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Saturday
We left The Bracken at 7:00am and drove to Leitch road car park around 10:30am. The
track start is at the far end of the parking area, to the right of the DOC sign.At 10:45 am start of
the tramp, and almost immediately reached the gate. At first, the track was mostly surrounded by farmland,
but a significant amount of bush had been allowed to grow next to the track which was good. There was
the odd view across the steep valley which was farmed. There were no steep hills or river crossings,
just the odd stream.
About an hour from the start we reached a saddle with a signposted track
junction. After climbing over a low hump, one almost immediately starts a gentle descent and we spotted
a big goat waiting for us on the track. Then we reached the Hobbiton Arch and had our lunch at a sunny
place. We met a lovely family of 4 on the track and got some information about the hut. Around 2:00pm
we went to the grassy flats, passed a gate and the distance notice board, and we saw and heard the Awakino
river through the trees on the right. We arrived the hut at 2:30pm, so we took just over 3 hours moving
time.
There were 12 trampers from Auckland already in the hut, we had a cup of tea or soup, then
two of us set up the tent and others had a rest. Then we went the other tracks and looked around the
clearings. We had dinner on the deck while a wood pigeon ate on the tree in front us.
Sunday
We began with a good breakfast-cereal with mango, then as usual clean up hut, and we set off the
way we came at 8:45am. On the way back Barbara did the devotions during the half-way break. She talked
about forgiveness, and the need to forgive others, so that we ourselves will be forgiven.
We reached
the car park at 12:10pm, We had a simple lunch at a car park then drove to Waitanguru falls and had a
short walk then headed to Auckland. We all arrived back in Auckland safely around 5:30pm.
COST:
Transport: $40; Food: $7.70; hut: $5.00; Club Levy: $2.50; total $55.20 per person
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