Mature beech trees cover the flats, dim light dappling an open forest floor carpeted in beech leaves beneath. Robins are evident for the first time in the trip, practicing their scales from branches above, and hoping you disturb something tasty. The track too is a welcome change: a broad, 2m wide benched track, well cut and well marked. After a kilometer-or-so of warm-up on the flats, the track begins to climb, rising with the ridge. Benched into the face, zigzagging where going gets steep, it is easy, fast travel. A couple of kilometers into the climb, the track passes through a grassy clearing – the site of the former Te Iringa Hut, now gone. There’s no obvious water here, so be warned if you were thinking of camping.

Soon after the beech is left behind and the ridgeline becomes scrubby. The highpoint of the track is 1160m, but the climb has been so gentle, you’d hardly have realised you’d gained 400m from the road. From there the track continues to sidle, dropping back into mature beech, and finally reaching Tiki Tiki Stream.

A good, well-used campsite exists just before the first stream, but it’s another 2km to the swingbridge across the main Kaipo river (more campsites on the south side of the bridge. If you're lucky: blue ducks in the water below).

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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From the Kaipo swingbridge, there’s another 7km of travel along river terraces to reach the Oamaru Hut. For the most part this is a broad track, cool and shaded though mature beech forest. The river meanders nearby: sometimes visible, sometimes not, banks lined with tall toetoe.

Shortly before the hut this comes to a sudden end: the shaded bush stopping on a sharp, ruled line to be replaced by open scrubby tussock flats. 500m further downriver Oamaru Hut sits on a terrace at the confluence of the Oamaru and Kaipo – looking downriver over scrub to distant (felled) pineforest.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Following the poled track north from Oamaru Hut, you pass through 500m or so of open scrubby tussock flats before a sudden line on the ground is reached and scrub is replaced by tall, lush, mature bush.

To the Kaipo swingbridge, there’s another 7km of travel along river terraces. For the most part this is a broad track, cool and shaded though mature beech forest. The river meanders nearby: sometimes visible, sometimes not, banks lined with tall toetoe.

The junction at the swingbridge is marked by a suignpost, and there are good, well used camp spots on the southern side.

The stroll upstream from Oamaru Hut is easy, tussock flats alternating with bands of scrub – a well traveled, poled track. After 3km it reaches the bushedge, where a typical Kaweka 1.5m-wide highway through the bush starts. From the bushedge it’s a further 3km to the confluence with the Otorehinaiti Stream.

The Oamaru River track runs 100m away from the river at the confluence, so if you intend on heading up the Otorehinaiti then keep an eye on your map to pick out the spot you need to drop to the creek and cross.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Otorehinaiti conbfluence, a typical Kaweka 1.5m-wide highway through the bush runs 3km along river terraces and sidles low on faces to the bushedge. From there the stroll downstream to Oamaru Hut is across easy, tussock flats alternating with bands of scrub – a well traveled, poled track.

The Oamaru is knee deep at the confluence in normal conditions, and easily crossed.

There are good, well-used campsites at the Oamaru/Otore confluence. Ignore old permolat markers heading east at the confluence – they appear to sidle terraces on the south side of the Oamaru, heading downstream. The Otore valley is narrow at first, but soon opens up – good tramping up river flats and terraces, beech leaves and moss underfoot. The river is small and unlikely to pose problems in all but extreme conditions. Navigation is simple – following the main stream to where it swings due south towards the saddle. The gradient increases 1km from the saddle, and the flats disappear, but it is still good open beech forest, and easy walking, sidling the valleyside. 500m from the saddle, there is a final fork, not shown on the map. We climb the mossy slip between the two forks, heading due south towards the saddle, emerging onto a wide plateau of beech which rises gently to the saddle itself. There is some flagging tape here marking the way, but a bearing of due south would suffice.

The Otore clearing is open – a mixture of marsh and tussock. The small Otore Biv is tucked away on the south-west side.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Otore clearing, a bearing of due north crosses the low Otorehinaiti Saddle through mature open beech, and drops to an (unmarked) fork in the head of the Otorehinaiti River. There is some flagging tape here marking the way, but a bearing of due north would suffice.

The river is small and unlikely to pose problems in all but extreme conditions. For the 1st 1km, the gradient of the valley is moderate, and there are no river flats, but it is still good open beech forest, and easy walking, sidling the valleyside. Below that, the valley soon opens up – good tramping down river flats and terraces, beech leaves and moss underfoot. Navigation is simple – follow the stream. A short tight section exists just above the confluence, but nothing tricky.

Good campspots exist on terraces on the southern bank of the Oamaru River. The Oamaru tracks in 100m north of the river (knee deep in normal conditions), and easy to spot if you head that way.

Heading south from Otore we sidle the valley on the west side of the creek. The bush has become scrubbier below the clearing and it is slow going. Several side-creeks, each in it’s own steep-sided gully, add additional challenges. Finally, sticking 150m-or-so from the creek, we emerge into the open tussock flats of the upper Harkness. The first 200m of the 'clearing' is thick with thigh-high scrub, and painful going. However, angling downriver and towards the creek, to where we can see good tussock, we soon reach good going. A creek joins from the east, and below it we pick up Warratahs and a narrow foot-worn track – the route from Mangatainoka Hut to Tussck Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Leave the poled route here and continue up the western bank of the Harkness heading due north. As the clearing starts to run out, head up to the western bushedge, and follow that north into the bush. Sidling at about 100m from the creek gives a reasonable, but scrubby route up to Otora clearing, 1km beyond. The toughest bit is the crossing of the first sidestream just above the clearing.

The 1 bunk Otore Biv is at the south-western end of the Otorehinaiti Clearing, tucked just inside the bushedge.

From the point where it crosses the Harkness, the poled route climbs the western valley side and sidles close to the bushedge as it heads south. Swinging west it follows the bushedge 500m up the side valley to reach tussock hut. The route is not cut, but is reasonably well poled and a good ground trail exists.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From tussock hut, follow the poled route briefly south along the eastern bushedge and swing north with it into the main Harkness valley. Follow the route 1km upriver until it crosses the Harkness. The crossing is the turnoff upriver to Otore clearing. A signposted track junction for Mangatainoka / Mangapapa is on the ridge 50m east of the river.

The head of the Harkness at Tussock Hut lives up to the hut's name – a broad, gentle, V of a valley, clad in golden tussock. The track crosses the trickle of a stream and sidles the western face. The valley becomes slowly scrubbier as we head downstream – tussock becoming low scrub , later rising to waist height. The poled track changes from a foot-worn slot between tussocks to a full 1.5m-wide, cut Kaweka track. The gentle valleysides become steeper and rocky, and finally the track abandons efforts to sidle and drops to the Harkness River – now a couple of meters wide. Some 20 crossing follow – most of which can be hopped across with dry feet intact, but near the end there’s one which always catches me out. Fill your boots! The route should be navigable in all but extreme rain,

The track junction (on the western bank at the major forks) for the turnoff to Harkness Hut is signposted.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Above the forks and track junction, the track to Tussock follows the valleyfloor for the first 2-3km, crossing the creek numerous times. The creek is small, but wet feet almost guaranteed. It is unlikely the creek would be uncrossable except in the worst of weather.

The steep, rocky and scrubby valleysides slowly soften and transition to tussock, and finally the track climbs the western face and leaves the creek below. The remaining scrub soon ceases, and we enter a broad valley of gently sloping tussock. A further 2km on well used poled track on the western valleyside leads to the head of the valley, where Tussock Hut site across the now-small stream.

The track junction for the turnoff to Harkness Hut is signposted up the NE fork, and another broad Kaweka track heads up the north-east fork towards the hut, crossing the creek another 4 times. You can see the hut clearing on the northern slopes ahead, where tussock valley transitions back to beech. It’s a brief rocky scramble up the track to the hut, some 40m out of the valleyfloor.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Harkness Hut, a marked track drops to the creek. A poled route then follows the vallyfloor 800m downriver to the forks, crossing the creek 4 times. A signpost at the forks marks the track junction.

Expect snow and ice on tops in winter.

From Harkness we continue along the central Kaweka highway. To warm-up there’s an easy 800m section along the valley floor, but then the climb starts. The broad track climbs steadily up the meandering ridgeline, reaching exposed tops 1km before the hut. The tops route is poled and clear.

A junction with a well-trodden track, heading north from the summit, is not marked on maps or signposted. However, it appears to lead off along the tops towards Mangatainoka Hut.

Te Puke Hut nestles in a beech-covered basin at the head of a small sidecreek on the southern side of the ridgeline - 100m off the track. The junction is signposted.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Te Puke Hut, the poled route climbs briefly east over exposed tussock tops.

Just before the summit, a junction with a well-trodden track, heading north from the summit, is not marked on maps or signposted. However, it appears to lead off along the tops towards Mangatainoka Hut.

At the junction, the Harkness track swings sharply SW and starts to descend a spur towards the bushedge 100m below. Once in the just the track is cut and marked, and descends steadily to the valley floor 400m below.

Once in the valley there track crosses the creek, follows it downstream for 800m or so, and then climbs the northern valleyside to Harkness Hut - out of sight on a spur some 40m above the valley floor.

Snow / ice likely in winter

From Te Puke the track spends a lot of time on an exposed, bare ridgeline, dropping in between to long, flat saddles where stunted beech trees lap over the tops - at the limit of their range. In late summer, the whistles of sika serenade me from the faces below. There are no major climbs, but lots of short ups and downs over each peak. The tops sections are poled, and the bush sections well cut, so it is easy tramping, but exposed.

Finally, the narrow ridgeline broadens to wide, marshy tops – climbing, slowly drying as they rise, to reach the track junction on the flat summit.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the track junction, the Te Puke track heads east across broad, flat clay-pan summits, swinging due north after a kilometer or so, and dewscending slowly to the first of several saddles.

From here the track spends a lot of time on an exposed, bare ridgeline, dropping in between to long, flat saddles where stunted beech trees lap over the tops - at the limit of their range. In late summer, the whistles of sika serenade me from the faces below. There are no major climbs, but lots of short ups and downs over each peak. The tops sections are poled, and the bush sections well cut, so it is easy tramping, but exposed

The turnoff to Te Puke Hut is signposed left off the main track, and the hut is visible across a small basin 100m to the south.

Snow / ice likely in winter

Mangaturutu Hut is 600m along the NW fork from the track junction – the track dropping 60m through a band of beech as it commences it's descent along another narrow ridge.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Mangaturutu Hut, the track climbs SE, soon leaving the beech and climbing onto exposed rocky tops. The route is poled, and the track junction signposted - some 800m from the hut.

From Mangaturutu hut, a short warming climb gains the narrow ridge for a steep descent (740m) to the Makino River. A 3-wire bridge (that would benefit from some stabilising cables) crosses to the TR and a very pleasant riverside track leads to the junction of the Makino hut track and Makino river route.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A good cut, marked tramping track heads up the Makino river for 500m, before crossing it on a walkwire. Goof campspots are present just before the bridge on the eastern bank.

From the walkwire the track climbs steeply up the Mangaturutu spur. After 1km things flatten out, but beyond the track still alternates between flat sections and brief steep climbs. A clearing is reached at pt1351, giving great views of the Kawekas and northern Kaimanawas, and the plains to the east. The hut is 800m beyond and is on the track.

From the track junction (a DOC sign indicating 2-3 hrs to Te Puia Hut), an obvious and well marked track heads down the true right of the river - travel is quick for the first few km. It doesn't last!

Much of the travel is in the river and much slower. Track markers (triangles) are inconsistent (don't confuse with tape marking traps) sometimes marking footpads on either bank, sometimes not.

After 4km, the river enters a gorge and so does the tramper - just walk straight through! Shortly after emerging, look for a triangle on the TL and pick up a track that follows the river for a short distance then turns away and climbs steeply to a narrow saddle then descends to the track to Mangatainoka hot springs. Turn right and walk the remaining 600m to Te Puia Lodge.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Te Puia Lodge, cross the Makino River at the bridge and continue on the track for 100m - look for an unmarked lesser track to the right (just before a climb). This secondary track climbs south to a saddle then descends steeply back to the river. Follow the track to the river and continue, in the stream, through the gorge. Much of the travel in in the stream but look for track markers (triangles) to tae advantage of faster travel on footpads when possible.

Within 2km of the track junction, look for a track marker on the TR that marks the start of a well defined track providing quick travel to the junction.

From the Te Puia Lodge, the track follows beside the river for a short while before the first of 4 or 5 sustained climbs of 150 - 200m above the river, providing great views of the steep terrain. Zig-zags descend and climb before the final steep pinch to the carpark and a useful shelter.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A good benched track leads up the river valley from the carpark. Sidling for a while the track drops to the river after a km or so, and then continues to alternate between sidles in gorged sections and riverbank strolls in broader parts of the valley. The track is easy but spectacular, cut into the cliff faces in places, and passing through sheer gorges in the Mohaka River. A great introduction to tramping for almost all abilities.