Lake Waikaremoana

Last Sunday I took the bus up to Wairoa just north of Napier on the East coast. Not much in the way of motorways in New Zealand and the road twists through some impressive gorges. Not for the faint-hearted! The drivers are generally jolly, full of local knowledge and stop for tea breaks at little country cafes. From there I got a minibus shuttle up Highway 38 - mostly an unsealed road! - to the Big Bush holiday park and a night in a cabin. My driver was on a mission from his heavily pregnant wife (child number 7) so we stopped at the fish and chip shop en route for some confectionery.
(Remember to click on photos if you want to enlarge them. Also the map is interactive. Zoom in on Wairoa and follow Highway 38 to Te Urewera Park to see the lake.)



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The next day Waipatu the Maori driver was back to take me to the head of the track. As there was plenty of time he stayed for a coffee and a gas with the couple running the camp. I got to listen in to a discussion on the politics of the local tourism infrastructure.
The white line on the map below shows the 46km track round the south and west of the lake. The lake is over 500m above sea level and forms part of a hydro-electric scheme.


The first part of the walk was a real killer, a 532m climb to the Panekiri Bluff at 1181m and great views:

The bandana was needed to stop the sweat pouring into my eyes! I thought I was a bit behind schedule but made the 5 hour climb in under 4!


The last section was up a walkway bolted onto the sandstone cliff.

But the views at the top were worth it and the hardest part of the trek was over.



From there it was an easy 3 hour mostly downhill walk to the Waiopaoa Hut. After dropping my rucksack it was a 60 second stroll to the lake and the chance for a nice swim to cool off following 7 hours off hard walking.


5 minutes after I got back into the hut it promptly rained. Not busy in the hut. Some Aussies camping, a family (both parents had lived in Scotland) who were staying in the warden's quarters and deputising for the week, an old couple originally from London some 35 years ago and still with accent and a couple of fishermen.
The next day I set off round the lake, the grass heavy with the night's rain, and made a slight detour to visit the superb Korokoro Falls:


At lunch I stopped at Marauiti Hut:


The family staying here were also very chatty and we got through politics, history and weather over cheese and crackers. Then it was on for another two hours to Waiharuru Hut, 40 bunks with a separate dining/kitchen and only 10 years old. Positively palatial.

The bunks all have mattresses:


No cookers here but there is running water from the rain tanks (as in most huts) and a gas fire:

Also had a swim here and suffered the bites of sandflies on my ankles. Not sore at the time but itched for days afterwards. Rain came down again once I was back inside. Thought I was going to have the whole place to myself until a couple arrived in the downpour about half eight.


The next morning I was up early to make sure I made the taxi rendezvous at midday so got some great views of mist rising off the lake. The black swans and ducks who hadn't been bothered by my splashing yesterday were still in attendance:


Leaving the hut.

Looking across the Lake.


Most of this area was cut for timber once a road was put in back in the 1920s, however the second growth is impressive. There are also wild pigs and deer. Didn't see any of those but the moss laden trees look like they might decide to march to Isengard at any moment.

I didn't need a rain coat at all on this trip and the forest canopy kept the sun off my head.


It was pretty quiet on the trek, just me and my shadow...:

Looking back across the lake I got a good view of Panekiri Bluff which I had walked up and across and down the day before.


I was out at the road end in plenty of time, the baby hadn't arrived and so Waipatu was there to take me back into Wairoa. Waiting for the bus I got involved in discussion of Scottish ancestors with the lady at the tourist information, turns out she had a Johnston in her family born in Dalkeith - no relation as far as we could work out.
Next stop Gisborne!