Day 97 - hut sweet hut

West Sabine hut —-> Blue Lake hut 7km

I started the day pretty grumpy. Firstly, the snorers had kept me awake for most of the night. Secondly, someone had pinched my lighter from the kitchen. It sounds petty, but I had gone 96 days without losing a single item, a record I was very proud of. Every item I carry I absolute depend on. No lighter, no stove, no food, grumpy Katie.

A very kind gentleman in the hut gave me a box of matches and I made my breakfast as most of the other hut-goers left for the day.

I had planned a very short day today, just 3 hours up to the next hut. The following day would be a big one over Waiau Pass and I theorised I wouldn’t be able to do the 3 hours up to Blue Lake plus the pass in one day. (With hindsight I probably could have, just).

I set off just after 9am, the sun already heating up the valley.

The trail up to Blue Lake followed the river, crystal clear water cascading over rocks in all directions.

The river cut up through the valley, the mountains ahead topped with remnants of the most recent snowfall.

I was climbing, but the gradient thankfully wasn’t too steep. As I got higher, I was treated to scenic views back down the valley.

I arrived at Blue Lake hut before midday and settled in.

The hut sat a hundred metres from Blue Lake; a lake with supposedly the clearest fresh water in the world. It’s protected not only for that but its water is sacred to the local Māori so no swimming or touching is allowed. I wandered around the lake instead, it’s water was indeed very clear…

…and was very blue from the right angle.

I spent most of the afternoon feeling sorry for myself, annoyed I was having to stay in one place and still very miffed about my lighter. I napped in the sun until the sandflies came out to play. Hiding away in my sleeping bag for the evening, I tried my best to block out the overwhelming stench of hiker sock stench from the fifteen other walkers who’d arrived that afternoon.