Tramping the Pyke-Big Bay-Hollyford Circuit
123km+
6-10 days
Hollyford Rd end to Hidden Falls hut
Hidden Falls hut to Olivine hut
I waited by the Pyke/Olive junction to see whether some unseen trout would become active for an evening rise. That didn't eventuate but I caught a beatiful sunset instead.
Olivine hut to Big Bay hut
Arriving at lake Wilmot I spotted some trout at a small creek mouth feeding on little fish. The trout would follow my greys ghost or parsons glory flies but would never actually take it, following the fly right in close before seeing me and bolting back into deeper water ... very frustrating. At Larnachs creek mouth I spotted a nice brown feeding off the surface. My cast was a good one landing about a metre in front of the trout which sauntered ever so slowly towards the fly before sucking it in. Once hooked it still moved in slow motion, gradually pulling the line out into the backing, refusing to stop.
Near the pyke river mouth I spotted a nice trout crusing along the drop off, after it had gone past I followed it while I got ready to cast. My cast was not the best landing well to the side and almost behind, I wasn't sure that it would be seen but the trout quickly turned and grabbed the fly, immediately taking to the air as I set the hook.
There were frequent bush tracks bypassing the most difficult sections of Wilmots shoreline.
I looked for trout and tried fishing in several places along the Pyke but no signs of fish. Perhaps most of the fish head for the lakes over the summer months. Would be interesting to see if there are more trout in the rivers at other times of year.
I considered camping here but it was only 4pm, the sandflies and lack of trout in the river made the idea of a long evening somewhat unapealling so I decided to continue to Big Bay.
The low water flows made the Pyke crossing very easy. I had actually walked the last few kms up the river bed crossing the river here and there. The size of the river bed and logs strewn throughout give testament to the volume of water coming down the valley at times.
Once across the Pyke the track followed up Paulin creek bed that was completely dry before crossing over into the Awarua catchment. The route follows a 4wd track which gradually became more defined as I got closer to the coast. I scared three deer in different places along the road. I heard the roar of the sea making me think I was quite close to the coast but it was another half an hour before I actually got there.
I was able to cross near the mouth of the Awarua easily in the low flow conditions. There is a swingbridge about 20 minutes upstream if you're not sure about the crossing. I followed a track/road through the scrub and groups of houses before finding the DOC hut. The location of the hut is marked on the beach with a large orange triangle on a tall pole, just head through the scrub past the derelict building and you'll see the hut and it's attendant sandfly clouds.
Big Bay hut to Martins Bay hut
Conditions were pleasant as I walked along three mile beach. At the end of the beach the shore line becomes rocky but not difficult to follow. There were intermittent tracks along the edge of the bush that provided much easier walking, I'm sure I didn't find all of these tracks as they aren't all marked.
A moderate wind was doing a great job of keeping the sandflies away which made for some very pleasant breaks along the coast. In Fiordland for the absence of sandflies quickly becomes a luxury.
Martins Bay Hut is a modern 20 bunker with two seperate bunk rooms and a very spacious kitchen area. There are great views of the bay and the Hollyford river mouth. Kahawai can be caught here. I had a go with the fly rod but with no immediate success the sandflies and rocky shoreline soon put me off.
Martins Bay hut to Demon Trail hut
After four fine days in Fiordland the rain finally came just before I left from Martins Bay hut. I enjoyed the well made track past Martins Bay Lodge and the airstrip and on to lake McKerrow.
My fishing attempts in lake McKerrow were unsuccesful. I did see one dead Kahawai so the water is obviously somewhat salty, perhaps more so due to the low flows in the Hollyford.
There were a few more houses along the waterfront of lake McKerrow at Jamestown an old settlement that was started in the 1860's reaching a population of about 100 people at one stage with most settlers leaving by 1879.
I stopped for lunch at Hokuri hut and talked to Alan Peat. He's a great character with a lot of stories especially about his time spent in Fiordland looking for moose. The sandflies were driving me mad out on the deck while I put my shoes on. Alan came out and continued to chat away happily, seemingly immune to the sandflies.
Moving on from Hokuri hut towards Demon trail Hut the track become more difficult as it traversed across many small valleys. The larger streams all have three wire bridges (walk wires) allowing the track to remain passable most of the time.
Demon trail hut has 12 bunks. There were a few people including a family with ten and seven year old children that were walking out on the Hollyford after flying in to Martins Bay. They seemed to be doing well although there were a few complaints from the children. The seven year old boy was handy to have around, he did a great job of squashing sandflies.
Demon Trail hut to Hollyford Rd End
I decided to walk out to the road end about 33km away. The undulations and walkwires of the day before continued until the turn off to McKerrow Island Hut.
Now I was back on the track from earlier in the trip. I tried fishing in the Hollyford a few times with no success.