Ngatuhoa Lodge: Adventures down a gravel road

I had planned an overnight camp at Ngatuhoa Lodge to explore three waterfalls that weekend: Te Rere i Oturu, Ngatuhoa and Tauwharawhara. Betty, my trusty RAV4, have been down some gnarly gravel roads in our time together. The drive into the lodge had some hairy blind corners, but as far as gravel and forestry roads go, it wasn’t that bad. Bumpy enough that your passengers are best to save sipping a cold one for later, but also in the words of a 1-star Google review, “...the drive into the camp was horrendous so don't take a new car here!”

Ngatuhoa Lodge is on public conservation land in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest, but access is through private forestry roads. Don’t just rock up, there’s a large locked gate about 20-30 minutes drive from the lodge. There’s little to no mobile reception in the area, so make sure to organise key access before you go. To make your booking and organise key access, go to ngatuhoa.org.nz | Google maps: Ngatuhoa Lodge

This was a solo adventure, a pre-Christmas hike chasing waterfalls and to get a baseline for my current lack of hike-fitness. It was also the first day of New Zealand’s summer, but the constant drizzle and a few heavy downpours reminded me more of the rainy season in a tropical country. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Te Rere i Oturu this time round as the rain would have made river levels rise and there were several river crossings on the track. You can also access the falls by driving 5km from the lodge down a gravel road.

Karangahake Loop: Dickey’s Flat - Dubbo 96 - Crown Track

There were a few campers braving the late autumn chill when we pulled into the Dickey’s Flat campground. Although I’ve never stayed there, it always seemed like a popular spot all year round. We started and finished our Karangahake Loop from the campground to add extra kilometres to our day and make the four hour return drive worthwhile. The loop was an 11km return trip, linking six walking tracks and took us just over four hours to return. There are tunnel sections along the tracks (the longest is around 200m) and a torch is recommended.

From the campground, we walked along the Crown Track until the Dubbo 96 junction. Dubbo 96 is a regenerating native forest that’s well marked and easy to follow. It climbs up to 280m in 2km, with the track pretty steady underfoot. There’s one easy stream crossing, but as long as there hasn’t been a lot of rain, you should be able to keep your socks dry rock hopping.

Three day hike in the Waioeka: Moanui - Koranga Forks - Tawa Loop

When you’re a townie like me, hiking in the backcountry always means driving a few hours. Usually down a gravel road with potholes, and the odd tree blocking the road. Moanui Road in the Waioeka Conservation Area had two out of three, luckily for me, it wasn’t a fallen tree because I don’t own a chainsaw yet. The carpark and start of the Moanui-Koranga Forks-Tawa Loop is about a 40 minute drive from Waioeka Gorge Road and then Te Wera Road turn-off. You can get through the gravel road on a 2WD drive, but the potholes can be pretty unforgiving to a low-riding bumper.

I started my walk around 11am - fortunately it was overcast with a lovely breeze so I didn’t have to suffer the midday heat. The Moanui Track starts off on farmland as it follows the Koranga River. The bush sections are well graded and marked (orange triangles), while the open farmland had large, yellow wooden posts. Some sections narrowed down to double my boot width with steep drop offs, but as long as you watch your step, it’s fairly easy to get through. These are working farms, so keep your distance from livestock and leave gates as you find them (or follow instructions on signs).

Pahāutea Hut via Tirohanga and Maraukura Loop in the Pirongia Forest

Some adventures don’t always go to plan, and in the seven years I’ve been solo hiking, this one takes the cake! I had been on a road trip in the North Island performing poetry and had a few days up my sleeve in Hamilton before my next gig, so I decided to head to nearby Pirongia Forest. I parked up at the Grey Road car park (by the Pirongia Forest Lodge) with the intention of an overnighter to Pahāutea Hut via Tirohanga Track then walking out on the Maraukura Track the following day. If you want to do the loop, start on the Mangakara Nature Walk from the car park, then look out for the Ruapane Trig Lookout connection track. According to the DoC website, it’s easier to walk-in via Tirohanga Track, and I would have to agree with them.

Pahāutea Hut is about 30 minutes from the 959m Mt. Pirongia summit. Unfortunately there was thick fog at both times I went past, so I don’t have any photos of the views. It’s a 20-bunk bookable hut with several campsites nearby. There are multiple tracks that lead to the hut, so check out the DoC website for up-to-date track conditions. The terrain was often a challenging steep scramble, rooty with glorious thick mud that leads to incredible views (when the fog clears). Being in the middle of winter, the sooner you accept the bog, the quicker you’ll move past it.

There are chains on parts of the track (before and after the trig) - these definitely came in handy as the rocks were slippery from the rain. It took me back to my rock climbing days, and these short legs did have to tap into some short-girl-beta. If you’re a scrambler like me, take extra care that you don’t grab onto the pockets of gorse or cutty grass hiding in the bush - damn, that shizz hurts!

A winter roadie to Lake Rotopounamu and Waihāhā Hut

The first time I heard about Lake Rotopounamu was before my workmate went on maternity leave (she just came back to work a few months ago after a year off). I’ve driven past it a couple of times on my way to hikes in the Tongariro National Park, and I’m stoked that I tagged it onto my hike to Waihāhā Hut in the Pureora Forest.

Parking for Lake Rotopounamu is on Te Pononga Saddle Road (SH 47), about a 10 minute drive from Tūrangi. Look for the DoC sign across the road.

Lake Rotopounamu is said to be the heart centre of New Zealand, and I get it, listening to the abundant birdsong and walking amongst giants, time slows down. I’ve felt that in forests before, then again I love forests for that reason. What got me were the moments when the lake suddenly came into view. It takes you a few seconds to realise that the world isn’t upside down, but that the skies are so beautifully reflected on the water.

The track is family-friendly - the loop is well marked and steady underfoot. It’s approx. 5km according to my watch. The track goes uphill in the beginning, but evens out after about 15 minutes. Most of the track is under a canopy, with plenty of lake access along the way. A section of the track is lakeside which was a nice break to walk in the sunshine before heading back into the forest. The loop took me around 1.5 hours, with plenty of time to enjoy the birdsong and take lots of photos.

Te Rereatukahia Hut: Sciatica, climbing over tree falls and chasing sunsets

Sciatica for a hiking enthusiast is a b*tch, it really is. It had been a frustrating month of shooting pains and even struggling to put my shoes on, while waiting patiently for the tracks to reopen after the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle. The mountains were calling, but my body kept telling me to put my hiking plans on hold. Te Rereatukahia Hut was one of the last two huts in the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park I had yet to visit, Kauritatahi Hut being the other. I figured the undulating Kaimai Range was as good a test as any to see if my sciatica would let me plan any more overnighters over winter.

I have walked the Hot Springs Road part of the Tuahu Track when I hiked part of the North-South Track a couple of years ago. Leaving the car park at Wairakau Road, the first hour took me through a gravel road and up a 4WD track surrounded by pine trees. Here’s something I’ve learned from hiking in the Kaimai Mamaku - there’s no such thing as downhill at the start of the hike. Everything goes up, and it’s usually pretty steep, but if the weather’s good, the views are spectacular.