The second part of a five-day trek following on from the Caples Track (see previous post). Day 1 (Day 3 of Trip): Key Summit Return, Lake Howden Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut DOC guide time: 1h30m + 3 hours. I took: 2 hours + 4 hours. As we had come from the Caples Track we started the Routeburn track at Lake Howden Hut. We had certainly had a dramatic night, one of the more "memorable" of any hut stays. Despite being one of the later arrivals I was pleased to secure a bottom bunk. A group of 10 or so middle-aged Korean men and women were well established in the hut, sharing a massive meat stew of To View More >>

14.1.18 [Picture credit: altrarunning.com] Over the New Year I hiked the 81-kilometer Heaphy Track on New Zealand's South Island (see upcoming post). I knew I wanted a shoe with plenty of underfoot cushioning for stony trails where the bottom of my feet would take the big hits, and no waterproof lining so my feet could keep cool and the shoe would dry quickly after river crossings and (if I got caught out by the tide) wading in the sea. My normal go-to brand for non-alpine footwear is Keen, but I could find nothing in New Zealand without a waterproof lining. So I took the plunge To View More >>

9.7.17 Hello! Welcome to my new blog. Previously I posted sporadically on wine at atomic-wine.com, and had a gallery website dedicated to my photography. I have now decided to combine the two on this new site, which should soon feature a section where I can sell some of my images. Working 9-5 as a writer for wine-searcher.com, I now find it hard to knuckle down to also post regularly about wine in my free time, therefore this blog will also feature photography, hiking, travel and any other topics which take my fancy. To View More >>