Blackball-Barrytown

It was raining like cats and dogs and so we couldn't do the Inland Track. Barrytown is between Pancake Rocks and Greymouth. Well, Barrytown isn't a really big town, it is actually a pub and a backpackers, whereas the backpackers is in the pub. The Track starts at the opposite side of the pub.

map of track

The first part (about 3-4 hours) goes through the bush. You have to hike from sea level to 1200 m, this is not an easy mission. During the ascension you can listen to the sound of the ocean.

After a while you reach the peak of Mt. Ryall. There is a really nice view. One can see all the mountains around and the ocean far away. (on the picture: where everything is white). Also the whole vegetation is total different in this area. The colors are impressive.

After a short break we walked along the summit. The weather got even worse, this was a little bit sad. It started to hail.

We arrived at the hut and where quite happy to get the last sleeping places. I guess we have been about 15 people in the hut. When we woke up the next morning there was a layer of snow.

The hike on the second day wasn't such difficult because it goes down all the time. It is also possible to do this part of the track with the moutainbike, I hope I can do this once. When you are at the end of the track you have to walk 7.5 km on a gravel road to Blackball. This isn't very nice. You can't hitchhike on this part, nobody is there. When you arrive in Blackball, have a rest in the Blackball Hilton, a really nice hotel.

Carsten and Nicole went to the Hilton, I tried to hitchhike back to our car. This worked good. I had to wait only a couple of minutes every time when I changed a car, allover I took about 3 cars and one milk truck. After I picked up Nicole and Carsten in Blackball we drove via the Athurs Pass back to Christchurch.

through the bush	just before the tree line

da klotzte, watt	desert

along the summit	cloudily

Hut in the snow	Rieger in the snow