Auckland Baptist Tramping Club Six people, plus two more from Hamilton, spent the first balmy weekend of spring exploring a new track, being part of the Waikato River Trail that would eventually go from Atiamuri to Karapiro. The part already completed goes from Atiamuri to Whakamaru. Friday We left Auckland in two cars - the first car load, Colin, May and John, left at 2pm and travelled via Ngaruawahia (where the car had a late lunch of BP), Whatawhata, Te Awamutu, Castle Rock and Mangakino. The weather was mostly sunny, but hanging over the Kinleith Forest in the distance before Mangakino was a thunderstorm - we saw at least two flashes of forked lightning in the black clouds. We arrived at Whakamaru Christian Camp about 6pm. The other carload, Phillip, Ali and Yolanda, left Auckland at 4pm and after dinner at Matamata arrived at the camp at 8:30pm. The camp is in a lovely location beside the Waikato River. Its grounds contain sports fields, a confidence course, a BMX track, and a tower used for abseiling and flying fox. Saturday Camp manager Murray took us all to the start of the Waikato River Trail at Atiamuri soon after 8am in his large van. We set out walking parallel with the road, but after half an hour became suspicious that we were not on the right track. So we decided to return to the start and found the true track - it set out in the opposite direction!  The track then turned towards the river and we were soon following close to the river’s edge.  Across the river was the majestic rock of Pohaturoa. We continued along through pine forest with magnificent views of the river. About 10:30 we had our elevenses break and John shared some devotions based on his experiences with sickness and also birthdays. He recalled how nine years ago he was struck down with a swollen throat and prayed for a miraculous healing. But instead he ended up in bed for two weeks, and realised that it was God as a loving heavenly dad disciplining him for taking on too much stressful activity just as an earthly father spanks or time-outs his kids. He mentioned that a friend who ended up in hospital with swollen legs for the same reason led one of his ward-mates to Christ and asking his wife to bring in Bibles for the other two patients in the ward. He concluded with a reflection on birthdays he had given at the 1846 homegroup on his birthday two weeks ago, encouraging everyone to make a list of birthdays of all their friends and remember them by sending a card, and maybe a pressie. The track soon left the pine forest and we passed through stretches of bush, boardwalks over swamp, and more pine forest as the Waikato River changed from a swift flowing river to a calmer lake. We eventually came to open pasture followed by recently-clearing forest which finished on Tram Rd. The trail carried on under the road bridge, decorated by the local graffiti vandals. We carried on across open pasture before entering bush to skirt the river. At about 12:30 we stopped for lunch. We came out to follow the highway for a short distance, the Whakamaru Hill prominent in the distance ahead of us, to come to the Snowsill Reserve and the next section of track. This carried on through farm land, and we stopped in one place to see some cows with a calf. A group people, three of them carrying infants on their backs, passed us tramping in the opposite direction. Soon afterwards we could recognise the Lake Whakamaru Christian Camp across the water. We were out by 2:30pm. It was a lovely warm spring afternoon, a great time for lazing, sleeping, reading or just talking with one another. The camp was an interesting place to explore with its burma bridge, a tunnel big enough for little children to wriggle through, and a confidence course with views upriver to Pohaturoa. We had a nice yummy dinner of sausages, peas, cauli and potatoes followed by fruit salad and icecream at the camp, and spent the evening reading newspapers, writing notes, poring over maps and dancing to a radio in the kitchen. Sunday In keeping with Club tradition, we were up at daybreak. It was completely light at 6:30am. There was a thick fog but it gradually lifted as we had breakfast. Colin took us out to Whakamaru Dam about 8am.  This time we would be following the Waikato River upstream as we walked the three-hour section of the Waikato River Trail from here back to the camp. We had a look at the hydro-electric dam before setting out on our walk about 8:40am. We crossed pasture before entering pine forest. Before long we came out to the lovely grassed expanse of the Whakamaru Reserve, passing a couple of gypsy housetrucks as we entered. Further on we were greeted by a barking dog belonging to a man who was camping there. Leaving the reserve the track entered the bush as it continued to follow the bank of the river. We stopped several times to take in the view and listen to the music of the native birds. Later the track followed the road, skirting the Ongaroto Bluffs. We then left the road and soon came to a cold spring. Some of us recharged our drink bottles with the fresh spring water. Further on we passed a tree hut, apparently belong to the owners of the adjacent private land. The track opened out to a spacious grass reserve, and we found ourselves approaching the causeway to the Lake Whakamaru Christian Camp. We were out by 11:45am.

We packed up, and had lunch. John shared a devotions on how we as humans are made in the image of God. Unlike animals, fish, insects and birds we have a moral understanding of right and wrong, we are creative as He is, and we are made to work as He works. The fact that some work is sweat, toil and drudgery is due to the fall of man. And the important aspect of being made in God’s image  is brought out in sending His Son Jesus Christ to redeem us from sin and give us eternal life. Now Is The Hour began at 1pm - we left the camp homeward bound. COST:  travel $50, accommodation $50, food $20.