This section describes horse routes in the St James Conservation Area, with ride times and a relative grading of the difficulty.
- All ride times are given for a medium walk speed for horses.
- You will need map NZ Topo 50-BT 4 Ada Flat
- Fowlers Hut to Stanleyvale PDF (1)
- Stanleyvale to Ada Homestead junction PDF
- Ada Homestead to Henry gates PDF
- Ada Homestead to Christopher Hut PDF
- St James Homestead – Peters Pass – Edwards Valley – Scotties Hut PDF (1)
- Charlies Saddle to Magdalen Valley Track and back to Scotties Hut PDF (1)
- Boyle Village via Magdalen Hut to Boyle Flat Hut PDF
- Boyle Flat Hut – Rokeby Hut PDF
- Rokeby Hut over Anne Saddle to Anne Hut PDF
- Anne Hut – Saddle Spur – Pool Hut – Stanleyvale Hut PDF (1)
- Christopher Hut to Fowlers Hut using the shortcuts PDF
Fowlers Hut to Stanleyvale Hut over Fowlers Pass – 3 Hours – Medium
This track leaves from behind Fowlers Hut in the Clarence Valley. A wide benched track sidles up to the top of the pass. At this point dismount and lead your horse down the steep Zig-Zag until you have reached Smythe stream. The rest of the track rideable, down through beech forest remnants and following Smythe stream until it meets the upper Stanley river. Follow the track down the Stanley and across the flats to Stanleyvale hut. Stay on the beaten track to avoid bogged areas.
Fowlers Hut to Stanleyvale Hut over Fowlers Pass PDF
Stanleyvale to Pool Hut – 2.5 hours – Medium
Follow the poled route down the Stanley River, but instead of crossing the lower Stanley and turning left up onto the Racecourse, climb up straight ahead onto the grassy terrace above the true right of the Stanley where it confluences with the Waiau. Look for the bulldozer track which will take you down to the Waiau. Ford the Waiau, climb up onto the terrace and Pool Hut is about 200m downstream.
Note: True right and true left for rivers are always in relation to the direction in which the water is flowing.
Stanleyvale – Waiau Hut – 3 1/2 hours – Easy
Follow the walking track down past Lake Guyon – straight ahead to the river. Do not turn right onto the bike track. Cross the river to the walking track. Turn right and go upstream to the maling pass carpark – cross the river back again and then carry on upstream and navigate your way around or through the old fence and pick up the old 4WD track going up the river. Follow until you see the hut on the opposite side. There is no holding paddock at the hut but there is a large grass area to set up a paddock. 20 minutes further on where Caroline Bivvy used to be has a lovely clearing.
Pool Hut To Henry River – 1 Hour – Easy
Follow the cycleway up the Waiau from Pool Hut until you are over Saddle Spur.
At this point the cycleway crosses a swing bridge to cross the Waiau which is unsuitable for horses. Leave the cycleway when you have reached the bottom of Saddle Spur and follow the poled route to the Henry River.
Henry River to Anne Hut – 2 Hours – Easy
Follow the vehicle track up to the Anne Hut (you are now on the St James Walkway and Te Araroa trail so there may be trampers). Another 15 mins on from the Anne Hut near the confluence of the Anne and Henry Rivers is the old Anne Hut site. This tent camp site has a good holding paddock.
Anne Hut to Boyle Flat Hut – 5 Hours – Easy
Follow the St James Walkway up the Anne River until the track turns right to climb up over a boggy board-walked hill. Don’t ride up here. Drop down into the river bed and follow it up through beech forest either until you pass under a swing bridge (about 30 mins) and re-join the track on your left, or about 15 mins up follow an old pack track up through the beech to a grassy track on the true right of the river and follow it along until you meet the tramping track. You can ride the tramping track all the way over the saddle and down into the Boyle River, or if you prefer you can ride up the river flats of the Anne River until you are nearly at the top of the saddle.
As soon as the track drops down to the Boyle River, leave the tramping track and cross the river to follow the green-triangled horse route markers down the river flats. You will pass the historic Rokeby Hut half-way down. When you are almost at Boyle Flat Hut, the tramping track crosses a boardwalk over a small watercourse. Follow the edge of this creek down to the Boyle River and ride under the swing bridge which leads to the hut. The paddock is just above the river below the hut.
Anne Hut to Boyle Flat Hut PDF
Side trip to Upper Boyle River
The Upper Boyle River (above where the track drops down from Anne Saddle) is very pretty and a great place to camp, no paddocks though.
Boyle Flat Hut to Magdalen Hut – 2.5 Hours – Medium
Do not attempt this route if the river is in flood as there are many river crossings!
From the Boyle Flat horse paddock, cross the river 50m downstream to re-join the tramping track as it climbs up into the bush. (This avoids some old dilapidated boardwalks which cross very deep bogs).
Follow the tramping track except where green triangles lead you down to part of the historic cattle droving route (these detours are put in to avoid board-walked or sections of track which are dangerous to horses). Eventually you will come to a gate in the boundary fence near the lower Boyle Gorge swing bridge between St James and Glen Hope Station. Please shut the gate after you. Follow along the river about 30 mins to Magdalen Hut. The Magdalen Hut is situated inside a large holding paddock.
Boyle Flat Hut to Magdalen Hut PDF
Magdalen Hut to Boyle Village – 2 Hours – Medium
Follow down the Boyle River Flats, being careful to stay within the Marginal Strip (20 m either side of the water course), so as you don’t stray onto Glenhope Station land. About 1 hr down there is a track up onto the tramping track on the true right of the Boyle where the river sweeps in near to the bush on the right. Follow the tramping track until you have crossed a rocky side stream coming from the right with a lot of Tutu growing on the banks. After this stream, look for a marker which will show you where to drop down and cross to the true left of the Boyle again. Follow down the true left until an old stock track will take you up onto a forested terrace on you left. You will soon re-join the tramping track for 20 mins before reaching the Boyle Village on the Lewis Pass highway.
Magdalen Hut to Boyle Village PDF
Peters Valley (Homestead Run) – Clarence Valley Loop Track – 2.5 Hours – Easy
We encourage you to ride on the grass shoulder wherever possible and stay off the gravel bike track.
The Department of Conservation would prefer that you don’t ride your horse on the boardwalks as they are built of mountain bike weight. Also, consider the risk of a loose nail on your horse shoe being snagged in the netting that covers the wood. Each of the small waterways is easy to ride around the side of. Please respect that this track is primarily a mountain bike track.
Along the way there are three seperate horse detours that follow the original pack track. Two above the track and one below. They are marked with green arrows at either end. Please use these as they avoid three fragile sections of the bike track and also make the ride more interesting.
Following the loop clockwise: Follow the trail that leaves through the gateway “St James Cycle Way” up to the top of Peters Valley. Turn right at the top of Peters Valley, then join the vehicle track and follow down to the Clarence valley. Do not be tempted to leave the track to the flats on your left; they are named “Horrible Swamp” for a very good reason! When you pass the shingle pit on your right, veer left to follow the cycle trail to a small unlocked gate back out onto the road. It is 15mins back to the homestead from here.
To ride this anti-clockwise: Ride up the road towards Lake Tennyson for 15 min before going through a small, unlocked gate on your left. Follow the track until you get to the cycle way, turn off at the top of Peters Pass. Follow the cycle way back down Peters Valley to the homestead.
Side Trip to Waterfall
Descend the rough bulldozer track off the top of Peters Pass until you meet the main creek at the bottom of the hill. Follow this creek up until you reach a pretty waterfall.
Homestead – Scotties Camp Hut – 3.5 Hours – Easy
Follow the Peters Valley up to the top. Drop off the bulldozer track until you meet the Edwards Valley vehicle track and turn left. This is mainly a grassy track to Scotties hut.
Homestead – Scotties Camp Hut PDF
Side Trip To Cow Stream Hot Pools
2 to 2.5 hours from the homestead (you will have crossed the Edwards river twice) turn sharp left at a “T” intersection in the track. Follow the track up a steep terrace and across about 300m of grassy flat to the hot pool. Lead your horse down to the river level to find a tie up place. There are 3 newly built rock pools of varying temperature 20m downstream from the older main pool. Sandflies are abundant in the evening, so not a great place to camp. You will be eaten!
Scotties Camp Hut To Stanleyvale (Via The Racecourse) – 5 Hours – Medium
The ‘Racecourse’ is a flat oval basin high above the ridge on the true right of the Edwards River, above Scotties Camp. It is a high route to the other end of St James, which avoids having to cross the Waiau River.
Follow the vehicle track that zig-zags up to Charlies Saddle. A sign posted poled route leaves the top of Charlies Saddle towards the western (Waiau River) end of the track, which sidles around Charlies Saddle. Note: This track is narrow in places with quite a steep drop off. You may prefer to dismount and lead some sections. This part of the route is not recommended in wet or icy conditions.
(An alternative route would be to turn left and steeply climb the ridge, which leaves the top-most point of the saddle above at the top of the Zig-Zag above Scotties Camp. Follow the ridge until you see a lone beech tree, which marks an old watercourse, which is easy to follow down onto the racecourse where you can re-join the track.)
Follow the poled route to drop down to the Stanley River above its confluence with the Waiau River.
Caution: Stay on the track because there are many deep bogs around springs on the Racecourse, which are disguised as lovely green lawns around a delightful pool of water – enticing on a hot day!
Follow the poled route up the Stanley River to Stanleyvale Hut.
In late summer and autumn, the rowan trees in the upper Stanley attract many bell-birds, which sound fabulous in the late afternoon and early mornings.
Stanleyvale Side Trip: Look-Out Hill – 1 Hour – Easy
Follow the bulldozer track up onto Glenrae flats behind Stanleyvale hut. As you get to the top of the climb, look for some orange tape on kanuka to your left. Cross a small waterway and follow the track to the top of the hill to gaze over Glenrae flats, Mount Maria and across to Mount Clara.
Stanleyvale Side Trip – Look Out Hill PDF
Stanleyvale Side Trip: Lake Hill – Half Day – Medium
Ride around to the far (north-west) end of Lake Guyon and ford the lake outlet beside the cycleway. At the top of the hill, turn left and climb the ridge to the top of Lake Hill. (There is no marked track, but stay on the ridge overlooking Lake Guyon). Picnic at the top. Follow along the top before dropping down the ridge to the left (following an old fence line). We put a cairn there and maybe it is still there. Lead down the hill to Glenrea flats and the beech forest at the back of Stanleyvale hut.
Stanleyvale Side Trip – Lake Hill PDF
Stanleyvale Side Trip: Lake Guyon– 1 Hour Return – Easy
Follow the vehicle track to the north-west of the hut to Lake Guyon. Good swimming on a hot day and trout fishing! And ride back to Stanleyvale hut.
Stanleyvale Side Trip – Lake Guyon PDF
Scotties Camp to Pool Hut – 2 hours – Medium
This route can only be attempted in summer when the Waiau River is in low water. Don’t attempt to ford the Waiau during nor-west weather patterns. Ride over Charlies Saddle on the vehicle track. Follow the track along and descend to the Waiau River. Ford the river at its widest point; just above the rapids is best.
Follow up the true right bank of the Waiau until you pick up a bulldozer track, which climbs over a bluff 200m below former McArthur cycle way bridge. Pool Hut is about 10m from the river from here.
NB: In spring, the breeding mares and new foals of the St James herd are often on the northern slopes of Saddle Spur. They will generally keep their distance, but sometimes they canter around you at a distance of 30m out of curiosity. As long as you don’t go nearer, they won’t hurt you.
Henry River to Lake Guyon and Stanleyvale
Follow the vehicle tracks across the Ada Flats, past the Ada Homestead to the Lake Guyon sign-posted turnoff. Note that the Ada Homestead is private property, but the cattle yards at the back of the property facing down the Waiau are a great place to stop for a lunch break.
Option: After leaving the Ada Homestead and fording the creek on the vehicle track, turn right and cross the Waiau to join the cycle trail and follow this down to the Lake Guyon turnoff.
Henry River to Lake Guyon and Stanleyvale PDF
Side Trip to Muddy Lakes – 1 hour – Easy
Cross the Waiau opposite Ada Homestead and follow the cycle trail to Muddy Lakes down the Waiau. There is a ford here, which will take you back over to the cycle trail below Saddle Spur.
Side Trip to Christopher Hut – 1.5 hours – Easy
Follow the vehicle tracks past the western side of the Ada Homestead through a line of willow trees and for about an hour. Then veer left and follow a vehicle track at the end of a large grassy flat down to ford the Ada River. After crossing the river, the hut is about 30 minutes further on the bush edge on your left. There is a holding paddock at Christopher Hut.
Old Christopher Hut
Ride past Christopher hut for about 5min and come to the old little Christopher Hut, a 2 bunk hut with an outside fire.
Lake Guyon turnoff (in the Waiau) to Maling Carpark in the Clarence – 3 hours – Easy
From this turnoff, follow the vehicle track back over Maling Pass to the carpark near Lake Tennyson.
Lake Guyon turnoff to Maling Carpark PDF
Side Trip to Caroline Bivvy (now demolished!) – 2 hours – Easy
Go through a gate before the vehicle track starts climbing up towards Maling pass on your left. Follow the rough track up the valley to the place, where Caroline Bivvy once was.
Side Trip to Caroline Bivvy (now demolished) PDF
Side Trip around to the top of Lake Tennyson – 2 hours – Easy
From the car park at Lake Tennyson, ford the Clarence at the Lake outlet and follow around to the beech forest on the far side. A track sidles up through the forest and to the open tussock land at the top of the lake where there are great picnic places. This is the route to the Upper Clarence and Paske Saddle trips.
Side Trip around to the top of Lake Tennyson PDF
Stoney Biv
A volunteer has spent many hours re clearing the track to Stoney Biv in St James and asks that horse riders use it to keep the track well worn.
From Scotties Camp (2.5 to 3 hours from Homestead), go over Charlies Saddle. When the main track turns north, go straight ahead 50m. Look to your left for a gap in the manuka scrub, follow this path down several river terraces on old bulldozer tracks. There is lots of pink tape marking the route. Go under mature beech trees to meet the Edwards River. Go upstream crossing 2-3 x as needed until reaching Stoney stream on true left (TL). (That means, look downstream the way the river is flowing – true left is now on your left). The stream and side valley is very obvious from the Edwards. Follow Stoney stream bed for about 1km until the 90 degree bend at the rock out crop. Travel will be in the water and on the bank. Go another 50 metres in the stream to the next 90 degree bend. Turn up the cut track on the TR (true right) and onto the terrace for about 1.2km.
Caution, river rocks a bit slippery, enough room for a couple of horses, take tape. We will let you know when there is more permanent fencing.
Commuting back down the Clarence – 4 hours total – Easy
On a nice day, this is an enjoyable ride.
Maling to Fowlers 1.5 hours
Fowlers to St James Homestead 2.5 hours. If you have a bit of extra time it’s a lot more interesting to travel down the true left of the river than on the after you have passed Fowlers Hut.