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ownworldresident · 3 years

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We Are Our Own Heroes. Chapter 7: Cassandra

Book: The Royal Romance, seven years post-TRR

Premise: Six years after a tragic loss, Liam and his adopted daughter meet Cassandra, an artist with her own troubled past, and the three find in each other the friend they never knew they needed.

Disclaimer: Setting and some characters belong to Pixelberry. I am just borrowing them and will return them when they feel better.

Themes: found family, (power of) friendship, healing

Content Warning: flashbacks (signposted) include violence

The Master Masterlist (link)| Our Own Heroes Masterlist (link)

Cassandra

Cassie messaged Liam before she got in her car. It was tempting to arrive unannounced and surprise them but given the levels of guards, labyrinthine palace halls, and fact they might not be home, she judged it best to let him know. It was a good hunch, too; she wasn’t able to visit until much later in the day. The result, it seemed, was the guard readily allowing her through the gates, the valet taking her keys without question, and the palace doors being opened before she had even retrieved what she had brought.

Only when her car had been driven away and she saw the impressions on the grass where the press and podium had stood, and the marks on the gravel where the news vans had parked, did the reality of where she was settle in. The surreal sensation of standing outside the ruling monarch’s residence was broken by a polite cough by the palace entrance.

Cassie turned to face an older, formally attired man standing in the open doorway. He nodded to her, then stepped back to welcome her inside. She had seen him before somewhere but couldn’t quite place him.

With bag and boxes in hand, she entered the palace, and without Liam and Emily to focus on was immediately taken by the rich décor of the huge front hall, which separated into four passages before and beside her. Tall paintings, stone busts, ornate furnishings and a heavy red rug leading up the wide staircase. On the high landing it split in two, one staircase reaching up left, the other right.

“Allow me,” the older man said when the door was closed. He held out a hand for the large bag, which she handed to him with a timid thank you.

Gesturing for her to follow, the older man started up the staircase. Relieved to focus on something other than the elegance of the palace, Cassie climbed the stairs with three boxes in hand, careful to keep them flat and so she focused on her steps. They took the left stair and wove through enough beautiful halls for Cassie to be certain she would not find her way back unaided.

The older man didn’t seem to be very talkative, and Cassie was more concerned with her intention than conversation, so was happy to let him maintain that silence. She registered light footsteps approaching and was grinning well before Emily sped into view.

“Cassie!” she called before she pulled up in front of her.

“Hey, Emily.” She smiled, but Emily’s attention was already on the boxes. “Hungry?”

Emily nodded enthusiastically. “You brought dinner?”

“I absolutely did.” She started forward again, glancing at the older man, who couldn’t suppress a smile at the excitement of the nine year old. Emily led them along the halls until Liam came into sight. He leant against the frame of an open door, arms folded over his chest with a small, tired smile.

“You can move now, dad!” Emily grinned, bouncing around them, then passing her father through the open door.

“Thanks, Panda.” Liam straightened. “It’s good to see you,” he said to Cassie, retrieving the bag from the other man before dismissing him. His voice was completely altered from the conference that morning. More natural, no strain.

“I hope you like pizza and ice cream,” Cassie said, lifting the boxes. Liam smiled, raising his free hand for her to enter before him.

This room was not so overtly grand, but even in its warmth couldn’t disguise the elegant fittings or rich furnishings. Emily was already pushing piles of things aside on a low table before a long couch.

“We were doing a puzzle,” she announced as Liam closed the door. “Dad is terrible at puzzles. Can you help?”

“Of course.” Cassie set down the boxes as Liam put down the cooler bag. “Do you have a fridge for that?” She nodded to the bag.

“We do.” Liam nodded, and left the room to one beside the large TV, emerging a minute later with plates and napkins for the three of them and a smirk.

“So sophisticated,” Cassie said, grinning. Liam shook his head as he joined them. Emily already had a huge slice in her hands, mouth full of pizza and sauce on her face.

“Comes with the territory.” His eyes fell on Emily, who was pointedly not looking at him, and he added, “most of the time.” Cassie laughed, then slid the open box toward him.

After a short discussion between Liam and Emily, a movie was chosen, and they fell back on the couch to watch it. Liam turned to Cassie as Emily’s attention was absorbed by the TV and food.

“Thank you,” he said gently. Not wanting to send the wrong message, despite their proximity, Cassie refrained from any contact in response, instead nodding.

“Any opportunity for pizza and a movie.”

Liam’s eyes crinkled as he glanced at Emily, engrossed by the animated movie. He sighed. “I’m still grateful.”

“I know.”

The three of them fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the movie, with Liam and Cassie exchanging the occasional smirk at the jokes written for adults. This was easy, Cassie reflected, even relaxing, and it didn’t take long to quiet the awe at her surroundings.

When the movie ended and the puzzle was half done, Emily started drifting off, and Liam encouraged her to go to bed, leaving several minutes later to say good night. Cassie piled the empty ice cream bowls and remaining pizza out of the way and curled up on the couch, closing her eyes and way too comfortable to move.

“I thought she would be up all night,” Cassie said when she heard Liam coming back. She opened her eyes when he collapsed on the couch as well.

“Hit a wall.” He smiled, and the room was quiet again. After a while, Liam spoke again.

“Thank you for coming tonight,” he said. “I really needed this.”

“That was clear enough from the TV.” Cassie turned her body to face him. “That question caught you off-guard.”

“Not off-guard, exactly.” Liam pressed his palms briefly against his eyes. “It’s not the first time, but it never gets easier. I don’t have much control over what they speculate on, but this was the one thing I hoped to…” He sighed. “It’s not fair on her. As for the rest of it…”

His expression darkened, but he didn’t continue, and Cassie’s curiosity won out. “The rest of it?”

“I had a difficult choice to make,” he paused, then the tension released. “But I found another option. It’s dealt with.”

“Good.” Cassie answered, hoping that was the correct response. She hugged herself tighter. “I wished there was something I could do to help.” As fruitless as it was to try control the media.

Liam turned to her. “Cassie, you are already doing so much. This…” he gestured to the low table, with the remnants of their dinner. “This is perfect.”

“Whenever I was a kid, and I was upset or hurt myself,” Cassie explained, “my mother would bring pizza and ice cream, and we’d watch a movie together. It worked every time.”

“That’s a good tradition.” Liam folded his arms across his chest and stared at the ceiling. “Does she live in the capital?”

“In Portavira. Where I’m from.” Cassie felt herself drifting off, and blinked back. “So you’re going to Spain next week?”

“For a few days, yes. If it was much longer I probably would have asked Emily if she wanted to come, but as it is I’ll have a full schedule and wouldn’t have much time free.”

Cassie bit her lip, wondering whether they were close enough for this, then asked anyway. “Did you want me to keep her company?”

Liam frowned, focusing on Cassie again. “Would you mind? Just for a while during the days. She loves spending time with you.”

Cassie beamed. “I would love to. I can bring her to my studio, and show her a few more things than those easels we used the other day.”

Liam reached out and squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”

A little taken aback by the contact, but not discomforted, Cassie only smiled, and drew back after a moment. If Liam suspected it was a wrong move, he didn’t show it.

The two talked for a while after that, about nothing profound, and eventually Cassie departed, with a plan for the following week and a shot of coffee to keep her alert on the drive home

Cassandra

“Alright, Em. Show me what you’ve got.”

Cassie sat cross-legged on the floor of her studio apartment, drenched in the sunlight that flowed through the window. Beside her was a limerick and two rough verses quickly written on lined paper. Emily sat in front of her, similarly in the light. She knelt, frowning, pencil between her teeth as she stared at the lined page she held. They had been sitting with the exercise for about half an hour, after talking about limericks over lunch when Emily arrived.

“I don’t think I like it.” Emily glanced from her poem to Cassie’s. “It doesn’t rhyme properly.”

“Every word you write is practise. You’ve improved your writing by writing that poem. That means it can’t be bad.” Cassie grinned, then softened. “You don’t have to, but would you like to show me?”

Emily seemed to deliberate for a moment, then handed it over. She sat back and pulled her knees to her chest as she waited for Cassie’s response.

“Thank you,” Cassie smiled, then turned her attention to the page, keenly aware of Emily’s focus on her, and read the words:

There wasn’t much things in the room I can’t see outside or the moon I think I saw mom She was crying then And she never came back from the room

Cassie looked up at the young girl, who seemed to be trying to make herself as small as possible, and met her frightened, tear filled eyes. For a moment she couldn’t think of what to say. A lump rose in her throat, but there was a vulnerable child in front of her, who needed her. Her own reaction could wait.

“Is this…” Cassie cleared her throat. “Emily, is this one of your memories?”

Emily didn’t confirm it, but didn’t deny it either. Cassie put down the poem and moved onto her knees, reaching her arms forward.

“Come here, Em.” She smiled, swallowing the lump. After some hesitation, Emily rocked forward and approached her, and Cassie wrapped her arms around her. For a while she just rubbed the girl’s back gently, holding her securely and drawing in long, even breaths. Emily’s small hands balled the fabric at the back of Cassie’s shirt.

“That was very brave,” she said softly, stroking Emily’s hair. “Showing me your poem. You’re very brave.”

Still the girl said nothing, but Cassie registered the growing dampness on her shirt where Emily’s face pressed against her chest.

“Please don’t tell dad.” The girl whispered. Cassie frowned.

“Are you sure? He would want to know.”

Emily shook her head. “He’s too busy, and he gets sad when he remembers.”

One Year Ago

Cassie threw her bag on the back seat and slammed the door, jumping into the front passenger seat a second later and dramatically putting on her sunglasses.

“Gods Cass, is driving really that terrible?”

“Pfft,” Cassie turned to Lucy and shrugged, lowering her sunglasses to peer over the top of them. “If it was terrible, I probably wouldn’t have got us all the way to Portavira and half the way back.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, smirking and strapping herself in on the drivers seat. “Fair enough. Would the lady like to decide on the soundtrack?”

“Oh generous one, I would be honoured.” Cassie fiddled with the radio and turned the volume dial up as Lucy pointedly checked the mirrors and adjusted the seat, then pulled out of the small car park alongside the spectacular ocean view and started back toward the city.

“Can’t fault your choice,” Lucy said as she moved her shoulders in time with the music.

They chatted and sung most of the journey back to the capital. Cassie expressed her excitement at the full sketchbook in her pack, and Lucy teased her about extending their journey over an hour to draw a tree.

It was peak traffic when they got back to the city, and the journey had been long enough that their conversation wasn’t so lively. The music had been turned down, the trees had thinned, and the buildings rose around them. Cassandra sighed, closing her eyes as they reached an intersection, just too late to squeeze across before the red light.

“Gonna have energy to come out tomorrow night?” Lucy asked as they pulled up.

“You know I—”

A screech of braking tyres cut her off and the car jerked forward. The dash flew at her, Cassie’s seatbelt strained, and they were no longer behind the light

---

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#choices trr #choices the royal romance #trr fandom #trr fanfic #king liam and mc #king liam #drake walker #we are our own heroes #liam rys #liam and cassie #our own heroes #trr fanfiction

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smilingformoney · 6 years

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Endless Summer 2 Diamond Scene: Get Grace’s Idol

You and your friends jog after the Vaanti warrior until you see him stop. He looks around for anyone watching, unable to see that you’re right beside him through the interdimensional veil. Paluan: No one else knows about this alcove… It will have to do. He brushes aside a layer of moss and vines to open a small hole in the tree’s bark… and stashes the idol inside before running off. Grace reaches for the idol. As her hand approaches, time warps around her… and reveals a solid sheet of bark. Grace: Wha… In the present, the opening must’ve grown over! The idol’s trapped! You: Grace, we were just walking through walls! You can still reach inside! Tentatively, Grace reaches forward. Her hand disappears into the tree… and emerges holding the idol! Grace: Look! I got it! She hands you the idol, and the moment it’s touching the both of you…

In a flash, you find yourself in a classroom at Hartfeld. Professor Diaz adjourns the biology class, and Grace hurriedly packs her things. Grace: (I’ve got just three minutes to get to Econ 203!) Grace: (Then T.A. office hours for Quantum Mechanics… before I have to meet with my group for our engineering project! Oh, I hope I make it!) She gets up and rushes for the end of the row, when-- Aleister: Oof! She bumps straight into Aleister! Grace: I’m so sorry! Aleister: It’s… All is forgiven. I just wanted to, ahem… Aleister: Here. You dropped this. He hands her a pen engraved with the name ‘Grace Tamara Hall.’ Grace: My pen! You found it! I lost this weeks ago! Aleister: Hrrm. Right. I just found it now. I wasn’t… holding onto it for the right moment or something preposterous like that. Aleister: What I mean to say is, you should keep better track of your things! Grace: I will! Thanks! Gotta go! Aleister: Oh, I-- Very well then. Grace is darting down the staircase when she sees a crowd gathering around the front of the room. Raj: Diaz graded our papers! Come get ‘em! Grace wriggles through the crowd and takes hers. She looks at the red markings circled on the front page. Paper: ‘B plus. I know you can do better than this!’ Grace: (B plus? It can’t be… I--) Sean: How’d you do, Grace? An A as usual, I guess? Grace stuffs her paper in her bag before Sean can see. Grace: Heh… Sorry, can’t chat! Gonna be late for Econ! Sean: Man, what I’d give for you 4.0. Congrats.

Grace hurries out of the classroom and rushes across the empty quad. Her professor’s words echo in her head. I know you can do better than this! Grace: (What am I gonna tell my mom? I should just be honest, right?) Grace: (She has to accept that I’m not perfect! That I’m never gonna be her!) Grace: (That I’m never gonna take over the company! That I’m a…disappointment!) Hot tears flood her eyes, blinding her. She squeezes her fists, fingernails digging into her palms. Then she sees it… Professor Diaz’s car, a modest sedan resting in the parking lot. Grace: … Grace drops her bag and picks up a temporary signpost from a nearby construction zone. She smashes it into the hood of Diaz’s car! Grace: You know I can do better? You know I can do better?! She mashes the trunk… the sideview mirror… the door panels… Grace: Well, I can’t okay?! Grace: I can’t do any better! Aaaah! She throws the signpost. It punctures the windshield, shattering the glass. The noise snaps Grace out of it. Grace: Oh my god… oh no, no, no, what have I done?! Grace: I have to turn myself in! Grace: But then what will my mom say? She’ll… she’ll… Grace feels her hand scoop up her bag. She feels her legs take off at full sprint. Grace: Hff… hff… She runs. She doesn’t know where to. She doesn’t know how far. She just runs.

The next day, Grace is sitting in the library, studying. But all she can think about is what she did yesterday. Grace: … She can hear whispers nearby. Craig: Yo, Zahra, did you hear someone totally whaled on Professor D.’s ride? Was it you? Zahra: Pfft. I wish. They don’t know who it was yet? Someone taps Grace’s shoulder. Michelle: Hey, Grace? There are a couple cops here. They wanna talk to you. Grace: Huh? Michelle: Yeah. What do they want? Did you see who banged up Professor Diaz’s car? Grace: …Yeah. I guess I did. Grace walks toward the pair of police officers. One of them holds something small and silver. An engraved pen. Written on the side… ‘Grace Tamara Hall.’

Yet again, you’re hurled through time and space… Suddenly, you’re on a ledge overlooking the magma chamber of Mount Atropo! Lila: Grace, hurry! Michelle: Come on, what are you waiting for? You said you could do it! Grace: I can! At least… I think I… Grace delicately explores the wiring of a small electronic box. On one side, a red LCD timer counts down. 0:00:58… 0:00:57… Craig: If you don’t hurry up, Rourke’s bomb is gonna kill us all! Aleister: Heavens, will you all shut up? Grace can do anything! She’ll get us out of this! Grace: I-- Sean: you can do this, Grace. I know you can do this. Grace: I can’t, okay?! I can’t do it! I can’t be what you want me to be! Aleister: Grace, we did not mean to-- Grace: I can’t do better! Grace picks up a rock and smashes the bomb, over and over! Sean: Grace, stop! Grace: I! …Can’t! …Do! …Better!-- She bashes the device one more time. The bomb clicks. The display skips to 0:00:00. Grace: Oops-- BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The world whites out… When the blinding light fades, you find yourself looking into Grace’s eyes. Grace: We found another one, Taylor! Isn’t that wonderful? IDOL DISCOVERED

#playchoices #choices stories you play #choices es #choices endless summer #endless summer

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shannrussell-blog1 · 5 years

Photo

Our trip was planned as a three day, two-night hike through Kosciuszko National Park, taking in the major peaks and incorporating some cross-country walking.

Accessing the park

Access to this section of the park is via Kosciuszko Road near Jindabyne, through the main entrance gates (NSW parks pass required) and on a partly dirt road to Guthega ski resort. The area is covered in good detail by Rooftop’s 1:50,000 Jindabyne-Khancoban map.

This hut lies near a suspension bridge over the Snowy River, where the marked trail finished and we continued northwest toward Mt Townsend.

When to hike and leaving no trace

Summer seems to be a very popular time for visiting the park. We were usually in the vicinity of several other parties camping on the Main Range Circuit from the trailhead at Charlotte’s Pass. ‘Leave No Trace’ camping is mostly permitted, except for within the catchments of lakes on the Main Range.

Collecting water and what clothing to bring

Water may be available from remaining snow, but it’s best not to collect it from the lakes as they can be polluted. As in all alpine areas, the weather can change rapidly at any time of year, which we had the delight of experiencing, so suitable clothing is necessary and always carry a raincoat.

A fine view to the west over Blue Lake and the Kosciuszko Main Range. Note the patchy snow remains even in mid-summer.

Day 1

We parked the vehicle at Guthega ski resort and began walking after packing the rucksacks and eating a light lunch. There is a signposted and well-formed track to Illawong Hut (private), and we passed a few families doing the 5km return day-walk on our way in.

The weather was hot, sticky and overcast as we reached the Illawong suspension bridge over the Snowy River. Here we spotted our navigational landmark of Little Twynham and began moving cross country and steeply uphill towards it.

The track began in dense heath, which soon cleared to grass meadows with stands of snow gums, and was then replaced by open walking above the tree-line through scattered rock and alpine flowers. Frequent breaks to apply sunscreen and drink a mug of ‘Salvital’ were appreciated by all.

Water from melting snow still runs into Blue Lake in summer.

Making camp for the night

After reaching the heathy spur of Little Twynham, we continued up the valley and made camp on the northern side of the saddle between Little and Mount Twynham, with views to Guthega and the Jungagul wilderness to the north. The annoying, biting horseflies that followed us on the way up had disappeared by the late afternoon so except for the occasional mosquito, the bugs left us alone.

That evening we ascended Mt Twynham and met a group attempting to summit the ten highest peaks in Australia, Mt Twynhm being the 3rd highest. In the valley below there were streams and waterfalls aplenty, with water melting from snow still remaining after winter. We collected some from a large pocket of snow above our campsite and boiled cups of tea and noodles for dinner.

The wind became blustery overnight, channelled between the two peaks either side of us, and was strong enough to make us glad we’d bothered to put the guy ropes out earlier. The soft alpine grass provided for a pleasant sleep but was sharp and spiky if you brushed it at the wrong angle, and would have the potential to claim an unprotected sleeping mat.

The beginning of the Main Range Track from Charlotte’s Pass.

Day 2

The day was beautifully clear, so we packed the tents early and moved over to the western side of the saddle to eat breakfast and watch the morning sunlight over Blue Lake. To meet up with the Main Range Circuit required a descent to the lake, so we chose a route via the north-western slopes that took us across a slippery patch of snow and several small creeks existing from the snowmelt.

On arriving at the Blue Lake lookout it started to rain heavily, a sudden contrast from the bluebird skies earlier. As the raincoats and pack covers came out, we spotted some rock climbers bailing from a rock face above the lake. We walked uphill to join the Main Range Circuit and travel clockwise toward Charlotte’s Pass.

Seaman’s Hut on the Main Range Track was built in 1929 by the parents of Laurie Seaman, who died in a blizzard while summitting Mt Kosciuszko.

Stopping for a swim in the Snowy River

There were plenty of people despite the inclement weather, and the track undulated gently down to the Snowy River, where we stopped for a quick, icy swim and to change socks before ascending the steep hillside and reaching the busy trailhead. I ate avocado wraps with peanut butter for lunch while the others boiled noodles, and a mug of fortifying ‘Salvital’ was shared around in an attempt to ward off any light-headedness from the heat and heavy rucksacks.

After lunch we re-joined the track to Mt Kosciuszko, a veritable highway bustling with hikers and cyclists (who occasionally just rode straight at you, kamikaze style) and the weather cooled off which made for pleasant walking. Our four-person party split into pairs: the quicker pushing on for around six kilometres to Seaman’s Hut at 2030m, where we rested and waited for the other two.

Continuing north along the Main Range circuit, Muellers Peak in the background.

Continuing towards Muellers Peak

By now it was 3 pm, and most day hikers were returning from the summit of Mt Kosciuszko. We got to the top around 4 pm, took a photo as proof, and then continued on the northern leg of the circuit toward Muellers Peak. Being a popular time of year, there were three other parties camping down in the valley to the east at the foot of Mt Northcote.

We put up our tents near a protected rockface close to the track, as strong winds were forecast for the following day, and made dinner and cups of tea. Just before sunset, we trekked over to Lake Albina to watch the terrific colours on the clouds and wondered how steeply the land dropped down to the Lady Northcote Gorge on the other side, which we, unfortunately, didn’t have time to explore before dark.

View of the sunset over Lake Albina.

Day 3

The morning was beautiful with bright sunshine and light cloud, although skies were grey and stormy on the horizon. From our camp, we backtracked along the circuit to find the foot pad to Mt Townsend and dropped the packs there. The great mass of Mt Kosciuszko to the south provided some protection from the incoming weather, and the swathes of alpine grass rippled like a khaki ocean as the wind gusted over.

It took about forty minutes followed by a short rock scramble to reach the summit of Mt Townsend, with views far surpassing those from Mt Kosciuszko. We withstood the wind as long as necessary to absorb the view and snap a photo with the surveyor’s cairn, and then returned to our packs and continued along the circuit, passing high above Lake Albina and over Carruthers Peak.

By morning the wind had picked up, but we were walking protected in the lee of Mt Kosciuszko.

We were now walking along the exposed ridgeline with nothing to break the wind, which was now quite incredible and gusting to 80km/hr, as we later found out. Recent track construction was evident with bags of paving stones carried in by helicopter to combat erosion problems which have been occurring since the 80s on this section of the circuit.

Making our way to the top of Mt Twynham

There was a signposted turnoff to Mt Twynham which we took and followed an old vehicular track most of the way to the top. Some walkers warned us of a snake up ahead which put a bit more skip in our step, but we passed the ominous spot and never saw it. As we rested out of the wind behind some rocks near the top of Mt Twynham, one of our group observed some grave-looking clouds on the horizon and faint crashes of thunder. Raincoats were donned and we decided to keep going and hoped that the storm would pass to the west of us.

Traversing the slopes of Muellers Peak toward Mt Townsend, the storm can be seen brewing to the left.

After making a rapid descent to the saddle between Mt Twynham and Little Twynham, some thunder cracked very close by, and we dived even quicker into the valley below to shelter below the waterfall. A downpour was imminent as we desperately set up the tents, leaving all the gear in one and piling into the other to play cards and wait out the storm, which was passing directly overhead as rain hammered down on top of us.

Summit Cairn and the view from the top of Mt Townsend.

Changing our plans according to the conditions

Our plan before the storm had been to continue along the ridgeline to the north east, camping another night and returning via Schlink Pass to Guthega. However, it was New Year’s Eve and according to the weather radar (there was mobile coverage almost everywhere up high) there was a larger storm coming later in the evening.

The group consensus was firmly against spending the New Year in soggy sleeping bags, so we packed the tents during a break in the rain and bailed once the last of the lightning had passed.

The storm was moving rapidly as we bailed off the Main Range to the car. The ski slopes of Guthega are visible in the background to the right.

The damp ground saturated our boots and socks as we jogged down the spur, the humidity feeling strange to breathe after the fresh, cool air of the higher mountains. We reached the Illawong suspension bridge as a curtain of rain washed through the valley, and then pushed the final 2.5kms back to the car at Guthega, where we arrived exhausted but satisfied of our slightly shortened, yet successful trip.

Do you plan on taking in the sights of Kosciuszko National Park?

The post Hiking the Kosciuszko Main Range appeared first on Snowys Blog.

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morewritingforourcharacters · 5 years

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The worst game of Crazy Taxi

The entire city had been flipped upside down and scattered Flynn’s entire family like mice in a flood- all because of one woman. Jillian.

Flynn’s fingers gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles as the old beat up taxi careened down the rainy streets with its usual abandon. The cab was emptied some minutes ago of Toby and his ragtag crew- now he was left with nothing to hold him back from his daredevil coarse. The obstacles served as only minor inconveniences as he swiveled and swerved, compelled entirely by panic and fury. He yelled insane, nonsensical curses at passersby’s and hapless victims of this tiny apocalypse for having the audacity to slow him down by fractions of seconds. His deepest regret now was that he could go no faster; he had always driven as if his very life was on the line- and now that something more precious than his life was actually in possible danger… He found it impossible to be more reckless than he had already been. His panic was caused by Something peculiar that had ticked in his mind. After he had escaped the scrambling hordes with his allies- the fear ebbed away into a deep sense of dread- it left him with one burning question: Where was his Daughter? He had known for a while that there was something funny going on with the crime syndicates around here, that his daughter was apart of it- and that his other children were pitted firmly in the rival gang. He knew that it was because of Jillian and Carter that some strange happening gripped the town- something that was causing everyone to lose their minds… And he knew from the recent radio broadcasts that his daughter was not only wanted… But she was alone. Carter- had left her alone to make the announcement that stopped the calamity in its tracks. But his daughter was in still peril- he just knew it. Perhaps it was his usual paternal paranoia, but something about this all fit together with alarming clarity. The girl was with Jillian- and something was going to happen to her… Or both of them. His daughter had a vicious spirit in her that he had never seen until recently, and he was afraid of how she would wield it now that she was alone and broken. He had already gone to the acting studio and found it destitute and abandoned- now he was speeding to the only other place he assumed her to be- Jillian's home. He knew where it was, he had taken note of it once Aghaveagh had started going there regularly. It was across the town park- a great sprawling mass of pointless nature scenery. When his Mad taxi came upon this great useless expanse of wet grass, he hardly gave a second thought to jumping the curb and driving straight through it. Flynn didn’t slow down for anything. He barreled down bushes, flowerbeds and signposts as he went. He weaved around benches and the occasional over-large tree, and the conspicuously deep lake that would swallow his car whole if he wasn’t careful to avoid it. However, he met his match when he mounted a hill and had not foreseen the appearance of a large, sturdy tree stump stickin several feet up from the ground. The taxi skidded dangerously across the rain slicked grass as he took too sharp a turn over the central park green, Flynn grunted furiously as his arms worked the wheel and tried to straighten out, eyes wildly flicking between an oncoming stump in his passenger window and the path towards Jillian’s ill-gotten mansion.

Flynn knew it was too late before the car impacted with the tree and he cursed himself for his carelessness. He tried to brace himself against the drivers door, but as soon as the car hit the tree, his thin body was thrown across the seat. The Irishman blinked in a daze for only a moment before he pulled himself back up and looked at the damage, letting out a string of furious exclamations. He punched the gas down to the floor and listened as the wheels spun and the engine strained under his unrelenting foot- eventually the cloud of exhaust clouding around the car informed him that he wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon. The Irishman scrambled out of his car, immediately tripping up in the rain and falling to the mud under quaking legs. But a grunt and a growl saw him back up and he ran across the other side to see if he could push it out. The back tires were sunk in a good two inches and the passenger side was concave against the unperturbed tree. The old man swore loudly and immediately started looking for another solution.

For lack of any answers, Flynn just started running. His old worn shoes sunk into the mud with each pounding step, thoughts racing about how his foolishness would cost him his daughter's life. He chastised himself for letting things go this far, for not being attentive enough- for pushing her away and letting her fall with no one there to catch her. How could he be so callous when he loved her so very much? What sort of father would let their child do this to themselves? These thoughts plagued his mind as his old body made it apparent that it wouldn’t take these rigors for any length of time. It would take too long to get there, and each moment seemed like it ticked down on some timer with an unknown end. He reached the sidewalk on the far end of the park, heaving and halfway keeled over against a telephone pole. Desperately he looked around at the scene of destruction that was the once peaceful avery street- cars were scattered across the road, boards closed off doors and windows of places that weren’t left entirely ajar or broken down, the occasional wanderer was running through the streets, but otherwise… all was disturbingly quiet. That's when Flynn spotted the only car with someone still in it. The old man swallowed down his gulping breaths and jogged over to the occupied car, tapping frantically on the window as he approached. “Ey! Ey- I need your car, I need-” Flynn’s voice dropped off as he peered through the misted windows- the man inside was flopped over on his steering wheel, clearly unconscious- or dead. Flynn bit his lip- But his haste overcame his usual caution and pulled the door open, dismissing his nagging conscience. If the man was unconscious, he would need to be driven- if he was dead, he didn’t need the car anymore. That was good enough reasoning for now. Flynn checked the man's pulse, then roughly shoved him over to the passenger side. “Sorry, I’ll take care of you later.” The irishman grunted as he turned the key and clenched his teeth. The car struggled to start, but a few sputtering attempts got the engine fo finally roared to life- immediately the old man threw the car in reverse and spun it around, escaping the tangle of cars by driving over the sidewalk with little care for anyone who might be coming out of an alleyway onto it. It was a straight shot to Jillian's, and Flynn's mouth felt dry for the cusping anticipation. He couldn't be sure if she was there at all- and if she wasn’t, he wouldn’t know where to go next. But he had all his hopes in this one attempt- and he had to believe it was the right choice. The stolen car turned the corner that lead onto Pearl avenue and immediately blanched from the sight. The home that belonged to jillian had black smoke billowing out of its grand halls. Whatever madness had compelled him to that point had nothing on the spirit that gripped Flynn now. Without any regard for his or anyone else's life, he punched the gas for a second time that day, caring nothing for the iron gate that separates him from the burning home. He knew it was to do with Aghaveagh- he just knew it. As the gate go closer and closer, Flynn’s resolve only hardened, he only rolled his shoulders up to prepare for the impact. CRASH! Flynn was stunned for a moment as the car jolted, the sound of glass crashing and iron breaking deafening to his ears. But his car still flew forward, swerving and spinning into the courtyard. Flynn hit the breaks and ground his teeth as the car screeched across the courtyard. The stairway up to the front door was closing in- the man threw the wheel around and the car's momentum kept it sliding in the same direction. The car slowed and hit the stair with a rough but manageable thud. Flynns shaking hands found the door handle and he tumbled out of the car, writhing against the ground with shock. He looked back up towards the gate to see its twisted iron remains, then at the long black marks from his tires. They swirled across the courtyard madly, and smoke poured out from under the hood of the dented hunk of metal that was only vaguely shaped like a car. Flynn swallowed hard and ignored the cuts from the broken glass that had grazed his hands and face, trying to regain his senses as his old bones struggled up to face the door. He could smell the fire from here. He spared no more time on recovery, anxiously pulling the door open and running inside. It was difficult to tell where to go in the opulent hallways, but the trail of smoke was like a wicked spirit in this maze and he followed its ominous thickness until he could see fire eagerly lapping up strange wet stains on the carpet. Grimacing and choking, Flynn pulled his shirt collar over his face and stepped around the flames as best he could- is sense of dread only increasing with the rising heat. “AGHAVEAGH!” he shouted through coughs, trying to see through the opaque smoke. Then his heart skipped when he saw at the end of the hall a room almost completely engulfed. That's where it started… That… He found himself running again, wincing as the flames filled the entire space with incredible heat. He stopped just short of the door and squinted inside, trying to see if anyone was in there- hoping that his intuition was wrong. “BOBBIN!” He yelled, spotting the blood chilling form of his daughter in the center of a lake of fire, her island quickly being eaten up by starving flames. Any man would be intimidated- But Flynn had already braved everything else, Fire was no more a deterrent than anything else. Nothing would keep him from her in this moment- even if it meant the death of them both. With a spryness he never would have thought possible for himself Flynn sprinted headlong into the fiery room, his coat over his face as he pelted toward the girl. He reached out as he got closer and pulled her up into his arms, then just kept running. He practically threw his body out of the flaming room, feeling every bone in his body creak and scrape as their forms tumbled clumsily out across the floor. Flynn wasn’t down long before his adrenaline fueled concern ushered him to check the girl over- and himself. He immediately beat off some embers from his charred pant legs and flames that caught his coat sleeves, then looked the girl over- Lord help them, she looked rough… She looked… His mind barely touched the idea that she might be dead- the wellspring of emotions that would come with that idea stymied only when the loud popping of the fire reminded him of their dire situation… He couldn’t stop yet, as much as his old body cried for some relief, he couldn’t succumb until they were out of here.

He struggled to his feet, arms under Aghaveagh’s to drag her along as best he could- looking for a way out of this labyrinthian deathtrap. The hallway was quickly filling with choking smoke and heat- he had no real hope of finding a way out when he was half delirious, eyes bleary with tears from the black clouds and persisting fear. But light poured into the hazy gloom, the illumination of a means of escape. Flynn wasted no time in approaching the window, peering out only briefly to be sure of what was on the other side. He awkwardly held aghaveagh with one arm and he pushed the window open, releif almost immediate as the fresh air rushed in. However- he realized his other problem: getting Aghaveagh out. Flynn let out a noise of exasperation as he looked back down the firey hallway- he didn’t have long to figure this out- but surely he couldn’t shover her through and drop her on her head. “Hey!” A voice from outside shouted, reaching him from what sounded like a mid distance. Flynn’s breath hitched as his head swiveled around to meet the voice- it was that young man. Jillian’s son- what was his name? “Help me! I’m gonna push the girl through, you help her out.” Flynn bellowed. He had little choice at this point but just to trust the young man to help him- Richard was approaching at a running pace, looking both horrified and confused. “What- Aghaveagh? Where is my mother?” He tried to ask through puffs of breath, looking between the broken window and the burning building with increasing alarm. Flynn cared nothing for the young man’s confusion and was already laying his jacket down on the window sill to help slide her out, one eye always on the encroaching fire.

“Don’t ask me questions, boy- here she comes!” Flynn said with wheezing coughs, his head fogging from the fumes. He picked his girl up and slid her out legs first as gently as he could, Richard obligingly helping the girl down. Flynn struggled to climb out himself, but eventually tumbled out onto the grass, holding his burning throat and coughing harshly as he struggled on the ground. “G-give her here, here- to me.” The man insisted as soon as he could get to his feet, gesturing for Richard to put her down. His voice was weaker and gruffer from the smoke, but his eyes were alive with emotions as he looked on his Daughter’s broken body. He needed to get her home… But the man did not relent. He was assessing intently at aghaveagh, a peculiar expression on his face. “She’s been shot, you know. You both need the hospital.” Though Richard said this rather nonchalantly, Flynn choked on this news, struggling to staggering over to richard to clutch at aghaveagh. His face twisted up into some awful sorrow, his rough hands coming up to touch Aghaveagh’s ghostly pale cheek as she lay limp in Richard’s arms like some dead thing. “Shot? Shot… How did this happen- WHAT HAPPENED-” His sorrow turned to fury as his voiced raised to a yell- though any further exclamations were stopped by another fit of coughs. Richard frowned and nodded at his own car, which sat gleaming in the orange firelight.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t there… But I’ll take you-” “No, no-” Flynn spat immediately, pointing a warning finger at Richard’s face and tugging at the girl’s charred blouse. “You aren’t taken nobody anyplace. Give her over- or be halfway decent and bring her to my car. We’ll not be dealing with you and yours any longer.” Flynn said with such hot fury behind his voice that it wouldn’t have seemed he had been through a gauntlet at all. Richard furrowed his brow at the half destroyed wreck that was Flynn’s car- then back at the half destroyed wreck that was flynn. “Well…” Richard started slowly, holding the girl as if he could read well in Flynn’s exhaustion that he wouldn’t be able to carry aghaveagh anywhere. “If you’re still running, then maybe the car will too.” Richard did not argue after his last cheeky quip and only helped Aghaveagh into the front seat of the vehicle, only raising his eyebrows as Flynn ruthlessly rolled the other unconscious person onto the floor of the passenger seat, insisting the girl be lain down next to himself. He started the car as Richard leaned aghaveagh up against the seat back. Flynn regarded the younger man with a dark look- and before the young thug could say anything, he pushed the pedal into the floor and was off with a rattling start, the door slamming shut from the speed. --- They had barely made it to the hospital in one piece- and when they did, Flynn had to push his way to the front yelling about gunshot wounds and fire damage to get attention amid a myriad of other victims of various troubles caused by the recent events.

But in the hands of the nurses and doctors, there was nothing his loud voice or rude slurs could do to let him see his daughter before they had patched up his bleeding cuts and searing burns.

There was only one thing on his mind as he pulled and persisted with the caregivers, and it wasn’t his own pain- he needed to be there when Aghaveagh opened her eyes. Who knew how she’d feel when she woke up- especially alone… Afraid? Of course she’d be afraid- she had been shot! Bloody shot! Each time his mind returned to her broken, pale, bleeding image he felt like a wild thing gone mad with worry. His wee girl- his precious Bobbin… Hurt by so many people. The same question ran circles in his mind. How could he let this happen? How could he? They finished with him eventually- but Flynn’s agitation was so great that they couldn’t withhold him from overexerting himself on his way to the ward where they had treating Aghaveagh. It felt like it had been hours- and maybe it had, he felt winded when he finally stepped through the doorway and into the room. Rows of people on medical beds- but only the shock of fire red caught his eye. Adrenaline at the sight of his girl put power back in his legs and he practically jogged over in spite of the searing aches. She was on the end, looking listlessly out the window- her cheeks flushed and eyes turned away. Flynn found his mouth gaping open wordlessly, closing the gap between then and clasping one of her limp hands in both his own. At first she moved slowly- eyes drifting like a series of still frame pictures taken one after the other. Then a snap. “Papa-” To Flynn’s own surprise, the girl seemed to try to recoil from him- but he held her hand fast and wouldn’t let it retreat.

“Bobbin… Girl…” He rumbled quietly in his coarse tone, eyes traveling with a hectic haste over her. He could think of nothing to say in this moment of strange, anguished reunion. Aghaveagh, for her part, looked at if her mind was doing mad backflips trying to comprehend the situation and how to respond to it. She could barely remember what happened to her or why she was here- and now her Papa stood next to her in a hospital, covered head to toe in soot and bruises. “What happened-- It’s not- Papa… I’m-” But before she could say anything else, one of Flynn’s hands pressed against her stuttering lips to silence her. His eyes bore into hers, so like his own- now both filled with the bitten back tears of regret.

“No, child. No. I’m sorry.” He spoke in a voice soft as when she was just a little toddling girl, trying to soothe her through the fever of a cold season’s sickness. Aghaveagh seemed to quiver under the weight of the words, too weak to move and too overcome to respond. Flynn moved his aching body to sit on the edge of the bed, gently rubbing her unburned hand with his rough fingers to try and calm her as best he could without jostling her broken body. “I’m so very sorry.” --- They had advised him against leaving- but he had advised them how empty his pockets were- which did a fine job of loosening the doctor’s gilded fists. In truth, Flynn appreciated the concern, but He truly couldn’t afford a doctor’s stay- and more than that… Aghaveagh desperately wanted to go home. A request the old man simply couldn’t deny.

The car he had ‘borrowed’ from the unconscious man was still in working order- though it rattled and shook like an old man on his last leg. Neither of them cared, though- Flynn drove the rattling thing slowly through the shambling streets, Aghaveagh nestled in his lap like she used to do when she was a child. Her watery face was against his soot stained shirt, wild shock of red hair filling the space between his chest and the steering wheel- the occasional fat tear rolling down her cheek as they puttered home in mutual silence. He had told her everything he had done that day. Every hectic moment that brought him to her in the nick of time. She had yet to say anything- and he didn’t press her to. It was only when the Car stopped in front of their little hovel that the girl stirred at all, and when she did it was merely to strain to look at the building with a certain reluctance in her face. “... Papa…” Her voice was small and whispering. “Yes, Bobbin?” “Is everyone… There?” She hesitated a moment, but her lips quivered open again not long after. “-Can we stay here for a bit..?” Flynn inhaled slowly, weariness settling over him suddenly. He unclasped his hands from the steering wheel and found resting places for his hands that wouldn’t prod any healing wounds- one brushed rhythmically over her course bush of hair. He kissed her forehead as he often did, the same swell of paternal affection flooding his chest as it always had, day after day since the day he first held her little form in his arms. “... Aye, Girl. As long as we want.” He sighed and let his eyes sink down to his daughter’s face, watching as he eyelids fluttered closed. “A bit of worry will do that lot good.”

#Fathers #be good #to your daughters #and your cars

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wayneooverton · 5 years

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10 day hikes in New Zealand that are better than Roys Peak

I have a confession to make: When I first moved to New Zealand, I wanted to go to Wanaka specifically for Roy’s Peak.

I had seen the photos on social media of the turquoise blue lake cradling the tiny mounds of islands, surrounded by towering 1000 meter peaks in every direction. It was a scene I had never seen before and I couldn’t wait to climb this mountain and see such a strange place, take in those epic views of Wanaka myself.

How could it be real?

5 of the best day hikes in New Zealand you can’t miss

How long would you wait in line for this photo?

Of course what my naive self didn’t realize was that social media doesn’t show you the line of people walking up the track and the hordes of humans crowding the summit and to be quite frank, the exceedingly boring walk to the top. Sure, I was awestruck but I was also dismayed. I stupidly thought I’d have this quiet corner of the world to myself but I was surrounded by people who surely though the same.

I walked down the monotonous track for the first time, cursing myself for not realizing how busy it’d be and for not doing more research on lesser-known hikes.

Mt. Roy is probably the most popular hikes in New Zealand thanks to Instagram, with hundreds of thousands of people walking up it annually, and lines up to 40 minutes to take “that photo.” You aren’t going to have that walk to yourself, rain or shine, middle of the night or during the day. It’s crowded.

The social media queue pic.twitter.com/hRj6kBXypS

— Lukas Stefanko (@LukasStefanko) November 25, 2018

I get it, it’s hard when you’re traveling, especially when you’re hoping to do lots of hiking in New Zealand. You have so much planning to do already that you don’t really have time to look into all of the best secret spots, because duh, they’re secret for a reason!

But fear not! There are hundreds and hundreds of secret tracks in New Zealand that take a little bit more research but are certainly worth it.

If you’ve dreamed of quiet trails in the New Zealand wilderness, this list is for you. I can’t guarantee you’ll have them all to yourself but you certainly won’t have to line up to take a photo.

These are my top 10 epic hikes that are way better than Roy’s Peak. Enjoy!

9 ways hiking in New Zealand will change your life

*Be sure to check out the Mountain Safety Council’s handy website for helping plan a safe adventure in the New Zealand backcountry, especially how to plan your trip.

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1. Cooks Cove Walkway: East Cape (5.8km return, 2.5 hours easy)

For the history buffs and the coastal lovers, this one is for you! Located in the Tolaga Bay area on the east coast of the North Island, Cooks Cove Walkway takes you nowhere Captain James Cook stopped in 1769 as part of his circumnavigation of New Zealand.

For a relatively easy walk with minimal hill walking, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of coastal bluffs and gives first views of Cooks Cove itself. Information panels alone the way tell the story of Cook and the crew of the Endeavor’s visit to the Cooks Cove (Opoutama), the history of the local iwi Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, and the excavation of an archaeological site first occupied by Māori.

For those warm summer days, you’ll even spot a safe cove to swim in. If you’re planning on doing this track, be aware the track is closed from August 1st – late October.

2. Paneikire Hut: East Cape (5 hours one way, 8.8 km, intermediate)

Another east coast gem, the track to Paneikire Hut is one that can’t be missed. Found on the multi-day track around Lake Waikaremoana (Te Urewera), one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, this hike can easily be done in a day. It’s a strenuous climb up to Paneikire Bluffs but once at the bluffs, the track mellows out and follows an undulating ridgeline before reaching Puketapu Trig and onto Panekire Hut.

In pre-European times, life was determined by the practical demands of an annual cycle of food gathering. Te Urewera nurtured an industrious and resilient people with links to the land. No part of the forest was left unexplored. Hine-pukohu-rangi came from the sky enticing Te Maunga, the mountain, to earth with her. Their child was a mortal being, Tuhoepotiki; his children are the Tuhoe people. Tuhoe are thus children of the supernatural, born of the remote mountain and the drifting mist.

The symbol you see on signs, shelters, and other facilities along the lake track is an interpretation of Hine-pukohu-rangi.

3. The Pinnacles Walk: Coromandel (2.5 – 3 hr one way, 6km, intermediate)

To be fair, this walk is classified as “popular” but compared to the cattle-like lines going up to Roy’s Peak, this hike is still relatively quiet. Found on the lush and dense Coromandel Peninsula, this hike can be done in a day or as an overnight walk. The track follows a historic packhorse route used by the kauri bushman in the 1920s.

The Pinnacles Track starts by climbing a series of steps that were cut into the rocks to make the journey for the bushmen easier as they were logging kauri trees. As you reach the top of the climb, you’ll see the skidded road which were used to pull logs along the skids by teams of bullocks or steam haulers.

As you reach the top of the climb, you’ll be rewarded with 360 views of the this beautiful North Island peninsula including views of a branch of the Tairua River and the rugged volcanic landforms of Tauranikau and the Pinnacles. A short walk down a signposted sidetrack leads you to Dancing Camp Campsite where you might find remains of the Dancing Camp Dma, built in 1921.

If you do plan to stay at the hut, please note bookings are required.

Image via Flickr

Image via Monty Vanderbilt

4. Mount Hikurangi: East Cape (5 – 7 hours one way, 10km, advanced)

Visit the sacred mountain of Ngāti Porou, Mount Hikurangi, the highest non-volcanic mountain in the North Island.

Located in the Raukumara Conservation Area in on the East Coast of the North Island, this advanced tramping track is suitable for this ready for a long day. The track is 7 hours one way but the views of the Raukumara Range make it well worth it. The track is marked until the last 400 meters which require a scramble up loose scree.

Steeped in Maori history, Mount Hikurangi was the first part of the North Island to emerge when Māui pulled it as a giant fish from the ocean. According to these beliefs, his waka, Nukutaimemeha, became stranded on the mountain and lies petrified near the mountain’s summit.

Image via Phillip Capper

5. Lake Peel: Nelson/Tasman (2.5 hours one way, 5km, advanced)

Nestled deep in the Kahurangi National Park lies Lake Peel, a picturesque lake cradled in a verdant basin. For this hike, climb steadily up to Lake Peel ridge before sidling around this stunning alpine lake.

Highlights include views of the Arthur Range and the Cobb Reservoir plus good birdlife and alpine flowers in summer. This track can be completed in a loop for those looking for an intro into multi-day hiking.

Also, one of New Zealand’s rarest birds, the takahē, was just released back into Kahurangi National Park.

Image via Flickr

6. Mt. Stokes Track: Marlborough (4-5 hours return, 7km, advanced)

Far too many people skip out on the fascinating Marlborough Sounds in an effort to get further south in the Alps but those who stick around won’t be disappointed.

The Queen Charlotte track is a must do for many trampers and cyclists but for those looking for a quick day trip with sweeping views of the sounds, be sure to stop at Mt. Stokes. This mountain is named after Captain John Stokes, who charted the entire New Zealand coastline between 1848 and 1851 in the survey ship Acheron, visiting the Sounds in 1849.

This 4-5 hour return hike is recommended for fit trampers who don’t mind steep terrain. Standing at 1,200m, Mt Stokes is the highest point in the Marlborough Sounds.

Image via Daniel Rauber

7. Mount Tuhua Track: West Coast (7 hours return, 7.2km, advanced)

Lake Kaniere is a West Coast gem that can’t be missed.

Hikes up the surrounding mountains give stunning views of the lake, surrounding peaks, and the Tasman Sea. Skip the popular hike to Mount Brown Hut and instead, try for the Mount Tuhua Track.

This track requires an advanced level of hiking and while the track is marked with orange triangles for the entirety of the hike, you should not underestimate the steep terrain.

The track starts off at a gentle gradient through rainforest for about the first kilometer, before starting to climb increasingly steeply. The bush is thick, but there are two viewpoints along the way which look back across Lake Kaniere

Image via Sara Larcome

8. Mount Fox: West Coast (8 hours return, 7.4km return, expert)

When I first traveled through Glacier Country, I was actually mildly disappointed. The very easy walks advertised around Fox and Franz glacier were paved to a viewpoint far away from the glaciers and swarming with people.

The West Coast can be difficult to tackle. The do-able walks are flat and through a valley and the walks with the amazing viewpoints often require a high level of technical skill and mountaineering or glacier experience. For those of you stuck in the middle like me, Mount Fox is a great alternative. It’s certainly a challenging hike but requires no technical equipment of knowledge when attempted in the summer.

Located just 3km south of the Fox Glacier township, this challenging climb is suited for fit, advanced trampers with good navigation skills. Start early in the morning to be on the mountaintop before cloud rolls in obscuring the view. This is a regular event, particularly in the summer months. The rough route climbs steeping up through the bush until 1021 meters where you begin to follow blue and orange markers through the grassland to 1345 meters.

9. Green Lake Track: Fiordland (6.8km or 11 km to hut, 3 – 6 hours one way, advanced)

For those seeking an excellent long day walk, you can’t go wrong with Green Lake in Fiordland.

Skip the crowded Milford bay and taken this quieter track to Green Lake instead. This hike requires a steep hill filled with dense bush before descending to the shores of Green Lake.

For those wanting to continue on, follow the track to Green Lake Hut.

Images via Crystal Brindle

10. Eldrig Peak: Fiordland (4 – 5 hours one way, 4km return, advanced)

Another Fiordland treasure, the hike to Eldrig Peak is difficult but well worth the views for trampers who are up for the challenge.

Start from Borland Road and continue through beech forest then into the tops where you can enjoy unbelievably rugged views of Fiordland.

The Borland Road is unsealed, narrow and steep in places, and subject to slips, washouts, snow, ice, high winds, and fallen trees. It is usually fine for walking, mountain biking, 4WD vehicles and some other vehicles (depending on conditions).

This road is not suitable for campervans. The road may be closed at any time so check with the Fiordland DOC office before attempting this hike.

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