Napier Tramping Club

based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

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The hut wardens, Ted and Paul in their green garb

An Irish Christmas, with Santa O’Claus

June 30, 2012 by Julia Mackie Leave a Comment

Te Puia Lodge, Kaweka Forest Park, Saturday and Sunday June 30 and July 1. Map: BJ37

The hut wardens at the Te Puia lodge have a lot to answer for. It all started with one of them suggesting that the theme this year be ‘Green’ or Irish. We all quickly concurred, and then worked out how we would get the appropriate costume together.

The hut wardens, Ted and Paul in their green garb

The frosty morning walkThe wardens walked into Te Puia Lodge on Friday, and set up their quarters. They woke to a heavy frost on the lawn on Saturday. Other solstice trampers walked to the lodge on Saturday. The frost on the toi-toi makes it look quite spectacular on Kiwi Flat.

Les and Julia had also gone for a tramp on Friday, hoping to get to Makino Hut on Friday night, via Middle Hill Hut and Whetu. The wind on the tops defeated them, so they spent the night at Middle Hill Hut, where tea bags froze to the table inside the hut.

Jude and Sue, doing an Irish jigAll parties met at Te Puia Lodge on Saturday late afternoon, and the festivities were held in the wardens’ quarters. Les had kindly agreed to be Santa, when promised that the girls would sit on his knee.

Simon, sitting on Santa O'Claus's kneeHaving the solstice party separate from the main hut quarters was a stroke of genius, and we all had fun, especially Les.

On Sunday, although a tad cold, we bared our legs and crossed our fingers that the weather would warm up. It did, and we enjoyed the walk along the Mohaka, back to ‘The Gums’. It was a good weekend and we all enjoyed our walking.

Solstice trampers: Ted Angove and Paul Exeter (hut wardens), Jude Paton, Sue Martin, Simon Hill, Murray Goss, Les O’Shea, and reporter Julia Mackie

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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

June 2023 News

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May 2023 News

Wilding Pine Update, Tuesday 9 May 2023 Five of us up there today…..before the rain set … Read More

Latest trip

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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

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