Posts Tagged ‘Waikato River’

Te Araroa – Ngaruawahia to west of Hamilton

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

29.2 km – 5.25 hours

The next section of Te Araroa involves some walking on a busy stretch of SH1, waiting for a walkway to be built along the south bank of the Waikato River. My scout had been sent out earlier to check out the new walkway, but nothing much happening, so my alternative route was to cross to the north bank and follow a more minor River Rd all the way to Hamilton – at times still able to hear the traffic on SH1.

I crossed to the south bank again on a pedestrian bridge, so picking up with the Te Araroa route again very soon after it actually hits the walkway alongside the river. This delightful walk and cycle way took me all the way into the centre of Hamilton – what a real treat that is for the city to have such a pleasant traffic free walk in the middle of the city.

From there a scoot across to Lake Rotoroa, and then via a few roads to Tills Lookout on the west of the town. And there I was with views all around and the path leading to … Mt Pirongia, where Te Araroa will take me soon. From the lookout the path took me down into the Taitua Arboretum, for a gentle walk amongst the trees to the carpark and my pickup for the day.

Back there hopefully at Easter.

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Tony walks Te Araroa – Post 28 – Mercer to Huntly

Friday, May 28th, 2010

42 km – 8.5 hours

From Mercer there is a short up and down track that runs parallel to the main road, providing a great view of the Waikato River and taking me to the Whangamarino Redoubt historical site.

From there it was a walk alongside SH1, but fortunately a wide verge, so no big deal. Escaped into a diversion via Meremere township, then back to the main road, before heading off for the river after a short while. Then on stop banks and other riverside paths for quite a few kms heading south. After the Pumphouse site a bit of a toss up between the quiet road and the parallel stop bank, all the way through to the bridge at Rangiriri.

Across the river there, and then on stop banks almost all the way to the Huntly Power Station – a bit like walking on a rail trail, as for most of the way the stop banks are some distance from the river, and wind their flat way through (very dry) paddocks, behind houses and away from the road.

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Te Araroa – Hunua Ranges South and on to Mercer

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Saturday 30th January – 31 kms, 8.25 hours

An early start because of forecast rain saw me heading off from Moumoukai into the Mangatawhiri valley on a crisp sunny morning. As it happened the rain did not arrive, and my 4 crossings of the Mangatawhiri river were not much more than ankle deep. A steady climb up to the ridge on leaving the valley included a crawl through a large tree fall, but good to see track work is in progress with the construction of new steps on the steeper sections.

The ridge tramping track that followed was well marked and as promised had a very steep downhill section at the end – could be a great slide after rain ! The track out leads past what used to be the smart Hotel Du Vin – now part of Dilworth College. Road walk down to the junction with what is now the Old SH2 – great now that it has only 1 vehicle every 5 minutes, rather than the continuous stream before the new expressway opened. Then a pleasant road to follow over to Mercer on the Waikato River to prove that I am now into Te Araroa’s Waikato section.

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