Grade: Easy (if you don't try bushbashing there, see Antics 2018)
Time of year: All year round, but beware of wild sheep (‘bushy’)
Accommodation: Hunters hut
4-6 bunks (two have rat poo), open fireplace, and lots of firewood, pots, cutlery etc., free, take batteries for the radio if you like Kahu FM (optional). This is a really excellent hut that no one goes to, except the odd hunter.
Friday night: N/A. Leave on Saturday morning.
Route: 3-5 hours on a well-marked track through manuka forest. Descend from the car park to the Mid Waikakarua River. Follow UP the river (often wading (but sometimes possible not to get wet)) for 10-15 minutes until you see orange triangles marking a track steeply uphill on the true right (left looking upriver).
Follow the undulating track to the hut. The forest is nice and similar to the Silverpeaks, but much better and wading up the river is really beautiful. Drive north from Dunedin on SH1 for approximately 50 minutes (go past Hampden). Two minutes before Herbert turn left on Mt Misery Road and follow this for 10km or so until you see a DOC car park on the left, just after the pine forest ends.
