What makes for a great Christmas tramp? Good company, settled weather, a new route, some navigational challenges, extensive mountain views, beautiful campsites, and a loud dawn chorus. Our party of five—Beth, David, Helen, Karen M and Roger—had them all.

It was four hours to Fenella Hut on the first day, then our fun really began. We climbed 500 metres up through the bush, and onto the open tops near Waingaro and Kakapo Peaks. Not a cloud in the sky and massive views of mountain range upon mountain range; we were conscious of our tiny insignificance in a gigantic landscape.

After lunch we dropped steadily from 1800 metres down a narrow, rocky ridge to the bush line.

By mid-afternoon we emerged from the bush to one of the most delightful huts in the country. Lonely Lake hut had been splendidly refurbished with yellow-ochre walls and a deep blue roof, and insulation in the walls and plywood panelling inside. And joy and bliss, we had the hut all to ourselves. That afternoon we sat in the sun with our hot drinks and views down a very steep valley to the West.

In the morning we climbed up to Drunken Sailor’s peak, with views to Dragon’s Teeth and Adelaide Tarn. We could see the ridge ahead of us leading down to the Anatoki River, but couldn’t see any obvious way to get to it.

After some consultation, we took the wise step of keeping to the open tops and climbing up to a narrow ridge where there was a trail that made for easy going.

The 800-metre drop down through the beech trees took some time and various members of the party took a tumble.

After lunch we followed the Anatoki River down the valley. There was no track and it was slow going. We were sometimes in the river and sometimes bush-bashing to avoid rocks and windfalls.

It was a relief to meet the Anatoki Valley Track, which took us up to the saddle and down to the Stanley River. It was a 10-hour day, with great variety, some challenges and a great campsite at the end. Not another soul did we meet all day.

As the dawn broke, we had the longest and loudest dawn chorus I have ever heard. What a way to start the day. Our last day was up an old pack track through beech forest.

John Hoy, Trish and Gillian came in to meet us and transport us back to our accommodation at the Collingwood Motor Camp.

This trip was South Island tramping at its finest.