This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 87, no 7, August 2015
Gourmet Day Trip to Atiwhakatu Hut
July 18 2015
This was the second consecutive year that this trip has been on the winter schedule. It is intended to be an opportunity for anyone to enjoy an easy walk in to a comfortable hut to enjoy the sort of lunch not usually associated with a day out tramping. That meant no crackers and cheese.
The forecast was not great. Cold and wet conditions were expected, but that didn’t matter as we had carried in wood for the fire, and while it was a pot luck event, a couple of warm dishes were on offer. Who cares about a bit of rain if there is a warm hut at the end of the track, with great food and enjoyable company? Not us! The rain held off until we got to the hut as predicted by those cunning Norwegians at www.yr.no; try it if you don’t know of this weather site, it is a very good website which recognizes many geographical locations.
Starters comprised chippies, humus and crackers, warm drinks of tea, coffee or lemon lime and bitters; then gourmet Hellers sausages with a tomato dipping sauce (aka cherrios and tomato sauce), cold beef and pork meats, egg salad, wok fried Tai fishballs and Asian salad with sweet chilli accompaniments, followed by pear tart with yoghurt and chocolate brownies (home made).
The walk out was a bit wet but the worst of the rain had past before we left for the return trip (as predicted from Oslo).
On the way out we met a group from the Rangitikei Tramping Club who had seen our trip on the website and they were disappointed to have arrived about an hour too late to partake in the feasting. It is interesting to see that other clubs look at what we are up to!
The party made their own ways out under clearing skies. See you on the Gourmet Trip next year?
- Party members
- Chris Munn (some sort of leader and scribe), Peggy Munn, Jane Boydon (photos), Tim McGuiness, Wayne Griffen, Janette Martin and Dianne Lee