Waipawa Forks Hut loop: XXX in the hills and XXXX in the pub

Triplex Hut, Waipawa Forks Hut, Ruahine FP,  Saturday 1 February 2025
Banner photo: Group selfie on reaching the Waipawa River

This was the first Saturday tramp of the year and an extremely good idea to shorten the route to enable new members to be introduced to tramping. John drove us comfortably in Cross Country’s Mercedes Sprinter, arriving at the Ruahine Forest Park gate at the same time as Di Reid and her team of overnight trippers. We were welcomed by a boisterous,  bellowing herd of bulls in the paddock above.

Boots, packs on, a brief talk by Elly then we set off to Triplex Hut, which is spotlessly clean, tidy and no doubt cared for by Love Our Huts volunteers. Waipawa Forks Hut was also immaculate.

The history is as follows:

Sheila Cunningham’s iconic “Hawkes Bay for the Happy Wanderer” (unfortunately now out of stock and print) tells the tragic story of Hamish Armstrong, flying from Akitio to Hastings on 21 July 1935, caught in a storm and blown off course, crashing into snow on the saddle above us, which bears his surname. His body was never found; only a shirt with XXX on it, which led to the hut’s original name, Triple X. There was speculation that Hamish might have been escaping from domestic life, but this is unlikely.

In the same book, the next hut north is Murderer’s (Ellis) the site of a nine-month hide-out by James William Ellis who had shot his employer at Martinborough, in 1904. He had been on the run from police and was cunningly apprehended in this bushman’s hut. My father-in-law had Ellis knock on the door of his house in Norsewood, during his escape from the south. Ellis was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.

Leaving this behind, we proceeded up the well-maintained Sunrise Track, gathering again at the turn-off south to the Waipawa River and Forks hut.

A number of features on the way: the netting to preserve native mistletoe, beautiful sounds of the long-tailed cuckoo, a sighting of two tomtits and explanations by John on the variety of native trees beside the path. Stunning young miro, the strongest of all native pines used for marine piling, with the gum used to promote ulcer healing and cure gonorrhoea. John taught me how to distinguish male and female rimu but his favourite was marbleleaf or putaputaweta (translated, full of weta holes). In early days, bootlaces were made from the rib of young lancewood leaves.

We descended to the junction with the river, slippery but again a good track although at times protruding wet tree roots from beech trees needed negotiating. There was time for photographs on the riverbank and then a look at the junction of the fairly dry northern branch. The main Waipawa River was moderately full.

Up next to the Waipawa Forks Hut on the true right where we stopped for lunch, including gumboot tea and long discussions on the meaning of life; why children need school lunches; and other important matters. This hut was in great shape too, although the helicopter pad looked a bit sad.

There were quite a few river crossings (in fact, about 18), but the water was pretty warm and only shin-deep. Some instructions were given by John and Keith on the methodology of crossing safely, bearing in mind the tragedy of two trampers (Wellingtonians) drowned trying to cross the Makaroro River in flood about six years ago.

Did anyone notice the limestone outcrops containing oyster shells? From my geologist brother, Christie: “The land was once below sea level here; rocks were swept off ‘Kaimana Island’ about 10km west, thought to be the first part of the North Island to rise again.”

We came back through the swamp track, and this was pure delight. DoC has done a great job in maintaining the area. Information signs are very helpful, and we came across some amazing bracket/plate fungus on one of the beech trees. Sue had come back by the original track to meet up with the ladies at the junction near Triplex, and we met a group from Palmerston North – three boys and their dads looking forward to a night at Sunrise.

It started to spit as we jumped into the van and by the time we reached the Sawyers Arms at Tikokino it was bucketing down. Keith and I enjoyed some Monteiths ale, a bit like Australian XXXX, others had coffee. The hotel looks great now and its hospitable hostess showed us out to the van through the secret kitchen exit, to save us being drenched. We arrived back just before five after a great day out, so thanks to Elly for arranging this.

Trampers: Connie Forrest, Barbara Edmead, Sue Gribble, Elly Govers, John Dobbs, Amelia Moorhead, Shona Tupe, Ishtar Deerheart, Mary Campbell, Keith Gore and reporter Paul Hendy