Heading for the East Hawdon Bivvy

I've always thought the East Hawdon looked a rough place. It is. That's ok, it's how I like it :-) It's stunning with the bivvy located on the edge of beech forest in the upper valley at a fork. Mt Valiant looms above with amazing round cirque basins formed by glaciation in the last ice age.

JT and I left my place insanely early. Arthur's Pass National Park is under 2 hours from Christchurch. As you'd expect at Easter weekend there were a lot of vehicles parked at the Hawdon Shelter. We checked the intentions book and most were headed up the Hawdon Valley or Sudden Valley. Wee-hee, no one else was headed for the east (or so we hoped).

Once you branch off Hawdon valley and up the East Hawdon the valley narrows into a gorge. There is no marked track but in places there is a route above the river - if you can find it.

It's a glorious place. We reached the bivvy to find it clean and empty. It's small - 2 bunks and a bench. A Dad with 2 intrepid sons arrived later. I was amazed and impressed they came up the east valley. Like us they carried a tent and with no space in the bivvy camped below. We shared our bench space so they could make their dinner. It was windy outside.

JT and I absolutely loved it. Space to ourselves. It sounds selfish but it felt like a privilege to be somewhere remote and rugged and no crowded hut. We had a little potter around. If it had been a stinking hot day there was a fabulous deep pool you could have jumped into but too cold for hpx.

I do the food on these trips and JT brings the gas cooker and eating utensils (and on this trip his tent), and provides transport. You develop little rituals and wee touches that revive tired bodies. Miso soup comes first. Something warm and savoury served with a little brie left over from lunch. Followed up by whiskey and a curry for dinner.

We were both tired and in bed by 7.30pm. 12 hours later we stirred refreshed and rejuvenated. Bliss! :-) I wasn't asleep all that time but certainly at least 10 hours.

It was indeed a Good Friday in more ways than one.