Auckland Baptist Tramping Club 2003

Seventeen people turned up for another perennial favourite - the 5 hour Ngapuketurua Track (now renamed the Rangitira Beach Walking Track) in the Woodhill Forest. We left The Bracken about 8:15pm and met up with other people at the KFC carpark in Westgate before carrying on to the Boundary Rd carpark in the Woodhill Forest. It was 9:45am by the time we set out on our tramp, climbing up through mature pine forest to enter the biological reserve, one of two large patches of native forest that have been set aside for the conservation of birdlife and other wildlife in the area. As we began our long descent to the coast we had a glimpse of the ocean beach with the township of Muriwai in the distance. Eventually we left the native bush to re-enter pine forest, and came out to the junction of Puketapu Rd and Perham Rd South. On the way we passed a group of horse riders, one of whom apologised for using the walking track, but they did not annoy us in the least. By mistake we ended up tramping the full length of Perham Rd South, almost 2km, to come out on Willetts Rd, rejoining the track on its “homeward” section. We decided to follow Willetts Rd then a forest track through mature pine forest to come out to the ocean beach with its roaring surf and iron-sand. It was a pleasant walk along the beach with no wind to the southern access of our track, which we would have come onto the beach had we gone the correct way before. A little glade behind the sand dunes made an excellent spot for lunch at about 12:30pm. Margaret shared how God is our source especially in times of change - we are to go to Him, not our church, bank, etc. God does not promise an easy life, even for Christian people, and we need to go to Him for help and guidance for whatever happens in our lives, and whatever circumstances we are in. Devotions are now a regular feature of Saturday tramps with the Club. Spending just a few minutes thinking about our Creator amongst His creation adds a special flavour to a day’s tramping in a setting of Christian fellowship. A short walk through mature pines on a brown carpet of pine needles and sand brought us to the Coast Road and another 2km roadbash to rejoin the track at Willetts Rd. A further twenty minutes brought us back to Perham Rd South where the track goes into the forest to come out Inland Rd and a sharp change from mature pines to young trees, and we could see our grunt ahead. We climbed up and eventually re-entered the biological reserve, and had our afternoon tea break on the track in the native bush.

The track began to descend and re-enter mature pine forest. A group of quad-bike riders passed us, being a tour by a commercial operator that runs these trips in the Woodhill Forest.

We also passed a wooden structure that appeared to be a challenge track for mountainbikers, especially when we saw a lone cyclist pass by.

We were glad to rest our legs and look forward to icecreams and drink on the way back, as we finished our tramp back at the carpark about 4pm.

COST: $5