Monday Walkers

Oh, the joy of waking to a quintessential Taupō winter’s day, clear and frosty with not a hint of the rain or wild weather that have plagued the last few Mondays. Enough to make anyone smile! We left the wooden shelter on Whangamata Rd, well bundled against the chill, and walked the few kilometres, some of which are paved, to the Otaketake trail entrance on Kawakawa Rd. This shared track was completed in December 2020 by Bike Taupō as part of the Nga Haerenga project. It is a Grade 3 cycle track, but also an easy walking trail following the twists and turns of the Otaketake Stream valley.

For most of the first 10 kilometres we were walking in regenerating native bush that included koromiko, mahoe, kotukutuku and rangiora. The wet winter seemed to have favoured the tree ferns. Tall trunks with glistening green adult and young kuru shaped fronds stretched up into canopy gaps. Whauwhaupaku, five finger, were fruiting prolifically.

We heard a family of popokatea or whiteheads and saw tui, piwakawaka, and a toutou or robin. If you are fortunate, ruru can be seen from the track in the darker gullies but those owls would have needed sunglasses today.

Far below farmland and later the lake and Kinloch were visible from the track. We stood on the rocks and admired Kawakawa Bay and the shadowy bluffs that protect it. Just as we were leaving, the snowcovered mountains emerged from southern clouds as if to smile on our day. Hopefully the weather will be as kind to us next week for an out-of-town walk. If you would like to join us or for more information, please email walkersmondaytaupo@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at Taupo Monday Walkers.