Nelson Lakes - Day 1 - Roberts Ridge

St Arnaud is the entranceway to Nelson Lakes National Park. We stopped at the DOC visitor centre to sign in for our two day trek. A wee bit further on we parked at the carpark to climb the Pinchgut Track to Mount Robert. Steeply up on a good path we were soon on the summit ridge with great views across Lake Rotoiti and along the ridge. The walking was very easy and reminded me of Scotland, we could have been in the Cairngorms.


There were lots of Alpine flowers and plants, including Vegetable Sheep (a plant clump which looks like a furry sheepskin)which seemed to attract ladybirds. There were also lots of red-legged crickets who jumped out the way just as you were about to step on them.



We had lunch at a bealach which turned out to be the end of easy walking and the start of boulder hopping, scree jumping and generally trying to keep balanced on a narrow path with a big pack on your back. Still the views and the flowers were spectacular and the path clearly marked by poles. After 5 hours from starting we looked down from the ridge to see the Angelus Hut below us, sitting by the lake.


The hut was very popular and noisy. We braved the cool evening and cooked outside. The hut wasn’t that enjoyable because it was so full, but at least we had a bed.