Day 4 - Black Rock Camp - Mistletoe Bay Camp Ground (23.5k)

(27th Feb 2025)

Hello Everyone,

First of all a lesson learnt the hard way.

Some of the notes for the QST state that there is a problem with the water supplies along the way.

So from the start I had cut down the size of my pump bottles from 1.25 later to 600ml, this was an effort to reduce weight, what a great idea NOT.

So moving forward the 2 Camp Sites that I stopped at along the way the water as noted was almost a rust red in colour, so we had to filter to get the big bits out and then use Catadyne Tab to get rid of the micro bits. Nothing like adding some hydro lite tabs to add some yummy flavour.

So being as smart as I am and not wanting to get my water bladder contained with the water I thought the 2 Pump bottles alone would get me through to the next water supply not realising that there was no next water until Mistletoetoe Bay.

So a 23 degree day and a very hard up and down day lesson learnt, you can give up anything except your water even if it is rust red.

Moving right along I hope you enjoy the views as much as I did.

I woke up a little weary thanks to the War of the Worlds that went on most of the night, how about the sun rise.

I’m sorry, but you will see a lot of these pictures today, as I got higher the views just got better.

The last 2 pictures are of the start of Kenepuru Sound, looking this Valley, to the right, it was very easy to see what it looked like before it was flooded. Remembering the Sound is 25 Kilometres long.

Firstly, the last 2 pictures have a common theme, at this point the track wasn’t too bad however we were still going up!

This is a close up of the previous picture, so Manuka Honey use to be harvested at this altitude however it became unviable and stopped some years back.

Anybody for a Bed and Breakfast, no matter what you have to carry your bags along way.

This was my first glimpse of Picton.

The way the Trail runs you rarely get to see both Sounds at one time, that view is coming. Notice the Oyster farming, very remote.

The first look at the InterIslander Ferry, early run to Picton from Wellington.

A quick stop to rest the legs, these guys just don’t give up.

War Memorial, for all Veterans that died in many Theaters of war, back as far as World War 1 from this area. If you take a few steps backward you are on the main road.

Look at that, the InterIslander Ferry going to Wellington on the afternoon run, shows how long I have been up on the ridge line.

Hmm it was a very hard 408 metres above sea level.

So the last 2 pictures were taken from the only place I found that you could see both Sounds from the same place.

So here I am at Mistletoe Bay, very nice little camp ground. It is mainly used as a school educational camp.

I have decide to stay here a second night, this will help to recover from today’s gruelling effort.