The Timber Trail - Toi Toi Track - Mt Pureora - Link Track - Hitchhike!

Date: 13-15 November 2015
Party: Anna, Lesley and the Timber Trail cyclists - Elizabeth, Peter, Chris, Andrea, Alice, Marion, Neil
Map:

 

















Distance: 15 km
Elevation: 1150

Time: 4 hours
Notes: A couple of months ago, Elizabeth mentioned that she and some others were cycling the Timber Trail in the King Country, and Anna and I wondered if we could walk it while they rode it. The actual Trail is 80+ ks so we were not going to be able to walk the whole lot, but thought we could perhaps do some of it, or even a track close by. Anna needed to put old demons to rest in relation to this Trail, having spilled blood on it when it first opened. Elizabeth checked to see if there was accommodation still available at Blackfern Lodge's Forge, and prestochangeo we were booked in. Half of the group (us) drove down on Friday morning and stole the best beds in what turned out to be one of the most quirky lodges in New Zealand! There was a stroll to the waterfall, to see if we could see any whio or trout, and then a delicious meal Anna had whipped up beforehand...she had even thought to bring napkins and tealights...very sophisticated. Four other people arrived quite late to share the Lodge with us - one of whom knew Neil (there is no escape). Up bright and early, we left the cyclists to organise themselves onto the shuttle van, as we took off to find Link Road and the start of our track. Hilariously, we spotted the cyclists at the start of the Timber Trail, were excited to see them, so parked the car, got ready, took a few photos of the group and set out - completely forgetting we were doing another track! The Timber Trail is well marked and really lovely. It was very cold (there had been a frost the morning before), but there was bird-song-galore and it was easy walking. We had been told that there were at least 6k of steep uphill, but it was pretty slow and steady elevation. We broke through the bush into an area of felled trees, which was not particularly appealing, and we were worried that we might not be able to find and connect to a track that would take us to the top of the mountain. The day was mostly sunny, and we were keen to see the view from the top. At the 10.7k mark we came across a signpost to Toi Toi track and the summit - yay- so off we set up the side of the mountain. The terrain was much rougher, and steeper, but the DOC sign said the summit was only 40 minutes away, so we toiled on. Funny how the vegetation changes as you get closer to the summit, and there were signs of pigs too. Eventually we popped out onto the alpine top, then had a frustrating 10 more minutes of being able to see the trig...but not being as close as we had thought. Always the way. Finally there, we enjoyed about 20 minutes of very chilly, windy weather, while we took in the 360 degree view of Lake Taupo, Ruapehu and the great swathes of Pureora Forest. We had hoped to see Mt Taranaki, but it was a little hazy on the skyline. Next time maybe. Having felt like the most isolated spot in the world, we were taken by surprise when a lone lady strolled up just after us (more of her later). We took Link Track down - it has great boardwalks from the summit - and fabulously mossy matai and totara next to the track. We had lunch at the end of the track, contemplating the problem we now had of getting back to the car, inconveniently parked 15k away. A Classic Kiwi Bloke pulled up in his ute, and we shamelessly pitched for a lift back to the start of the Trail. He, however was about to take his grandson up the mountain, so we held out for Lone Lady...who finally emerged onto the road. We happily got into the MP for Hamilton West's Tim Macindoe's car and tootled off to the car park down the long, gravelled, dusty, hot road that we would have had to walk, grateful as. We made a compulsory stop in Bennydale to have a coffee at this place, and the ladies there were delightful, and the coffee that I didn't spill over my lap was good. They let us use their wifi, which turned out to be a mistake, as this had just happened, and that was pretty shocking.

Butterfly? Moth?

Teepee puzzle

Day Two:
Ah yes, Day Two. The skies has opened, as predicted, and the rain came down. The cyclists opted not to head out to do the second half of the Trail, but we intrepid walkers decided a quick trip around a handy track would be good exercise, and sallied forth. All was well until there was a 'ping'. A message had appeared on Anna's new-fangled-European-veeehicle saying that we had low pressure in our right rear tyre. Visions of being stuck on a gravel track, with no phone reception, in the rain, changing a tyre. Hmm not quite what we had planned for the day. Erring on the side of caution, we headed to Te Kuiti and filled the tyre with air, which seemed to fix the immediate problem, but we decided not to risk a total puncture and headed back to Auckland. (We were busted at Bosco's by some of the cyclists, who looked a bit skeptical of our story!) So we have unfinished business in the Pureora Forest...