With beech forested valleys, high, wild tussock tops, and expansive views into the centre of Kahurangi National Park, this seven-day hike involves classic tramping on a grand scale.

Enriching that experience, many of the tracks, including the Wangapeka itself, were originally benched for gold miners over a century ago. So here there is history intertwined with great tramping in remote mountains, side tracks to investigate along the way and options to lengthen or shorten the trip as you go.

The main Wangapeka track, leading from Tapawera in the east to the Karamea Highway in the west, is a great trip in its own right. So is the journey that branches off halfway through to follow the Karamea River north towards Golden Bay.

But the trip I have chosen to outline has a bit of it all.

The route

This is a circular hike that starts and ends in Wangapeka Valley west of Tapawera, Nelson District.

Beginning at the carpark in the Wangapeka Valley west of Tapawera, it climbs Chummies track to John Reid Hut, then traverses open tops past Mt Patriarch to beech forest at Kiwi Saddle. Beyond Kiwi Saddle the route leads onto the Luna Tops, follows down Stone Creek before crossing the Biggs Tops and dropping down into the head of the Karamea River. From the open flats in the head of the Karamea River, a couple of marked routes lead back towards the main Wangapeka track and valley, which is followed back to the carpark.

There are plenty of huts to stay in along the way, but there are also stunning places to camp like the Biggs Tops. Up to you.

Some of the highlights include an ascent of Mt Patriarch, which is a must if the weather is fine. It is quite a scramble, but you will find yourself sitting with an ocean of mountains in every direction.

Highlights

Down in the quiet at Kiwi Saddle the native birds come into their own. Wekas skulking around looking for opportunities, robins making it clear they own the place, tomtits tweedling away, and fantails swooping on disturbed insects.

The Biggs Tops are about as sweet as it gets, with spectacular views across to the rugged bulk of Mt Kendall.

The head of the mighty Karamea River is a benign place of light, grass flats and white granite gravel, but all the signs of the Murchison Earthquake of 1929 are still there. Huge slips still rip down off the ridges, still witnessing the devastation of almost a century ago.

The Karamea and Wangapeka rivers run like liquid quartz over the stones, clear as diamond.

Cecil King’s historical hut is a sneak peek into history on the descent down the valley back to the car.

Need to know

This is a moderately tough hike, you’ll need to be fit and capable, at times hiking over very rough ground.

I’d say it’s suitable for those who have already been on great walks and several rougher tracks in the New Zealand back country. Navigational skills are required as is good gear to cope with bad weather in isolated places, and you’ll need to be entirely self sufficient.