“On a Mish” #430 A Night Out Under the Stars (Part One). Boyd Creek Camp, Countess Range. Southland. 21.1.2025. When I was young, I worked out that I enjoy sleeping anywhere other than my bed. From forts to hot-water cylinder cupboards, tents to on trampolines, for some reason it just seemed so much cooler than simply snuggling up in a bed like everyone else. I guess that is why I enjoy camping so much and after a certain amount of time without I find that I HAVE TO go spend a night out under the stars…
As much as I love living down in Te Anau, I have to say that the place does lack dog friendly camping locations. Surrounded by the beauty of Fiordland National Park the town is a dream for the eyes but until I discovered (rediscovered) Boyd Creek it was a place that was a nightmare to find a dog friendly location to go on a mish in. Luckily the good old internet told me that the Boyd Creek Track on the edge of the national park is a place where it is ok to bring your dog along for an adventure too.
My first encounter with the area just off the busy Milford Road was when I hiked up to the tops with my girlfriend at the time. On that mish we not only saw the glory of the peaks above the treeline nestled in the Countess Range, but we also encountered some close-range shooting which has us feeling very nervous. Luckily, we survived that ordeal back in 2017, however it wouldn’t be until 2025 that I would return for more.
A google searched told me that Boyd Creek was dog friendly and on the same day I was hiking the trail with Georgie by myside. Much like our adventures around the Mavora Lakes, we both loved hiking in a stunning beech forest to a soundtrack of native birds singing. I knew almost immediately that it would be long before I came back with my tent and a hound keen for a night out under the stars.
Only two days after my first hike with Georgie we were loading the car up with supplies for a night out in the bush. The weather was perfect for an adventure with nothing by sunny skies above and warm temperatures down below. I could tell that the heat was going to make this outing different from what I had been doing before. Apart from my trip to Nepal in November, I had only camped in cooler conditions in Aotearoa New Zealand. That heat was going to make this a very pleasant experience.
Just like with my first hike when my goal was to get to the first clearing on the track, I came to the place with a location in mind. I could see a large open area just off the Boyd Creek Tops Track, about 30 minutes from the road and I hoped that I would find a place to pitch my tent on the edge of the beech forest. Whether there are views there or not, I was going to get myself, Georgie and my tent up to the clearing.
Of course, thanks to my hip, I had to take my camping gear to the spot in two separate trips. The weight on my hip causes great pain so this means I am still unable to carry a big camping pack like I used to. I knew that I would be sore after and I could let this factor put an end to my camping career, or I could do the opposite and spread my gear out in two packs and still be able to head out with my overnight gear and still enjoy a night out under the stars…
