This past fortnight saw some bigger drives, as we had to be in Wellington for a German language exam and embassy visit, and had arranged to meet with friends to ride the Timber Trail and to introduce the Windy City.
Coordinates
Timber Trail
We pitched at Piropiro Campsite, on the site of a former mill settlement. We had a morning appointment with a shuttle, towing our hired electric mountain biles (e-MTBs), which conveyed us 57km over 1h17min to the northern trailhead at Pureora. The start of the grade 2-3 Timber Trail ride into Pureora Forest Park is at 560m elevation. It wasn’t long before we encountered an abandoned 1920s Caterpillar and sledge (first photo). A break in the drizzle allowed a view to Mt Pureora’s top (second photo); reaching the summit would have been a 1.8km/ 40min detour, but fellow riders confirmed there was no view. The highest point on the trail is a 971m, on the slopes of Mt Pureora (third photo). Bog Inn Creek suspension bridge (final photo) was one of two substantial bridges on the first day. For us, riding as a group with non-electrified friends, Pureora to Piropiro was a 38.5km ride over 6.5h.
On the second day of our ride we transited steep-sided sections of early 1900s tramline (first photo). More saw-milling remnants took the form of a steam-powered log hauler (second photo). Mangatukutuku suspension bridge isn’t the longest on day two, but the sun came out just long enough for us to capture it in between showers (third photo)! Ongarue Spiral is one of only two rail spirals in NZ; there’s a short section of curved tunnel (final photo). Ongarue trailhead is at 190m elevation—lower than Pureora. The shuttle back to the DOC camp from the bike hire shop was a 37km/ 1h journey. However, we also took a shuttle from the southern trailhead to the bike shop, since B’s chain had snapped. This happened at the 58km mark and was repaired by a fellow cyclist with a link tool—but unfortunately it snapped a second time at the 71km mark, so the last few kilometres were on foot! The ride from Piropiro to Ongarue was 45km and took 6h.
Electric mountain bikes
“That’s cheating!” exclaimed a fellow rider as he noticed us overtaking on e-bikes. But is it, really? There’s reasonable evidence that e-bike riders average more exercise than conventional bike riders. This may be because e-bike riders…
…tend to ride longer and more often than non-electric bike riders, as they find it less gruelling and more enjoyable;
…still do a lot of pedalling, even with motorised assistance, and thus burn more calories and improve their fitness;
…can adjust the level of assistance to suit their needs and preferences, and can challenge themselves on tough terrain by reducing or turning off the motor.
❤️ Well-being
With no big views to share due to the rain, eyes were largely down and scanning trackside. Prominent was the endemic scrambling herb Lobelia angulata | pānakenake, with distinct white and yellow flowers (first photo) with purple fruit (second photo). Entoloma hochstetteri | blue pinkgill | werewere-kokako is always a standout (third photo)! Previously unoticed by us were the terminal cones of Lycopodium volubile | climbing clubmoss (final photo). The scarlet pouch fungus was also seen.
It drizzled/ rained for most of our two days on the trail, but the flying mud and grit no doubt enhanced the adventure! The transport logistics weren’t entirely clear until it was over:
Wellington
We turned south again for appointments. You know you’re back in Wellington when… the pedestrian crossings have personality (first photo); there’s something new to see at Te Papa—someone had enormous fun inventing Māori names for dinos and epochs (see box below) at Dinosaurs of Patagonia | Ngā Taniwha o Rūpapa (second photo); your coffee is far from instant—a filter brew at Peoples (third photo); and there’s new street art—celebrating “Bird of the Century” (final photo).
Survivors in a sea of change
We were surprised to learn that fossil ancestors of the tuatara have been found in what is now North and South America; Europe; Africa; India and the Far East—as well as in NZ. These ancestors are even older than dinosaurs, emerging 238 million years ago (mya) during the Triassic (dinos arrived about 8 million years afterwards). The descendant tuatara lives on only in NZ.
During the Triassic | Rangi Puaiti (252–201 mya) there was one land mass, called Pangea | Papahoranui. This “supercontinent” split into Gondwana | Papatuatonga and Laurasia | Papatuaraki about 200 mya. Gondwana in turn broke up into smaller continents during the Jurassic | Rangi Puanui (201–145 mya) and Cretaceous | Rangi Mokonui (145–66 mya)—including into Zealandia | Te Riu-a-Māui, which separated from what would become Australia around 68 mya.
🤔 Curiosity
We explored the waterfront area with new friends met freedom camping on South Island. Art is a feature of this area—and the wider city—and includes Nga Kina, sea urchins on the Waterfront Sculpture Trail by Michel Tuffery (first photo); a new-to-us mural of June Jackson, a Māori woman on the side of a shed (second photo); a virtual hovering halo that we couldn’t see without the XR app (third photo); and a Marvel-modified WELL[I]NGTON sign (final photo).
Despite having lived in Welly, we’d never been to Turakirae Head at the south end of the Remutaka Range; access is via Wild Coast Track from Orongorongo Station (first photo). Looking west to Baring Head Lighthouse you can see Sinclair Head beyond (second photo). The steep hill is a former sea cliff, the terraced foreshore having being raised by earthquakes and decorated with rock storm ridges (third photo). The view east is across Palliser Bay; the seal colony was empty (final photo).
Wairarapa
We took a stroll among Greytown’s heritage weatherboard buildings. The White Swan is a country hotel and gastro pub, here decked out for the month-long Hendrick’s Hootenanny gin festival (first photo). Main St Deli is “Curiosity” CREW-approved for a tasty bite (second photo). Cycling enthusiasts will enjoy browsing the eclectic kit at Blackwell & Sons (third photo), while children of all ages can sweeten up at The Lolly Jar (final photo).
Dawn broke after a wet and windy night camping on the edge of Lake Wairarapa (first photo). As if sorting a replacement windscreen and tyre the previous day weren’t adventure enough, we drove through desiccated pastures (second photo) to Patuna Farm, Ruakōkoputuna. There, a cinema-seat chariot awaited to convey us 15min to a chasm (third photo). A bush walk passes the no-swim exit point before climbing for a top-down perspective (final photo).
After some 45min the track reaches the spiralling Wave Rock, a limestone formation sculpted by erosion (first and second photos). After 5min more, descend into the clear waters—even following rain—of Ruakōkoputuna River and wade upstream for 150m. A wall of vivid moss softens the fall of a cascade entering the chasm; it will make you momentarily forget those numb feet (third and final photos)! Turn back downriver.
Continue wading downstream, carefully negotiating the slippery rocks, walled in by limestone and shaded by overhanging trees. At one point, a ladder avoids your having to take a premature dip to the side of a large boulder (first photo). The Cathedral is a cave about 40m detour from the riverbed; it contains stalactites, straws, flowstone and other delicate formations (remaining photos). A light helps!
Exit the cave and enter the Dark Chasm, where narrows, rock overhangs and sun-blocking vegetation dim your vision and add chill (first and second photos). We waded past our first large eel of the day in here. But it doesn’t stay dark; there’s spectacular dappled light in here too, reflecting off the walls (third photo) in moving displays and illuminating pools (final photo). About 40min beyond the cave, the “dry” river exit returns via the bush track.
However, you can “choose the blue pill” and see just how far the chasm goes! Eschewing the bush track exit and staying within the chasm exposes you to more limestone novelties (first photo), more overhanging rock (second photo), more eel and pigeon. After about 20min there’s a final 20m stretch of water that begins shallow (third photo) but gets deeper (final photo); taller folk can walk to the exit point. Climb out and wait for transport; the 5.4km walk took us 2h 40min.
During the Patuna Chasm walk we spotted this bright orange lichen growing on Wave Rock (first photo). Lining the walls of the chasm we encountered naturalised Pseudoscleropodium purum | neat feather-moss, here on a background of endemic liverwort Monoclea forsteri (second photo). The limestone rocks contain fossilised shells (third photo). A poor image of one of the arm-long eel | tuna that we waded past (final photo).
We again woke to the dawn beside Lake Wairarapa (first photo) and brewed filter coffee before a visit to the dump station—photo omitted! The next objective was to source breakfast (second photo) and buy fresh bread for lunch in Clareville (third photo).
Manawatū
Driving north from the Wairarapa and approaching Waihi Falls in the Manawatū, the memory of a dry summer remained etched in the grass (first photo). Waihi Falls Scenic Reserve was established in 1899, making it the earliest reserve in the Hawke’s Bay area; a small stand of mostly native bush survives (second photo). The falls drop 25m over an argillite edge (third photo). The pool below wasn’t inviting, likely due to farm run-off (final photo).
The travel day concluded with Tui East India Pale Ale and cider on tap, just across road from the freedom camp in Mangatainoka, before heating a leftovers dinner back at the van.
Some days the routine is harder than on others! Our road led north again, before taking the Forgotten World Highway west into Taranaki.
Join us on future away missions
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