What did everybody do for the long weekend?

Hi - this sounds exciting - a trampers pub crawl... Can't think of too many more options on Western Side - other than heading into the Ohingaiti Royal Hotel. Mangaweka has a flash one too and you could spend some quality time in the Gumboot Capital and then closer to Pohangina is the Watershed (have not been there for a while) and the Pohangina Valley Estate winery, and there is alway the Chelty Est 1876, voted best country pub 2010. Sorry not sure about Eastern side.

Trampers pub crawl? I did one once: ??? -> Alpine Lodge -> Otira Hotel -> Mountaineer's Bar -> Makarora Wilderness Lodge -> Heriot Hotel Bit of walking involved ... but the beer tasted good. (first one is now 'Sea Breezes cafe', but used to be a pub there on Picton waterfront)

Just got back from doing the Tablelands circuit in Kahurangi NP.Great weather,heaps of snow though- too deep to go down to Ellis Basin.Couple of small avalanches there and in the vicinity of Mt Arthur.The place was Chocker for the first 3 days i was there,Salisbury Lodge one night was full plus 4 tents outside!Thank god it quietened down for the rest of my trip.