Day one of a 67km five day hike through the stunning Lewis Pass National Reserve. The St James Walkway opened in 1981, and is a relatively straightforward track, though carrying everything you need for five days on your back is never that easy.
I walked it at the end of March 2025, which was an ideal time of year with pleasant hiking temperatures, and very few people around. The last two huts on the walkway are on the Te Araroa, the increasingly popular hike that stretches the length of New Zealand, but most walkers come through this area in the summer.
I used the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre shuttle service to start at Lewis Pass, with them relocating my car to the Boyle Village end of the track. It is basically a big U shaped hike, but with 20 minutes of driving between the two ends.
Lewis Pass is a beautiful part of New Zealand. I’d previously done a day walk to the Lewis Pass Tops starting from the same spot, marked with a reflective tarn. The sandflies at the car were out of control, but thankfully reduced significantly once I started walking.
This time I would head north past lichen laden trees, surrounding by stunning scenery.
This was typical, but still lovely, New Zealand beech forest. I would spend the day following the Right Branch Maruia River.
Cannibal Gorge was named after remains were found of people eaten after a battle, and is now crossed by a number of suspension bridges
The bush occasionally opened up to great views of the mountains, with the Freyberg Range to west and Spenser Mountains to east.
There was a fair amount of bird life, including South Island Robins (shown below), Fantails, and a pair of Riffleman. The later are tiny grey native birds that I don’t believe I’ve ever seen before.
There were a number of streams to cross, easy now but more challenging after heavy rain, and the track ran along the main river at points.
Cannibal Gorge Hut was a welcome sight, and the first hut I’ve visited which had triple level bunk beds!
The most scenic part of the day followed, as the track wove between bush, flats, and by the river.
There were impressive views of the surrounding mountains. The St James Walkway never gets up to alpine heights, the highest point (Ada Pass) is only 1,008m above sea level, but there are views of alpine landscapes above.
I finished the day at Ada Pass Hut, an attractive spot with great views of the Spenser Mountains, which mark the border with Nelson Lakes National Park. The sunshine was gorgeous but disappeared early behind the mountains. I had the hut to myself which is always a treat.
