Toutouwai, New Zealand robin

Straight from the iphone.

This was the highlight of the day. As we sat eating lunch at Wainui Hut up beyond the Canaan Downs this little chap came along. He checked us out and then off he went. I tell you, that revived me more than the sitting down.

This was my hardest walk yet with the 50+ walking group.
We walked over 12km and at times it was like walking on a river bed, all lumpy rock. Worse I found was where the tree roots covered the path and threatened to trip you up. I need some walking poles.

A lot of huffing and puffing uphill but then there were the marble outcrops at Canaan, lovely beech forest,we crossed the Wainui Stream several times.A weka, a tomtit, and we heard tui and warblers and bell bird calling.At the hut is a bird aviary where DOC put kaka and kakariki that have been raised elsewhere out into the wild. The ranger was just setting off with his aerial to track a tame female who had found a wild male.

We passed a school party of 14 plus 4 adults walking out. They had spent a night at the hut. It was tiny with bunks only nothing much else.

Tomorrow might tell a different story but at the moment, although weary, I am pleased I did the walk.