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