Ngaruwahia to west of Hamilton

29.2 km - 5.25 hours

The next section of Te Araroa involves some walking on a busy stretch of SH1, waiting for a walkway to be built along the south bank of the Waikato River. My scout had been sent out earlier to check out the new walkway, but nothing much happening, so my alternative route was to cross to the north bank and follow a more minor River Rd all the way to Hamilton - at times still able to hear the traffic on SH1.

I crossed to the south bank again on a pedestrian bridge, so picking up with the Te Araroa route again very soon after it actually hits the walkway alongside the river. This delightful walk and cycle way took me all the way into the centre of Hamilton - what a real treat that is for the city to have such a pleasant traffic free walk in the middle of the city (pic).

From there a scoot across to Lake Rotoroa, and then via a few roads to Tills Lookout on the west of the town. And there I was with views all around and the path leading to ... Mt Pirongia, where Te Araroa will take me soon. From the lookout the path took me down into the Taitua Arboretum, for a gentle walk amongst the trees to the carpark and my pickup for the day.

Back there hopefully at Easter.

Huntly to Ngaruwahia

19.2 km - 5 hrs 20 minutes

From the Huntly power station, there is a road walk through the western side of the town, and then staying on that side of the river, on south to the start of the Hakarimata Walkway.

That starts off as a good class walking track - if you don't mind the hundreds of well made steps - up to lookout points back up north (picture - Waikato River and Huntly town). As promised, after that it becomes a standard tramping track that goes up and down the bush clad ridge that looks down on the Waikato River and SH1 on its way from Ngaruwahia to Taupiri - with even the sound of a train from time to time.

And then a steep downhill track, which near the bottom becomes a well made walking track past the Mangarata reservoir and waterfall, taking me all the way into Ngaruwahia.

A shorter time than expected, but at the moment with everything so dry, it is fast walking / tramping, with no mud or slippery tracks to slow me down.

Mercer to Huntly

42 km - 8.5 hours

From Mercer there is a short up and down track that runs parallel to the main road, providing a great view of the Waikato River and taking me to the Whangamarino Redoubt historical site.

From there it was a walk alongside SH1, but fortunately a wide verge, so no big deal. Escaped into a diversion via Meremere township, then back to the main road, before heading off for the river after a short while. Then on stop banks and other riverside paths for quite a few kms heading south. After the Pumphouse site a bit of a toss up between the quiet road and the parallel stop bank, all the way through to the bridge at Rangiriri.

Across the river there, and then on stop banks almost all the way to the Huntly Power Station - a bit like walking on a rail trail, as for most of the way the stop banks are some distance from the river, and wind their flat way through (very dry) paddocks, behind houses and away from the road.

Hunua Ranges South and on to Mercer

Saturday 30th January - 31 kms, 8.25 hours

An early start because of forecast rain saw me heading off from Moumoukai into the Mangatawhiri valley on a crisp sunny morning. As it happened the rain did not arrive, and my 4 crossings of the Mangatawhiri river were not much more than ankle deep. A steady climb up to the ridge on leaving the valley included a crawl through a large tree fall, but good to see track work is in progress with the construction of new steps on the steeper sections.

The ridge tramping track that followed was well marked and as promised had a very steep downhill section at the end - could be a great slide after rain ! The track out leads past what used to be the smart Hotel Du Vin - now part of Dilworth College. Road walk down to the junction with what is now the Old SH2 - great now that it has only 1 vehicle every 5 minutes, rather than the continuous stream before the new expressway opened. Then a pleasant road to follow over to Mercer on the Waikato River to prove that I am now into Te Araroa's Waikato section.

The picture is the Mangatawhiri river after my descent - the dry summer view

Hunua Ranges Track - North

Sunday 24th January - 15.8 km - 5.3 hours

Started the day expecting rain and long sections of slow muddy tracks, but in the event there was no rain, and only around 2 hours of slower track - the rest were of a superb grade. From Cosseys Dam Road down across the stream, then up to check out the Hunua Falls, before heading up and up the Massey Track onto the bush clad hill tops. A splendid grove of kauri trees and then on along a long ridge above the Wairoa reservoir - with the occasional glimpse of it.

Then down onto and across the Wairoa Dam, with my best view so far of the reservoir, and then up and up again to a fine lookout where this picture was taken from. Soon reaching a high point it was all downhill from there on shingle roads to Moumoukai, near the base of the Upper Mangatawhiri Dam

Totara Park to the Hunuas

Saturday 23rd January - 37.2 km - 7.75 hours

Heading up through Totara Park I am now on the eastern edge of Auckland. On top of a ridge, Te Araroa then follows Redoubt Rd - for the moment anyway - off towards Whitford, and then turning towards Clevedon. But a welcome turn away from roads takes me onto Kimptons Track and the hill reserve behind Clevedon. With lookouts back to where I have come from, out to the Hauraki Gulf, and towards the Hunua Ranges.

Road walking accompanied by cyclists on a 100km race, and then into the Hunuas on the Wairoa River Track - mostly following this rushing wee river for 5 km before taking me out onto Cosseys Dam Road, near the Hunua Falls.

Auckland to Totara Park

I was planning to be in Northland again by now to continue my Te Araroa travels from where I left off in November, but not there yet. So I have become a weekend Te Araroa walker that at least lets me walk Te Araroa from home in Auckland south via day walks. Quite a few of those within a short drive from home, so today was the first of those

Sunday 17th January 2010 - 42 km - 8 hours

From home in Epsom through the gem of Cornwall Park, then down to the Manukau Harbour following it around through Ambury Farm Park, and along the Coastal Walk to the Otuataua Stonefields - the home of one of the cutest wee volcanic cones in the Auckland area. Then a road hop around past the airport and off towards Manukau City, but with a deviation through the Puhinui Reserve - and a not so pleasant wade through the Puhinui Stream.

Then onto Manukau City, finding the Puhinui Stream from time to time, and using it to get under the southern motorway and onto its most enjoyable forest section - the Puhinui Stream Track. Which delivered me to Totara Park and my pickup for the day

Picture - the path goes ever on - here on the edge of the Otuataua Stonefields