The al-fresco facilities at Tarn Bivvy. Photo / Paul Bird, Supplied
The al-fresco facilities at Tarn Bivvy. Photo / Paul Bird, Supplied
A lack of reading material isn't an issue at these loos with views.
The combination of fresh mountain air and a throne, set in hectares of native bush is a liberating experience and one you'll find in few other places on the planet.
Using the remote ( and sometimes al-fresco ) long drop facilities is a uniquely Kiwi experience.
For a country that is as reportedly laid back and outdoorsy as New Zealand, we have a real thing about outdoor ablutions.
This is perhaps understandable. Nothing detracts from your wilderness experience like stepping in somebody's business on a backcountry track.
In the past tourists have fallen foul of our strict views on freedom dumping. It's something Kiwis take very seriously and has led to more than one large-scale scatalogical diplomatic scandal.
In 2017 the French Embassy found itself wading in to defend the actions of visitors who had been caught short. The office of mme Florence Jeanblanc-Risler said she hoped that all tourists would "display good manners" and not let the side down.
DoC has also made a special appeal to those on the Great Walks and outdoor trails to "please poo in the loos". With a 60 second video, featuring tips to clear up the issue once-and-for-all, the official guidance for hikers is:
"Never miss an opportunity to use a loo and if you're heading out for a longer walk, be properly prepared."
There is no option 'number two' for when you need to… well.
Every year DoC clears 300,000 litres of waste from the remote Great Walk tracks. Clearing waste from the network is a serious business.
However, it does mean that even in the most remote backcountry hut tends to have at least a long drop and some of these are in some superbly serene locations.
One of the more 'out there' out houses is attached to Tarn Bivvy in the Ruahine ranges. The open loo on a platform serves the basic backcountry hut.
On a clear day it offers majestic views over Hawke's Bay and Manawatu. Exposed to the elements, the loo is a brisk experience in anything other than ideal weather. Last year the Tarn Bivvy at black ridge was blown away in high winds and had to be The long drop loo never had that problem, as an outdoor. Although some very nifty latches were attached to stop the lid blowing open. The nearby Keily Bivvy in the Ruahine ranges is a similar setup.
World's most extreme latrine: Pioneer Hut on Mount Tasman. Photo / Getty Images, File
Pioneer Hut on Mount Tasman
This location will have you question how badly you need to go. With a spot on Red Bull's list of most extreme latrines, the long drop is not for the faint of heart. Serving mountain climbers staying at Douglas Glacier's Pioneer Hut in the West Coast's Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
The long drop loo is a test of nerves and only for those with a head for heights.
The loos aren't bad either. The Lonely Planet compendium Toilets: A Spotter's Guide singled these out as some of the most well appointed potties in the world. While these might be your standard issue Norski resin pods, it is the setting that stands out.
Looking back over scenery that earned the trail the moniker 'World's Finest Walk' - there are some fittingly fine WCs.
Liverpool Hut's lonely latrine sits on the edge of a large cliff in Mt Aspiring National Park. Photo / 123RF
Liverpool Hut loo
The Carmine red cabin in the Aspiring National park is a favourite among hikers. With views down the Matukituki valley the hut appears to float at mountain level in this wild bit of Wanaka. However what makes Liverpool Hut stand out in Godzone is the lonely red out house with a white door, at the end of the ridge. Separated by a 60 metre gap, the minute walk from the cabin gives you plenty of time to ponder grand thoughts when answering nature's call. • Liverpool Hut
