Mid-weekers’ easy Taupo trip rounds off the year

Around the Taupo area, Wednesday, 11 December 2019

Fourteen of us went on a fun day to Taupo for our last Wednesday tramp of the year. We went to Huka Falls and walked through to Aratiatia Dam. (Colin kindly took the van round to the dam.)

We were in some trees to start with, which we were grateful for because it was a hot day. We followed the Waikato River all the way and went past the back of the prawn farm, which is very big. This stretch took only 90 minutes.

The last part of the walk was in the open, with a blazing sun. The dam opened at noon. There were three viewing places and we were all scattered among them. When we arrived, there was just a small pool below the bridge and lots of rocks. When the gates opened, the pool filled and then the water gushed down the narrow river and completely submerged the rocks. It was amazing to see.

After that, we went into Taupo to Picollo Cafe and had lunch. Some of us went to McDonalds for an icecream afterwards. A neat end to the day and our tramping year.

Trampers: Kelvin Shaw, Colin McNatty, John Bennett, Lynette Morgan, Colleen Perreau, Ted Angove, Tony Pluymers, Rosemary Jeffery, Simon Hill, Doug Matheson, John Burrell, Gordon Tapp, Marie Deroles and reporter Dorothy Sole