There’s no way that we can get out there and check out every hut, so we’re asking everyone to contribute. If you’ve been to an accesible hut (or campsite) with your little ones, let us know.

We’re looking for huts that are  ideally less than 3 hours (adult) walking time from the road end. If it takes longer then feel free to sell it to us and we’ll submit it. Initially we were just looking for good huts on good tracks. But this leaves questions for others as to whether it a hut hasn’t been submitted or has been visited and is terrible. It also allows people to make their own decisions about what they want to put up with. I might even develop some sort of rating system in the future.

We’ve also included huts that you can 4WD to. Not true ‘tramping’ but it all depends on what you want to achieve. For us, getting into the hills for a night was sometimes enough to keep us happy 🙂

There’s a few reasons for these criteria – the first being that it’s our website so our call, feel free to develop your own 😉 But there’s a range of factors that our thinking is based on – this distance means that older kids may be able to walk all the way and still get there by dark. If you’re carrying the little ones then you won’t die of exhaustion with the kids plus gear weight on your back. Plus if everything goes to pot (your child hates their sleeping bag, you’re getting evils from the other occupants, or you’ve run out of nappies…) then you can pack up and get back to the car without too much hassle. From our experience, not being too far from the road seems to equate to more enjoyment for all parties.

So let us know about your recent family adventure…

Information that we’d like to include: (see attached file below)

• Name of hut/campsite
• Where is it? i.e. which track is it on/valley in? Topo map number, grid reference if you’re that way inclined.
• How far to hut? In kilometres/adult PLUS how long in little legs time? (Including if you stopped to play Pooh sticks at a cool bridge etc.).
• Condition of hut – sandfly proof? Decent woodburner? Clean and tidy?
• Added bonuses – another hut nearby (for other trampers to bail to if they don’t like kids)? Kiwi nesting outside the door? A pile of river gravel to play with?
• Any issues/things to take into account? i.e. – Great Walk hut so needs to be booked; has unbridged river that can rise etc.

Compile this information, add some photos, and email to me at southernelements@gmail.com and when I get a chance between kindy and school drop-offs, work, and planning our own adventures, I’ll add it to the page. Tell all your friends and others to do the same – the more information on here, the more we can get little people out having fun 🙂