30th May – 1st June 2026
Our party of eight departed from Susan’s place about 7.00 AM, driving along SH5 to the Old Te Aroha Road, to Te Tuhi Road and the start of the walk. The track initially was up a gravel road, past awoolshed then 3km across farmland, over 4 stiles and avoiding the electric fences.
We arrived at the stream crossing after an hour, then the climb began- up and over many tree roots and some BIG step ups- thanks to the group for waiting for the tortoise. We stopped for lunch just before the Mangamuka Hut/ Te Tuhi trail junction after which the track continued to wind its way upwards, then levelling off, before dropping down to the crossroads, (left to Wairere Falls, North along the Ngamarama track and southwards on the North- South track to our destination). We saw many different coloured fungi on the way in-red/brown/yellow and white. There was a lot of windfall but it was very easy to get around this and after an hour we walked out of the bush into a small grassy clearing and Te Whare Oki Oki Hut.
There were two women already in residence and, just on dark a couple, from Auckland walked in and our party of eight made it a full hut. We settled in, had dinner and a brief discussion on the next day’s tramp, before retiring to our sleeping bags and chatting away before one by one we drifted to sleep.
Sunday morning some early birds were up at 6.00 AM, other later. At 8 AM, after hot drinks, breakfast, and deciding what was needed for a daypack I farewelled the others for their planned a return tramp to the Wairere Falls. At 9.00 AM I set off on the North-South track towards the falls, stopping after one and ¾ hrs and returning to the hut for lunch.
After lunch I set off along the track to Mangamuku Hut, initially on a very good track, coming to the boggy area and climbed the ridge for about 45mins before returning.. At 3.30 PM, I boiled the billy and lit the fire as the temperature had dropped considerably and light rain had started and just after 4 PM familiar faces popped out of the bush and we all relaxed, recalling how the day had been.
Monday morning, five wanted to do the Mangamuka Loop track and 3 would walk out on day one’s route. Steve, Constanze and myself slowly back tracked to the track junction and began climbing – found it quite easy with a lighter pack. It took us three and a quarter hours to return to the van, and two hours later saw the other group meandering down the road. We set off towards Matamata and a café, lunched on yummy pies before heading home.
Party: Nic W, Steve B, Constanze H, Paula K, Judith M, Jude H, Murry A and Susan L