The La Nina weather pattern this summer affected our tramp this Saturday. The scheduled trip along the tops from Sunrise to Sparrowhawk Bivvy is not going to happen due to the complete clag in the Ruahine ranges. So to Plan B, which is up to Sunrise and then on to Top Maropea Hut for lunch.

Sixteen on this trip, including Carolyn, newly arrived from the UK. As this was her first tramp with the club, the trip is a good one to test her ability. (Carolyn did well, and we hope to see more of her while she is in NZ on a doctor’s secondment for one year. We should be in good hands if anything goes medically awry.)

The young rimu tree stands proudly

At the start of the Sunrise Hut track, which is one that DoC keeps open as a superhighway, a lovely young rimu tree stands proudly. Unfortunately about 500m further up the track, an old rimu has come a cropper, and fallen over. But it is good to see a lot of regenerating trees on this track.

The track zigzags for a short while, and then winds its way around the hillside. In 30 minutes, you reach the Waipawa Forks turn-off. From there, a steady climb continues to the hut, passing some patches of creeping eyebright (Euphrasia revoluta), and some fading Senecio (Senecio bellidioides).

The creeping eyebright

Once we have all reached Sunrise Hut and snacked and watered, nine of us continue on to Top Maropea Hut. This part is exposed, so we feel the drizzle. Making our way past Armstrong Saddle, we sidle around the top of some seriously big slips, a feature of the Ruahine ranges. We reach the turn-off for Te Atuoparapara, and the start of the descent to Top Maropea Hut. The track winds around a few rocky bluffs, before it enters the bush for a steep descent to the hut.

Top Maropea Hut

The wet but still smiling trampers to Top Maropea Hut

We reach Sunrise Hut again, and find that everyone else has already departed, so after a quick drink stop, we head off downhill. Somehow the return downhill seems much longer than the uphill this morning. We are happy to get out of our wet gear and back into the van, and head home. A good day trip, and a pity that we never got any views, but all the more reason to put the original trip back onto the list again. Better luck with the weather next time.

Trampers: Carolyn Rigg, Marc Marchal, Colin McNatty, Matt Greene, Jenny Burns, Ted Angove, Paul Exeter, John Marshall, Dennis Mitchell, Kelvin Shaw, Viv Bramley, Sue Titter, Sue Martin, Denise Payne, Jude Paton and Julia Mackie

Waikaremoana campground campsite

Five of us planned to complete a three-day circuit in the Urewera National Park. Geoff and I had not done the Mt Manuoha Track, while the three others had done it some time ago (10 years, perhaps). This is a bush walk extraordinaire.

The Manuoha five

One of the many patches of Dracophllym

A shuttle picked us up and took us to the start of the Manuoha tramp. It is off SH38, on the true right of the Waiotukupuna Bridge (SH 38), 16 km west of the Aniwaniwa Visitor Centre.
The track starts with a climb up to a ridge, through dripping-wet bush. If you didn’t have a leg wash this morning, you needn’t have worried. One other tramper in the shuttle was also going our way, Jim from Gisborne. After the initial climb to the ridge, the walk is easy, passing through silver and red beech forest, with an under-storey of ferns and patches of dracophllym. Jim showed me where deer have already begun to rub the side of trees, a little early for the roar. As he was planning to walk as far as he could to Sandy Bay Hut, we parted company.

On reaching some major slips, it was possible to get a good westerly view and time for lunch in the sun. Shortly afterwards, the track emerges from the bushline and you reach the summit of Mt Manuoha, the highest peak in the National Park, with views of Lake Waikareiti and Lake Waikaremoana. The hut chimney is also visible, and only three minutes away from the trig. Surprise, Jim was having a break in the sun, too. He thought he could see Ruapehu from the trig and took a bearing. I wonder if he was right? He left soon after, and the rest of our party arrived.

Manuoha Hut

Manuoha Hut is a six-bunk hut in dire need of a facelift and repairs to the verandah, and behind it sat a temporary hut which Ted told us would have been helicoptered onto the site. Another couple arrived, so Geoff opted for taking a mattress and sleeping on the verandah of the temporary hut. We dried our wet tents on the line, as they had a lot of condensation on them from the morning dew at the campsite. With time to enjoy the afternoon, we went back up to the trig to take more photos, and tried to get cellphone coverage. No go. We had a relax in the sunshine on the track out of the wind, and looked at the tops of all the trees and their green variations. You felt that you could just hop on them. We all took photos of the ‘Goblin forest’, old gnarled trees hanging with moss and lichen. They certainly do look rather Tolkein.

The Tolkein like Goblin forest near Manuoha Hut

The next day, we headed for Sandy Bay Hut, leaving at 8am. The DoC track time is eight hours. The track begins the descent, through more Goblin forest, and then undulates. At the high point 1138, a gap allows a view of Lake Waikareiti. This is the only one you get before you arrive.

The distant view of Lake Waikareiti through the beech trees

Sandy Bay Hut view across the lake

I arrived at Sandy Bay hut at 1.15pm, the drizzle was a little heavier, but still nothing to worry about. I had completed the day’s walk in 5hrs 15 mins, not even running (honest, running is not possible with a 16kg pack). Time for lunch and a swim. You have to walk a fair way out in the bay, but 60cm of water is enough to have a lie down, enjoy the views and have a splash. The rest of the Napier Tramping Club team – Simon, Paul, Jude and Gillian – arrived to spend the night at Sandy Bay Hut along with Ted, Sue, Denise and Geoff from Manuoha Hut. A joyous reunion and news from Jim. Many thanks.

More swims, and Geoff and Jude borrowed a dinghy and rowed to the island to look at its lake. There is a ladder to assist the climb up the rockface.

Tree fuschia flower

The Manuoha five pitched tents in the bush, about 100m past the hut. We had no hut booking, and prefer the quiet anyway. It rained during the night, on and off, but we all survived, albeit with wet tent flys.

The walk back to SH38 passes some lovely big beech trees and, in some sections, there are glimpses of the lake. From the shelter, there is an easy downhill walk to the end of the track, 200 metres west of the visitor centre. This section passes through beech, kamahi and tawari with horopito, wineberry, putaputaweta and five-finger below. Kotukotuku, the world’s largest fuchsia, can be seen from the track and I found some of its dark red flowers on the track. The flowering time is around November.

We all enjoyed great bush walk over the three days, seeing the big variety of lush bush and forest in the Urewera National Park. Well worth the visit.

Trampers: Ted Angove, Denise Payne, Sue Marshall, Geoff Donkin and Julia Mackie (Manuoha Hut), and Paul Exeter, Simon Hill, Jude Paton, and Gillian Dalton and guest Neil (Sandy Bay Hut)

This is the case of the disappearing track. The scheduled loop tramp is a favourite of the club, and so 21 keen trampers arrived at the end of Wakarara Road, at the Yeomans Historic Mill site. Some opted to ford the Makaroro River in their sandals or river shoes, before donning their boots for the ascent up the Parks Peak track. The track has recently been given a scrub cutter treatment, which has made it extra-wide. We all tramped at our own pace, and caught up with each other after our respective breaks. The weather was cool in the bush, but it was forecast to be hot day.

Spot the sign for the track junction up Parks Peak Ridge on the Makaroro River

We arrived at Barlow’s Hut for lunch, and a stretch out in the sun. A few of us lay on the helipad, but there was a whiff of dead deer nearby.

The afternoon walk down the Makaroro River

Trampers: Peter Slagter, Marc Marchal, Kelvin Shaw, John Dobbs, Colin McNatty, Sue Titter,
Rosemary Jeffery, Matt Greene, Ted Angove, Murray White, Dennis Mitchel, Denise Payne,
Jude Paton, Ray Slavin, Geoff Donkin, Les O’Shea, Derek and Linda Sparrow, Jenny Burns,
Murray Goss and Julia Mackie

This tramp began at the end of North Block Road in the Ruahines. We had checked the water level in the Waipawa River on the way in and it looked ideal. Even so, some chose not to get their feet wet but instead climb to Sunrise Hut and beyond in search of alpine flowers. This suited the six of us who wanted to do the through trip downriver to the Pendle Hill Bridge, as they would be able to relocate the van for us. The weather was perfect: a clear sky and a little wind down the river although possibly a little too warm in the open latter part of the trip.

The gorgy bit... where the river was to be treated with respect

From the car park, it was off down the riverbed with countless crossings, past a waterfall then into the bush-enshrouded gorge. Over and around big rocks, in the main heading downstream but with some diversions to sort out a “do-able” route. We exited the gorge onto more open farmland at about the point Middle Stream joins the Waipawa and stopped for lunch at the confluence with Smiths Stream. We guessed that there wasn’t much shade ahead so had lunch under a tree before the second section, the open riverbed through farmland.

The flow from Middle and Smiths streams had more than doubled the flow in the Waipawa River, so caution was still needed on the continuing numerous crossings. As well as the constant babble of the river, we were hearing the snap, crackle and pop of lupin seedpods, lupins being the main vegetation along the river. At times, we got views back upstream to the ranges, which confirmed we had actually travelled quite some distance.

I had just been starting an internal debate about the difference between a tramp and a trudge but I didn’t need to conclude it as the bridge that signified the end of our tramp hove into view. I think we were all relieved that that section of the tramp was over. With perfect timing, the van arrived as we were enjoying getting wrinkled white feet out of our boots.

Trampers: Alison Greer, Vic Bullock, Kelvin Shaw, Gary Bowler, Denis Mitchell, Pamela May, John Marshall, John Burrell, Keith Moretta and reporter Ken Ross

The last tramp for the year was a more social event – a short tramp along the Manawatu Gorge track, followed by lunch at the café. Driving down through the picturesque Central Hawke’s Bay, we arrived at the Ballance bridge car park at the eastern end of the gorge track. Light drizzle was falling, but not enough to penetrate the thick bush canopy above.

A view of the Manawatu River from the track

With the intention of trying to reach the massive slip which has blocked the gorge for more than four months, a leading group set the pace. It’s a steady ascent up many steps on a well-kept track, through some very nice bush. The first lookout at Windy Point revealed lots of mist covering the windmills on the opposite side of the gorge.

We popped out onto the western side to check out the windmills over the fence, not one moving in the still air. The track seems to still climb gradually until reaching the Te Apati lookout, a platform giving spectacular views over the road and river. There was no sign of the slip; it was still further round, much closer to the Ashhurst end, so as we were on a time restraint, we turned around and headed back.

The point of return for vehicular traffic

Arriving at the upper bridge track, we detoured, dropping down to a car park on the gorge road just by the bridge. It seemed strange with no traffic and to be able to walk on the road and over the bridges back to the van.

We were planning on lunch at the café but found it was closed due to lack of traffic, so we piled into the vehicles and set of back to Dannevirke for a most enjoyable lunch. The gorge track is an easy walk and well worth the stop-off if time allows when travelling to Palmerston North, or a good day out when combined with lunch somewhere.

The Christmas walkers

Trampers: Kelvin Shaw, Murray White, Vic Bullock, John Marshall, Viv Bramley, Jenny Burns, Ron Morison, Keith Moretta, Ken Ross, Peter Slagter, Doug Matheson, Rosemary Jeffery, Les O’Shea, John Burrell, and Alison Greer

History: Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki

Māori resistance leader Te Kooti sheltered in the upper Mōhaka area between 1871 and 1872. He spent time on the Tataraakina peak at the junction of the Te Hoe and Mōhaka rivers, which is also known as ‘Te Kooti’s Lookout’.

We headed up the Wairoa road, over the new Matahora bridge and turned off into Willowflat Road. We stopped at the Willowflat settlement and at the old schoolhouse buildings we met Kevin Frances, who was in charge of the accommodation. Ray decided to stay behind to relax and keep topping up the chip burner for our hot water.

Honeymooner's Cottage

We drove further on with an escort and parked near the stock yards, then headed off down the farm track to the Honeymooner’s Cottage. Some posed for photos while in a romantic embrace! Further on, we walked passed a marker post depicting the water level for a proposed dam on the Te Hoe River from many years ago. We headed down through farmland to the Te Hoe River and crossed it without difficulty. There was a brief bush-bash up to metal road. Walking along it, we could hear gunshots nearby. As we got higher, we could see two guys on the road above who must have been shooting into a nearby gully. Onwards and around the corner, where we eventually headed up a spur which had been recently replanted with pine trees. A long time ago during the last visit, we had walked up this spur through mature pines.

The memorial to Te Kooti

When we got up above the forestry, we had to look around for the start of the track which was between the main spur and a smaller outcrop. From this point onwards, it was a steep climb. The track was overgrown through minimal usage, but it could still be picked out. We were mostly in bush on the way up but occasionally there were clear patches which enabled us to see out. At the top, there was a small clearing with a couple of poles nearby. A little further on, the top opened out into a clear area with good views just before the lookout started to drop away to the north. A good place for lunch.

The memorial to John and Mary Halliburton with Te Kooti's Lookout behind

The trip back down was a lot easier, with the track more obvious after a large group of people had been through. Eventually we got out into the recently planted pine trees. In this area, one person had both soles come off her boots. There was some attempt to tape them back on. This did not work, so she had to walk back without the soles. We headed back down to the Te Hoe and after crossing it, we split up. Some went back the same way as we came. Others returned via a zig-zag to the top of the hill, walking past Halliburton’s farmhouse and plenty of horses in adjacent paddocks and back past stock yards to where the vehicles were parked.

After changing, the van headed back to Napier and the weekenders returned to the school houses to have a hot shower, socialise, play with Ray’s skittles (specially imported from England) and enjoy the BBQ facilities. It was very pleasant, relaxing outdoors in the late afternoon sun. Our host, Kevin, joined us for a while.

The next day, we had a relaxed start with a cooked breakfast for some. We went for a walk down to the bridge and the river. The valley had interesting rocks with shell fossils embedded in them. We had another talk to our host, who had a large garden behind his house.

We stopped to view the Ross family memorial, before heading home.

Thanks to Sue Martin for organising the access and to Kevin Frances for accommodation.

Weekend: Ted, Paul, John M, Ray, Simon, Sue Marshall and Geoff Donkin
Day: Jenny Burns, Mark Marchal, Colin McNatty, Val McNatty, Denise Payne, John Russell, John Dobbs, Ken Ross, Alison Greer, Jude Paton, Sue Titter, Rosemary Jeffery, Les O’Shea, Matt Green, Sue Martin and Julia Mackie

If we had believed the weather forecast, we would have chosen an alternative trip for the day – but we didn’t. When we got out of the van at Taruarau River Bridge on the Taihape Road, there was hardly any trace of the predicted gale force winds. The sky was a little ominous, however. So 12 optimistic trampers set off up the north end of the range on what I recalled as a moderate, shortish climb to the trig. Well, my memory and/or my legs aren’t what they used to be. It was a stiff climb and it took nearly an hour. Needless to say I enjoyed the chance to take breath at the trig and enjoy the view back down to the river and the road and the valley on the west of the Gentle Annie.

The views down the valley from the trig

From the trig, the track follows south along the length of the range, undulating but more up than down. We were generally in open grass and tussock but unfortunately the great distant views of the central north Island mountains were not to be had. They were clagged in. We could see down into the gorges of the Taruarau River down below us, though. The end of the range is a steep drop-off down to the river and marked the end of our morning’s tramping.

Lunch was taken early in a tussock basin sheltered from the strengthening wind. Lunch was a bit longer than the norm as we had time, and in my case at least, I wasn’t looking forward to the climb to the high point of the track on our way back.

The top of the range is a broad ridge, previously in grass but now regenerating bush. The ground cover is tending to alpine with mountain daisies – Celmesia – dominant. Three different orchids were in flower and a number of small, although mature, Spaniards (a bit like hedgehogs) were again located.

Everyone was back at the van by about 2.30pm with the earlier group enjoying a rest out of the now boisterous wind at the “hut” site at the track end. It was disappointing not to have been able to see Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe, as that is a feature of this trip.

Trampers: Vic Bullock, Paul Exeter, Rosemary Jeffery, John Marshall, Peter Slagter, Murray White, Sam Dickson. Viv Bramley, Jennie Burn, Gary Bowler, Graham Barrie and Ken Ross.

The five who completed the round trip over the Urchin, Julia, Les, Simon, Geoff and Alison

Ten of us started from the Umukarikari car park on Kaimanawa Rd, heading for Waipakahi Hut, which has 12 bunks. We were all carrying sleeping mats and prepared for a night out. The Umukarikari track heads uphill for about two hours, with views of Lake Taupo on the way. On emerging from the beech forest, there are fantastic views of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro and the central Kaimanawas to the east, and Urchin summit to the south. State Highway 1 is also clearly visible, and the cars travelling along it.

So we have the best views for our two days tramping on the tops, and the new blue track markers signify that track maintenance has been carried out. Just out of the bush, we decide to have lunch in a spot out of the cold wind. The Umukarikari range is a rolling landscape of rock with the occasional tussock. The Kaimanawa Mountains, with their series of ranges, look vast and endless. The track sidles around the base of Sharp Cone, and then it is up a scree slope to the top. From here, it is a steady walk admiring the views all the way along the tops. Side ridges obscure the Waipakahi hut and the river, but in the early afternoon they come into view.

Desceding off the tops down to Waipakahi Valley and Hut

I duck behind a rock trying to get out of the wind, whilst waiting for Les to join me. We decide to carry on until we descend off the tops and find a place that offers more wind protection. We have met a young hunter out for a day’s walk/hunt, and a couple also heading for Waipakahi hut tonight.

The walk from the Waipakahi River crossing up to the hut is filled with anticipation. We were last here in January 2009 when we did the Kaimanawa – Kaweka traverse. Wow… things have improved, with a newly extended deck. We settle in and enjoy the afternoon sun. Another two trampers arrive, and we organise the sleeping arrangements. They have never encountered such a large and noisy group before.

The re-opened track between Umukarikari and the Urchin tops

Our original plan had been for some of us to return via the Waipakahi River, and then up to the Urchin; however, we decided to do the re-opened track between the Umukarikari track and the Urchin track. We have two vehicles and two trampers/drivers who are prepared to connect us.

After being hammered by cyclones Bernie and Bola in 1982 and 1988, Urchin and Umukarikari tracks in the Kaimanawa Forest Park have finally been reconnected. The tracks suffered heavy damage in the storms when massive numbers of trees crashed to the ground and the section of track, approximately 5.5km long, from Sharp Cone (1481m) on the Umukarikari Range to Urchin (1392m) became impassable. (Alistair Hall, Wilderness April 2009)

The extended verandah - a good sunny afternoon spot to relax

The next day, we return up to the tops of the Umukarikari Range, again stopping to take photos and take a bearing on what we think is the Kaweka Range in the far distance. From the track junction, the ridge and Urchin tops are clearly visible, an easy walk to a small saddle and then a small ascent back to the tops. The DoC track timing is 2.30 – 3 hours, but we walk it in 2hrs 10 mins. It was easy going, but we marvelled at how difficult the track cutting must have been, as the bush is dense. The track winds its way through trees and a few undulations before we reach the bushline, after which it meets the junction for the river track. We stop and have lunch overlooking the river, again out of the wind, which is thankfully warmer than yesterday.

The Waipakahi River, viewed from the track to the Urchin tops

Walking across the Urchin tops, Simon sees the shiny object on an opposite ridge top. He had seen it yesterday, and we had speculated about it being a hut or space ship. It probably is a solar panel for a weather station, and it glints in the sun. We quickly made the trig post and posed for pictures (again), and then made a quick descent off the tops, through some lovely bush and trees. At times the Urchin track is 10ft wide, a contrast with the ridge track we had just traversed, which was narrow. At last we hear voices and arrive at the car park. We had done the whole walk in 6hrs 40 mins and were all pleased that we had walked the loop track, and covered new ground.

The Urchin trig and views

The weekend had been one of spectacular views, new tracks, improved huts, and – best of all – ten of us enjoying the weekend tramp.

Trampers: Ted Angove, Paul Exeter, Sue Martin, Sue Marshall, Denise Payne. Via the Urchin Les O’Shea, Alison Greer, Geoff Donkin, Simon Hill and Julia Mackie

Six left Napier in average weather, heading for Kaweka J. As we came closer to the Kawekas, the rain set in and the clouds looked quite threatening. We all agreed that the J wouldn’t be a sensible option and decided to drive on. Even in good weather we might have struggled to get there in our replacement van which puffed and huffed as soon as a hill came in sight.

Four of us hopped out at the Makino car park and John and Ray carried on to the road end. We made good time climbing the hill to Makino, on occasions having to use our rain jackets. It stayed dry during morning tea though, leaving time for a hot drink and a chat.

We decided to target the hot springs for lunch, skipped the Makino hut and descended straight back to the river. Lunch was lovely in the sun, with time to get our rain jackets dry and enjoy the river.

On the way to the lodge, we met a group of 26 girls heading for the springs for an overnight. Good to see young people making use of our backyard paradise. There were few people at the hut, where we had a drink and a snack.

The weather gods now smiled and the rain jackets stayed in the packs. The walk along the river is surely one of the most picturesque in the Bay. We reached the van around 3.30 and Ray brought us safely back to Napier. Not the walk we planned, but still a nice alternative.

Trampers: Ray Slavin, Rosemary Jeffery, Matt Green, John Marshall, Colin McNatty and Marc Marchal

Instead of the forecasted rain, clear skies greeted us at the Poronui Station gates on Tahurua Road.

Aproaching Oamaru Hut from the river

A steady pace was required for the main party to reach Clements Mill Road from Poronui Station and not have Ken, Vic and Sam waiting too long for us, at the end of the day. A fast pace through the private lands from the Poronui Station gates had us reach the Oamaru Hut in a little over two hours and cover as much of our 30 km journey before encountering the Kaimanawa bush.

Leaving the Oamaru hut after a short break, we walked along the Kaipo River track, covered with beech and kanuka trees. We passed a group fly-fishing, and further upstream a possum trapper, all of whom were staying back at the hut.

The swingbridge crossing

Our ascent through the beech canopy was long, steady but beautiful. The track passes below Te Iringa, and along the ridges were beech and mountain cabbage trees, with ferns and bracken in abundance. A few in the group were beginning to tire or suffer calf strain, but kept going knowing that the others were waiting at the end of the track.

After many hours of slow ascending along the ridge, we stopped for a drink break at an old hut site, burnt down many years ago, and the only remnant was a cleared grass knoll. The track descended from the old hut site to the Clements Mill Road car park, and after an hour’s walking we all met up at the van. A very tired but satisfied group exchanged their day’s stories on the return trip home, with drizzle just beginning to fall as we entered the city limits.

Trampers: Paul Exeter, Vic Bullock, John Marshall, Gary Bowler, Alison Greer, Jenny Burns, Sam Dickson, Ken Ross, Vic Bullock, Graham Barrie and Keith Moretta.