And the dog came too... dog walks in New Zealand
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Whitcombe Loop Tracks

Follow an old water race up to the remains of the Golden Lead Mine

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​Whitcombe Loop Tracks

Name
Whitcombe Loop Tracks
Location
Kanieri
Co-ordinates
1447820  5247746​
Alternative co-ordinates
Value
Configuration
Network
Distance
48 km
Status
Off-leash
Grade
Difficult
Access
Various access points, but probably the best approach is via Middlebranch Road. To reach this head for Kokatahi then turn left onto Upper Kokatahi Road, and continue for ca. 20 km and take a right turn right onto Middlebranch Road: there are access points from as short side-road or fropm the end of Middlebranch Road. Alternatively, to start in the Styx Valley, continue on Upper Kokatahi Road until the corner with Dorothy Falls Road and park there.
Description
These walks are not for novices and involve difficult sections, demanding good tramping and route-finding skills. If you just want a shortish walk, start from the Middlebranch Road end and take the farm track down the river, from where orange markers lead you across the flats to the bushline. There you pick up an old tramline which winds over a low terrace before decending to the river again. That's pretty much the end of the easy walking because the next section is along the river bed. As an alternative for a shortish walk you can also follow the shared section of track, at the start of the Whitcombe Valley Track, as far as the cableway. For longer walks, there are numerous options, depending on how far you want to go, how fit you are, and the state of the weather. One of these is to head south over the Toaroha Saddle and down into the Hokitika Valley then up over Frew Saddle into the Whitcombe Valley, from where you pick up the shared section of the Whitcombe Valley Track. Alternatively, a left turn at Cedar Flat takes you up the Adventure Ridge Route (aptly named, one suspects) then back via the Whakarira Gorge. Or, you can take the Whakariri Valley south to Crawford Junc tion hut, then follow the Crawford Valley up to Lathrop Saddle and drop down into the Styz and follow that. And you can do any of these loops in reverse direction, and combine them in almost any way you like. Whatever routes you choose, though, remember that none of them is for the faint-hearted or the physically or geographically-challenged. All involve river crossings, way-finding and steep climbs. But for the experienced tramper who wants a long dog-friendly walk, this is probably one of the best areas in the country.

Connecting tracks
Whitcombe Valley Track
Further information
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/west-coast/places/kokatahi-river-whitcombe-river-area/things-to-do/tracks/toaroha-hokitika-lower-whitcombe-track/
If you've found this website helpful, you might also want to look at some of my novels and poetry. These, like my dog-walking, are drawn from a love of nature and the countryside. To learn more, click here.