch the 3 o’clock bus" As we’re all cold we add another polyprop layer, shudder into our sodden raincoats, and continue on.

We’re finding this lowland beech and podocarp forest full of drama and mystery. So many different levels of rock, fallen trees, large stumps and some huge beeches. Quite big areas are densely covered with bright green moss and the wet day adds to the intense colours.

Keeping to the boardwalk we cross a large kettle bog dominated by sphagnum moss and wire rush. We’re all intrigued with the interesting contrasts on this track.

We now see a few runners in the rain who are training for a marathon on this route in a few weeks time. We reckon they’re doing it the hard way while they think the same of us.

Now we’re following the Waiau River and we soon cross the swing bridge at Rainbow Reach with 5 minutes to spare to catch the 3pm bus.

On to the Backpackers where we wash and dry all our gear and talk happily about having tramped the Kepler. A great tramp and we’re all delighted to have done it.

Tomorrow we start the Routeburn.