Date: 17-18 November 2016
Distance: 14km

Starting off on a working farm crossing a paddock …

… and some streams …

… before reaching the 4WD track up the mountain.

An Australasian harrier hanging around for some prey.

The light dusting of snow on the ridges.

Storm clouds coming in and bitterly cold.

Finally we reached the basic hut for a warm cup of tea.

Historic Meg Hut.

Although Meg Hut is quite basic, the shelter it provided from the elements felt like the height of luxury.

Climbing up a hill behind the hut rewarded us with beautiful views over the area.

The result of one of the sleet storms.

Still light outside, but time to get some heat into the hut.

Gerry tugging at the trees with a waratah.

Nothing like a fire to warm body and soul on a cold night.

Lovely sunny spot for a morning coffee.

Breakfast.

Roaring Meg River.

Still some snow on the surrounding mountains.

Could this be Quartz Knoll peak in Criffel Range?

Nothing like a nice piece of salty biltong to keep one going.

Gigantic mushrooms popped up (overnight?) in the paddock.

Can’t remember seeing any of these massive mushrooms the previous day.

On Monday morning, 14 November 2016 at 3:30am we found ourselves on the highest point reachable by car from where we stayed, on the Dunedin Peninsula. Two hours earlier the M7.8 Kaikoura earthquake destroyed, amongst other, the scenic SH1 coastal road south of Kaikoura. A tsunami threat had been issued for the whole NZ eastern coast, and everybody near the coast were urged to seek higher ground. We were about 50 metres from the sea, and at my sister’s persistence (after frantic calls to wake us up!) we thought it is probably for the best – rather safe than sorry, as they say. Strangely enough we didn’t feel the quake in Dunedin at all. Neither did any of the other conference attendees we spoke to the next day.

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