It’s not hard to see why the Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit is a Tararua classic. It’s accessible, reasonably straightforward, and serves up a taste of everything from lush valleys to panoramas of rugged peaks. There are three huts—Powell, Jumbo and Atiwhakatu—and this short loop can easily be done in two days. Whether you go clockwise or anticlockwise may depend on the forecast and hut availability. In either case the track starts gently, passing Holdsworth Lodge and over the glassy waters of the Atiwhakatu Stream. We headed towards Atiwhakatu Hut, beautifully sited in a small clearing on the valley floor, a stone’s throw…