Walking in the Hunua Ranges

Last weekend we decided to go out and enjoy some of the great countryside here. We headed off to the Hunua Ranges with a picnic and the intentions of a short walk and kicking a ball around. The countryside on the drive up there was so pretty. When we arrived we picked up a map showing the walking routes and decided to go for a short route for our first visit and picked the one and a half hour loop.

The start of the walk was through sub tropical forests and was really steep, after about a half hour walk up 'a mountain' my heart was racing faster than after a gym session. Although that's not saying too much I guess often my gym session would consist of quite a bit of time in the Sauna and spa pool! After another half hour steep walk we came across a sign post that didn't quite match where we thought we should be. After consulting our map again we realised the car park we'd set off from wasn't the one on the map and we were in an entirely different area of the forest! I must add here that I hadn't been in charge of the map reading, I left that to Darren - who should know better as a former scout!

The result of that meant we were on a three and a half hour walking loop! There was talk of turning back by the youngest member of the walking party but we decided to carry on. And I have to say it was well worth it the forest was beautiful, and about half way round it opened out to a picturesque dam - it reminded me a bit of Marsden (Huddersfield). We stopped there and ate our picnic, which included the most yummy bacon and egg pies.

At the end of the walk was a rock hop over a stream. It was a lovely place to go and reinforces some of the reasons why we came to New Zealand.

Every weekend feels like being on a holiday here, but just the same as being back at home Mondays come round so quickly!

photos taken on the walk - Rock hopping across the stream - Hunua Falls - A peek
of cossey Dam