January 31, 2026
Ahuriri River to Top Timaru Hut
TA km marker 2555.7 to 2580.8
Hiked today: 25.1 km

With another fine day, we were awake and packed up before the others at our campsite. We started up out of the river bed but unfortunately followed a goat track rather than our path and the detour added a km to our day. Rob soon found the true path and we made our way upwards and along the valley with scree covered slopes on either side. We traversed a couple of paddocks and then the path merged with a 4WD road undulating and wrapping around the hillsides.

We stopped at an old but cute hut – Tin Hut – for a snack and then moved on, the path now continuing in a steady, moderately steep ascent until we finally reached Martha Saddle. We found a spot that was sheltered from the wind and had a quick bite of lunch – crackers and cheese – and then moved onto the gently descending rocky scree on the other side of the mountain.

We reached Top Timaru Hut at about 3.30. The sky was clear and the sun fiercely hot and we were both quite exhausted. There is a fast flowing creek just below us where we could have a bit of a wash but there was no temptation to linger because the sandflies are active and hungry.

As we enjoyed a cup of tea and snack, other hikers joined us and there are now 6 people to fill the beds available – me and Rob, Sara, Rose, Marty and Florian. It is Flo’s birthday and he will celebrate by sharing a cinnamon roll with a one-match candle. I also made him a hot chocolate from our supply.