Te Aroha

13 April

Makahika Outdoor Pursuits Centre to Tokomaru Shelter

KM 1532

Distance: 18km

Elevation: ascent 594m, descent 732m

Steps: 31,500

Time: 7:35 - 2:20pm

Despite warnings of dire weather headed our way, it looks like that weather is missing this corner of the country. Some high winds, but not the gale force predicted; also the rain looks to be holding off for at least another day. So rather than having to take a Zero day at Makahika, we were able to press on, happily, through the next part of the trail. 

Our tent fly was very wet with dew when we got up, but the tent inner was completely dry - the tent works! We took a bit more time over breakfast and packing up than normal, to do some tidy up at the Makahika shelter - it was so very nice of them to let us (and all TA walkers) stay.

The track started along a bit of gravel road but quickly put us back into Tararua Forest Park along lower-elevation paths through a mix of native and exotic forests.

Part of the track is also across some farmland, but even this has its charm, with cute little streams and vistas that make you stop and really appreciate the view. (I almost wrote "and take stock of your surroundings" but I figured you'd see sheep in the picture and groan at the pun.)

The track then winds up through native forest to some lookouts giving great views over the surrounding forests and countryside, again all the way out to the ocean! So weird to be where we are, feeling very disconnected, deep in the bush and far away from civilisation, to look out and see a city and a sea!

It was just after midday that the wind did start to pick up, giving us a few nerves as we watched the trees sway and listened to them creak as they rubbed against each other. Add to that the number of tree falls that we've had to navigate over the past few days, and the thought was definitely in our minds - what if a tree falls in this forest, and we are very much there to hear it?! Luckily, we still don't know the answer to that question, since no trees have fallen in our vicinity (well, at least since that one on the South Island that Eliza tried to pull down on top of Vaughan...)

The last hour or so of the day was skirting the Tokomaru Reservoir, back on gravel roads that were completely devoid of traffic. Only our footsteps and the birds - and the wind! - were to be heard.

We reached the dam face, and Vaughan went out to take a look to see if there was any bird life out on the reservoir - nothing to be seen today, not even mallards or black swans, which are usually ubiquitous on any lake.

It was still early afternoon when we arrived at tonight's accommodation, a shelter purpose-built by the local branch of Te Araroa trust. This is on private land, and we are only allowed here at the land owner's welcome. Speaking of which, there was a very clear and large sign as we entered the private land, stating that NO VEHICLES, INCLUDING QUAD BIKES were to go any further. In fact, this road/trail is for "Te Aroha walkers ONLY". This is a lovely sentiment, since "aroha" in te reo Maori translates to "love", and truly walking Te Araroa has been a way to fall in love with these beautiful islands we are luckly enough to call home.

At the shelter, we also re-met Richard, who we had first met on the road on our last day walking in to Whanganui. He was happy to see us, too, able to gain some valuable intel about his trail ahead in the Tararua Ranges; but also to have some company in the shelter. His trail, going SoBo on the North Island, has been much more 'solo' than ours, and he has had the majority of his nights in huts and campsites to himself. This will be a change for us, since we only had huts to ourseles a few times in the entirety of the South Island!

As the sun went down and we started to cook dinner (around 6pm for those wondering), the skies have opened up and that rain has started to fall. All three of us are very much hoping that the clouds use tonight to unleash their fury, leaving us a relatively dry and less-windy day tomorrow.