Distance: 8.5 km (3.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 585m to 728m. Gain: 232m. Loss: 89m . Gradient: 2 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

The St James Walkway is a well maintained, well marked tramping track. Starting from the rear end of the campground at Boyle Village the track follows terraces on the true left (south) of the Boyle, sidling in manuka bush below the 4WD track until it reaches a swingbridge after 2km. Once across the Boyle a further 3km of track sidles low above the river in mature beech forest until the 1st of the clearings of the Magdalen Valley are reached. From here you can either continue along the bush-track to the Boyle swingbridge 1km north of Magdalen Hut, or drop to the riverbed and follow the 'horse route' to the hut.

Magdalen Hut is tucked in beech forest on the east bank of the Boyle. The easiest way to find it from the riverbed is to watch for Maritana Stream entering from the east, and follow the south bank of that to the hut.

2-4 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

If river are low then the Boyle can be crossed at Magdalen Hut and the riverbed followed downriver for 3.5km to the last of clearings where the poled track to Boyle Village can be picked up on the north bank. If rivers are high it is necessary to follow the marked track 1km north from Magdalen Hut to the swingbridge and follow the St James Walkway from there downriver to Boyle Village. The track is well cut and well marked. Occasional side streams must be forded but are unlikely to be impassable.

2-4 hrs