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The weather may be cold and wet, but we have some fabulous adventures to look back on and plenty more in the works—rain or shine. Read on for details, and have a peek at the shenanigans folks got up to during the midwinter weekend away.
Upcoming events:
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21 September
Auckland
city urban cycle
It's time to explore Auckland's great cycle paths. The rough plan is to leave from Westhaven and cover Herne Bay, Oakley Creek, the Te Whitinga Bridge, Light Path and the Viaduct. Count on 30-40km of easy to intermediate cycling on sealed roads.
12 October
Spend a morning helping to restore the bush at Oakley Creek in Avondale, alongside one of the longest urban streams in Auckland. After the mahi, we'll share lunch.
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December 27
Rees
Dart track
This New Year's hike is a bit different as it isn't a Great Walk; it's more technical and the track is less manicured. It has one big climb, scree sections and steep drop-offs. There will likely be stream crossings and muddy sections. We'll carry five days'
worth of food too, but we'll be rewarded with spectacular mountain scenery, alpine vegetation, glacier-fed rivers and the Dart Glacier. The group is a maximum of 10, so only a few spots remain. The
Facebook event and
DOC brochure have more info.
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A midwinter mystery in the wild West
A weekend away, a mysterious thing
I heard there's a murder; hmm, what shall I bring?
A pistol, a belt, a straw cowboy hat?
Out west they do say ... I smell a fat rat.
Wonder who died?
A lovely wee cottage, up dem dere hills
We abode for a while, and had a few thrills
The green countryside and the fresh morning air
Was salve for the soul, nay worry nor care
(... that murder aside).
On Saturday morning we mostly all walked
Past frolicking lambs, birthing mothers we stalked
Fluffy clouds up above, squiltchy doos ‘tween the toes
For some, shoes over-rated ... dirt? No problem posed.
The avo was spent, some walking some biking
Round the wee farm, we were hiking and liking
Spot of rain? No worries for those who prepared
Quite damp and quite muddy but still fun we all shared.
The evening brought mystery
Who knew what went on?
Many stories unfolded all the night long
This person, that person, some of us quite lost
A side game of dice—the wrong toss got the loss.
It ended quite friendly; should we say who's at fault?
Some Clem fella anyway—gee, what a dolt!
But generally speaking, natural causes to blame
Let most off the hook tho' some shamed their name.
The next day a lovely sea-view again
From the wee cottage, doon Murder Lane
AKA Atiu, Scenic Lodge, Reserve Park
Another great time with a lark and a mark.
– Annabel Senior
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A midwinter mystery in the wild West
A dozen of us met at the Kumeu Community Centre on 2 March—a beautiful, sunny day. We split into two groups to begin the stunning Te Henga ("the food for a work party") coastal track, part of the 80km Hilary Trail on Auckland's west coast.
The "Energizer bunnies," led by Julio, began the 10.3km walk from the northern entrance at Constable Road, while the other group ("relaxed pace") led by Steve started by Lake Wainamu.
Steve’s group began by crossing a small stream at low tide then met a couple of grazing horses. Highlights from the southern entrance were views of Bethells Beach, O’Neil Bay and Jonkers Rock.
After a relaxing lunch stop, the two groups swapped car keys and reunited at a café in Kumeu. We couldn’t have chosen better day weather-wise. The track has a mixture of interesting terrain and by "wow" sea views.
– Mo Tahir
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