Day three of a 67km five day hike through the stunning Lewis Pass National Reserve. This section was almost entirely in the open, offering great valley views. It was a moody and atmospheric start from Christopher Hut.

The hazy skies offered ideal hiking temperatures but wasn’t the best for photography.

Where the Ada and Waiua Rivers merged the track got narrow and quite overgrown in places.

The track remained close to the foothills of the surrounding mountains while the river flowed further away.

This was pleasant and easy walking.

With lovely valley views.

A section of the track joined with a 4WD track for even easier walking.

Though things slowed down navigating this bridge over the Henry River.

From the map I could see that the hut was close by but as ever not quite as close as hoped.

It was a relief to finally see Anne Hut in the distance. The comment scratched under the hut name about it being the most exposed hut in New Zealand seemed understandable, though for my money that would be Syme Hut on Mt Taranaki.

Built in 2011, Anne Hut was the best so far of the hike, with each night being better than the last. It had double glazing, two bunk rooms, lines for drying clothes, and two toilets. It can also be extremely busy judging by the hut intentions book as it lies on the Te Aroroa (TA), the increasingly popular hike that stretches the length of New Zealand.

Here I met the first hikers in three days, both TA walkers. One was local (from Richmond near Nelson), doing the TA in sections, who stayed the night in the other bunk room. The other was American, walking the TA South Island from south to north. He left about 2pm to walk another 22km to Waiau Hut, TA are a different breed of hiker!