One of the very picturesque valleys in the area includes the Mangaone South Road off Ngatiawa Road. The end of this road and the associated walk through the river valley was our destination a couple of weeks ago. Two walks start here: the shorter one, the Mangaone Walkway to Mangaone North Road off to the left and the longer more strenuous Pukeatua Track. In New Zealand, these country walks (hiking?), including at least one overnight stay, are known as “tramping”.
Being fairly late in the day, and with the idea of a “test” walk in mind, we chose the shorter Mangaone Walkway, which was previously known as the Reikorangi Track. What a pleasant walk, mostly along cool pathways in dappled shade. The pathway follows the western course of the Waikanae River.
(Above) The initial roadway to the first pedestrian bridge is also used for access to their homes by some nearby residents. It gets steeper as the path progresses.
(Above) The pedestrian suspension bridge means that you don’t have to walk across some private residential land down near the river below. The bridge must have been some six, seven, or maybe more storeys above the river bed.
(Above) The track is situated on private land. I guess that this fence ladder is over a boundary fence between properties owned by different owners.
(Above) A number of these little timber bridges span gulleys which would doubtlessly be brim-full during the wet seasons.
(Above) We stopped for a short sit-down in this cool peaceful environment, with the babbling stream gurgling past over the well-worn rocks, before heading back to the car-park.
(Above) The remains of an early days boiler contraption, which I would guess, was somehow part of a lumber milling operation, now lies abandoned on the verge.
Five species of tree fern line the track: Katote, Wheki, Wheki-ponga, Ponga and Mamaku. Ground ferns and delicate filmy ferns on tree trunks are also prominent along the track. Perhaps we can research these species, and then identify them on our next walk.
Sounds great!
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