Stanfield Hut

I joined a PNTMC tramp to Stanfield Hut today, just the three of us, in glorious weather, about 23C, warm but not too hot. They had a lovely new sign there at the beginning of the walk, and we could clearly see the little 'grunt' we faced at the beginning to climb up to Holmes Ridge.... nothing like the grunt to get up to the top of the ranges on the other side though! However, four months after getting home in a fit state, I was appalled to find that after winter laziness, I found it a real grunt up that hill!! (Mind you, it was quite steep and rugged underfoot, and I don't recall anything quite so tough on the Camino..... or maybe there was and I was fitter then!!!) No photos of the grunt.... I was too busy holding onto trees getting my breath back as I climbed!!

After climbing the grunty hill, we reached a 4WD road, then walked along the ridge top for a while, until it was time to descend again back down to the river. We had a short break before we tackled the river section, and there I distinguished myself by grabbing hold of some ongaonga- native stinging nettle- as I passed. Ouch!!! Not nice!!! I plunged my hand into the stream a few times to feel the cool water and try to reduce the stinging feel.

Twenty minutes or so later, we reached the hut and ate lunch in the sunshine. Too nice to sit in the hut. This native clematis was flowering near the long drop.

The return trip was via the river, and we walked along the river in the sunshine, and crossed the river numerous times.....numerous numerous numerous times.... as you do sometimes in Kiwiland. Water level was quite low though. Lots of debris still lying around from the 2004 floods when the water level would have looked completely different through here. Various plants starting to colonise the rocky areas.

At one point we had to negotiate our way under this massive fallen rimu tree.

And just to finish off, this is a shot of some ongaonga I saw as we were ending our tramp. Looks vicious doesn't it, with all those nasty looking spines. Next time someone warns me there is ongaonga nearby, I will try to remember their warning as I pass!!!

A beautiful day

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day here in the Manawatu - the kind that makes you think summer is actually about to arrive!

So, as I have done a few times in recent months, I headed out to the Manawatu Gorge for some serious Camino training. Today I planned to walk to the third lookout and back, about 5-6 hours worth. You can see from this first photo that the powers-that-be do take this walk seriously as a recreational opportunity for local people: they have made the start of the track go underneath the road for safety. (Mind you, they never 'bridged' the road itself especially - the hills along this side of the Gorge are very unstable geologically - and the only reason this road can go through at all is that it is largely made of 'bridges'.)

The first third of the track has been 'gentrified' to make it more suitable for more walkers. But then you get to the 'tree root' stuff - a standard part of much NZ bush walking - and a part I love.

This is the recently constructed "Sentinel lookout." Like any viewing platform made by DOC since the Cave Creek tragedy, it is very sturdy. For the first time I actually encountered no wind here and the sun was beating down. It would have been nice just to stay put!

And you do get wonderful views from this lookout. This is looking back down the Gorge towards Ashhurst.

The last lookout, Windy lookout, was not windy today either, and I nearly went to sleep there in the sunshine. Shame the yellow flowers are foreign invaders as they looked great in some photos!

Had to make myself get up. Actually the whole walk I had been feeling not so good. (Nothing to do with the 'night before' I assure you all!) Only a few weeks ago I had climbed up here and felt fine. Today from the outset, the hill climbing seemed steeper, longer and harder. Good practice for climbing out of Le Puy in April I told myself. (Then I freaked a little when I realised in only about two months time I would need to be training up these hills with my big pack on instead of my day pack.) To cut a long story short here, I felt increasingly wobbly and not-so-good on the way back, until I *lost* my lunch. At which point I felt a little better. Ah well, I guess I might have days like this in France too, when I wonder why-the-heck-I-ever-thought this might be a Good Idea!

Anyhow, it was clear when I looked at my photos of the trip that I had not been 100%. A lot of them were *rubbish* and were quickly deleted. This one of the stream though I retained.... I felt it was almost Monet-impressionism like!

Last river view, back near the carpark, was of this jetski. I usually harbour thoughts of vengeance towards jetskiers, with their 'noise pollution' of quiet spots. But to be fair, the carpark is adjacent to a main road so is hardly in a 'quiet spot' anyhow! But I did still wonder if this guy knew he was approaching the shallows I could see from above. It seemed that he did, and my vengeful thoughts came to naught!

Anyhow, back home, I had an urge to drink fizzy fruit juice which I did. And the lawns remained unmowed while I had a siesta. And now I feel much better. So I guess it will be work as usual tomorrow after all!!!

Taking the soft option

Today I joined a few old buddies from the PNTMC for a short tramp on the Coppermine track in the Ruahines, inland from Woodville. It was especially good to see Sally, who over recent years I have just met occasionally, usually in Melody's New World.

I had been on this track when I first moved to Palmie, and never since. I even have a photo of a much younger me, taken in the river. I was keen to have another look at the track.

First surprise was that the track is on the decline. I think there was a time when this track was quite heavily promoted for families, and there are some really interesting signs along the way about the history of the coppermining endeavour. However, it would seem that recent floods and erosion have taken their toll.

Although there was easy walking along much of the track, there were quite a few places where the track had fallen away, and there was very narrow footing above slips. The last section of the track to the old mine has a serious slip and the end part of the track, to where the mine used to be, is no longer maintained at all.

It was only a brief detour downhill to the Magazine where they stored explosives when the mine existed. Now it is empty save for a large puddle, and according to the sign, some cave wetas. I decided not to venture in to find them.

It was the right season for some hooded native orchids to be flowering. I think I had wandered past many, until one member of the party pointed them out to the rest of us. Then we saw profusions of them in places!

It was a pleasant day, with hardly even a breeze, and sunshine. This view looks back towards the Ruahine range on our way out.

The walk out was very easy, downhill, and there were several little streams to notice. I am sure they were there on the way up too, but I was too busy concentrating on walking then!

I have to admit now that I took the 'soft option' on this trip. On the route back, our party divided and some took the loop track that was going to take them another two hours. I used this week's anaemia blood test result as an excuse to be in the group that decided to take it easy! We headed back to Ballance. Here we divided again, and again I took the soft option. One dedicated soul decided to run back along the Gorge track, and we would pick him up later at the Ashhurst end. Another dedicated soul decided to walk in/out along the Gorge track for a period. While the other three of us decided that coffee/hot chocolate at the Ballance cafe sounded absolutely perfect. These rustic tractor remains rested in the cafe carpark.

As we got ready to depart the cafe carpark, after our onerous hour spent relaxing, this motorbike passed noisily by on the nearby road, then there was a sudden backfiring noise, and no more motorbike noise. Fortunately, nobody's first aid skills were needed, but a part had come adrift off the chain it appeared, and this motorbike was going nowhere fast....

Thanks guys for a very relaxing stretch of the legs, and an even more relaxing sit-down in a cafe!
UPDATE: Have heard that the loop track involved at least one hour's sweaty uphill slog. Am glad I took the soft option to leave (slightly anaemic) self some energy for Sunday!
Also, loaned someone the extra pair of Bridgedale socks I had taken along. She agrees. They are the.most.comfortable.socks.ever!

into the serious stuff

It really is past the time when I should be into serious training for the Camino. But somehow we have slid through September and most of October and I am still into occasional dabbling with the fitness regime. Why this is now serious is that in less than six months I will already be walking from Le Puy, and some of the terrain will be challenging... as may the weather be.

So today I hauled myself out of bed by the bootstraps and made sure I got out to the Gorge again. Little treat soon after leaving the carpark was that I saw the milk train go through on the other side of the river. First time I have actually managed to see a train on the track!
In the winter I walked this track quite a few times, with nary a sign of any sunshine. But today the sunlight was slipping in through gaps in the trees quite beautifully in places.

Here is the sunlight bringing this view of a small plant to life in the forest darkness.

There is a lot of upgrading being done on this track, so close to Palmerston North, so that larger numbers of people will want to walk it. Here is one of the wee 'bridges' in place, though not much water is flowing under it just now.

Sigh... and on another serious note. I realise that old age is creeping up on me. Three times when I walked in the neighbourhood yesterday I met up with people I knew. All recognised me. Sure, all three were out of normal context and they were not people I see every day, but I could not tell who they were until they were about two metres away. I know, I know, I have glasses. And I obviously need to wear them more often. But they only have squitty little clip-ons for the bright glare of the sun we have finally been fortunate to have. So I was wearing my larger-lensed non-prescription sunglasses. And since I am saving hard for another trip in April.... I will not be visiting the optometrist for new lenses. I know you all feel soooooo sorry for me!

Colm Toibin and Croagh Patrick

I have read a few books by Colm Toibin, and have just discovered he had some similar experiences to me at Croagh Patrick. (Read here for my account.)

Some quotes from Ch4, The Magic Mountain, in "The Sign of the Cross" by Toibin:

"Now we turned and trudged on, the terrain becoming more and more difficult."

"Nothing had prepared me for the last part of the climb. The rise was very sheer and there was nothing to hold onto. At every step I sank into a bank of large slippery stones. I moved slowly on my hands and knees in the wind and the driving rain."

I guess I was lucky here: the horrendous wind and wetting rain started while I was on my way down! It then became a real effort to stay standing and not be blown over. On one occasion I slipped, and was then rolled around on the ground by the wind. Fortunately, apart from a bruised elbow, I wasn't injured, much to the relief of the guy just above me on the track who yelled "I'm coming!" but who then saw me get up on my own.

"Everybody concentrated on each step, and on making sure not to fall and knock other people over. We clambered forward. It was impossible to see how close the summit was. At times progress seemed impossible; there was no foothold, and if you moved, you displaced rocks and stones, and there was still no foothold. Men and women walked down as best they could, pushing the staff into the ground ahead of them, letting it sink in between the stones, then sliding gingerly down. If they caught your eye, they smiled encouragement. People kept telling you that you would reach the summit soon.
When I got there, I was exhausted and exhilarated."

I know what he means! In my own account I wrote:

There was quite a celebratory feel at the top, and a real feeling of camaraderie amongst those sheltering by the wall of the oratory. It is not a 'long' climb, but the last section is very steep, and the rocky surface is difficult to maintain your footing on. You cannot see the top and have no idea how much further you have to climb, until suddenly, you are on the summit. I think we all felt that the hardest work was done! (We were all sooooo wrong!)

Croagh Patrick is about 762m high. That did not seem like very much. But the steepness of the last section, the nature of the small rocks you had to climb on nearer the top, the fact you could not see the summit, the wind and slippery rocks on the way down, all made for quite a hard climb. I reached the bottom with a sense of relief and achievement!

Makairo Track

Today I was part of a party of four who enjoyed the Makairo Track. This involved a steady but very gentle ascent up an old road track on the side of a gorge, passing a lot of regenerating bush.

Near the top end of the track were a few signs of the area's former farming life such as this decaying fencepost which took my fancy.

Rangiora, also affectionately known as 'bushman's toilet paper' was prominent along much of the route.

Nearer the top of the track there was quite a bit of flowering toetoe. Fiona and I spent quite a few minutes observing an iridescent emerald green bug sitting on one of the flowerheads. It did not seem able to fly well. By the time the boys got down from their higher ascent, there was no more sign of this bug, and they accused us of finding mushrooms over lunch. But we kidded them not!

Beehive Creek, Pohangina Valley

The Pohangina Valley is a well-kept Manawatu secret: it is a lovely place to relax and spend time. Today there was an easy tramping club trip along the Beehive Creek Walkway. Civilised start time: 9am meeting at Foodtown Carpark. Eleven of us to spend the morning together. Someone else I hadn't seen for years on the trip.

We started off with 2-3 kilometres of walking along the gravel road to the other end of the walkway - so we could 'save the best bit of the track until last'. The road was very peaceful on this lovely sunny Sunday summer morning, and only one vehicle passed us.

The first bit of the track involved climbing up to the top of a ridge. I was slow, but I have done this before in recent weeks, so it wasn't too bad! We had great views at the top, then we descended a steep wee hill to get down to the stream. All the last part of the walk involved walking along the streambed. The water was surprisingly warm and pleasant.

We ended our time out with some cafe crawling, not that we had intended that. First we called into the nearby Waterford, only to find it was crowded on this very sunny and pleasant Sunday lunchtime, with a jazz band playing outdoors. We decided not to wait, and headed for the Herb Farm, by this time feeling very hungry. It was, if anything, even more crowded! So we returned to Ashhurst and went to the Domain Cafe. By this time the lunchtime crowd had thinned. I had a scone smothered in cream and a hot chocolate. So much for the health benefits of tramping!!!! Thanks PNTMC for another day of great walking and good company.

Stanfield Hut

Today I went on my second PNTMC tramping trip of 2007. Again I met a couple of people I had tramped with 'way back'. The trip was into "Stanfield Hut" on the eastern side of the Ruahines, a track I had gone on quite a few times many years ago. The uphill bits provided a challenge this time around, but it's all in the plan to improve my uphill fitness!

We left Palmerston North in drizzly rain, though it was calm. As we drove through the Gorge, the cloud lifted, and the sun shone, but the wind when we arrived at the track end was quite something. I tried to apply sunblock on my face, but it was blown off my fingers!!!Here we are at the hut. Actually this first photo is the 'long drop' near the hut, typical of the backcountry. This one was fortunately not too smelly!

The sign is an 'old' one - yes the altitude is in feet above sea level.

We had taken the ridge track up to get to the hut, and had some wonderful views en route of the hills. To get back to the carpark at Tamaki West Road, we followed the stream.

First trip with the tramping club

In my 'younger' days' I used to go out tramping quite often with PNTMC (Palmerston North Tramping and Mountaineering Club), but I haven't been on a club trip for years. I decided that 2007 would have to be a year for more tramping, in view of my planned St James pilgrimage in 2008!

There was a nice 'easy' short local trip today, with a botanical focus, to just behind Woodville. I learned long ago that 'easy' in tramping club terms just refers to the overall length of the trip: it doesn't mean there are no steep hills! This trip was across an area of regenerating native bush that has been 'covenanted' to the QE2 National Trust.

Here you can see that farmland is interspersed with regenerating native bush. Areas of new slippage here are from the 2004 storms, and have occurred where there is no bush cover.

Above, a view of a major part of the area of the regenerated bush, and below, the sign as we entered the covenanted area.

I re-met a few people I knew back in my old tramping days. Here is Doug stepping it out across some fields on the way back to the cars.

You can get some idea of the steepness of the terrain here.

This photo shows how deformed the landscape is. (This area is not too far away from a major earthquake fault line.)

Here is Peter our leader sharing some of his botanical knowledge. I learned some things I had not realised before. The first trees to take root in the area were ones with windblown seeds. As they became established, birds moved in, and they brought the larger seeds that they tend to transport, so then different trees can start growing.

We learned various facts about some different species of trees and the children did really well on their 'test' at the end!

I was slow up the hills, but I loved getting out to a new bit of the countryside. I will be back on some more club trips soon! (My new Merrell shoes also got their first proper workout on this trip, and it was great to feel so secure wearing them on what was very wet grass at the start of the day. But now I need to clean them!!!)

12 January Swimming
It has been a lousy summer here. Ask the travel agents. They have record of numbers of people booking trips at short notice to warmer climes!!

But the last few days we have finally had some humid northerlies replacing southerly breezes with a nip to them. And today I actually got myself off to the Lido.

I wasn't sure how far I would try and swim. I have only been to the Lido one other time this season, and didn't actually count my distance. However, I started off today and felt fine in the water, so decided I would do ten lengths (500m). But that was coming too easily so I thought I would stretch it to 15 lengths. (750m) Then I realised I would need to do 16 lengths anyhow to get out near the steps, so I thought I may as well make it 1000m = 1km. Has a nice ring to it. (Though a few years back I swam more like 1500m on a usual swim.)

I had that great 'Yes I have exercised" feeling when I emerged from the pool and rewarded myself with a dip in the warm spa indoors. But I must admit my muscles do feel a little tired this evening!