A group of twenty-five trampers ranging from 8yrs to almost 80yrs showed up to tramp the eastern coastline
of the north Te Atatu peninsula. About half of the group left The Bracken about 1:45pm to meet up with
the others at the Te Atatu Baptist Church carpark.
From the church we crossed Te Atatu Rd and
entered the new Harbour View Wetland Reserve just north of the pony club paddocks. The Waitakere City
Council had taken over former harbour board land originally destined for a port, to establish a wetland
reserve as part of its Eco-city concept. We followed a 1.6km gravel path past two groups of ponds made
to attract birds and other wildlife, and could look out across the harbour to the central isthmus of
Auckland with its volcanic cones of Mt Albert, One Tree Hill and Mt Eden and the conspicuous Sky Tower.
The view was rather hazy - the weather was overcast and windy with a few spots of rain, but it was not
cold. At the end of the track we walked around a pond with a covered viewing platform on one side, and
could see shags and ducks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We climbed up to cross Harbour View Rd and followed a broad area of grass overlooking the coastline
to come out at the end of Spinnaker Strand. In years to come this area would be occupied by houses and
closed off to the public, but there are plans to make a proper walkway along the coastline. Then we dropped
down to follow the coastline along sand and shell beach terrain - the tide was well and truly out - as
far as Kelvin Strand.
|
|
|
|
 |
A very short bush track followed by a small piece of muddy track brought us to a sewerage station
off the end of Totara Rd, where we had our afternoon tea stop, but as the weather was still grey and
spitting with rain, we did not stay long but carried on to roadbash (as planned) back to central Te Atatu.
We cut through the Te Atatu Primary School, and Nelson told us he taught there back about 1974. When
we reached the Te Atatu shops we had our mandatory ice cream stop, and we were back at Te Atatu Baptist
Church shortly before 4pm.
COST: $2 (travel ex The Bracken)
|
|
|
|
|
|
