Eastern Tararuas Reccy

Ruamahanga river to Holdsworth via Jumbo

Solo weekend tramp

The plan is for a through trip in the Eastern Tararuas exploring some tracks I haven't been on; all on the Topo map and theoretically well marked.  During the week a southerly dumps cold air on Wellington. Daytime temperatures drop by 5+ degrees and black puffer jackets displace hoodies as the garment of choice amongst the younger contingent. The southerly blows through to give a clearish Friday but a promise of rain and a wintery weekend.

The weather forecast is for rubbish on the Saturday and wind on the Sunday so most of the trip sticks to river valleys and low saddles, with a review on Sunday for a possible dash across the Holdsworth-Jumbo tops.

Some complicated logistics to get a car at the Holdsworth Road end involves a very pleasant dinner at Salute in Greytown on Friday night and a comfortable night at Aidan and Janne's.

Saturday

It's an early start from Carterton and the rain starts on the way to the Mt Bruce Road end (just off SH2 before the bridge at the bottom of Mt Bruce).  It's a cold and blattery exit from the car, and quickly into rain gear, which stays on for the rest of the day.

The track at the road end doesn't have much to advertise its presence; a single orange triangle and faded poison warning, but it is exactly where its marked on the map. One car is parked already.

The route follows a farm track for about a km before briefly jumping 100m up the hill over a spur before dropping to a large farmed terrace high above the river.  Markers are sporadic but it's reasonably straight forward as a quad has been through.

A group of three youngsters are returning from a hunt but don't have much to say to a single tramper.  I can see why they might come here as fresh pig rootings start to become very common; at one point virtually destroying the 4WD track.

At the end of the flats, scrub and bush start and a single (what I presume is private) hut stands with smoke coming from the chimney; the quad is parked outside. 

Rounding a corner the sound of a pig squealing from up the hill slowly becomes louder. A little further on, a father and son with guns are standing looking up the hill. The occasional bark can now be heard. The hunters are just returning from a hunt and say the chap up the hill is not with them, but had just arrived and his dogs had got onto a pig immediately. The squealing comes closer and directly towards us, occasionally a tree shakes.  After this has gone on for 10 minutes I get bored and head on up the track. But not before the hunter mentions that he has "cleared out all the Parries". I assume he means paradise ducks, and wonder why he would think that this could be considered anything other than pretty sad.

The sidle track up the Ruamahanga is long but usually doesn't climb too much. Its pretty rough in places with the loose boulders off the slopes above and old river terraces together with tree roots, making for tricky footing. Although it keeps at a fairly consistent height I think it would be pretty tricky to find your way by torchlight.

Occasionally there are streams cut down into deep slots that require a bit of clambering. The river below keeps a constant background noise and, although its calm under the canopy, the wind can be seen driving rain down the valley. The bush is saturated and drips constantly, but it's pleasant travel.

A little over two thirds of the way to the Cow Creek turn off, a larger stream has the remains of what must have a two (or three) wire bridge. Its easy to cross today but it drains a large catchment running all the way up to Blue Range Hut so could probably come up pretty high.  An ageing sign marks a route up to Roaring Stag Hut (the route is not marked on my map) and then the turn up Cleft Creek to Cow Saddle.

The climb is reasonably straight forward at first but the track decides to follow the creek bed, and there is a singular lack of markers to indicate that this is the case. A bit of dithering and map checking and I decide to head up the stream, when I look back I see it is marked better for the trip down. Once my eye is in, the distance between markers becomes less of a worry. The point where the track leaves the stream bed and dives up the final 200m to the saddle isn't particularly well marked either. But if you keep your eye on your left (true right) a track inclining up out of the steepening stream gully takes you up and up to Cow Saddle.

In the saddle the track up to Waingawa is well marked and soon after, there is a sign and a short way into the bush a faint trail up to spot point 810 and eventually the Blue Range Track. Not today.

Descending from the saddle, the track follows a different line than the map, emerging on the right bank (not left!) of Cow Creek. Then it proceeds to climb away from the river, where the map says it sidles across a slip. I waste some time back tracking and having one of those moments where the tracks don't match the map. It turns out that the track now climbs over the slip, a reasonable change but, together with the track mysteriously migrating across the stream, the dissonance between the map and what I can see causes a bit of confusion. However it's not long to cross the bridge over the Waingawa River to Cow Creek Hut; a pretty standard facility.  A bite, drink, map check, log entry, break out gloves and balaclava and eventually depart at 1215.

The map shows a fairly straightforward track down valley close to the river and not climbing or dropping much. The start is easy going as is the odd flat or old river terrace, and the track is generally in better nick then the Ruamahanga leg. However, it ducks and dives over slips and the toes of spurs and skirts up streams to cross. In a number of places track marking is less than helpful so it's somewhat slower than expected.

About 1430 Mitre Flats Hut heaves into sight. Nobody is in residence and, according to the log book, have not been since 10 days ago. The 'new' hut looks well worn in but comfortable, with plenty of space.

This is my first scheduled assessment point; night-over here or continue over Barton track to Atiwhakatu Hut. Departing at 1445 I know it will be tight for light given a DoC time of 4 hours. However, I'm confident of trimming time off the estimate and that the track near the hut will be navigable by torchlight if necessary.

The track crosses Mitre South Stream via swing bridge and dives up Barton Track. A 200m climb up a well-formed track turns into an up and down sidle on a variable track. Again there are places where track markers are fine in the opposite direction but not the way I'm going. I wouldn't like to do this part of the track in the dark.

Eventually the track levels into and through the saddle a three way intersection marks the track up onto Baldy and through to the three Kings and beyond. I take the drop to the swing bridge over Atiwhakatu and on down the valley past the turn-off to Jumbo Hut. The track is better but it seems to take a long time to cover the 2 or so km to the hut.

About 15 minutes short of the hut, two youngish hunters are heading out taking their rifles for a walk. They report that it will be just the three of us in the hut for the night, which is welcome news.  It's pretty dim at 1710 when I finally sit on the hut verandah to remove soaking shoes. By the time the hunters return dinner is well underway, and we chat about various trips and experiences in the Tararuas.  They are friendly and good company.

Sunday

The hunters have a radio and report gale-force winds for Sunday.  The morning is clear and I decide to head up to Jumbo and assess; leaving about 0800.

It's about an hour to climb 700m, first into sunshine and then to the hut just above the bush-line. Jumbo Hut has a stunning view with the Wairarapa laid out in bright sunlight to the horizon, behind there is a bit of clag blowing over from the direction of MacGregor.  The wind is getting up and it is nippy.  I assume that the wind will be a lot stronger on the tops and the clag will likely come in from the West and North.  As I have the right gear, the map shows pretty straight forward navigation and it's a well travelled route I am comfortable to continue.

View from Jumbo Hut

Climbing the final 200m to Jumbo, the wind coming up the gullies from the top of the Atiwhakatu catchment is pretty boisterous.  And the peaks to the North and North West are hidden in cloud.  From the top, the base of the main range is visible across the Waiohine Valley but the tops are shrouded.  

Top of Jumbo - looking northwest

and looking southeast

The route along the ridge gets more interesting as the wind rises and the clag starts to close in. The view west disappears, then the view east.  At the top of the East Holdsworth Track (my intended descent) it is impossible to walk in a straight line.  However, it's not far to the top of Holdsworth and an alternative exit down to Powell Hut if necessary.  I decide to push on.

The wind through the low points in the ridge is now very strong, and it's hard to keep footing. 

The signpost then the trig are welcome sights in the clag but with nothing to see I am content to walk once around the trig, closing the link to the previously travelled track over Holdsworth a few weeks ago.

The return to East Holdsworth Track is even more exiting.  The wind is now smashing into the ridge and at times my feet slide sideways in the gravel as I stand braced, leaning into the wind unable to lift a foot.  At a couple of points hunching behind a lone tussock is the only way to avoid being knocked over; as it is, I narrowly avoid being thrown into a tarn and take a few minutes break hunkered behind a mound in the track donning a bit more kit.

At the turn off to my track, the wind dies to nothing as soon as the ridge top is a few paces behind.  The sound of it whistling across the tops stays in my ears as I descend to the peace of the bush.

The track is pleasant and easy to follow as it drops towards the Atiwhakatu Valley.  At one point there is an old track marker with "water" scratched on it.  I suspect this relates to where the track passes close to a stream at spot height 1093.  The cloud is also behind now and the sun filters through the beech trees.

I think I prefer this route to the Raingauge Track from the ascent earlier in the day (and nothing to do with the fact that I am now descending).  Shortly before the bottom the respectably sized Holdsworth Creek comes into earshot and then eye-shot on the right.

At the bottom the track joins the highway up the valley, 4km from the road end.  It's easy going through pretty bush with the lightest drifts of misting rain descending into the sunlight from the tops.

Having only seen the hunters during the trip so far I now pass 7 groups before finally throwing a damp pack into the car at 1235, about 4hr 40 since leaving Atiwhakatu.  I wonder what Aidan and Janne are having for lunch ...

Around Taranaki Road Ride

Angela and Andrew (support crew: Sally)

Summary

A weekend in the 'naki for a clockwise circumnavigation of the Mountain by road bike staying in Stratford.  At 153.5km it should have been a bit less really, but more about that later.  No big hills although a fair few ups and downs from a bit before New Plymouth through to Mt Egmont Village.  It took a leisurely 8 hours and everything went according to plan; in retrospect we might have gone counter clockwise to get the hills and busy roads out of the way first but otherwise we wouldn't change a thing (apart from a couple of turn-offs, but more about that later).  It rained for the last third of the ride but it wasn't unpleasant.  Staying in Stratford was a good (cheap and convenient) option.

The Ride

Angela is getting into the swing of her new (second-hand) carbon frame road bike.  It's so sweet to ride after the cast iron MTB she's been riding for years that she just keeps looking for bigger challenges.

A couple of trips over the Akatarawas to Waikanae were the longest excursions so far but with the 'round Taupo ride in her sights she was keen to try something longer.  Mike had booked a weekend family tramp with about 70 other people so a chance suggestion of a ride around Mt Taranaki quickly turned into: A Plan.

The weather forecast for Saturday's ride is a little dicey but we figure rain's OK provided the wind isn't too bad. The Friday arvo trip from Wellington up SH 1 is the usual nightmare; taking an hour and a half to get to Waikanae.  However, Heaven's Pizzas has our phone order ready and the traffic clears so we head north in the night in no great hurry, arriving in Stratford around 9:30pm.  It pretty much rains the whole way.

We're staying at Digs Cottage.  It proves to be a good size, cheap ($40 each per night), warm, clean and has everything we need.

Saturday morning is overcast and cool but the cloud is high and we head off about 7.40am.  We don't bother carrying a map; how hard can it be?  Andrew cycles blithely past the first turn to Opunake but fortunately Angela is a little more awake and we're back on track after only a minor detour towards Eltham.

Opunake Road is a quiet back country road, undulating along with little traffic and a reasonable surface.  Rural life continues around us; we play leap frog briefly with the rural mail van and a pukeko launches itself across the road from the top of a cutting.  On our right Mt Taranaki has a dusting of snow near the top thrown like a handful of icing sugar from the south.  You can see the bands of vegetation fading into alpine herb fields then into bare volcanic rock higher up the slopes.

We just about miss our turn, where Wiremu Road takes the main traffic northwest (offering a shorter route).  Instead, we find the continuation of Opunake Road (southwest), which is now much narrower but still good riding. At the end there is a left then right to get onto Eltham Road.

Opunake, at about 40Km sees us join the Surf highway (SH 45) which will take us from about 7.30 to 12 o'clock on the Taranaki clock face.

This stretch of road is reasonably flat (by Wellington standards the whole ride is!).  It skirts the coast about 3km in land and crosses regular streams that radiate down from the mountain.  Small towns (a few with shops) are scattered along the route and there are regular sign posts pointing towards surf beaches on the coast.

At one point we cross Parihaka Road.  There is no indication of the significance of the location.  We have heard rumour that the community is looking at setting something up and that other museums (such as at Tawhiti) are not stepping on their toes in the meantime.  It's a shame though as we didn't see much more than oblique references to the historic events (admittedly we weren't looking too hard).

We stop at Warea for no real reason other than that it is directly opposite Stratford through the top of the Mountain and theoretically about halfway.  The old garage and the newer hall (opened by the Rt Hon J Bolger) are pretty much all there is.  Fantham Peak has started to sneak around behind the shoulder of Taranaki and the Mountain is starting to gather clouds around it's shoulders.

Half way

The view from Warea

Progress from Warea is marked first by Pouakai Range (north of Mount Taranaki) starting to claim the view on our right, then the saddle at Pukeiti and finally the Kaitake Range. 

After Okato (cafes and shops) the road gets markedly busier and a bit more hilly.  To the north, the chimney at Paritutu and Nga Motu/Sugar Loaf Islands indicate we are approaching New Plymouth.  Oakura is the last significant rural town, with plenty of cafes it looks to be quite a good Saturday morning destination from New Plymouth.

About 10km out the rain starts and stays with us for the rest of the trip.  The Mountain disappears behind the northward ranges and clouds; we don't see it again.

We try to get clever in New Plymouth but our shortcut turns into a tour of the suburbs of Westown, Frankleigh and Vogeltown.  A bus stop provides relief from the rain for a bite and check the map on Angela's phone, we find our way back to SH 3 for the final stretch via Inglewood.

It's quite lumpy through this part of the ride and the traffic is busy.  There's another wee stop (literally) at Burgess bush for the loo. Then we tick off the towns as the cars and trucks swish past in the rain.  A tube of gel at Inglewood gives Angela a lease of life for the last 21km or so to Stratford. 

We arrive a bit before 4pm, about 8 hours and 153km after departure. Maybe not a record breaking time but we're pretty pleased to tick it off and it's quite clear that Angela is well placed for Taupo later in the year (more hilly but plenty of time to practice).

The proof (and note the rain)

The support crew has been doing her job keeping the unit warm and in fact hasn't shifted, not even to see the famous Stratford clock.  The Kindle has taken a bit of a beating though.  She agrees to drive two tired cyclists to New Plymouth for a posh celebratory dinner at Andre's Escargot Restaurant.  The food is superb and generous ($45 set menu).  All home and asleep by 8.30.

Sunday

The trip home is broken by a slap up breakfast in Whanganui (Cracked Pepper Cafe - there's some good cafes on the main street down towards the river) and the obligatory coffee at Liz's cafe in Foxton (Foxton Villa Cafe - look for the sign on the left travelling south, a few hundred metres past the Mobil at the north end of town).

The search for the perfect iced coffee continues

Back at home we get on Google maps to see what other geographic features we might knock off in future rides.  Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe?  East Cape?  Watch this space.

Holdsworth Maungahuka loop

Solo weekend tramp

Click to access map in new window

There are one or two places in the Southern Tararuas that I've been meaning to get to, so with winter breathing down the neck it's a question of taking the first opportunity to string a trip together to knock a few of them off.  In particular, I have never quite got around to getting to the top of Holdsworth.  It's touted as being one of the great walks so normally quite busy but should be quiet at this time of year.  There's is also a bit of kit I'm wanting to test; my first experience tramping with daily disposable contact lenses and trialling off road running shoes instead of boots.

The trip is shaping up to be very up and down; tramp up to Powell hut, over Holdsworth, drop to Mid Waiohine hut, climb up to the Tararua range at Aokaparangi, travel along to Maungahuka, drop to Neill forks hut, climb onto Cone Ridge, drop to the top end of Totara Flats, up Totara Stream over and down the Gentle Annie to the Holdsworth Road end.

The weather forecast during the week settles on predicting a southerly causing a bit of rubbish weather on Friday, clearing with scattered showers on Saturday and a clear day Sunday.  Slightly marginal but not too bad.  Provided the Southerly doesn't stick around longer than expected.

The plan is to knock off most of the climb up Holdsworth on Friday night.  As this will be a torchlight exercise on a highway of a track it doesn't really matter whether arrival at Powell hut is 11pm or 1am.

In the end Friday is hectic and it's after 9pm by the time the car is parked at the Mt Holdsworth road end (having left the usual detailed intentions sheet at home of course).  Another car has just pulled in and the chap turns out to be heading up to Donnelly Flats where a party of Palmerston North pupils are doing time for their Duke of Edinburgh awards.

The stars are clear despite the forecast but it's chilly.  Passing through the gate at the start, a small felt pen sign catches my eye; apparently the Gentle Annie track is closed and you should use the Mountain House Shelter track.  WTF!! Travelling up a steepish spur on an unfamiliar track by torchlight is a somewhat different proposition to what I had signed up for.

It's twenty to ten so I decide to head up to the base of the Gentle Annie track and if there are no signs there I'll head up that way, it's not like they will be working after all.  However the sign is repeated at the base so they must be serious.  The other chap gives a few tips about the alternative track and studying the map it runs up a spur between two streams so would be pretty hard to get lost on. 

There must have been a bit of rain through as the bush is dripping wet.  The going is very easy up to Donnelly Flat where, judging by the tents and torches, half of Palmerston North have camped out.

The track narrows and becomes a bit lumpy but still pretty good and my turn off is signposted.  The track up the spur isn't too steep and although it's slippery underfoot the going is good.  You just have to get used to splitting your attention between the footing and searching for the way up between the ghostly trunks. And those orange triangles don't exactly stand out at night.

At the top of the spur the Powell Highway is marked with the same felt pen sign saying the track down is closed.  Mountain House shelter passes then it is up and into clag with the Southerly whistling in the tree tops.  The track is easy to follow and lovely wooden steps have been put up the steep bits.

Exiting the bushline I notice: this set of steps has a hand rail, the hand rail is very rough, and that this is due to a layer of ice.  Perhaps a bit colder up here then I was expecting.  The clouds are close in and the wind is on the boisterous side.  It's not far to the hut so I don't stop to put a coat on.

A break in the clag shows the lights of various Wairarapa towns strung out in the middle distance it's a bit too chilly to pause and try to label them and they are obscured by cloud before long.

Arriving at the hut about 1140 there is no one in. It is dark and cold but being late I'm not about to light a fire, so get into warm dry clothes and a sleeping bag in that order.  Not before a last trip outside to discover that it is lightly snowing.  There is also cell phone coverage so a text provides some comfort at home that I'm not staggering about in the cold wet bush somewhere.

The temperature in the hut dips during the night and it takes a little while to get warm.  I think it's time to put away the light weight bag.  It's about 2.5 degrees before I rise in the morning so still a bit of margin.

Saturday

If the weather is too foul the plan has me either twiddling thumbs in the hut or heading back to the valley to potter up to Atiwhakatu and around the Jumbo circuit the next day.  The weather looks wet and windy but not too bad so I rug up before heading out a little before 8.  It doesn't look like there will be any views today.

There's snow and ice on the ground which thickens as I head up.  However, the air temperature is above zero so it is rain that the Southerly throws against my cheek and the footing is secure with water beneath the light snow.  The runners are soon soaked through but although cold my feet are fine.  I head on up prepared to turn back if the weather deteriorates.

There's a survey trig at the top (1470m) and my intended route down is signposted (one side iced over) and easy to find.  Visibility is 50-100m and footing still quite secure so I'm comfortable to commit to the trip down over Isabella (1385) and on down to mid Waiohine hut (380m).

Dropping off the tops into the bush the greens are a rich verdant contrast to the white and black landscape above.  This band of vegetation in the Tararuas never fails to captivate; moss smothers the gnarled trunks and softens the ground into comfortable cushions and hummocks.

As expected the plummet down to Mid Waiohine hut is hot work and the first mouthful of water confirms that Powell hut most definitely has a fire.  Although surprising it's not unpleasant to have your water tasting like lapsang suchon.

The hut is a standard 6 bunker with a steel fire box.  It has a nice feel and today gives an opportunity to adjust kit under cover, have a bite to eat and leave a note in the log book before preparing to climb up the other side of the valley.  It's about 1030 when I slightly reluctantly close the door behind me.

The Waiohine river is up but not turbid, on a sunny day a swim would be irresistible. Pottering along one of the few flat spots for today I round a corner to see a couple of large stags about 10 metres away having a bit of a tussle with their antlers.  They amble off into the bush when I clap and I don't get a chance to count their points.   A few 100m from a deer stalkers hut is a little risky for them to be so engrossed in an argument I would have thought.

The wire bridge over the river is a signal that the climb up Aokaparangi (1354m) is about to start.  As expected it's a grind.  The track seems less travelled than the other side but is generally OK.  At some point the cloud layer closes about the spur and the wind picks up on my left shoulder and cheek. 

At the top there is (again) little to be seen.  There isn't much ice on the ground but the Southerly is pretty cold.  According to the map there are four high points to come, the last of which is my initial destination; Maungahuka.  Of course it isn't that easy to count them off.  It's all up and down and it's a bit hard to work out which is a marked peak and which isn't.

The Southerly piles through notches in the ridge and it's a question of just keeping going until the tarn at Maungahuka materialises, quickly followed by the hut.  A bit of a relief.

Although out of the wind, it is cold in the hut and as soon as I stop moving the body temperature starts to drop.  Being above the bushline (a bit below the top of Maungahuka at 1330m), there is no fire so if I stay here it will likely be in the sleeping bag for the next 18 hours before getting into freezing wet clothes.  There's some cell coverage so I text my intention to head down to Neill, fill in the log book (no visitors since last week) and head out the door at about 2:30.

All the fiddling about has left my hands bitterly cold and the Southerly is stinging.  It's not far to the top though and from there it will be a rapid dive for the bushline.  Sure enough, once going and off the main ridge I'm soon warm again.  It's a reminder though of how quickly the tops can become very inhospitable.  The wind is now on my right cheek.

With the cold weather and desire to keep moving I have not been eating as much as I should.  The trip down finds me moving slowly and requiring a lot more care to avoid slips.  It takes a lot longer than normal (including that additional little 100m climb over Concertina knob) and although the administration of a One Square Meal helps it is not quite sufficient as a pick me up.

After what seems a long time I check the altimeter: 650m, not too bad only about 300m to go.  After another good wee while I check again; still 650m, a closer check shows the setting has changed to the alarm.  The altimeter is in fact 725m.  Bugger.
 
Eventually a view up the Hector River opens with steep hillsides disappearing into cloud and soon after, a swift descent to the swing bridge giving a perfect view of the junction of Hector River and  Neill Creek (not so small today). 

It's a very tired and sore tramper that limps off the bridge and into the hut.  At a little before 5pm the trip down has taken somewhat longer than the DOC estimate of 2 hours. The hut is dry, perfectly comfortable and well provisioned with dry fire wood and a firebox.

The fire does it's magic, warming the hut, drying clothes and heating water for a cup of tea.  There is no one else in for the evening and the sounds of the river are a constant background.  After the experiences of the day a fair amount of sustenance is in order so a dehy meal for two is demolished.

Sunday

After a good nights sleep it's 6am and not yet light when I decide to get up.  It's not a long day today but I would like to get out in time to do a visit (and maybe cadge a good lunch) in Carterton. Heating water for a brew provides warm water for the muesli as well as a cuppa.  Clothes are only slightly damp and it feels cool but not cold out so the coat and leggings go into the pack.  The hut is tidy and the door closed about 7.15 when enough light is filtering down into the valley to see under the canopy.

Tired muscles are not looking forward to the 600m climb which is the first action of the day.  There is however plenty of cause to pause on the way up as the day is clear and glimpses appear through the trees of sunlit slopes and an expanding vista of distant peaks.

Neill catches the attention initially but as the track rises the view opens through Neill saddle to False Spur with the dress circle behind.  I think I can recognise Alpha.  Behind, Concertina Knob gives way to a view beyond to Maungahuka and the distinctive jagged outline of the Tararua peaks.

 

Tararua Peaks

At the top there's a chance to text home before heading left along Cone and eventually down to Totara Flats hut.

Top of the morning's climb

On the way there is a view up the Waiohine valley, flanked by the main range and Aokaparangi with the spur that had taken some energy to ascend yesterday.  A couple of times along the ridge something large disappears into the bush as I approach.

Tararua range on the left, Mid Waiohine behind the near spur

There are no people but some sleeping bags at Totara Flats hut.  The log book shows there have been a few people staying and at least one party is also heading over to Holdsworth today. It's about 10am when I head off after them.

This is familiar territory now.  The pause in the middle of the swing bridge to look up and down river then a brisk pace up the start of Totara Creek. The track is very clearly undergoing some considerable maintenance efforts.  A short way up the creek a brand new swing bridge is taped off.  This suggests two things; they are cutting the track up the other side of the creek and there will have been no maintenance on this side.  Sure enough it's back to the familiar wash outs and bogs but still, quite pleasant going on a cool, sunny morning.

At the creek crossing before the climb to Pig Flat I catch up with a couple of women and boys.  These are the first people I've seen since Friday night.   We chat for a bit, I suspect they will not be enjoying the climb, however they have all day so I leave them to it.  I pass a chap on his way down then a party of three on the way up; it's getting quite crowded.

One of the parties note that although posted as closed the Gentle Annie is completely passable.  I'm a bit annoyed that DOC didn't a) put it on the web site as closed if it in fact needed to be and b) just close it when work is underway and warn people that it's a bit muddy the rest of the time.  You're more inclined to follow such advice if you think it is sensible.

As the track levels to the top it's a chance to pick up the pace and eventually to jog down the other side to the car park.  The track is now positively seething.  Some of the Duke of Edinburgh trip are heading up to Rocky Lookout and various singles and doubles are pottering up for the day.

It's about five hours after leaving Neill Forks hut that I reverse out of the park and head of for a much anticipated feed of something other than dehy or One Square Meals.

Gear notes

I was a bit worried about handling contacts in the bush but they are so much better than glasses on the tops.  I could have my balaclava over my nose and still see without getting steamed up glasses and the Southerly rendering one lens opaque.

The trail shoes were fine for grip and even though saturated pretty much all the time, my feet didn't get too cold, even in the light snow.  They were fantastically light compared to boots which made a big difference considering the amount of up and down.  One of my feet felt a bit bruised by the end and I had a small blister which I hadn't noticed.  On balance, if it's not in the snow and ice or a lot of boulders (where a stiff sole is helpful) I think they are a good light weight option.

Southern Wairarapa Road Ride

Solo Road Ride

The plan: bike over the Rimutakas, fossick around in the Wairarapa and catch the train home.  A chance check of the web reveals that buses are replacing the train between Masterton and Featherston (no bikes will be carried) so it will have to be a Southern Wairarapa trip returning to Featherston for the train.

Started in the Hutt and headed north up Cambridge Tce and Eastern Hutt Road to Silverstream Bridge. Cross to SH 2 and stop to repair puncture (recommend avoiding E Hutt Rd).  Follow SH 2 over Kaitoke Hill (steepish) then on to the Rimutakas.

Having driven over the hill many times I thought you would have to be crazy to cycle it, this view has been reinforced by seeing very few cyclists over the years.  It was a pleasant surprise; there are reasonable shoulders much of the time and it's only a 300m climb from the base to the saddle at 550m.  A few steepish sections but all over and done with fairly quickly. I'm yet to be convinced about coming back though, you would be coming up the inside edge of the road which means drivers can't see you on corners and there are a number of these which have deep gutters, no space and a tendency for rocks on the road where you want to ride.

The ride down the other side was a ball. A group of motor bikes were just leaving the top so I slotted into the middle and stuck with them through the top windy section. They caught a car when it started to straighten out and with a dry road it was easy to stay on the tail of a bike using the whole lane for cornering.  The car eventually pulled off and the bikes got away on a straight but by then we were well clear of traffic and it wasn't far to the bottom.

Featherston is an excuse for a break and water refill before heading south down Western Lake Road and turning left onto the East West Access Road.  The gates on the outlet from Lake Wairarapa are another excuse for a bite and rest.


Lake Wairarapa control gates

Taking a right at the T junction then a left onto Lake Ferry Road it's the long grind into a light northerly to Martinborough.  Time for a pie and refill the water bottle sitting outside a café watching the traffic around the square (and drinking terrible coffee).

There's a bit of time before the train so rather than take the direct 16k to Featherston it's a chance to head up Bidwills Cutting Road to Greytown (rest and stretch) then back down SH2 to Featherston (stopping briefly at the POW camp).

Plenty of time for a burger and chips chatting to the train staff on the station (one guy had to spend all day there guarding the train from toe-rags with spray cans) then a further delay waiting for the replacement buses to turn up.  It's pitch black by the time we are heading south above lake Wairarapa and into the first and longest tunnel. I take the opportunity to repair the punctured tube.

By the numbers:
Left at 0940 arrived Featherston for the last time about 1610.
143k all up
51k to Featherston
63k to Martinborough
29k to Featherston via Greytown