Auckland Baptist Tramping Club

Threatening skies and a forecast of “periods of rain” did nothing to bring 23 people out for a day’s tramping in the Waitakere Ranges. This time we started at the Cascades carpark and finished at the Te Henga Walkway carpark at Bethells. We left The Bracken soon after 8am and met up with the rest of the group at the Cascades carpark. The liquid sunshine was beginning as we had our intros and karakia to start the tramp. We set out just after 9am along the Whatatiri Track. This went through pasture, and crossed the Waitakere Stream. We carried on coming onto the Long Road Track, and a good grunt up to Sylvia’s Grove, where the track enters the bush. This made a good spot for our elevenses break at about 10:20am. Afterwards we went on along Long Road Track through bush, then on to the Wainamu Bush track. This was rougher compared to the well-formed and wide Long Road Track. It was a steady descent to a stream and a compulsory washing of our boots. There was a long and steady grunt up to our lunch spot at the junction with Smythe Ridge and Houghton Tracks. It was 12:20pm when we started lunch. Afterwards we went down Houghtons Track to Lake Wainamu, starting with a short uphill before a long descent to the junction with the Lake Wainamu Track, arriving at 1:30pm. There was a quick stop to view the waterfall at the head of Lake Wainamu before we carried on along the track to the sand dunes. Once at the large sand dune we climbed up and crossed it.

We then followed the stream a short way to come out to the Te Henga carpark, finishing at 2:45pm. Everybody enjoyed themselves, even though the intermittent light rain and the muddy tracks made the workout a bit more strenuous. COST: $5