On Friday evening the five of us met at the traditional WTMC meet up point at Wellington Train Station for a weekend getaway to Ruahine Forest Park, located in Hawke’s Bay. We were joined by the Medium-Fit group, who were travelling in the van with us.
Our group was a mix of new and more experienced club members. It was Hannah and Jason’s first trip with the WTMC. We stopped for a quick dinner in Dannevirke, where most opted for a Chinese takeaway restaurant which seemed like a Dannevirke institution.
We arrived at the trailhead after dark and set off on a short 10 min walk through farmland to Triplex Hut. An interesting fact was written on the wall of the hut – that the hut’s name originates from a shirt labelled “XXX” that was found at the hut. It was the only item found that belonged to a pilot, who crashed his plane in 1935, in the ranges above Sunrise Hut.
On Saturday morning we woke at Triplex Hut and prepared for the start of our hike. The Medium-Fit group left the hut at 8 am and our group left about an hour later, at 9am. The rainwater from the tank was a strange colour, but most of us braved it anyway and luckily no one got sick
The track was in excellent condition, with a consistent gravel covering most of the way. There is a steady incline almost all of the way, nothing too steep, but the uphill is relentless and challenged our newbies.
We stopped at the junction where you can turn off to Waipawa Forks Hut. Making use of the wooden benches, we had a few snacks for morning tea.
We continued on and the track became a little bit steeper, but luckily before we knew it we were greeted by Sunrise Hut and spectacular views across Hawke’s Bay and the Manawatu. It took us approximately 2.5 to 3 hrs to reach Sunrise Hut.
We were blessed with absolutely beautiful weather, with a high of 28°C and clear skies. We were the first to arrive at the hut, so we were lucky enough to have our choice of bunks. The hut is large and well-equipped with running water, a large kitchen and even some cell phone reception in certain areas.
After settling in, exploring the hut and dropping off our gear, we discussed whether we would explore the saddle and ridges behind the hut. Four of us decided to go and explore and possibly do a return hike to Top Maropea Hut.
We were all impressed with the track along the saddle and ridges. None of us were expecting just how breathtaking the landscape would be. We were pretty happy that we decided to venture out for an extra walk. After about an hour of walking along the ridge, the track started to descend sharply. At this point half the group decided to return to Sunrise Hut, leaving Liz and Jason to carry on to explore Top Maropea Hut.
Top Maropea Hut was super cute; a small, basic hut that was painted bright orange. We both agreed that the highlight of this side trip (besides the landscape!) was the adorable artwork someone had painted and hung inside the hut.
On the hike back to Sunrise Hut, the wind started to pick up and the day cooled as the sun went down.
Upon returning to Sunrise Hut, we found that all the beds had been taken. There were a few groups of younger people, so the hut was buzzing. After relaxing for a while, we launched into making our communal dinner – a delicious vegetarian curry from the WTMC cookbook.
Following dinner, we played a game of cards, after which everyone was exhausted, and we were in bed by 8:30 pm!
The next morning the entire hut woke up at around 5:15 am to watch the infamous sunrise. Most of us shuffled out like slugs in our sleeping bags. Jason decided to brave the wind and scramble up the peak above the hut.
After a leisurely morning of sunrise-watching, Liz made us all a delicious pancake and maple syrup breakfast . Yes, she carried a bottle of maple syrup and a block of butter up the mountain for us! What a legend.
The descent back down the mountain to the carpark was mercifully fast. We did consider taking the turn-off to Waipawa Forks Hut and then exiting via the river for a change of scenery. But we encountered a French tourist with his son, who advised that the route was a bit challenging, so we decided against it. Julia got to practice her French listening skills, and translated what the little boy was saying in French.
We didn’t have to wait long at the carpark before the Medium-Fit group appeared and rejoined us for the van ride home. We recounted stories of our respective trips and stopped for a quick lunch in Dannevirke. We then made good time home, arriving in Wellington in the mid-afternoon.
We all agreed that we had really struck gold with a fantastic walk, perfect weather, and an excellent group dynamic. We are all excited to walk together again soon. We particularly loved that the track was in excellent condition and that the distance to Sunrise Hut was quite short, which meant we could drop our gear off at the hut and explore unencumbered. And the sunrise and pancake breakfast were amazing!