Club Night March 2015

Numbers were a little depleted at our March meeting as 19 Wednesday Walkers were heading to the Clutha Gold and Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trails the next morning.

Club members held a working bee on the Herbert Forest tracks (and have another in the pipeline) in preparation for an Open Day on 12 April. This is such a lovely area right at our back door. Family groups will be encouraged to tackle the Swallows Track. Kids – look out for the cave!

Those who joined the day tramp to Otekaike Hill via the south side of Bushy Creek earlier in the month were rewarded with great views of the Waitaki Valley and North Otago coast.

Wednesday Walkers trips have taken members up the north branch of the Kakanui River to Balmoral Hut, round the back of Aviemore dam and down Deep Stream, to Kaiwarua Station (and its numerous swimming holes) in the Hunter Hills, and to Mt Myer.

Speaker for the evening, Jane Green, recounted the bike trip she and husband Graham undertook last winter in the North Island, beginning with The Forgotten World Highway from Stratford to Whangamomona in Taranaki. Next was a 54km circuit of Mt Karioi and the Pipiwharauroa Trail, both near Raglan in the Waikato. Further north they biked the Hauraki Rail Trail from Thames to Waihi then headed south to tackle a maze of tracks near Rotorua. After three days biking the Waikato River Trails Jane and Graham undertook the Pureora Timber Trail west of Taupo, and were most impressed with two purpose built swing bridges – one 140m long – and a portion of track that included a spiral in its descent before reaching Ongarue.

These new cycle trails have made previously remote areas much more accessible so add them to your Bucket List!