Vets in Hawkes Bay
Week Trip
Tuesday 13 November 2007 to Saturday 17 November 2007 (5 days)
Tuesday 13th
A fine but chilly morning to start the trip.
Off along the main highway from our base at Westshore in Napier in the direction of Wairoa with Doug Astley in the driver’s seat. Up and over the not-so-Gentle Annie on SH2 and then a bit of a lurch into the slightly concealed entry to Lakes Tutira and Waikopiro, two sparkling gems close by the road.
We warmed up with a walk around Lake Waikopiro, the smaller of the two (their combined area is nearly 500ha), enjoying the wild fowl on the water and the spring foliage on the exotics largely planted by Guthrie-Smith, farmer and naturalist. Some of us then headed up the track with Howard setting a steady and amiable pace to the trig on Table Mountain at 494m. Great views out to the coast and back to the hills. On the way down we met others who had come the reverse way up the loop as far as the junction.
Who can forget the tikouka on this trip? The best flowering in years. Their crowns were a mass of fragrant flowers, giving the lie to the distinctly un-sexy European name, cabbage tree.
This area was hit by Cyclone Bola in 1988 and the scars are still to be seen. Lake Tutira is 46m deep - below that is 27m of sediment, towards the bottom much ash from the volcanic Central Plateau but above that a deep layer of silt, the legacy of Bola.
Brian Lynch
Away early to Boundary Stream and Mainland Island Nature Restoration Area with the Heretaunga Tramping Club. Bobby Couchman, one of the many long-time volunteers, gave an introductory talk about the area and the massive work carried out in conjunction with DOC.
A few facts of interest: the Scenic Reserve programme started in 1996 and covers 800ha including 100ha gifted by the Shine family. Monitoring of 944 bait stations, 1231 mustelid traps and 53 cat traps resulted in 108 cats, 47 stoats and 50 weasels caught from July 06 to June 07. The bird life and bush have quickly rejuvenated the area.
Our tramp set off along the Tumanako Loop, Kamahi Track and continued down to the impressive Shine Falls of 58m, then along past eroded cliffs to the Heays Access Rd entrance and the bus. Birdsong was almost continuous with tui, robin and shining cuckoo. Massive beech trees and huge matai, kowhai still in flower! Kamahi and tawa and a highlight - kakabeak in flower, discovered in the area and replanted near the track. A magnificent place enjoyed by all.
In the evening we were invited by the Heretaunga TC to join them for supper after their AGM during which Alan Peterson (an ATC Past President) was elected President.
A big thank you to HTC for their hospitality and guiding expertise.
Ann & John Simpson
Jim Glass, Patron of Heretaunga Tramping Club, gave us a brief overview of the area. 
John & Brian waiting for HTC guides (Photo: Pauline Lawes)
We set out on the Nature Trail through the impressive redwood groves and out on to open country, leading up the hogback ridge of erosion-resistant limestone embedded with fossilised shells to the summit. Superb 360º views - snow-capped Ruahines, Heretaunga Plains, surrounding towns and Tukituki River.
After lunch we explored the interesting Otatara Pa Historic Reserve, then on to Napier for a coffee fix.
On the lighter side - a most hilarious moment occurred when, in transit, a most influential member of the party executed a perfectly horizontal swan dive whilst attempting to open Big Blue’s skylight. Guffaws all round.
All off to the pub for Big Night Out.
Pauline Lawes
In overcast conditions, 31 trampers set off down the Napier/Taihape Rd in Big Blue, heading for an area at the southern end of the Kaweka Forest Park. We parked at the Lakes carpark, 5km up Kuripapanga Rd, and after a briefing by Howard, divided into groups.
The largest group (19 in total) tackled the track to Mt Kuripapanga. This track climbed ever upward, through forest, kanuka, and then alpine vegetation to the main ridge (1250m). We had hoped to obtain spectacular views but unfortunately found ourselves enveloped in mist. We lunched at the top in calm conditions, surprising considering the altitude, and returned to the carpark by the same route, the whole trip taking three hours (height gain 500m).
The other group took the opportunity to explore the Kuripapanga Lakes, which are reached in about 30 minutes from the carpark, the track being gently undulating for most of the way with a short steep descent to the first lake. The lakes are picturesque and ecologically very interesting as some 288 different native plant species have been identified in the area, some extremely rare.
We then reassembled and drove a short distance to the Blowhard Reserve (corner of Lawrence Rd and Napier/Taihape Rd). This reserve, owned by the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, is an absolutely fascinating area resembling something out of a Tolkien book. Huge limestone boulders, which have been shaped by the weather into weird and wonderfully convoluted creations, are shrouded in moss and there is a maze of tunnels, passages and caves between them. There is an abundance of ferns, a variety of native plants and massive specimens of matai, rimu and black beech, all estimated to be more than 500 years old. Our walk in this eerie, mystical area was an impressive end to a very enjoyable day.
Brenda Simpson
Fine but cool, the clouds on the tops did not lift all day and from the road we could see the remains of a late fall of snow. 
Lunch at Sunshine Hut (Photo: Pauline Lawes)
At 10am we arrived at mid-Ruahine Forest Park after a slight delay to allow for a herd of Belgium Blue cattle with unusual markings to pass us - rather amusing.
The benched track to Sunrise Hut was an easy zigzag through mainly beech forest, black and red. We saw some fine clematis and orchids and a mistletoe in a netting cage to protect it from possums.
Most of the party arrived in two hours, others had turned back and did the "Swamp Track", a 1-hr loop.
The 18-bunk hut was above the bushline and although the tops were obscured, the views of steep scree slopes behind us and to the east, farmland stretching to distant hills, was quite impressive.
Some young army cadets on a training exercise were at the hut and were perhaps surprised to see a large group of people old enough to have been their grandparents!
They made room for us on the verandah and, after a quick lunch, we made a rapid descent to Big Blue, passing a few father-and-young-son groups going up for the weekend.
Cabin 11
A successful and most enjoyable trip. Special thanks to the organiser, Brian Bowden, tramp leader, Howard Johnston, and our capable drivers, John Norris, Dougal Campbell and Doug Astley.
Lake Tutira family photo (Photo: Pauline Lawes)
