Date: 8/9 June 2023.
Trip type: Tramp (MF).
Location: Pouakai Circuit, Egmont National Park.
Author: Tony G.
Trampers: Tony G.

Pouakai Circuit – a day walk

A nighttime hiking loop trip around the Pouakai Circuit, Egmont National Park

Pouakai Circuit 🌜

a day walk

Itinerary

Leave work at the start of lunch break 12 noon on Thursday

Drive to North Egmont with the usual pie and coffee stops

Start up the North Egmont Summit Track at 6 pm

Enjoy the last of the sunset, and the lights of New Plymouth below

Follow the easy track to Holly Hut

For 45 minutes enjoy the company of two tourists who had the woodburner warming the hut

Back outside to a heavy frost

Enjoy the super easy boardwalk through Ahukawakawa swamp

And the continuation of the boardwalk along to the Pouakai Tarns

Arrive at the tarns at midnight

Enjoy the view of a snow-capped Taranaki maunga in the moonlight

Then along to Henry Peak – and the tricky descent of the ice-covered boardwalk

Follow the track through the bush and up the last 2 km of road back to North Egmont arriving at 6 am

Have an hour’s sleep under the nearest tree

Drive back to Wellington

Arrive at the office at the end of lunch break 1 pm Friday before the boss notices you have been missing

At 5 pm crawl under your desk and fall asleep.