Thursday 13 July 2023

There is the option for additional people to join the Medium and Medium Easy parties, potentially using private cars given that the bus is now full. If you are interetsed and not on the list yet, contact the leaders of those parties and get your name on the Waiting List - we will finalise the arrangements by July 7th

The Matariki public holiday this year is on Friday 14th July, so we will be spending a few days based at the Pureora Lodge just off SH30, east of Te Kuiti. It is on the edge of the Waipapa kokako breeding area, so close to the Lodge there may be the chance to see or hear these elusive birds.

The Friday/Saturday activities could be preceded by the Sunday activities if the leaders determine the weather may be more suitable.

Medium Fit

Friday  From Pureora Village, walk up the Timber Trail and the Toitoi Track to the Pureora Summit (great views), then drop down to the very quaint but small Bog Inn Hut for the night (4 bunks - Standard - tents required). 7-8 hours.

Saturday  Leave overnight packs at the hut for a walk to Weraroa 1088m and return, then ascend back over the Pureora Summit and drop down the Mt Pureora Track to Link Road for a bus pickup and return to Pureora Lodge. 7-8 hours. Or alternate cross country route via points 970 and 878 to the Timber Trail.

Sunday  From the Lodge head east along the Waipapa Loop and Waipapa South Tracks to Ranginui Rd, then west on the Waipapa North Track until a point from which you choose to test your cross country navigation skills to return directly (southwards) to Pureora Lodge. Your special reward is that dependent on how long that takes, everyone will get to Te Kuiti for dinner sooner rather than later …. no pressure of course! 6-8 hours.

Leader and Booking Details - available at this website link

Medium Easy

Friday  From Pureora Village, walk up the Timber Trail and the Toitoi Track to the Pureora Summit (great views), then drop down the Mt Pureora Track to Link Road for a bus pickup and return to Pureora Lodge. 6-7 hours.

Saturday  The bus will drive to the track to the Centre of the North Island cairn from where the Titiraupenga Track takes you to a lookout point just below the very prominent point of Titiraupenga 1042m. Return back along the track to the Centre of the North Island cairn, and continue along the track to Link Road to the bottom of the Mt Pureora Track where the Medium Fit party will be waiting. Return to Pureora Lodge. 6-7 hours.

Sunday  From the Lodge head east along the Waipapa Loop and Waipapa South Tracks to Ranginui Rd then the return, taking time out to quietly listen out for interesting birdlife. 5-7 hours.

Leader and Booking Details - available  at this website link

Easy

Friday  From Link Road walk up and down the Pureora Summit (great views) via the Mt Pureora Track. If conditions are suitable, take time to explore the summit area. Or take in a loop first SE down the other side, picking up the Timber Trail and the Toi Toi Track back to the summit. Return to Pureora Lodge. 5-6 hours.

Saturday  Start the same as the Medium Easy party, returning to the bus. Pick up the other parties on the way back to Pureora Lodge. 5-6 hours.

Sunday  From the Lodge head east along the Waipapa Loop Track and some part of the Waipapa South Tracks then return, taking time out to quietly listen out for interesting birdlife. 5-6 hours.

Leader and Booking Details - available at this website link

Matariki

While this weekend may not provide the best viewpoints for Matariki, that does not prevent us having a great Matariki shared feast on whichever night all groups will be at Pureora Lodge – either Matariki itself on the Friday, or failing that, on Saturday. Last year on Motutapu we showed how well this can be done, so here’s this year’s chance. Bring food to share with the group.

Accommodation: We will be staying at the spacious Pureora Lions Lodge https://www.pureoraforestlodge.org.nz/index.html It features a well stocked kitchen, laundry and drying room, 5 dormitory rooms, and showers. If the weather forecast looks to be “variable”, consider bringing indoor activities as well.

Note that after we clean up and leave on Sunday, unless otherwise advised, we will not return to use the Lodge facilities.

Transport: Club bus
Driver: Keith Ayton and Simon Rainger
Transport Cost: $79 members, $99 non-members
Accommodation Cost: $20 per person per night – so $40 for the Medium Fit Party and $60 for everyone else. Note that if we get unexpectedly low numbers, there may be an additional accommodation charge to ensure we can fund the minimum nightly fee of $300

Add your hut fees to the Transport Cost when booking.
Total Cost:  Medium Fit party: Members $119, Non-members $139. Other parties: Members $139, Non-members $159
Destination: Pureora Forest Lodge
Departure: Thursday 7.00 pm, Club garage, 31 Sandringham Road, Kingsland 
NO DINNER BREAK EN ROUTE

Departure time each day Friday, Saturday 7.30-8.00 am TBA. Sunday target walk start time after Lodge clean-up is 9.00am.

Note: We will be accepting more bookings than the maximum number able to travel in sleeper mode on the bus. Once the bus is full, we will ask some people to carpool