Tramp Reflections 834 - East Coast Ramble
27 December 2009 - 2 January 2010
Attendees were Clare, Don, Val, John, Adrienne, Alistair, Michiel, Anna, Wendy, Michael.
Our ramble started Saturday morning from Hamilton with Clare, Don, Val and John. We met up with Adrian in her own car in Hamilton East and after a quick trip through Matamata to pick up Allistair, we were off to the east coast. We had lunch at Whakatane by the bay then headed up the gorge to Haurata High Country Retreat with, of course, some short stops for toilets, coffee and ice cream along the way. The side road to Haurata High Country Retreat, Makaretu Road, was steep and 12 k long. We passed Michiel and Anna on their bikes about 6k in and stopped to see if they wanted a lift. Their biker pride was in full bloom and they were determined to make it all the way to the retreat on their bikes despite the hot weather and steep climbs. As we continued on the road, which got steeper and steeper, we felt worse and worse for Anna and Michiel. The Haurata owner was also quite surprised to see two people biking all the way up her road, and even more surprised to hear that they had biked all the way from Hamilton. But everyone made it there in the end, although there were some stories about stampeding cows and stubborn sheep. The accommodation, converted shearers' quarters, had a bathroom with a shower and sink but no toilet, so there was a long drop outside, 2 small rooms with good bunk beds, and a large room for cooking, eating and hanging out together. We enjoyed dinner around a large wooden table and took a stroll around the grounds before and after dinner.
The next day everyone was up and ready for a tramp. We had planned to do the "green walk" which was reported to take about 4 hours. Each walk cost $15 per person. We paid our money and got our hand drawn map and topo map of the walk area. The morning was cool and overcast as we headed out. We saw a bit of bush off to one side and, although it was not part of the "green track," had to explore it a little. After this brief, but illegal, detour we continued on the green track. Unbeknownst to us, we took a wrong turn and got off the track and off the map all together very early on. We blame it on the mist obscuring the markers. About this time, we also met a man from Singapore, Lian, who was staying at the retreat with his family but going on a tramp alone. He joined our group; not be a wise choice on this day; luckily he was very fit.
After wandering without a clear marker for a while, we decided to consult our map again. We realized we were on the wrong side of the fence, but even after crossing to the other side we could not clearly identify any land marks. We ended up climbing many more fences before the day was done. After quite a bit of discussion, we may have discussed the map more than we actually tramped that day, we decided to carry on in what we thought was the generally correct direction. It is amazing how you can make land marks fit a map when you really want to even creating "newly built fences" if necessary.
After more time wandering without markers, we decided to head for the river. We had a pleasant lunch next to the river where we found out that Lian's wife was expecting him back at 1pm, about 30 minutes away at this point. Since we still did not really know where we were, we did not think this would happen and we did not have any mobile phone reception to call her. We decided to try to follow this river down until it met with the main river. I think John chose this option because he wanted to get some bush whacking in and get our full money's worth out of the tramp. This route led us through a rocky gully where we got to practice our climbing skills and see a beautiful cave. Eventually we had to climb back up to high ground. We rejected John's suggestion which involved lifting people up through rocks that even he admitted might be "a little dangerous". Once we found a safe way to cross back to the other side of the river, we actually found the green track quickly.
Back on the green track, it was actually surprisingly well marked and easy to follow. The map also made sense now that we were actually on the map. We saw the three lovely waterfalls and headed home up a beautiful valley. The owner met us at the end of the track. I think both she and Lian's wife had become quite concerned. We had managed to turn a tame 4 hour tramp into an 8 hour adventure. She was impressed that we found the cave and, because we liked it so much, she is thinking of leading guided tours to it. She is also quickly working to get GPS markings on her map. I guess she is tired of having to worry about lost trampers on her land. We were happy to get a full day of tramping in and some off track adventures as well. We definitely got our money's worth.
The last of our crew, Micheal and Wendy, had arrived at the retreat while we were out tramping, so we enjoyed a nice dinner together with the whole bunch. After dinner, many of us took little walks around the grounds and watched the Tui. There was lots of flax and the Tui were feeding on it. If you stood near flax long enough, you were sure to get some good Tui sightings.
The next morning we were off on our ramble again. Micheal and Wendy were off for their own adventure but made plans to meet up with us later in the day. Michiel and Anna were interested in our route, so they decided to join us in the van - bikes and all, which made for some interesting seating arrangements. Once fully packed into the van, people, bikes and luggage, we headed down the back road to Gisborne by way of Ruakuroa Road, which took us by slide rock, Rere falls and the Eastwoodhill Arboretum.
When we arrived at slide rock, it was overcast and cool but there were still several people with their air mattresses and boogie boards sliding down the rocks. It was great fun to watch and I think Michiel was almost ready to give it a try despite the cool weather. Since we did not want another "Adrienne incident" he held back and just watched. Next was a quick stop at Rere falls. The falls were beautiful and we got some delicious plums off a tree for morning tea.
Then we headed on to the arboretum. There was lodging at the arboretum so we decided to stay for the night since we knew Gisborne would be crowded because of the Rhythm and Vines Festival. This gave us heaps of time to walk the many tracks around the arboretum. In addition to all the trees, there were more Tui and even some moreporks to be seen. Many photos were taken and discussed that afternoon and evening. Wendy and Michael arrived in time for a quick evening walk but decided they would have to stay longer in the morning to see all the sights.
Anna and Michiel headed off for Lake Waikaremoana on their bikes in the morning, so we said goodbye and wished them well. Adrienne was heading off to Napier so we said goodbye to her as well. We made plans to meet up with Wendy and Michael later in the day and the remaining 5 of us headed to Gisborne in the van.
The stay at the arboretum was very peaceful and entering Gisborne the next day was quite a shock to our system. We made a quick stop at the grocery store and then headed to the beach to wait for Michael and Wendy in peace. Once they arrived, we climbed to the top of Kaiti Hill lookout. It was good training for the East Cape lighthouse and had some beautiful views of Poverty Bay. We had lunch at the lookout and then headed to the East Cape.
We stopped for some beach views on our way to the Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve near Tatapouri where we took a beach walk. Next we stopped at Tolaga Bay for a walk along the longest wharf in New Zealand. The wharf is in pretty bad shape and was to be closed in about a week for several months of repairs. We saw several large jelly fish from the wharf and watched children jumping off the wharf, there were a few scares when these to entertaining items came close to each other. The campground at Tolaga Bay was full and reported that Anaura Bay campgrounds were full as well so we decided to head to Tokomaru Bay to sort some accommodations for the evening. The campground at Tokomaru Bay had space so we set up our tents and then headed to the beach for a swim. The beach was beautiful with soft sand. The water was cold but tolerable, especially once you got all the way in. After our swim we headed back to the campground for dinner and then a walk around town before bed.
The next morning Wendy and Michael headed out in search of more land slides and the rest of us back tracked a little to Anaura Bay to do a short bush walk. The walk was through native bush for the first half and pine forests for the second half, with a nice view point near the end. It was good to stretch our legs a little and get another tramp in. We managed to stay on the trail and completed the walk in a speedy 1.5 hours (remarkable time considering the rest of our tramps on this trip). We headed back up the road to Tokomaru to visit another wharf and the remains of the freezing works and New Zealand Shipping Company offices. Then off to Tikitiki for a look inside St Mary's church and its elaborate carvings and weavings.
Finally we arrived in Te Araroa where we found space in the Holiday Park. It was a nice campground with lots of trees, children and dogs. We were a little disappointed to find that the campground cinema no longer showed films because seeing a movie at a campground would have been a first. But the campground made up for it by having a bonfire on the beach for New Year's Eve. We went for a walk along the beach where we acquired a dog for a while, as long as we kept throwing a stick, and helped to pile some driftwood for the big bonfire. After dinner, only four of the seven of us stayed awake late enough to see the bonfire and even then we were all in bed by 10. None of us were woken at midnight by the festivities on the beach.
The next morning we headed to the East Cape lighthouse, not quite at dawn but still to greet the New Year. We climb the 770+ steps to the top and were rewarded with a brilliant view. On the way back through Te Araroa, we stopped to see the largest pohutukawa tree before heading off down the coast for home. Unfortunately the pohutukawa tree had finished flowering for the season. The tree in full bloom would have been quite a sight to see. We stopped at Waihau Bay for lunch and then drove a little farther down the road to visit the Pacific Coast Macadamia shop. The Macadamia shop had lovely grounds and we got to see the macadamia trees. It made for a nice rest before continuing the long drive home. We only made one more stop on the way home at the giant kiwi fruit near Te Puke for Clare and Don to take a photo to add to their NZ icon collection. We were all home in our own beds that evening with lots of fun memories floating through our heads.
Written by Don Stover and Clare Summers
Photographs by Adrienne van Hellemond (Canon PowerShot SX100 IS) and Clare Summers (Panasonic DMC-FX520).