Barlow Hut, Ruahine FP, Map BK36 Wednesday 3 Dec, 2014 Barlow Hut is up the Makaroro River in the Northern Ruahine Ranges. We left our transport on a farm which is in the area of the proposed Ruataniwha dam and set off across the farmland before dropping down to the river at the Gold Creek… [Read More]
Sunrise Hut, and not much Beyond
Sunrise Hut, Ruahine FP, Wednesday July 16. Map: BK36 The weather forecast was for gale-force southerlies and snow down to 700 metres. So it was with a sense of excitement and trepidation that we set off from Napier for the Triplex car park. What a waste of emotional energy. The wind never came; the snow… [Read More]
Spaniards of the plant variety in abundance
Longview Hut and beyond, Ruahine FP. Wednesday March 12 2014 The trip in was uneventful and I had been enjoying the much-improved Kashmir Road. However, I became more concerned as time went on after the thought crossed my mind that the road upgrading was to make it wide enough for a logging truck – not… [Read More]
The weather was as varied as the landscape
RUAPEHU, March 1 to 6, 2014, Tongariro National Park. When you are on the mountain, you do what the mountain lets you – and this year was no exception to the rule. The weather was changeable although always windy up high, so all our tramps were lower down the mountain. Seven of us spent the… [Read More]
Our final walk for 2013 in new territory
Eland Station, Wednesday Dec 11 2013 A good crew of 20 turned out for this, our last Wednesday outing for the year. The plan for the day was for a tramp at Eland Station and an end-of-year break-up lunch at Snapper Park on the way home. That’s a good enough reason for the turn-out but… [Read More]
We’re walking backwards to Lotkow
Lawrence to Lotkow, Kaweka FP, Wednesday July 3 2013, Map: BJ37 A late change in plan had us do this trip in reverse order from the planned outing. We started from the Lawrence Road end off the Taihape Road. It was a good idea, as it reduced the driving time and we had the downhill… [Read More]
Betty takes us on a scenic tour
Solstice Tour, Wednesday June 19 2013 Following tradition, this solstice trip was a relaxed affair, this year to attractions east of Dannevirke. Jim Hickey had predicted a fine day, but got it wrong. We set off from Napier in the dark with light, misty rain falling. Not a good start but somehow appropriate. Our first… [Read More]
Searching for The Lizard
Blowhard Bush and The Lizard, Wednesday June 5 2013 Map: BJ37 The weather forecast was for cold, southerly gale-force winds with heavy rain. The tramp up the exposed ridge and along the open tops to Roberts Hut was going to be more than a little unpleasant. We didn’t do it! We used a little common… [Read More]
An accommodating Ru ru
Te Wae Wae Station, Map BH39 Wed 22 May 2013 The day’s tramp was through a large block of native bush on the Te Wae Wae Station, inland from Putorino (quite a long way inland, actually), on map BH39. As on our previous visit, we were cordially greeted at the gate by our host and… [Read More]
Pines on the Smith Russell track are obscuring the views
Kiwi Saddle Kaweka FP, Map BJ37 Wednesday April 10 2013 Again, it was a really great day to get above the bushline. We had a clear blue sky and barely any wind. It was cool in the shade, but you can’t have everything, and the first hour or so is steadily uphill so we were… [Read More]
Two made it up to ‘Route 66’
Sunrise and Route 66, Wednesday March 13 This was to be a re-run of the aborted tramp of February 27 when high winds above Sunrise Hut and generally foul weather drove us down. Today, things were different. We were blessed with a clear blue sky and almost no wind. We were a little more conservative… [Read More]
Golden Crown Ridge, on a clear day .. Yippee
Golden Crown Ridge, No Mans Hut, Wednesday August 29 2012 There was thick ice on the puddles as we drove in to Masters Shelter on Mangleton Road but the sky was clear and there was no wind. So expectations of the ten of us were high for a good day’s tramp. This trip is typical… [Read More]
