Wairarapa Incline and Ocean Beach

A dodgy foot has enforced a break from tramping for the time-being and the need to find an alternative weekend activity. The on/off road MTB tour has proved to be a very satisfactory replacement providing plenty of scope for entertainment. If you have a bike in the garage, the additional kit required is modest so … Read more

Queen Charlotte

Later the following week I decide to do a road foray along Keneperu Sound. I study the Topo map carefully and the DOC website; there seem to be plenty of camp-sites and a fair length of road to explore so that’s about as detailed as the plan needs to be. I commute to work with … Read more

Port Underwood Bike Trip

The previous two trips being so enjoyable it was pretty much inevitable that I’d be out again the next weekend. The tails of excitement have clearly captured Angela’s imagination and she is a keen starter. I’m running the same bike set up as the previous two weekends with the exception that we now need a … Read more

Bushcraft 2013

The morning of Saturday 9th March dawned colder and wetter than had been predicted by both Amanda and the Meteorologists so I was glad I had packed a raincoat. From the house it was clear to see that it would be wet over in the Rimutaka ranges. Perfect conditions for an NZ bush-craft course. Seeing … Read more

Trains Hut

Lots of space in the van with eight people on the trip, best kebabs at Bulls and luxury camping (with hot showers) just past Whanganui, and that was just the Friday night… this was going to be a great tramp. After an early start on Saturday morning, thanks to the 5am wake-up call from the … Read more

Drought busting Sunday – Kapakapanui day walk

So with the Wellington drought in full force, I figured that not too much weather watching would be needed; this just being a day walk up on the Kapiti coast. However with maps packed and the final trip intention sheet sent out, it seemed that Sunday 17th March it was possibly going to rain. My … Read more

Dun Mountain

Continued from Part 1… On Monday morning we thank Hans and Mika for their kind hospitality and throw bikes in and on the van. We are joined for the day by Julie and Thomas who, as seasoned bikers, will hopefully not mind travelling at our pace. To avoid having to climb Tantragee Saddle at the … Read more

Mt Angelus Stitch ‘n’ Tramp

So the idea was to get crafty while on a tramping trip: to knit, needlepoint and natter our way across the ferry trip and beyond. Yarning started while waiting for a delayed ferry departure in Wellington, with craft consultations being undertaken while still on the pier. Projects got well underway on the ferry crossing with … Read more

Wainuiomata daywalk through the water collection area

We had a group of 6 trampers for this daywalk with stunning sunshine weather; the day it was forecasted to be sunshine for another 10 days! We had 2 cars and met Grant the ranger at the main car park whereupon he let us in to the water collection area through a couple of gates … Read more

Trip to Roaring Stag

After a slightly bleary-eyed 7.30am meet on the Saturday morning, a club minibus jam-packed with sleepy trampers left for the Tararuas in hot pursuit after Illona’s car. As a tramping-virgin, I had been warned about the mysteriously misty, murky and muddy Tararuas and had sat through various club presentations picturing drizzly-looking forest and decidedly damp-looking … Read more