Hiking in New Zealand – The Milford Track, Day 2

Everyone was very antsy to get walking this morning. We had slept in real beds, had dined like Kings, were sparkling clean and wearing clean clothes. These New Zealanders really know how to do a hike! 😊

Grab your backpack, we are about to head into the New Zealand (NZ) bush.

Day: 2

Date: Thursday, 13 February 2025.

From:  Glade House                        To: Pomplona Lodge

Distance (Official): 16km               Actual: 17.8km

Progress: 18.9km

Time: 4h25m

Ascent: 287m                                     Descent: 96m

Weather: Hot, hot, hot! Sweating buckets.

Terrain: Clear bush tracks through thick beech forest, alongside the Clinton River. Glorious walking with a steep, rocky scramble right at the end on tired legs.

Stayed At: Pomplona Lodge

General Comments:

• We had been asked to assemble at the front of the lodge at 0830 to start walking and I swear that 90% of our group were at the assembly point at 0800. Me included! We were that keen to get cracking.
• Again, I was worried about our large group – all 50 of us – hitting the trail at the same time and it was chaotic and crowded for the first ten minutes or so until everyone found their pace, and place on the track. We all walk at such different speeds that it is important to walk at your own pace and personally, I find it pretty damn frustrating if I can’t.

• Our group was accompanied by four guides – one at the front, two scattered at various points in the body of the group, and one tail-end-Charlie. This meant that we often had a guide close by who could answer our questions and share their knowledge of the local flora, and birdlife. This is what I like about supported walks. You have someone who can explain what you are seeing and you become much better informed about the landscape and everything in it – rather than just blithely wandering through.
• They also kept us pointed in the right direction (not very difficult as the path is abundantly clear) and encouraged us to take short, side paths to view various lakes and wetlands. It all added to the diversity of the trail.

• It was absolutely glorious walking today, revealing New Zealand at her finest. For most of the day the trail wound its way through thick and lush beech forests, hugging the edge of the Clinton River.
• The clarity of the water had to be seen to be believed. Every pebble and stone were crystal clear, sparkling in the morning light.
• Even more attractive were the huge rainbow trout idling away in the shallows. How sweet would they taste after a lifetime in these pristine waters? One American gent in our group, a very keen angler, even recorded the GPS points for a potential return one day, but this time with a fishing rod! That would be a very long way to travel for a small chance to catch a fish.

• Unlike Queenstown’s Tiki Trail, the birds were out in force today, singing their hearts out and hopping from branch to branch. We saw wekas, a whio or blue duck (it’s only a little bit blue), bush robins and tomtits. Not only is this a hiker’s Paradise, twitchers would be in their element too.
• All the birds were fairly shy, except for the wekas and keas at tonight’s lodge. The wekas are well-aware that there is a good chance of finding a snack in an unsuspecting hiker’s backpack and anything left unattended on the trail is fair game. Our guides also act as guards of our gear!

Highlights & Tips:

• Ultimate Hikes has established some excellent infrastructure in partnership with the NZ Department of Conservation. Smaller shelters are in place to break for lunch (and perhaps get out of the weather if it is bad) and have a hot cuppa if desired. Toilet facilities are also strategically placed along the track.
• And by that stage of the day, the group had strung out along the trail meaning we could have lunch in ‘waves’ and everyone had good access to a seat, and some shade.

• Today was hot! Who would have thought this in NZ? I always carry plenty of water (after a scary incident in Spain many years ago, I probably over-compensate these days) and I drained my water bladder dry today. Don’t underestimate the amount of water you need on this trail and consider packing your swimmers. There is easy access to the Clinton River and side trips to Hidden Lake, and Prairie Lake provide excellent opportunities for a very refreshing dip. The independent hikers, with no access to showers like us, were making the most of the opportunity to rinse off the dust and sweat from the trail.

• Although the forest felt lush and looked green, the Guides commented on how dry everything was – almost a mini-drought. A few group members who had walked this trail before confirmed this and described how the mountain ranges on either side of the valley were often covered in waterfalls – both large and small. We saw few waterfalls today.

• The gloriously flat trail had a sting in its tail and the last kilometre or so was steeper and more exposed as we scrambled up and over rocks, and boulders of various sizes. For us it had also become even hotter, so the glimpse through the trees of Pomplona Lodge’s roofline was very welcome.
• Pomplona Lodge is a wonderful facility with rooms scattered over various levels, all linked by covered wooden walkways. It is also home to a few very cheeky and inquisitive keas (alpine parrots) who love nothing better than making a meal of hiker’s boots. I had great fun trying to explain to a bunch of Koreans (with little English) what the kea warning sign meant. After much arm waving and dramatic facial expressions on my part, they eventually understood that leaving their boots outside tonight would not be a good idea. Yes, it was stinky boots inside this evening.

And a big highlight of this Lodge was the old-fashioned mangle in the laundry. I hadn’t seen one of these things since I was a kid (Yes, I am showing my age) and it was perfect for wringing out the excess moisture from my hand washing.

Ah, the decadence and mod cons know no bounds…

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