We were pleasantly surprised when our second day on the Hollyford track dawned clear and sunny. After having breakfast at the hut and packing up our gear we made our way back out to the trail. Skirting along the shore of Lake Alabaster for a short time, we watched the early morning clouds start to burn off as the sun made its way over the mountains.
After about half an hour we came to the Pyke River swing bridge, the longest suspension bridge we had ever seen on a walking track. Despite the impressive structure, once we started to make our way across the bridge it lived up to its name and started swinging pretty significantly.
Despite the slightly unstable footing, the views from the bridge more than made up for the slightly nerve-wracking experience. Although little did we know that by the end of the track we would be wishing for bridges like this! The glassy waters of the Pyke River provided a perfect reflection of the distant Darran Mountains.
Next to the bridge we passed a warning sign letting us know that the next section of the trail was maintained to a much lower level than the previous sections of track. Although narrow, initially the track was pretty easy as it wound through the lush forest, it seemed that everywhere we looked was a different shade of green.
The dense, green forest hinted at how much rain this area of New Zealand receives. We crossed several dry creek beds, making us grateful that we had hit a dry spell and that we didn’t have to get our feet wet!
As we got deeper into the forest the mud underfoot started to increase. We spent much of our time weaving our way around the worst patches of mud. After some time weaving through the forest, we encountered our first three-wire bridge.
As the name suggests, these bridges consist of a metal cable that you walk across with two further metal cables for you to hold on to. Balance is key as you make your way over these bridges and with a large rucksack it becomes a little more tricky! Luckily this was just a short one, a good warm up for what was to come!
Eventually the track returned to the banks of the Hollyford River and through the gaps in the trees we were able to get glimpses of the surrounding mountains.
We found a sunny spot on the banks of the river for lunch and were able to get our first view down the river valley towards Lake McKerrow and the ocean in the distance.
After another hour of hiking through the forest, we found ourselves on the shore of Lake McKerrow. We made our way down to the water and enjoyed the views back up the valley over the crystal clear water.
From our vantage point we were also able look down Lake McKerrow, and the late afternoon sunshine helped highlight the distant hills, making us realise how much further we still had left to hike!
By now we weren’t too far from the next hut where we planned to stay the night, but we had reached a section of the trail know as the Demon Trail. The Demon Trail is a historical cattle track, and according to some of the track descriptions we read before we left, it has the reputation as one of the most exhausting non-alpine tracks in New Zealand.
The track undulates constantly as it follows the shore of Lake McKerrow. Although, I think the term track is a little generous as most of this section was a series of rocks, covered with just enough moss and lichen to make them incredibly slippery.
To make things more interesting there were also a couple more three-wire bridges. These bridges were much longer than the one we had encountered earlier in the day and took us over large, rapidly flowing streams.
Eventually in a clearing in the forest we arrived at the Demon Trail Hut, our home for the night. Although a very welcome sight, we were aware that we were only part-way though the Demon Trail and had several more hours of difficult hiking ahead of us.
The hut was perched on a small rise overlooking Lake McKerrow and after a warm dinner we were able to head out after dark to enjoy the beautifully clear skies. With almost no light pollution we had a clear view of the Milky Way and were even able to start picking out the Southern Cross. Luckily, being late autumn, it got dark early enough that we were able to enjoy the stars and still get an early night ready for our difficult day ahead.