Relocated the 5 th wheel to a perfect spot in the remote Rakaia river area at Lake Coleridge Village and with a dire forecast of bad weather in a few days I adjusted my plans and decided to limit this section to starting at Lake Clearwater close to the northern banks of the Rangitata.

The day was clear , fine and late , ie I didn’t start walking till about 10:30 after parking my ute at the little village on the lake foreshore.

Immediately I realise that this Canterbury high country is starkly open with hardly a tree anywhere and no shelter from the unrelenting sun.

After about 6 hours the track pops out on a section of road and I was relieved to get a 4 km lift from a delightful couple of locals. They dropped me off at Castleridge Station and awaiting me was this amazing shearer’s quarters , huge with multiple bed options and me the Sole occupant.

My right side of my face was strangely tight , the result of sunstrike from the afternoon sun hitting at a constant angle . I was buggered and gratefully retreated from the sun .

Started early and had a short 4 hour day to double hut , in the exquisite crisp clear cool of the morning .

Had a very restful balance of day , staying out of the sun and it wasn’t until later in the arvo that fellow NOBO’s , Tim , Isaac and Miya arrived .

All being early types we woke very early ( 5 am ) and began packing for a big day . With a bad forecast I was set on a huge mission of getting out to the Rakaia river in one day , bypassing 2 huts .

Was a big day for me , eventually hitting 34 kms when I arrived at Glenrock station .

Had a spot of great luck with hitching a lift in the only vehicle I saw , that relocated my ALL THE WAY back to my ute , a trip of over 100 kms

Funny sign at road junction near Coleridge village , they know how to look after their dogs hereabouts 😂