Quote Originally Posted by Tussockface View Post
Also be aware that although New Zealand is an 'outdoor pursuits' kind of country, in many ways there's less open access than we're used to in the UK. In the cultivated/cleared areas, land is private and there are few rights of way. In the wilds, it can be so wild that even stepping off the road requires a machete. That's why the trek routes have been developed.
We were trekking in the Kawekas, and saw a nice ridge running off, so decided to descend that, it was a lovely rocky ridge that we could see hit the bush line about 500m before a major track, so we headed down and thought we'd bush bash. We were literally on our bellies dragging ourselves through the saplings, took forever and then had a real issue climbing out of a narrow gorge to the path.

It's so easy to get disorientated in the bush.

Anyway true about access, something we take for granted here. There are ways round it, mainly following the water courses. One farmer used to make you actually walk in the river itself, rather than allowing you to walk the river bank which re said was his land.

The other thing is beware of the maps, when heading cross country, you can hit large rock bluffs which aren't marked on the map, and could often be 'bluffed out', basially stuck above a line of crags. The other danger was land slides, flash floods etc removing large sections of path or bridges.