It’s a four-hour tramp in to Mitre Flats. The first three kilometres are easy, with the track following the river terrace along a farm road to The Pines station. In some ways, this is the most enjoyable section of the trip. Friendly livestock are nearby and pretty swimming holes are dotted along the river. Mitre (1,571m) beckons in the distance.
After skirting The Pines the track drops to boggy Blake Stream, before ascending to a style and long-forgotten sign at the Tararua Forest Park boundary. And so, the tramping begins.
This is the Barra Track, which encapsulates all I resent about Tararua tramping. Ugly sidle tracks that scramble round gullies, picking over roots, rocks and slips. Tracks that require much concentration. Tracks that climb to what one hopes is vantage point, only to offer nothing but a grumpy descent. Tracks that are long—and frankly annoying—when you’ve places to get to and exciting adventures ahead.
To be fair, the Barra isn’t unpleasant but nor is there much to look at. It was somewhat tiring. Heading up is a nice fleeting view over the Waingawa River and Baldy (1,325m) and the traverse of Stoney Creek is enjoyable. There was also a somewhat yucky slip or two, and a lot of ‘down time’. Not too much to go on for four hours of walking!
You know you’ve nearly reached Mitre Flats when track tackles a steep, 30m tumble to the Waingawa River. Cross the swingbridge and find Mitre Flats Hut five minutes north along the flat river terrace. The hut is in a lovely clearing next to river. The ups and downs of the Barra had seen me work up a sweat and, with no one else around, I quickly resolved to strip and jump into the Waingawa’s cooling rapids.
Mitre Flats Hut is a warm and popular lodging—a 14-bunk bedroom with a log-burner and warden’s quarters. During weekends, the hut serves a springboard for trampers gaining the Tararua tops. I appreciate this—I too had come to have a crack at Mitre, the highest summit in the Tararuas.
Heading up Mitre the next day was great. The track rises steeply to a terrace, which it traces for a kilometre. It’s then it’s a stiff climb before breaking through the bush at about 1,000m. The track now follows a cairned route over gravel slopes, heading ever upwards towards Mitre.
It’s exhilarating as one picks their way higher and higher, the views becoming ever more expansive. At 1,400m, one gains a crest overlooking South Mitre Stream. Here, the route turns north up a tussock-covered ridge to Peggy’s Peak and Mitre. Behind to the east are the foothills of the Blue Range, the Wairarapa Plain and Pacific Ocean beyond. The big summits of Three Kings and Girdlestone rise to the south and west, the Tasman Sea peeping over the horizon. Peggy’s Peak rises 100m above—straight down, a heart-stopping 300m plunge into South Mitre Stream.
By now it was gusty on the tops, and the path leading to Peggy’s Peak and Mitre exposed. I was aware I was alone. In fact, I hadn’t seen anyone else all day. This was not the place to be should things start to go wrong.
I had seen enough. I resolved to head back to Mitre Flats Hut. A bathe in the river seemed a far better idea than challenging the ridge, only to say I’d gained a summit too windy to stand and take a photo. It was a quick and happy descent, and I was soon admiring the bright red leaves of horopito and, closer to the river, tall totara and sunlight streaming through mamaku.
Back at Mitre Flats Hut, the sun beamed down and a river swim was rejuvenating after a big day. It was another quiet night, with only one other tramper stopping in (the previous night I’d had a party of two other Wellingtonians). I laid down on the mattresses feeling happy that although I hadn’t made it to the true top of the Tararuas, I’d made the right call at the time and still got some amazing views.
All that was left to do was lug myself back down the Barra the next morning….
Need to know
Drive to Upper Waingawa Road end and walk 4 hours to Mitre Flats Hut. From the hut, frontcountry trampers should allow 7-8 hours return to summit Mitre. Return to the road end the same way. Mitre Flats Hut is $15 per night, with 14 bunks.
Grade: Moderate. Barra Track is more technical and tiring than the route up Mitre; however, Mitre is exposed above the bushline.
Distance and ascent: Expect to walk 30km return. Barra Track to Mitre Flats Hut is 9.6km (368m ascent). Mitre Flats to Mitre is around 12km return (1,200m ascent).
NZ Topo 50: BN34 Shannon, BP34 Masterton