On a Mish” #97 My Hip and the Havelock Valley (Part Two). Havelock Valley. Hakatere Conservation Park.18.5.2020. Many aspects of fitness involve some sort of pain at some stage. Whether it be the last couple of reps or the last hundred metres or so, it is when the going gets tough that you discover if you really enjoy the activity, or the results of the effort put in. Missions into the outdoors are kind of like a mix of hard work and big rewards. At times the terrain might make things hard. However, once this challenge has been completed you will be gifted the satisfaction of getting to where you wanted to get. The day the first round of Covid lockdowns ended my cousin, my busted hip and back, and I when west in search of an adventure. Little did we know that my hip and the Havelock were about to encounter some of the bumpiest driving conditions on the planet!
You get a great sense of vulnerability when you are mid river in a vehicle and the water is starting to push you sideways. With all of our hopes combined we bounced our way on to the other side of the first braid, and as much as we wanted it to be a one and done scenario, we knew there were more to come. Thankfully the first was the worst and deep rivers would be a problem to deal with in a few days’ time.
Once away from the Rangitata we entered the Havelock for the first time and the view was one that easily motivated us to keep going. A quick glance at the map showed us that there was a hut nearby, and staying somewhere with beds and walls sounded appealing to begin with. We made our way towards ‘Growler Hut’ and were only a couple hundred metres away when we ran into a wash out that had swallowed the track. Luckily in these situations we can turn to technology to aid us with navigation. My cousin’s drone was sent airborne and from the air we worked out a way through the maze of rocks.
After only a couple of back and forths we were on the old track again and then at the doorstep of Growler Hut. The hut was once owned by Mesopotamia Station and is now in the hands of the many hunters that use it as a base for expeditions into the multitude of valleys and hills in the Havelock Valley area. With an incredible view of Mt McMillan and Mistake Flat, the hut is an awesome place to put your feet up and watch the world go by.
My hip needed a rest and conveniently it was about dinner time. The BBQ was brought down from the roof of the Jimny, and the smell of steak was wafting its way around the Havelock Valley. It was now evening, and the light was beginning to fade. From the elevated position of the hut we could see down to where we had come from. And we could see that we would soon have company.
Once again, in order to know what we were dealing with, we got the drone in the air so we could see what was heading our way. What began as one set of headlights soon became many sets of headlights, and our exclusive stay at Growler Hut was now an afterthought. Because we initially planned to camp and didn’t really fancy spending the night in an overcrowded house, leaving the hut wasn’t a tough decision to make. With our dinners now stored safely in our bellies it was time to pack up and push on further up the valley.
Everything had gone to plan so far, and being stuck inside during the lockdowns seemed a distant memory. The truck was performing well, and we were making good progress up the valley. After seeing Mistake Flat from a distance, we began to wonder if we could make it there the next day. So far, my hip and the Havelock had been best of mates, with views and challenges all working with us. The next day would be as easy as the first, right…?
