Abel Tasman Trail – Gibbs Hill

Today was another stunner day and just what we needed to climb Gibbs Hill, a 5.3km uphill hike that reaches 450m above sea level. Starting at the Wainui carpark at the start of the Abel Tasman Trail you gradually climb up the winding track the track divide at 200m where one track descends down 3km to Whariwharangi Bay and turning off to the right the track continues on 2km climb to the high point called Gibbs Hill at 453m.

We managed to get to the divide in 40min, 20min faster than the time DoC had on the sign post at the start where I gave Jude the choice between going downhill 3km to Whariwharangi Bay, which meant climbing back up to the divide before descending 200m back to the start or turning right and continuing on another 250m climb to the top of Gibbs Hill…. Bugger me she chose to continue going up the hill.

After a short break and for Jude to refuel with a bit of peanut butter we headed up the final 2km to the top of Gibbs Hill as said earlier another 250m vertical. The next part of the track started off at reasonably shallow angle of ascent with the occasional dip but eventually became a very steep and the last 500m was a knarly climb that was taxing on the ole leg muscles and let me know that the 15+kg in my backpack felt like 20kg, overall it was a good test to getting back into shape after a long stint down south.

Once at the top of Gibbs Hill there was a repeater mast about 50m further up that was marked as a view point so we crashed our way through a narrow track that had not been used for quite some time and the viewing point to our disappointment was overgrown with broad leaf trees and a bit of gorse that you had no view what so ever. Oh well that’s how it is sometimes and we descended back to the clearing for lunch.

Cheese and marmite Sandwich, a roast lamb and potato Back Country meal and an espresso cup of coffee finished it was back down we headed. Wow so nice to have gravity assistance for the return journey. Unlike on the hike up where I was just keen to just keep going an get this climb done, we took our time going down with Jude regularly stopping to admire the native plants and anything that crossed our path like weka (lunch thieves) and piwakawaka (fantails) that darted around you eating insects that were disturbed as you walked by and the beautiful song of the bellbirds.. just awesome.

Jude finally had a Piwakawaka remain still just long enough for a snap. Pretty pleased with our effort 10.5 km, 2hrs 50min hiking(does not include our 30min lunch break), 450m elevation, 1170 calories burned, 13,749 steps. All in all a good day in 15° sunny weather. Now time for a cold beer in our Moho.