Napier Tramping Club

based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • Home
  • News
  • Recent trips
  • Meetings and Events
    • The Tramp List, and how to book online
    • Club meetings
    • Bike Rides
    • Eezee Tramps
  • Gear and fitness
    • Tramping gear details
  • History
    • Memory Lane
  • Contacts
    • Interested in joining

Good to be back in the bush

March 26, 2011 by Sue Martin Leave a Comment

Middle Hill Hut, Whetu – changed to: Te Puia Lodge, Kawekas, March 26 2011

Trampers to Te Puia via the Mohaka River Track: Paul Exeter, Ted Angove, Geoff Donkin, Marc Marchal, John Marshall and reporter Sue Martin

It rained and was blowing all the way out to the Kawekas, so it didn’t look promising for our tramp to Whetu. So we decided to have a leisurely trip to Te Puia and return. This was ideal for me as I haven’t tramped for more than three months (and I believe the others all had very good excuses too!). As we pulled up in the ‘blue gums’ car park, two vans full of school kids from Taupo arrived, heading the same way. We played cat and mouse with them most of the way and often could hear them before sighting them. I have been on that route many times but learnt two new useful things this time. 1) The Terrace Bivvy, which is ideally positioned and showed signs of recent inhabitants as there were still eggs in the carton and 2) The Arches – a natural caved arch which is upstream about five minutes from the small wooden footbridge, a place where one can access water. Many of the students desperately needed some, so our Ted was able to direct them to this spot.

The Mohaka River had flooded onto the track in many places and often we were walking in thick silt. The river still looked as clear and spectacular as it always does but we didn’t spot any trout. Although the rain didn’t come to much it was a nuisance because it was very muggy inside our parkas.

When we arrived at the hut, Malcolm (a Wellington hunter who has been almost everywhere in the New Zealand bush) enjoyed chatting with us for several hours. When the school kids arrived, they busied themselves setting up. After morning tea, lunch, chats and visits to the brand new board walk, 50 metres from the hut (and sighting the new bridge to the hot pools), we decided it was time to head back. Just as we were leaving, the other very wet group arrived from Makino.

An easy, relaxing tramp doesn’t hurt us from time to time. Yes, and it’s great to be back in the bush with friends.

Trampers to Te Puia via Makino Ridge; Matt Green, Simon Hill, Jenny Burns, and reporter Alison Greer

Four hardy trampers decided to have a longer day than the rest and exited the van at the Makino Hut car park. It was a steady climb in good conditions, even though the rain coat was “on again, off again” and we reached the turn-off in good time.

The low cloud cover lifted, giving us a quick view of the Makino and Mohaka rivers as we descended carefully over the wet clay pans. As it was only 11.30 and not raining, when we arrived at the new bridge over the Makino River, lunch at the hot springs sounded nice. Hmm, no such luck! The predicted rain arrived, so it was back to Te Puia lodge where the rest of group was just leaving.

A quick lunch, then the pleasant walk along the river, being amazed by the evidence of floods in January. We arrived at the Gums car park, changed and headed home.

Filed Under: Recent trips Tagged With: Te Puia

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Our most recent trips

This new-look bivvy’s great, if you’re colour-blind

Black Birch bivvy, Kaweka FP, Wednesday 18 January 2023 Banner Photo: The newly refurbed bivvy Drizzle and cool temperatures greeted us at … Read More

Plan C works out on our maiden 2023 tramp

Sentry Box, Parks Peak Track to Golden Crown Ridge Track, Saturday 14 January 2023. Ruahine FP, Map: BK37 Banner Photo: A whitehead. We saw and … Read More

An historic hut has had some TLC

Makahu Saddle to Kaweka Flats Bivvy, Iron Whare, Kaweka FP, Saturday 26 November 2022 Banner Photo: Iron Whare sits in a clearing We decided to do … Read More

News

January 2023 News

January 1, 2023 By Julia Mackie Leave a Comment

Aranga Hut On Saturday 14 January the tramp was changed to a loop in the Northern Ruahine Range. … Read More

December 2022 News

December 3, 2022 By The Editor Leave a Comment

Mokai access A message from Dan Tuohy, Senior Ranger, DoC Manawatu. Posted 24 December … Read More

About us

We are a group of like-minded people who love the great outdoors. We tramp mostly in the Hawke’s Bay province, in remote areas such as the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges; but we also travel longer distances to new places, for longer walks.

The Napier Tramping Club was established in 1974 and has about 70 members. We belong to the Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ Inc (FMC) and run Saturday, full-weekend and Wednesday tramps, every fortnight.

Interested in joining us?

Enjoy the great outdoors, keep fit and get to know others with similar interests.

More information

Latest news

January 2023 News

Aranga Hut On Saturday 14 January the tramp was changed to a loop in the Northern Ruahine Range. … Read More

December 2022 News

Mokai access A message from Dan Tuohy, Senior Ranger, DoC Manawatu. Posted 24 December … Read More

Latest trip

This new-look bivvy’s great, if you’re colour-blind

Useful links

  • Dept of Conservation
  • DoC Huts Use, Kaweka Forest Park
  • Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ (FMC)
  • Heretaunga Tramping Club
  • New Zealand Tramper
  • NZ Walking Access Commission
  • Wanganui Tramping Club

Useful links 2

  • Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society
  • Weather forecast

Copyright © 2023 · Napier Tramping Club · Sign In · Website by D2 ·