Pirongia Sunday 28 August
After morning tea in the carpark eleven of us set off in high spirits on a beautiful morning for a day in the bush. The track into the nikau loop walk and caves is becoming more attractive with the maturing native trees and shrubs along the way.
Upon reaching th…
It was the start of Daylight Savings and luckily with good information received from Colin Standing, everyone turned out at the correct time, and no one was left behind. There were approximately 20 people keen on today’s Grade 1 tramp at TECT Park, about 26 km from Tauranga along Pye’s Pa Road, SH …
A van and a car load of us headed off to the BOP in drizzly weather, hoping that it may improve once over the hill. The plan was changed from going up or around the Mount, (due to the track around being reported to be closed), so instead we were heading to walk the Daisy Hardwick track around the ha…
There were just 6 trampers who turned up for this trip, and, to be honest, it was pleasant walking with such a small group for a change. Our leader led us successfully on the David Thorn Loop Track and then on to the Mangakirkiri Loop Track. Walking on the first Loop we could see for miles, with ext…
A van and a car with 17 trampers aboard left Hamilton and headed towards Raglan on a cold damp morning, stopping at the Bridal Veil Falls carpark for a toilet stop, and then onto the quarry carpark, the start of the trail. Here we split into 2 groups, a G1 & G2.
There were 7 in the G2 group who too…
On a day of torrential downpours, the Pukekos thought their territory was safe from humans. They were most upset when just on dusk, cars appeared at Innes Common. The BBQ area was taken over and they were chased away. Food? This may not be so bad after all.
About 20 Wanderers attired in parka…
After morning tea at Gilmore Reserve 19 trampers set off from this starting point to walk around Black Hill. The track followed the edge of the Ohinemuri River where a number of our group broke off to climb Black Hill while the remaining members completed the full circuit of the hill. We all met b…
On Sunday 19th June, 15 trampers headed out in vans to Rotorua. The weather provided the occasional drizzle and a very cold wind coming off Blue Lake, but thankfully no heavy rain.
We had morning tea, with a small briefing about where we were going and what to take etc. Then we headed off (with P…
One full van left Hamilton with Keith behind the wheel. After arriving in Katikati, we turned right onto the winding, narrow road marked Thompsons Track. The views were impressive as we drove upwards, leaving the avocado orchards behind us, the road turning to gravel for the last few kms. The last p…
Our walk began at the end of Franklin Road, which is reached by turning right shortly before the end of the Karangahake Gorge road. We initially followed a track through farmland until we reached the bush entry, enjoying a pleasant but cool breeze.
Kauri trees were quickly obvious along the edg…
We set out on a Grade 3 walk with 17km ahead of us, with the option of a one-hour side trip to the trig and many up and down grades to cover. Tony Dickens was the leader and Ron Clarke was the tail end Charlie.
The Grade 1 team walked down the same track for two hours and then returned to the v…
On a lovely golden summer morning 22 happy Wanderers in two vans set off towards Rotorua. We made a left hand turn on top of the Mamakus and went North around Lake Rotorua, stopping at Hamurana for a wee break.
Then onward past Hells Gate thermal area to Lake Rotoiti. First a morning tea break,…
In the teeth of a major storm, two vans left Hamilton and headed towards SH27, with Grant leading the way. Tree branches and debris were all over the road, the van was buffeted by high winds, and it was raining.
We turned off SH27 and up the North Road to find trees and branches had come down a…
The Trip Bulletin proclaimed this as a Mystery Ramble, although the fact that it started later than usual and started at the Hamilton Gardens supplied some clues. A group of 15 members gathered by the garden café and set off through the carpark and up the hill to the cemetery. We went through the ce…
This tramp was a substitute for the planned trip to Waitekauri which for various reasons wasn't suitable.The Mokaihaha Ecological Area is situated on the Mamaku Plateau, 9.6 kms. south-east of the Mamaku township, a very small settlement which we drove through on the way home. The tramp was graded a…
After the usual gathering at the car park in Collingwood st, we all set off in two vans, both full. First stop, the toilets at Tirau, was welcomed by many. Keith set a cracking pace in his van with Dianne suggesting he must have been speeding. Nevertheless, we arrived at our destination, the Mokaiha…
Despite the gloomy weather forecast, ten keen Grade 2+ trampers, led by Colin and Grant, set off to the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park for a supposedly six hour walk. The plan was to do a loop, starting on the Leyland O’Brien Tramway Track, leaving the track to take a scantily marked route to Salvation H…
On this Sunday morning 16 keen trampers met for the trip across to Papamoa for the Summerhills Park tramp. Despite the appalling weather the day before, it looked like we would get most of the day in before the rain which was forecast for the afternoon.
The Summerhills park was very well set up w…