This tarn is just a short walk from Fenella Hut, near Xenicus Peak in the Cobb Valley, west of Takaka. It’s your typical mountain tarn, with no regular inflowing or outflowing stream. The tarn relies on rainwater to fill it and seepage through the rocks below and evaporation to keep the water level balanced. Incidentally, Xenicus is the genus of the New Zealand rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris), suggesting that they used to be found in the area in significant numbers. We saw no signs of these rare birds, but there are still small populations in the Kahurangi National Park.
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