Monday, 8 December 2025

Te Araroa 4/12/25

Day 72, Poads Road (Levin) to Te Matawai hut.


Last night's heavy rain had cleared by the morning  when Geoff drove me back to Poads Road to rejoin the trail where I left it seven days ago.

Across soggy farmland to the bush

Across soggy farmland to start the trail before entering the bush again for the start of the hills.

Back to the mud and roots

It was a normal bush track again with extra wet mud after the rain. A pleasant change from surfaced tracks.

Moss covered trees 

The path climbs to 1097m at Twin Peak but it is not a straight climb and has many steep up and downs in-between.

An occasional view through the trees

There weren't many openings in the undergrowth and it was nice when I climbed above the treeline and the views of the hills opened up.

The bush
The next hut was Waiopehu where I met another group who had stayed overnight but delayed starting as the forecast wasn't good.
Waiopehu hut

View from above the Waiopehu hut 

Steeply down to 650m then back up to 900m and the Te Matawai hut.
View near Te Matawai hut 

Inside the Te Matawai hut
Ten TA walkers in the hut tonight, two I had met before, Megan and Eve. There is plenty of space here but tomorrows hut only has room for eight, interesting..

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