The weather forecast promised one day of good weather over the long weekend, and when combined with the fact that only the very upper parts of the mountain had skiable snow, the families group opted to do the day walk to Tama Lakes. Only one of the adults had made the trip before, and that … Read more
Every year since 2016, the Families Group has spent a day at Battle Hill, cooking lunch on a fire, enjoying the jumbo swing, feeding eels, sometimes swimming in the stream, and generally having a wonderful time. This year we had a turnout not seen in several years, with nearly 30 people arriving to cook over … Read more
The normal week is pretty busy with school, sports, friends and jobs. Organising the kids for an overnight tramp just adds on top of everything. All of a sudden, the shoes and the fleece were too small and need replacing, and wearing Dad’s old gear isn’t cool anymore. Finally two funerals on the Friday for … Read more
It was a rainy Saturday morning when a group of 6 porters and 6 punters met at Catchpool Valley for an overnight to Paua Hut. The plan was originally to have a few people tent outside, but given the forecast, we we decided to squeeze everyone in to the hut and leave the tents behind. … Read more
By some small coincidence, keen kids and a small sunny weather window coincided with Waitangi weekend during one of the least sunniest Wellington summers for a trip that was planned some four months earlier. Thursday and Friday had been awash with rain and the Otaki Gorge road was closed again at the Blue Bluff due to … Read more
In the brief fortnight of summer this year the family group went out for a couple of day walks to explore the rather foreign concept of warm sunshine. Hemi Matenga Reserve Sunday 26th February 2017 The Hemi Matenga reserve in Waikanae on was first up, and up it was, a good 400m climb between carpark … Read more
On a clear bright winter’s day with little breeze there are few places more fun and interesting for kids than the easy walk around the southern coastline to the seal colony at Sinclair Point in the Te Kopahou Reserve. A group of nearly 40 of all ages gathered on a Sunday afternoon for the 1 … Read more
After the last attempt to go around the loop was stopped due to bad weather in the Tararuas (how surprising!), some of the punters were more than keen for another shot. Fortunately a good weather window coincided with the trip schedule. Some us were left waiting at the road end ready to go, wondering where … Read more
Before you head away on a trip often there are a number of things for the trip leader to sort out. The group gear is divided up, the menu planned and dinner ingredients dished out, transport organised, the emergency contact person informed and the route planned. So when you find out that the road access … Read more
Gripping tightly to the pack straps of the people next to me in the line, we took our first steps into the Orongorongo River with the roaring water buffeting us around. “Brrrrrr its freezing” I thought as the liquid snow soaked through my shoes. “Brrrrrr its freezing” I thought as I stepped out of the … Read more