A beautiful Spring day and a 9.45am start at the end of Long Road off Bethells Road saw 21 participants meet and look forward to what proved to be a delightful day out in the Waitakere ranges. Both groups walked up the Long Road track up to a spot near Smythe corner where devotions were led by Helena. She shared about the book of Esther - how God isn't mentioned throughout the entire book but how He is so much at work which becomes apparent as the story unfolds. The comparison was made to how often we don't see God in the circumstances of our own lives but He promises He is there in every monumental event and situation and also in the trivial and the mundane. Following the devotion, the first group followed the Upper Kauri route to the Cascade carpark and on to the Whatatiri track. There the group stopped at  a pool where two of party braved the cool waters for a refreshing swim! The second group followed the Sisam  track descending steeply to the Chateau Mosquito track and on to  a pretty lunchtime spot by the stream. From there, it was a steep climb back up to the Sisam Track, then another  steep climb up the Simla track and back along the Long road track back to the cars where the first group met up with us shortly afterwards. This great day of sunny and convivial tramping was rounded off nicely with a coffee stop at the Swanson Railway cafe.