I just love this sort of adventure....no discussions....so need to plan, Nick had my day off all arranged. We headed west out of Auckland passing the small hospital that I had been to in an ambulance on my first paediatric retrieval. Out past Whitakere are the rolling hills of the Whitakere Ranges Regional Park. Only forty minutes out of Auckland you find yourself in a rural heaven with steep green hillsides and deep valleys. The road becomes a gravel track and finally after some expert navigation we end up at the driveway to a posh house....the end of the road! A surprised young lady directs us back about 800m and we find the start of the DOC walk.
Nick had researched the DOC website for a local tramp and had decided on Golden Springs. We park our car next to the DOC van (obviously no other tourists around!) and headed down the well marked track to the waterfall. On the way we met a couple of DOC workers digging the path and enquired about our proposed route.
“Well......” said the Kiwi foreman eyeing up Nick’s gaiters, “two fit young trampers with the right gear and experience should be able to make it......but expect to get wet.” We agreed the river would be a little higher than usual with the recent heavy rain, but I have to say I was somewhat surprised on his indication that we should expect to get wet up to our waists in the fast flowing river! “Mmm should we be even attempt this?” I thought..... “Let’s just try the first bit...” Nick started hesitantly.
So although our first official NZ tramp, we passed the sign that stated in large capital letters that it was for “EXPERIENCED TRAMPERS ONLY” and headed downstream. The decision to continue was actually helped by the fact that my boots became waterlogged at the first crossing. “Well my feet can’t get any wetter!” I laughed.
The walk was awesome, crossing the river thirteen times in total. Dangerous enough to make your heart beat a bit faster but not to turn back. As you lifted one foot, the other had to take the strain to prevent you being knocked off balance. Every footstep required concentration often with your feet turned upstream to face the fast flowing water. About half way down was a rock scramble which in summer would be great to fall off in to the deep pool below, but in winter already wet up to my thighs I was clinging on tight. Fortunately the rock was surprisingly grippy sandstone which was a delight to traverse!
The final crossing was the fastest flowing, widest and deepest. Not for the first time I stayed tentatively on the bank whilst Nick sought a way across. This time he spent ages in the middle of the river trying to establish a safe route across. Eventually he came back and declared that the route he was attempting was too dangerous. The orange triangle way markers clearly signalled this was the expected route but the river was just too fast flowing. Together we decided to divert slightly upstream and then navigate the dense bush on the opposite river bank to rejoin the designated path. Joyous by our success we climbed the final bank up to the swing bridge which joined the easy but very muddy route back to the car.
A lesson learned.....always take spare dry clothes (including underwear) tramping.... but a reminder that being wet and muddy is so much fun!! And so we headed home and picked up my new mountain bike (a bargain $220 on Trademe) on the way so that the next muddy adventure can be on two wheels......
