Guthrie Smith Arboretum 15 January
Our first Wednesday tramp for 2025 was to the Guthrie Smith arboretum beside Lake Tutira. There were 7 of us; we left Pukahu at 8 and arrived at the arboretum a little after 9. Good weather was the order of the day as we headed south, past the nursery, through the “forests” of Europe, Australia, the Mediterranean, North America, Mexico and then New Zealand. From there we descended down to Lake Orakai which we decided to walk around. The last part of this is through a pine forest and a bit rough going so after this we sat down for an early first lunch.
After walking back to the carpark via the Chinese and Himalayan “forests” we left Peter photographing a Kereru while we walked northwards to the little church. Again we enjoyed the sunshine, the birds and the views before returning to the van and heading home.
Party Steve B Susan L, Nat B, Peter B, Anne D, Judith M and Glenda H
Te Karamu 12 February
There was only three on this mid week walk, a wander along the Karamu Stream. We started at Glenda & Peter’s house at Pukahu, crossed the St George Road bridge to the true left of the stream where the Regional Council, the Hastings/ Havelock North Forest and Bird and Bostocks have been planting natives on the left bank for the last 6 or so years. (Glenda and Peter have been planting the right bank for the last 20 years.)
We walked upstream along the Karamu to Riverslea Road checking a few traps as we went before retracing our steps to the bridge. From there we carried on downstream to the end of the plantings, viewing the varied results and checking a few more traps. We then walked back to the cars and drove to Crosses Road.
From Crosses Road we followed the Karamu upstream (right bank) , turning around behind the James Wattie retirement village (past Anderson Park), before returning back, via the left bank after the Havelock Bridge This all took about 3 hours and coincidentally there was a coffee shop to greet us just before we got back to the cars.
Anne D, Selina C and Glenda H
Blowhard Bush 26 February
An hours drive up the Taihape Road got us to Blowhard Bush. Insufficient numbers on the Forest and Bird working day the previous week meant they were unable to check all the traps so we combined our walk with some pest work on the northern edge of the reserve. This meant we were able to view a different part of the park away from the public tracks. We removed 1 stoat, 1 weasel, 4 rats and 3 mice from the 55 traps we passed as well as rebaiting 25 bait stations.
We had lunch on the grassy patch above Lowry Shelter and afterwards took in the great view from the lookout at the top. On the way back down some time was spent removing pinetrees and rerouting tracks before we returned to the shelter for a cup of tea.
Anne D, Selina C, Christine L, John S, Peter B and Glenda H
Kaweka Hut site 12 March
Another sunny day for this Wednesday walk and another drive up the Taihape Road. This time we drove through to Lakes Road and followed the track down to the Tutaekuri River. The river was low and easy to cross and we were soon on our way up the other side.
I suggested the three faster ones should head up the Rogue Ridge to get a view and release some energy. This suggestion was accepted which meant that the remaining three were able to carry on to the Kaweka Hut site at a more sedate pace, leaving lots of arrows and signs for the others to follow later (of those 3, only Selina been to the Kaweka Hut site and that was in the reverse direction).
We got to the hut site just before 12 and went down to check out the stream before having our lunch. The others arrived around 12.30 having found all our arrows, notes and pulled out pine trees. After they had their lunch we all returned back to the van together
Selina C, Steve B, Lou C, Karene F, Christine L and Glenda H
Ormondville: – 9 April (A Stream, a Waterfall, a Railway Station and a Small Forest)
Something different this Wednesday, Murry had told me about a waterfall walk near his place sometime ago so we decided it was time to check it out. When we arrived at Murry’s it was drizzling (and had been off and on since Waipawa) however Murry said it was fine so we believed him and followed him around to the end of Bolton Road (off the Ormondville Te Uri Road). And yes it had stopped drizzling and was soon to become a warm sunny day.
To start off with we walked an hour or so through numerous paddocks, some with stock in and some with crops in, before arriving at an area of limestone outcrops below which flowed the Waikopiro Stream. Opposite us was Te Whata Kokako (according to CHBDC) or Rocky Ridge (according to Murry) which is defined as an outstanding natural feature/landscape by the Central Hawkes Bay District Council. It was quite dramatic, a very steep face on a rocky spur with limestone outcrops making it resemble a bit like a crocodiles tail. Here some rested, some photographed while others scouted around looking for the waterfall and a way down the very steep sided gully to the stream below it.
A way down was found and Peter, Murry and Juergen forged ahead while Simon kindly waited to escort some of the ladies down the “relatively” easy track. We followed the others upstream and met them half naked, climbing out of a very deep pool. To view the waterfall you had to swim up through this pool but apparently it was worth, it although no one was able to confirm this with a photograph. The rest of us did not feel like a swim so all turned round and headed back to the track up to the paddocks. We then had another 45 minutes to walk the paddocks back to the van.
From Bolton Road it was 5 or so minutes drive to Ormondville where we had our lunch sitting on benches at the historic railway station. This gave members time to explore the restored buildings and use the convenience.
Lunch had, we drove a kilometre down the road to a long narrow 20 acre block of land owned by Glenda and Peter. They have planted the back half in trees of all persuations, the first of which was planted 37 years ago. This summer Peter, with a lot of help from friends, has built a small one room shelter . The van didn’t make the hill up to the back so we walked through to the shelter and then did a loop through the forest, checking the 3 traps as we went. A quick diversion by some to man-handle a bridge into position below a dam Murry had built us a few years ago and then into the van and home.
Simon W, Selina C, Steve B, Susan L, Christine L, Karene F, Juergen G, Peter Berry, Murry A and Glenda H
