The Hogget

10 May

Despite the somewhat shonkey weather forecast the early morning sun blazed in the windscreen as we headed off with a full load for the new van. After an uneventful trip up the Taihape road with hardly any stalls or slow gear changes, we arrived at Timahanga station and drove through to near the old homestead.

After parking we followed the road till it came to a small stream, crossing with dry feet and then followed the track, which is an old logging road, through Boyd’s Bush. The going is pretty easy and after an hour walking through this lovely podocarp and beech forest we stopped for morning tea and then the fast party took off. Ten minutes later the slow party passed the fast party again as they had lost the track in exactly the same place as last time’ For future reference, the track is pretty good, but is only marked where there is a change of direction, so when you get to a piece of pink tape, do not continue on straight ahead.

We crossed a tiny stream and then the track started to climb quite steeply through regenerating bush which gradually became more scrubby as we gained altitude, eventually coming out onto a fairly open ridge with great views to the south over the Comet, the Ruahines and Aorangi.  Out to the north however, there was only really a view of big black rain clouds, although to be fair they kept away till after we got back.

It was reasonably warm for this time of year, but with a coolish breeze on the tops so we had lunch just off the ridge. We were soon joined by the fast party who had travelled a little further along the tops but had retreated because of the strong winds they encountered.  We did a bit of basic map reading there and then headed back to the van. When we got back to the van we wandered over for a look at the old Boyd homestead and then drove on home.

PB

Party: Peter B, Glenda H, Susan L, Daniel H, John C, Janice L, Anne D, Paula K, Des S, Vivian X, Dale B and Carol C