After a somewhat wet and blustery week, the day turned out to be a glorious fine and cloudless day for a group of 20 people to climb Mt Karangahake in the Kaimai Ranges near Paeroa. Seven of us met at The Bracken at 7:30am, and the rest drove directly to Paeroa to meet up by the big L&P bottle shortly after 9am. From there we drove on to the carpark near the swing bridge at Karangahake. We walked across this bridge to the other side, and after our intros and karakia at the picnic shelter we set out about 9:50am going up Scotsmans Gully Track, a bush track passing a lovely little waterfall, to come out onto County Road track. After tramping for an hour we stopped for our morning tea break on the track. A little further on we went along a side track to a lookout with a good view down the valley. We then carried on up the wide Karangahake Mountain Track. This eventually came to a rougher bush track, and we could see the summit ahead of us. Twenty minutes later we came to the summit, arriving at 12:25pm. We had a terrific view to Waihi in the east, with the Bay of Plenty and Mayor Island on the horizon. To the south we could see Mt Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Ranges. The Hauraki Plains could be seen to the west. We had our lunch break here, but did not stay too long as there was a cold wind blowing in from the west. We came down the mountain by a more direct bush track, with views of the Ohinemuri River and Karangahake Gorge below.

This track came out at County Road Track, and returning back along Scotsmans Gully Track we came out to the picnic shelter at 2:45pm. For our devotions Hunter read an extract from The Travellers Gift by Andy Andrews about having a decided heart. The writer acknowledges that the power to control direction belongs to himself, and he has a charted course and an assured destiny. He will awaken each morning with excitement about the day with its opportunity for growth and change. At night in bed he will have the same dream he had during the day. He has a decided heart, he will not procrastinate, his problems become smaller on confronting them. He is passionate about his future. Hunter concluded with a prayer acknowledging God gives direction, guidance and safety in our life’s journey. At 3:10pm we set out to do the Windows Walk. After crossing a swing bridge we came to the remains of the Talisman Battery then went up to the old restored tramline.  We went to the northern end of the line where the ore was dumped down a big hole into the Woodstock kilns. We then followed the line to the mine tunnels at the south end. This huddled the sheer wall of the Waitawheta Gorge, and we entered the tunnels. A couple of side tunnels gave views into the gorge, and this is how the Windows Walk got its name - really nothing to do with computers or the internet.

A long wooden staircase brought us down to the Crown Tramway Track at the bottom of the gorge, and we went along this track following the formation of an old tramline to come out to the picnic shelter, swing bridge and carpark. We came out about 4pm, and headed off home having enjoyed a really lovely day of climbing, panoramic views and gold mining history. DISTANCE: 12.1km AVERAGE SPEED: 3.5km/h MAXIMUM SPEED: 14km/h COST: travel from The Bracken