Milford Track (DOC) Click map to enlarge

Why Milford? Most of us had not done this tramp, yet it has been described as New Zealand's premier tramp and the "finest walk in the world" by the poet Blanche Baughan in The London Spectator in 1908 (clearly not meaning the weather!). Many of my friends and colleagues had done this tramp and so we decided after our Dusky tramp to book early as "Freedom walkers" and plan a further tramp for those who needed more exercise.

We ended up with a large party of eight: Ian and Dianne Bardsley (ex Hawera), John and Vern Barrell (New Plymouth), Graham and Cathy Thompson, Alan Rogers and myself, Keith Blayney (all from Hawera). Two Australian couples (friends of the Barrells) were booked on the same days. Following the Milford, four of us took on a tramp up the Wilkin Valley.

On to the pictures and story.