Head beyond Buckland Peaks Hut to find amazing camping on a granite plateau or beside a large tarn.

Buckland Peaks is best described as a miniature version of Kahurangi’s Mt Owen. Its prominent granite features have an air of adventure and it offers sunset views across the Tasman Sea. 

It’s approached with a 5km walk on a private farm track indicated with orange markers. Then, the track heads up through the bush. It’s moderately tame underfoot and clear.

At around 650m is a small clearing with a sign that reads ‘Halfway House’. Enjoy the furniture (upturned buckets) for a quick breather before heading on along the ridgeline. 

Through the upper part of the forest, the track increasingly sticks to a narrow, forested ridge with picturesque mossy passages but no access to water. Bring enough to last to the hut or tarns that lie beyond. 

The edge of the forest is reached after 4–5hr and you can either drop to Buckland Peaks Hut or continue to the boulder-strewn plateau. 

The saddle crossing towards the plateau is accessed through Pt1175. There is no official track to the tops, but a visible path leads up from the hut and is marked by snow poles and cairns further on. Just note: if you are climbing or dropping steeply beyond the saddle at Pt1175, you are likely to be going in the wrong direction.

If bypassing the hut, walk to Pt1185 and stay on its ridge towards Pt1175. This is slightly longer than traversing beneath the high point, but is much easier underfoot. 

Beyond Pt1175 the landscape changes drastically. The drop and subsequent short climb from the saddle leads to an area of exposed granite bluffs and   gently undulating rock formations where subalpine scrub is flattened against the rocks by the prevailing wind. The area is rich in quartz, and all rock surfaces are sharp edged and abrasive. 

The tops can be explored in one or two hours, and, unless you are stuck in cloud, there is so much to see that it’s worth lingering for an extra day. Water is accessible from tarns strewn across the plateau.

One notable stop is Townson Tarn, the largest body of water. It’s on the north-eastern flank of the plateau and offers more protection than camping on the tops, depending on wind direction. What is lost in the 360-degree panorama is gained in a nicely framed view across the alps and adjacent rock outcrops.