Heavy flooding in mid Canterbury had closed Wharfedale Track (our plan A), so we had to quickly plan an overnighter. We headed a couple of hours north to Lewis Pass in hopes of avoiding flooding. St James Walkway is a 66km trail so we opted to just do the Southernmost leg, to and from Boyle Flat Hut.

A big benefit of this section of trail is that the three major river crossings are bridged. It’s clear the waters were higher than usual.

First crossing of Boyle River

Second crossing of Boyle River

Many friendly Robins were encountered. So too were Pīwakawaka, which followed us along sizeable sections of the trail.

Valley views while approaching Boyle Flat Hut. The hut can be seen in the distance on the other side of the river.

A highlight of the hut were the new memory foam mattresses—a clear upgrade from the old ones—which made for a great night’s sleep.

Appendix: Fungi

Here are some neat fungi which we spotted beside the trail.

Albert Nisbet

St James Walkway to Boyle Flat Hut

Appendix: Fungi