Training them young

They're a fit bunch, those Kiwis. We kept encountering runners charging up mountains that some of us were somewhat challenged to walk up. And often there were mothers (or fathers) carrying their babies up quite challenging mountain walks.

Here at Fern Burn hut, after a 500m ascent and a three hour slog, this 14 month old Kiwi finally catches up with her mother. OK, it wasn't quite like that. Mother put her down 50m before the end of the walk so she could do the final bit solo. But we were still impressed.

Fern Burn

Here we are heading off up the Fern Burn valley, at the start of the Fern Burn Track, which is the first stage of the Motatapu Track, from Wanaka to Arrowtown, near Queenstown, in New Zealand's South Island last week. It's easy and level walking to start with.

Bùrn: Scottish Gaelic for fresh water (English equivalent - Bourne)

We then entered the antarctic beech forest of the Stack Conservation  Area, and it was a bit more up and downy. In all the ascent is about 500m, and the walk takes three hours or so each way.

Up above the tree line now, and after a few more ups and downs, the Fern Burn hut is sighted.

It's a great spot for lunch, and then it's off down again through that rather photogenic beech forest and bùrn.