The hike into Lake Hawea from the Pakituhi hut was surprisingly spectacular… and steep down. Sometimes it’s nice when you have low expectations.
The day started with rain again, so we stayed at the hut for a while drinking coffee and tea and joking around. Sam and Laura 🇬🇧 (a lovely couple I’ve been crossing paths often with since the middle of the north island) showed up, having hiked from the last hut and we hung out our a little before all setting off.
The path down was more intense than I expected, but the views were fabulous!
Once we got to the bottom there was a long feeling (but really not that long) flat section to the town where we set up camp at the hotel and ate and had beers and hung out with other hikers and some locals.
