My Favourite Walk: Makaretu Hut a pleasant walk in misty rain
Agroup of (MTSC) Wednesday Trampers planned a river tramp to Makaretu Hut via Happy Daze Hut for a hot February day, that did in the end not eventuate.
We arrived at our starting point at Paget Road to a cool drizzly thirteen degrees Hawkes Bay day but forecast had promised improving weather in afternoon.
After a meeting with very agreeable farmer Dave Ellison, to sign necessary permission and safety forms, 29 trampers set off.
The Makaretu River was low and it was a pleasant walk in the misty rain up to Happy Daze Hut with a warning from farmer, about a rock fall he had marked, to keep away from and an injured cow that had fallen from a high bank in the same area.
After the morning tea stop at Happy Daze Hut half of the group decided to explore around the river area near to Happy Daze Hut, tramping 12km, while the other half continued up river to Makaretu Hut (statistics below).
With high banks on both sides and beautiful bush the river tramp to Makaretu is not so easy with larger slippery stones to navigate and reports of quite a few unplanned swims by some trampers.
From Happy Daze Hut it takes about one and a half hours to reach Makaretu Hut with most getting to the hut, but a group of five running out of time stopping within 10 minutes of the hut.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t improve and coming back down river the rain became more steady and noticeable higher river levels.
Every one was out by 4.15pm and it was good to get changed into dry clothes and into warm cars on to coffee stop at Wild Bean Dannevirke after a challenging but enjoyable day.