Tramping, Tales, Training and Travails
Date: 28/04/2018 – 29/04/2018 Party: Gerry, Larry Night location/s: Roaring Stag Lodge Leaving Putara Roadend at 12:30, we cross five minutes of farmland before reaching the first bridge (320m), over a tributary of the Mangatainoka River outside Eketahuna. From here we follow along the banks of the waterway, climbing slowly to 400m and another bridge, much bigger at 1:10 (40min... Continue Reading →
Date: 21/04/2018 – 22/04/2018 Party: Rachel, Mae, Julia, Jeff, Catherine and Larry Night location/s: Tutuwai Hut Meetup has a tramping group I joined a while back to connect with more trampers. The only problem is most trips are often fully booked - so I put my hand up to organise some myself. This trip is my first Meetup lead. Our intention... Continue Reading →
Date: 08/04/2018 – 09/04/2018 Party: Larry & Dave Night location/s: Boar Inn (DOC sole occupancy) A little brotherly outing on a Sunday night, Dave and I set off from the Catchpool carpark at 3:30pm. We climb the Butcher Track, a consistent 300m climb over 1km, entering the Beech forest characteristic of this side of the ridge, with plenty of fantails for... Continue Reading →
Date: 31/03/2018 – 01/04/2018 Party: Larry & D Night location/s: Tutuwai Hut Easter is the last combination of balmy weather and public holidays for many trampers; plans are set to travel far and wide. We had these plans too, but end up going overnight to Tutuwai Hut in the Tararuas instead. We set off at 11:20 from the Kaitoke Scout Camp.... Continue Reading →
Date: 24/03/2018 – 25/03/2018 Party: Larry & 7 respectfully anonymous folks (3 with the initial 'M'!) Night location/s: Haurangi Hut We depart Sunny Grove at 9:30am, shrouded in perpetual shade. We are a party of eight, connected through the Wellington Tramping Group on Meetup. Our destination is Haurangi Hut, a 10 bunk DOC hut available by booking only. M booked... Continue Reading →
Date: 17/03/2018 – 18/03/2018 Party: Larry, Garry Night location/s: Kapakapanui Hut The Kapakapanui track circuit perches on the eastern edge of the Tararuas. It was recommended to me last year as a good first tramp for Gerry and I. Gerry protested due to GHOSTS. So this weekend I took a different G up for his first... Continue Reading →
"You be careful" folks say of my wandering. "Don't you go doing anything stupid". It's a bit late for that, but the concern for my safety is heartwarming, well-founded and heeded. I booked on OTNZ's Advanced Bushcraft course some time back. This entry covers my experience this weekend. I write this in the hopes it will encourage you to book... Continue Reading →
Date: 10/02/2018 – 11/02/2018 Party: Larry Night location/s: Neill Forks Hut The forecast is dire - OK on Saturday, but then rain rising from 8mm to 45mm as Sunday progresses. I have my mind set on an adventure, and it's the only one for just me for some time, so I plan a trip with no unbridged river... Continue Reading →
Date: 03/02/2018 – 04/02/2018 Party: Larry, Dave and Martin Night location/s: Matthews Stream (tenting) We climb the Whakanui Track at the south end of ironically named Sunny Grove Wainui at 11am. The party is bro Dave, his mate (and now mine) Martin and myself. It is a relatively steep climb from 140m to 540m, where we meet the... Continue Reading →
I have decided to write 'trip reports' for my tramping, for future reference and because I find those written by others very handy. This first one will be me figuring out how best to do it. A bit less 'travel writing' and more 'useful information concisely' perhaps, if I can convince myself! Date: 27/01/2018 - 28/01/2018... Continue Reading →
A teenager on a chair above me vomits with such volume and power I worry about errant splatters. I tuck myself deeper into the sleeping bag, willing myself out of existence for the four hour ferry crossing. Going hard-up against a chair stops me rocking with the ship and gains me two hours of precious... Continue Reading →
“The Heart of the Fish” – this is how our tramping/camping trip to Te Urewera and Lake Tarawera was described by Sarah’s colleague in Maori class. The area, an hour or so east of Rotorua and inland of Whakatane is a Maori hinterland. We were keen to explore. Piling a combination of tramping gear, camping... Continue Reading →
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