First trip of the year is a social ramble to start the year off gently, just turn up at the carpark in Collingwood Street and carpool.  The walk will take about 1-2 hours (approx. 4km).  Easy track, mostly open with no shade.   We will start with morning tea then make our way at a leisurely pace around the lake taking some off chutes for fun.  Back to the cars for possibly an early lunch by the lake then an ice cream on the way home.

Lake Puketirini is at Huntly, on the western side of the Waikato River.  It is a man-made lake developed from a disused coal mine pit and is part of Puketirini, a Waikato District Council owned park.   It is 64m deep at its deepest point and is used for many activities such as swimming, kayaking, waka ama, scuba dive training, boating and water skiing.

Sunday 14 February              Whangamata                                                           Grade 1+

 Luck at Last Mine                                      

As far as I’m are aware we have not been here for a very long time, if ever. It will be an early start due to the distance to travel in the vans.

Parts of the mine area are deemed archaeological historical sites.   Easy, flat walk to the Luck at Last mine battery site with lots of ruins and equipment. This is one of the best preserved old mining sites on the Coromandel. A network of tracks explores the mine area. A well sign posted track in the forest provides a scenic walk to old gold mine ruins where you can view old mining relics.

Winding through a scrubby, harvested forest landscape, the initially unformed track soon descends to the old level carriageway bounded by native trees and the Wharekawa Stream.  There might be opportunity for a quick dip in the stream depending on time.   We will be walking 5-6 hours and possible ice cream stop on way home…so bring a change of clothes and extra money.