Traverse to the mountains

Yes, this was written from the comfort and safety of home - so now you know we made it. But it wasn't without some effort...

We left Taumaranui with heavy packs, loaded up with enough food for seven days. Rob's pack went into protest mode, and started falling apart. Shoulder strap buckles pinged, he had to tie knots in the straps to hold his pack on, and basically ended up looking like a bit of a hobo. Of course he tried to offload weight onto his good wife, but she cried foul.

We made it to Owhango, chatted to a gun cyclist who had just done the 42nd traverse in 3 hours - he's a machine - and following his directions found our way to the track. First we begged water from a woman doing up her cottage in case we couldn't find any, so with even heavier packs we set off up the traverse and a couple of hours later found a perfect little spot to camp on the side of the track.

A perfect camp site in the middle of nowhere provides a stream with clean water, soft grass, evening sun, beautiful forest, entertainment in the form of kereru swooping overhead, and of course a discreet and private ablution area. We got a bit feral and foraged for luscious blackberries and not so luscious apples - more offerings of the perfect campsite.

Next day was a Saturday, which meant we had several near-death experiences with crazy cyclists, quad bikes and motor bikes hurtling towards us. They were all having the fun of an amazing downhill, while we struggled and sweated ever upwards in the heat of the day, one climb going up and up forever to 910 metres. We did enjoy sensational views of the Wanganui River miles below us, lovely regenerating forest, and caught glimpses of our destination, the mountains of the central plateau, in the distance.

It was along this track that I spent much time meditating on why and how a guy 10 years older than me could go faster and faster - at times I calculated that the galloping giraffe in front was at least a quarter of a kilometre ahead. I hate long legs.

On Kapoors road at the end of the track, the motorcyclists we'd seen earlier in the day came back, passed us with care and then deliberately gunned it down the gravel road leaving us to eat their dust. Sods.

We got out to State Highway 47 at 5.00 pm, after walking 62 kilometres in 2 days, in desperate need of a shower and with another 10 km to go to the Tongariro Holiday Park. The only sensible thing to do was stick out the thumb and we got a ride with a Japanese tourist Daisuke who told us about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It was some time before we learnt the full scale of the shocking disaster.

We had a lazy morning before setting off up the road to Ketatahi Hut, battling against the tide of people coming off the crossing on a perfect day. The views over Lake Taupo from the hut were stunning and sunset was magical.

We were the only nutters who elected to camp at Ketatahi. There was a cool northwesterly breeze blowing the sulphuric fumes from the hot springs straight into our tent. Our tent isn't a real tent. It's a tarptent - the side and end walls are mesh. Needless to say it was a tad chilly in our lightweight sleeping bags that night.

Next day we set off early avoiding virtually everyone doing the crossing, and had the most fantastic trip through spectacular landscapes to the enormous new Waihohonu Hut. It looks like a luxury lodge, has solar panels providing enough electricity for lighting in the kitchen area and a hot water tap. Posh.

From there we headed south to Rangipo Hut and didn't see anyone for a couple of days. There were loads of gullies to negotiate and a slightly disconcerting section across a lahar path. You are not supposed to linger and are supposed to walk quickly across the area - very tricky on steep slippery gravel.

The next morning in perfect conditions again, we headed to Mangaehuehu hut. This time there was a truly enormous, steep and slippery downhill to the Wahianoa River, and of course a big ascent on the other side. But even so we got to the hut earlier than expected, around lunch time, and decided to carry on to Blyth Hut for our last night in the wilds. We watched the sun go down, lighting up Mt Taranaki with a wonderful red glow and providing us with a sensational end to our trek.

Walking down the Blyth Track to Ohakune on our last day we got a huge surprise to bump into Shelley and Bob coming up to meet us. It was great to see them and we celebrated our journey together in Ohakune with yet another massive steak at the RSA before they drove us home next day.

So there we have it, section 2 done and dusted, National Park through to Wanganui and on to Wellington in October.

Our feet are slowly recovering, we are eating like horses trying to regain the couple of kgs we've lost, and we've even started beating the garden back into shape. Thanks again to all our wonderful helpers for the transport, beds and food, and to Rose and Emily for looking after the house. We couldn't do it without you all.

Until next time, Rob and Debby

Notes

Day 21: Taumaranui to side of track camp on 42 Traverse. 28.6 km
Day 22: Traverse to Tongariro Holiday Park. 31 km
Day 23: Holiday Park to Ketatahi Hut. 14.6 km
Day 24: Ketatahi to Waihohonu Hut. 15.3 km
Day 25: Waihohonu to Rangipo Hut. 12.8 km
Day 26: Rangipo to Blyth Hut. 15.4 km
Day 27: Blyth to Ohakune Mountain Road. 7.7 km

Through the Pureoras

When it's pouring with rain and you have your hood over your eyes, it is easy to go the wrong way. Suffice it to say we actually managed to go to Te Kuiti 3 times on this trip. Once was on the train on the way to Auckland. Once we walked there from Waitomo. And once we returned there after going 16 kilometres up highway 3 instead of highway 30. Don't ask.

Everything turned out well as we found a brilliant B&B in Benneydale. Not another thing there, but our French and Dutch hosts were amazing and inspirational in their efforts to bring the world to Benneydale through music and art. Thanks Maurice and Monica.

We then spent 4 wonderful days in the Pureora Forest, kaka wheeling over our heads, blue duck whistling in the pretty Waihaha River, massive rimus and totaras, and birdsong all around. Add great huts (Bog Inn, Waihaha and Hauhungaroa) and a well-marked track with perfect weather, what more could we want?

Coming off the Hauhungaroas we went up Duck Creek without a clue where we were going. We turned around in despair at the mismatch between the track map we were given and the actual GPS trace we were following. Bu**er. Te Araroa Trail info is still far from perfect and navigation has been very tricky at times.

But then we found ourselves in lovely Taumaranui where we indulged in a great fat juicy steak at the RSA and scored a free guided night tour of the town by a local Maori woman, Gina. She gave us a wonderful account of the local history along the way. Wow.

Then we were due to head for Owhango and the 42 Traverse which we hoped would lead us to Ruapehu for the last leg of our trail. Once again the Te Araroa trail info was scanty, and we faced 42 kms in the middle of nowhere with some trepidation. We hoped our family and friends would hear from us again......

Notes

Day 14: Waitomo to Te Kuiti campground. 14.8 km
Day 15: Te Kuiti to Benneydale B&B. 26.8 km
Day 16: Benneydale to DOC field base cabin, Pureora. 20.1 km
Day 17: Field base ot Bog Inn Hut, Pureora. 12.9 km
Day 18: Bog Inn Hut to Waihaha Hut, Pureora. 19.4 km
Day 19: Waihaha Hut to Hauhungaroa Hut, Pureora. 12.4
Day 20: Hauhungaroa Hut to Taumaranui Campground. 22 km

From the big smoke to Waitomo

Nobody heard from us for quite a while. Although we had been travelling through one of the most populated areas of New Zealand, we always found ourselves in the wilds or without an internet connection.

We were camping at the Wairoa Dam in the Hunuas when a lady walking her dog late in the evening told us of the Christchurch earthquake. We were a long way from cellphone reception, so we spent a restless night worrying about our son Sam and other family and friends, and next day altered our route to get in contact, thereby missing the Mangatawhiri tracks. Luckily we had a text from Lorraine re Sam and also gradually heard that others we know were okay. A dreadful event with ongoing ramifications.

That same night brought us another shock. A car pulled up beside us just as it got dark, a guy jumped out and approached us carrying a rifle!! But it was okay – Bruce was just off to shoot rabbits, but not before he’d told us the story of his life – a guy with a big chip on his shoulder, so we still didn’t feel entirely safe until he drove off.

But back to our first night in Auckland and the start of our journey. The following day was the first of many hot days when water became our biggest problem, other than the usual blisters. It took us two days to walk out of Auckland – first night stealth camping beside the airport runway (very noisy and not to be recommended), second night a great scout camp in Clevedon. We do like variety. Highlights were the Otuataua Stonefields at Mangere, and the incredible bird numbers on the Manakau Harbour at high tide. And bumping into friendly cyclists like Ben who took time out to stop and chat.

From there it was up the Wairoa River track into the Hunuas through beautiful forest and on good trails, and then to Mercer (a motel with a cricket plague) for the first of three days walking on stopbanks up the majestic and surprisingly unpeopled Waikato River. Great historic pub at Rangiriri – Rob thinks the stud height was 14 feet!

Next day we were dwarfed by the massive Huntly Power Station and intrigued by its sculpture garden symbolising Tainui’s treaty settlement in 1995. That night we found ourselves camping on Gary and Lorraine’s front lawn. Who are they? No idea, just nice people who gave us space and water and home grown grapes. Yay.

Then came the Hakarimata ridge to Ngaruawahia, which we loved despite going up and down and up and down – undulating as Rob says. Met Glen the ultra-marathon man doing a short training run – the first person we have met on any track. We loved talking to him.

Ngaruawahia was most needed as we stank to high heaven by then, despite the odd shower along the way. And our clothes were filthy – a bit bacterial in the hot weather, pooh. Next stop was with Bob and Anne in Cambridge and we didn’t want to offend them too much with our smell.

The approach to the Hamilton CBD along the river is magnificent, and highly recommended if you are passing through Hamilton. Bob and Anne wined and dined us in their inimitable style, and may have slowed us down the next day as we burnt off the wonderful excesses.

Next day was a fantastic walk in the Kapamahunga Range over huge farms with rocky bluffs, complete with sheep mustering, and outstanding panoramas, to a delightful no camping riverside camp (ha ha, no police either). After 30 kms nobody could have stopped us anyway.

The following morning we climbed nearly 1000 metres to Mt Pirongia. We actually met two people out for a day walk – they were Taiwanese – at the summit. We made it to Pahutea Hut just as the skies opened – what a haven, our first proper DOC hut on the trail since Cape Reinga.

A great walk off Pirongia next day, starting with the longest boardwalk we have ever encountered on the Hiwikiwi track. Then in the afternoon it rained, and then it poured, and we walked and walked and walked at times through head high fern and manuka on a cattle-muddied track until we found an abandoned woolshed aka the Hilton. We swept a corner free of wool and dust and made ourselves a cosy nest for the night – thank God, no rats or mice. Or ghosts.

Next day the rain stopped and we found our way over farms and through forest (thanks, Melissa, your directions worked a treat) the long way round to Waitomo, where we enjoyed a touch of civilization – big home made meat pies and a beer. The day was not unusual in one respect – the GPS information we had and the track descriptions didn’t match, and the track markers often didn't exist. Just a wee challenge – the psychology of this trip is often as tough as the trail itself and the demands of walking all day every day.

But hi ho, we’re having a great time, we’ve met some wonderful people along the way – all angels in their different ways. Next stop, Te Kuiti to restock and then into the Pureoras we go. Thank you so much to all who have helped us and sorry this is so long.

Notes
Day 2: Mt Eden to Ak Airport - stealth camp beside Puhinui road. 28.8 km
Day 3: Airport to Camp Sladdin, Clevedon via Mill Rd. 22.5 km
Day 4: Clevedon to shelter below Wairoa Dam, Hunuas. 24.9 km
Day 5: Wairoa Dam to Mercer motel. 33.9 km
Day 6: Mercer to Rangiriri Hotel. 27.1 km
Day 7: Rangiriri to near Hakarimata reserve, camp on lawn. 22.9 km
Day 8: Hakarimata Reserve to Ngaruawahia motel. 13.6 km
Day 9: Ngaruawahia to Lake Rotoroa, Hamilton. 22.4 km
Day 10: Drinsdale, Hamilton to Kaniwhaiwha Stream, camping. 30.1 km
Day 11: Kaniwhaiwha Stream to Pahutea Hut, Pirongia. 10.9 km
Day 12: Pahutea Hut to derelict woolshed, Mahoe Road. 31.5 km
Day 13: Mahoe Road to Waitomo. 19.2 km

Off we go again - Auckland to Ohakune

Took ages to plan our route, make our dehyd meals, arrange, pack and send food drops to friends in Hamilton and to campgrounds in Te Kuiti and Taumaranui.

Got quite excited about travelling up to Auckland by train, a nice gentle way to see the country, travelling over 253 bridges and through 14 tunnels. Only problem was arriving in the big city at night and becoming bamboozled by the throngs attending a Chinese Lantern Festival. Stumbled our way to Mt Eden in the dark and found our refuge for the night with friends Jenny and Harry.

And so began our second section of the Te Araroa Trail on the 19^th February 2011.

Notes

Day 1: Britomart rail station to Peary Road, Mt Eden. 8.4 km