Over the back: trekking in the St James

NZH&P readers Kirsty Mann and Tsarina Dellow share their adventures trekking in the St James Conservation Area

The trampers’ look of surprise when we pulled our carton of perfectly intact fresh eggs from the saddle bag was priceless. Apparently powdered eggs are the norm in the back country, but when we did our menu plan there were some things we just weren’t willing to compromise on! 

A half day’s ride from the South Island’s tranquil Hanmer Springs (where we’re fortunate enough to live) takes you to the gateway of the magical St James Conservation Area. We had been looking forward to this trip for weeks. We took our two riding horses – Awhi and Tara – plus a packhorse, Bella, a St James who had been mustered eight years ago for the famous biennial St James Horse Sale. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have ideas of returning to the wild herd! 

We’d planned our route, gear, and menu carefully, and after packing (and repacking!) we had everything we needed to be safe and self-sufficient in the rugged high country for our four-day adventure ‘over the back’.  And the weather looked pretty good, too!

Day 1: Hanmer Springs   St James Homestead   Fowlers Hut 

We rode from the south west of Hanmer Springs, following the bank of the Chatterton River before picking up the Jacks Pass pack track and plodding our way up the grassy track to the saddle; a climb of approximately 400 vertical metres. The last wee section of the track winds through some shady beech forest which provided a welcoming cool after the warmth of the hill climb. 

After a short stop at Jacks Pass saddle to give the horses a breather and enjoy the view, we remounted and continued down Clarence Valley Road to the historic St James homestead. Originally several smaller runs (including the Stanley Vale and Lake Guyon runs), over time these were amalgamated to form the St James Station. The station was farmed for many years by the Stevenson family, before being purchased by the government in 2008 as part of the tenure review process. The station is now managed as public access land by DOC, giving us 193,230 acres of stunning high country to enjoy. We found a shaded spot under the trees for the horses to graze while we sat on the bank of the Clarence River to have lunch and enjoy the tranquillity of this incredible part of New Zealand. 

In the afternoon we rode along Tophouse Road to reach our first camp site at Fowlers Hut. Although the ride to Fowlers Hut doesn’t offer much in terms of adventure (and we could have floated the horses there), the steady plod allowed a good opportunity for us all to settle in to trekking mode and prepare for the more challenging days that lay ahead. 

Tsarina and Tara leading the way up Fowler’s Pass

Day 2: Fowlers Hut Stanley Vale + side trip to Lake Guyon 

After a warming breakfast, we tacked up and headed out of camp. The ascent of Fowlers Pass started immediately and the horses dug in, settling into a steady pace as we climbed up through the alpine flora into the mist. The track was well worn but the orange marker poles were welcome confirmation that we were heading the right way. 

Our adventure was well and truly underway, and once we were up and over the pass (1296 m) we put our trust in the horses to help us descend safely. We crossed some short but steep patches of scree and traversed them without any trouble, picking our way down into beech forest as we followed a creek to the beautiful Stanley Vale valley.  

We were excited when the historic Stanley Vale Hut came into view. Stanely Vale has everything you could possibly want for a rustic night or two in the backcountry with your horse! We untacked the horses and turned them out in the fenced, sheltered paddocks while we enjoyed lunch and a chat with a couple who were tramping in the area. They shared their tips on how to save weight in tramping packs, including choppping off the handles of their toothbrushes! Luckily Bella had been happy to carry our two full toothbrushes so far, as well as a couple of other wee treats for us to enjoy in the evenings, so we didn’t feel like we were roughing it too much. 

In the afternoon, we saddled up again for a a short side trip north to Lake Guyon. The horses splashed and we bathed in the lake under a heavy sky, and while they grazed by the hut we threw in our fishing lines in an attempt to catch dinner. Then the heavens opened, so we hastily jumped back on and galloped home along the grassy tracks, yahooing in the torrential downpour. We were soaked, but it was a highlight of the trip. Once we’d settled the horses back in their paddock we changed into dry clothes, lit the fire, and reflected on our adventure so far over a well-earned G&T.  

The historic Stanley Vale hut

Day 3: Stanley Vale Scotties Camp 

The next morning our clothes had dried by the fire, our horses came in well and we were ready for another day in the saddle. We headed south, crossing and re-crossing the Stanley River which luckily remained reasonably shallow despite the previous day’s rain.

This was our most challenging day of trekking and we were faced with a number of obstacles; a short section of the track was washed out, and while Tara and Bella opted to boldly drop down the bank and leap up the other side, Awhi carefully tiptoed round the edge of the cutting and kept his hooves clean! We negotiated debris on the track and slippy, skinny sections through dense matagouri, and we don’t think Bella bumped her packs once (well, we had no egg casualties!). 

We reached the ‘Racecourse’, a flat oval basin high in the hills above the Waiau Valley. We knew there were some hidden boggy sections here, so we stayed on the track despite the draw to explore the plain. There was a cool wind, mist on the hills, and it was one of the most atmospheric areas we’d encountered so far. We crossed safely and found a sheltered spot by some scrubby trees for lunch. We were glad we’d filled the flask that morning; a hot coffee was just what we needed before our afternoon descent to Scotties Camp. 

During our trek there were several times we felt it safer to dismount and negotiate the track on the ground together. The steep section of track we encountered towards the end of day three, which included a small bog, was one of them! 

That evening we scavenged for firewood and lit the fire in the grate outside the hut. We spent a bit of time searching for the dead possum we could smell near the hut, then realised it was our sweaty saddle blankets creating the stench! 

Crossing the Stanley River on the way to the Racecourse

Day 4: Scotties Camp St James Homestead Hanmer Springs 

We were woken early on day four by a small earthquake and regretted choosing the top bunks, but luckily it was only a short wobble. It was dark, and we had absolutely no idea what time it was – it could have been anywhere between midnight and 5am. We’d made a conscious decision not to wear watches or bring our phones on this trip and instead wake up naturally, eat when we were hungry, and sleep when we were tired. The only technology we’d brought were old ‘point and shoot’ cameras and our personal locator beacons. We made a coffee, went back to our bunks, and got up sometime later when it was dawn. By now we had settled into our routine, and were definitely ready for a soak in the Cow Stream hot pools; a natural hidden gem in the Edward’s Valley. A morning spa was just what we needed, and as we soaked we recounted the highlights of our trip so far. Any aches and pains had eased and the sun was shining as we reached the St James homestead. The horses knew they were heading home now. We were incredibly proud of their efforts; they had kept us safe and had done everything asked of them so we could explore this incredible country. We enjoyed the ride home across Jack’s Pass, already planning our next adventure over the back. We just needed to wash our saddle blankets first. 

Tsarina and team at the edge of the Racecourse, with the Waiau Valley beyond
  • If a self-guided adventure like this appeals, check out the Hanmer Springs Horse Riders Inc. website www.hshr.org.nz. You’ll find heaps of helpful information including trails maps, gear lists, safety advice, hut info, and more. The club has a hospitality paddock available for equine visitors, and can recommend nearby accommodation and ‘aprés-saddle’ providers in the village. The Department of Conservation website is a must too, search ‘St James’
  • To enjoy trekking in the backcountry, you and your horse must be comfortable riding in all types of terrain, including steep and narrow tracks, rivers crossings, and negotiating obstacles eg. fallen logs, slips, etc. You both have to trust that you’ll keep each other safe. 
  • If there is no cell phone service where you’re riding (like the St James Conservation Area), carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) in case you have an emergency. Make sure it’s on your person and not in your saddle bag in case you inadvertently become separated from your horse. 
  • Take a flask and fill it with hot water in the morning. Keep your cup and coffee/soup sachet handy and if the day turns out to be cooler than expected, an easy hot drink will be a welcome treat. We stirred ours with sticks, but you may prefer to pack a teaspoon!
Negotiating a steep section of track on the way to Scotties Camp
  • This article was first published in the January 2019 issue of NZ Horse & Pony
Previous articlePrevention is better than cure: vaccinations for horses
Next articlePlay together, stay together: Robert and Gael Kofoed