Auckland Baptist Tramping Club 2001 Friday Leaving The Bracken soon after 6:15pm, we travelled to Te Aroha and "bedded down" at Terry's home in Te Aroha. Saturday   In the morning we travelled to Thompson's Track (western side) in the van, which Terry then brought back to Te Aroha. We were on the track by 9.15 am, and arrived at the top of the Kaimai Range at around 11.05. Thompson's Track is a legal road across the range, popular with trailbikers. On that side it is an easy gradient without a lot of mud. At 11.15 we set off north on the North-South track, reaching the turnoff to Eliza Mine in the designated time of 1.25 hours. The weather was great, and we enjoyed fantastic views of the Hauraki Plains to the west, and the Bay of Plenty to the east. Mayor Island, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Katikati were all clearly visible. We carried on north for a further 15 minutes before stopping for lunch (30 minutes). Following lunch, we carried on north past  the turnoff to Motutapere Hut, Queen Victoria Head Rock,  Abseil Peak and Kakarahi, eventually emerging at the junction with the Tuahu Track after 4 hours (the estimated time in the books is 3 hours). THIS SECTION OF TRACK (Thompsons Track north to Tuahu Track) IS ROUGH, OVERGROWN, ARDUOUS (lots of ups and downs) AND UNMAINTAINED. IT IS SUITABLE FOR EXPERIENCED TRAMPERS ONLY. Crossing over the Tuahu Track, we carried on north over a number of low knolls until we reached the Te Rere A Tukahia Hut after a further 1.5 hours. The track into the hut was also rough. overgrown and muddy. The hut is a good quality 20 bunk hut (no stove) sleeping 20 persons on a Maori bunk. We were the only ones there. After 7.5 hours walking (longer for some!), it was a welcome sight. Here we spent a comfortable night, while the temperatures outside changed from hot to very cold. The North -South track has been re-routed from this hut northwards, as the route from the hut to Mt Te Aroha along the tops is no longer maintained and is "ecologically sensitive". The "new" route goes down to the Whorowhoro Valley and on to Waitawheta. Sunday We were away by 8.35, heading south back along the track that we came in on, until we reached the Tuahu Track after 1h.40mins. Here we turned west to descend the Tuahu Track to Wairakau Road (2h.20mins). This is an easy gradient track which descends through the bush and emerges in a private pine plantation. About 10 minutes from the end we telephoned Terry on Stuart's cellphone and the van arrived to meet us just as we reached the road. The wonders of modern technology! Total time to get out was 4 hours from the hut.