Friday
We set off to do this 3-4 day Great Walk in 3 days from Wellington train station promptly at 12:30pm.
On the way to Waikaremoana Holiday park we stopped in Napier for a delicious dinner of pizzas, Pad Thai and kebabs. We arrived at the holiday park at around 10pm. We stayed there in cabins and all went off to bed soon after arriving, after such a long drive. The holiday park has great facilities – a modern shower/ toilet block, a large modern kitchen/ dining area and a range of accommodation types. They also sell petrol, have a small store on site and it’s just a 15 minute drive to the start of the track (Onepoto end).
Day One: Saturday – Onepoto entrance to Panekire Hut (DOC info: 9km/ 4-6 hrs).
I woke to the sound of wind and snoring. We (the medium group) got dropped off at the Onepoto end of the track by a WTMC club MF group who were heading to another area close by for a tramp that weekend. We were a bit concerned about the wind – there were gusts up to 90km/h and there were white capped waves on the Lake.
We set off from the start of the track at 9:00am. We took a short detour to the left at an intersection on the track soon after we began, to Lake Kiriopukae. There is a small graveyard beside this Lake. After the trip, Jacqui found out that this was where a few constables were buried from the Onepoto Constabulary Redoubt. The Redoubt was set up in this area in the 1870s, to help the colonial government capture Maori leader Te Kooti.
We resumed climbing Panekire Bluff at 9:30am. Although the wind was strong, we were sheltered from most of it as the walk up is under the bushline, the wind was blowing towards the Bluff and the track was in the lee of the wind. There were many lookout points along the way, made of flat sections of rock away from the bushline, where you get amazing views across the Lake in all directions. We all enjoyed checking these out, although it was a bit too open for some members of the group who were not keen on heights. Jacqui took as many photos as opportunity allowed.
We arrived at Pt. 964 at 10:50am. This point spot was by far the best place for scenic views of the Bluff and Lake. The sun shone and light twinkled off the waves on the Lake.
We stopped for lunch along the track. Along the way, I found a small two bunk hut called Bailee’s Hut.
We arrived at Panekire Hut at 2:30pm. Around dinner time, the hut warden, Anthony, introduced us to Lake Waikaremoana with a mihi and sang a waiata. He invited all groups at the Hut that night to do the same. Elizabeth said a mihi on our behalf, and we sung the waiata Tai Aroha.
For dinner, we had Bacon and Leek pasta with feta cheese (from the Club’s recipe book) which was a group favourite.
There was a brilliantly clear night that night, which made for spectacular star gazing.
Day Two: Sunday – Panekire Hut to Marauiti Hut (DOC time: 20km/ 8-9 hrs)
Today was going to be the biggest day of our trip and we had all been psyching ourselves up for it! We were really keen to see Korokoro Falls (a 1 hr return side trip off the main track), but wondered whether it would be too big a day for everyone – especially considering it was winter and sunset was around 5pm.
We set off at 8:30am, with Amrita and Jacqui heading off a bit earlier.
Our aim was to stop at Waiopaoa Hut and gauge how the group felt about visiting Korokoro Falls. Waiopaoa Hut is modern and looks like a great place to stay. We all admired the scenery there – the Lake was so still, the sun was shining and we loved watching several groups of black swans on the Lake. It was hard to leave the spot to continue on our journey!
We reached the track junction which led to Korokoro Falls at 12:20pm. We followed Korokoro Falls Track to the Falls, walking alongside Te Korokoroowhaitiri Creek most of the way (which is more like a river). Near the end the track, the track leads you to the side of the Creek, and there is a thin steel wire attached to trees on each side of the Creek. You need to cross this to continue on the track up to the Falls. You need to hold onto the thin wire with your hands and step on boulders to get to the other side.
Elizabeth packed a few things into her coat for the crossing and her water bottle fell into the creek. We didn’t want to pollute the water with plastic, so I attempted to boulder hop my way over to grab the bottle. But the creek kept carrying the bottle away. Calum then convinced me to step into the creek and search for it with him (you only get wet once!). He eventually found the bottle and returned it to a grateful Elizabeth.
After crossing the Creek, it was a short five minute walk to the Falls. Although the track from the Creek to the Falls isn’t marked clearly. Debbie unwittingly started heading up to the Falls the wrong way and some of us had to go and find her when we noticed she hadn’t joined us at the Falls.
We had lunch at the Falls and admired the view – they are really spectacular and definitely worth the side trip. It was hard to leave them to continue on to the next hut.
The group was back at the Korokoro Falls track junction with the main track at 1:45pm. The walk from this point to Marauiti Hut, our destination for the day, was pretty long. We planned to have an afternoon break once reaching Korokoro Shelter, however we accidentally walked past it. Confusingly, Korokoro Shelter is located right next to a private hut called “Ormond Hut”, but there is no signage pointing out Korokoro Shelter.
We were feeling pretty unenergetic, so we ended up snacking on chocolate and gummy bears on the track before the final push over the last spur to Marauiti Hut.
Everyone in the group reached Marauiti Hut between 4.50 and 5pm. We needed to obtain water from the Lake (which, thankfully, was a very short distance from the Hut) as there were warning signs at the Hut stating that the hut water was contaminated.
We had a couscous dish for dinner with various toppings. We were supposed to make Steamed Plum Pudding with brandy and custard for dessert, however we could not be bothered throwing together this rather complicated/ time consuming recipe after having just finishing an 8 hour walk.
We shared jokes and yarns with a group of fishermen from Hawke’s Bay who were also staying at the Hut. They were celebrating their mates’ birthday and shared the birthday cake with us. I offered relationship ‘advice’ to a couple of them and spied a rat in the hut rafters that we later named Remy.
Day 3: Monday – Marauiti Hut to Whananui (DOC time: 11.5 km/ 4.5 hours)
We set off at 8:20am, conscious of the fact that we had about 5 hours of walking ahead of us, that the water taxi would be picking us up at 2:30pm and that we were likely to take a slower pace due to our long walk the previous day.
We planned to only have one stop, at Waiharuru Hut, for morning tea, and then have lunch at the water taxi pickup point at the end.
Two hours into our walk, Elizabeth told us it was still 4 km to Waiharuru Hut, so we needed to pick up our pace. Yet 5 mins later we arrived at the Hut! A funny navigational error that the group should have been aware of! That’s one reason why everyone should take turns being navigator.
Waiharuru Hut is a nice modern Hut complex. We had a 25 minute break there before continuing on to the water taxi pickup point. Calum and I were given the trip leader’s blessing to continue on by ourselves at speed (Calum had a PLB, and everyone knew the final congregation point).
We eventually passed the sign indicating where the water taxi pick up point is and arrived at where Whanganui Hut was once located at 12:10 pm (beating the DOC time). All that is left at the location is a disused water tank, a toilet and piles where we assumed the hut used to stand.
The water taxi departs from a spot (called Whananui) on the Lake about 5 minutes before where Whanganui Hut used to stand. There is no jetty as such.
The rest of the group arrived at the water taxi pick up spot between 12.25 pm and 12.55pm. We rested our tired bodies on the banks of the Lake, while Harrison braved a swim in the icy cold water. Elizabeth floated the idea of making the custard we had meant to have the previous night, but this was swiftly shot down.
When planning the trip, the leaders were advised that the carpark at the Hopuruahine Landing end of the track (which is the true endpoint of the Great Walk) was closed. That’s why we had opted to catch a water taxi back to the start of the track at Onepoto. Houpruahine Landing is about a 1 1/2 hour walk further on from Whananui, and is the closest spot to the end of the track that the water taxi company can pick people up from. The water level at Hopuruahine Landing is too low for the boat.
Another helpful tip – at the time of our trip, Waiwai Xpres was the only water taxi company authorised to operate on the Lake.
The water taxi arrived early and we set off before our scheduled pick up time of 2:30 pm. We had a relaxing 30 minute boat ride back to the Onepoto entrance of the track. It was really interesting when our driver pointed out, from the middle of the Lake, where Panekire Hut was located on the Bluff.
The MF group picked us up shortly after we arrived at Onepoto. We left Waikaremoana at about 3.30pm and arrived in Wellington soon after 11.30pm, tired but happy.
Thanks to everyone for the good company, and thanks to Jacqui and Elizabeth for organising and leading the tramp.
Timings:
Saturday: Day 1
9:00 – Start Onepoto Road
9:05 – Detour to Lake Kiriopukae
9:30 – Start climbing Panekire Bluff
10:20 – Break
10:50 – At Pt 964
12:20 – Lunch
14:30 – Arrive at Panekire Hut
Sunday: Day 2
8:30 – Start
10:30 – Morning tea
10:35 – Break end
11:10 – At Waiopaoa Hut + Campground
11:30 – Break end
12:20 – At Korokoro Falls Track/ Main track junction
12:50 – At Korokoro Falls
13:15 – Lunch break end
13:45 – Back at junction
15:50 – 10 min break (just past Korokoro Shelter)
16:00 – Break end
16:50 – At Marauiti Hut
Monday: Day 3
8:20 – Start
10:05 – At Waiharuru Hut + campsite
10:30 – Break end
12:55 – At water taxi pickup point (near where Whanganui Hut was once located )