Te Henga (Bethells) - Wainamu Lake - Houghton Track - Wainamu Junction + Return via the opposite side of the lake

Date: 24 July 2015
Party: Anna, Elizabeth, Lesley
Map: 

Distance: 10.5 km
Elevation: 

Time: 3.5 hours
Notes: This is one of our favourite tramps. The black sand dunes are amazing (and who could not love that loo...). There is a huge nikau glade, fabulous swimming 'pools' that are really popular during summer, a Maori carving and even Barbie holidays here. Coming back to the car around the dunes from the other direction means a bit of a slosh through the stream, as there is no path other than up and over some pretty steep dunes. We managed to take a timed selfie (cos that is how we roll) which was entertaining. On our way back past the lake we met some nice regional council staff who were installing some kind of telecommunications equipment so that they are sent digital information about the lake - temperature, etc, rather than having to check their instruments manually, so we finally established what the buoys were for in the middle of the lake. There are apparently heaps of fish, but not native species - carp and perch - and they are quickly taking over. The water was amazingly clear though.

Anawhata Road - Kuataika Trig - Wainamu Junction + Return

Date: 17 July 2015
Party: Anna, Elizabeth, Lesley
Map:

Distance: 10.4 km
Elevation: 276m at Wainamu Junction
Time: 3 hours and 55 mins
Notes: Our initial plan was to walk through to Lake Wainamu and back, but the rain, conditions and need to be back by 4pm were against us and we only went to the Junction. Hopefully next week we can start at the other end and complete this section of the Hillary Trail. The track starts (unusually) with a paddock, and a brilliant view of the coast. It was pretty clear, though, from the valley in front of us, that there would be some peaks and troughs in this walk, and so there were (literally and metaphorically)! The track is wide, most probably a 4-wheel drive track, and it is rocky, muddy and slippery. This is not a track to do after heavy rain. We descended quickly to the valley floor, having to watch every step, crossed a small river or two, then ascended to the trig. This section was a bit of a slog through regenerating bush...there were lots of juvenile natives, but also lots of gorse, cutty grass, manuka and kanuka. The trig gives you a panoramic view of the coast and valley, and is a great place for morning tea. We were lucky enough to enjoy no wind and bright sunshine at the trig (must have been in Auckland) so we could mentally have some respite from all that slippery mud. Back down to the track and we continued our ascent to the Junction. Decision made to turn around at this point, we retraced our steps, with several bone-jarring falls that confirmed our position of glad-we've-done-it-but-never-again. All you can say about this trip is we are getting better at stream crossings. Boom. That's it. Back to Little Sister Cafe to celebrate.

Trig on the hill on the horizon

Grevillea perhaps?

Nihotupu Dam Track - Christies Track + Return

Date: July 3 2015
Party: Anna, Elizabeth, Lesley
Map: http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/8/9/4/highres_282126292.jpeg
Distance: 11.5 km
Elevation: ? Not huge
Time: 3 hours 55 mins
Notes: With Anna's Waitakere books and maps tucked into a box of unknown whereabouts in her new apartment, we took a punt on this in-and-out trip to the Nihotupu Reservoir. An easy walk to the dam, there is a dramatic drop and view across the valley on one side and a calm body of water on the other (yes, quite dam-like). We kept off the dam face, as requested, but were puzzled by the medieval instrument of torture (seen in picture 3 below). Seems a bit primitive to discipline your aberrant DOC workers by dangling them from that cage over the water (although the Kepler's dead-stoat-in-pocket, tardy, yoga guy might just need a dangle). Taking a sharp right at the end of the dam, we slid and slithered our way to the end of Christie's Track, where we crossed a small stream and ended up at Huia Dam Road. Concentrating on our foot placement in all that mud, we had been oblivious to our surroundings, and only on the return journey appreciated the fungi, beautiful natives, lovely streams and waterfalls. We had lunch in the shelter by the dam, where a couple of dodgy looking chaps strolled past, and then met a party of four who were even dodgier. We were not surprised, then, to see some old not-so-fluffy dice swinging from a tree a little further on. The sights you see out West. We experienced some wet stuff too that seemed to fall from the ceiling of the world, which we later discovered is called 'rain'. Who knew? Home without refreshments with the promise of drinks in the new apartment...another Perfect Friday.

Clavaria roseoviolacea