Hiking for Hope - Doing it with a Difference!

After our massive 30km training walk the following weekend, Marc and I decided that this time around we would take it slightly easier - instead of focusing on time and distance, we would work on our cardio as there is going to definitely be a bit of hill climbing as part of the Tongariro expedition to say the least!

So for our next training walk we decided to scale Mount Karangahake, located within the Karangahake Gorge situated between Waihi and Paeroa.

To put it in comparison, the elevation of Mount Karangahake is 544m above sea level and Mount Maunganui is 232m so it’s like walking up the Mount twice and then some!

While the Karagahake Gorge is very well known for its walks through the old mining tunnels, the walk up to the trig at the top of Mount Karangahake seems to be less well known, or less talked about anyway. Why climb a mountain when you can cruise through mining tunnels and look at the ruins of the old mining days?

We scheduled the training day for Waitangi day and it turned out to be yet another pearler of a day!

Once again, the pre mission preparations involved a quick stop at BP Waihi where chicken wraps and custard squares where acquired for much needed mission fuel.

We then headed to the main carpark at the gorge, which is located just off State Highway 2, this is where the majority of the walking track starts and boy was it was a hive of activity!

After figuring out where we were headed, I have to admit we were a little bit daunted – we could only just make out the trig point winking at us cheekily in a morning sunlight at the top of the mountain.

As we headed off on the walk from the carpark we crossed over the Ohinemuri River via a massive swing bridge, then took a track through bush to the Crown Hill Rd where there is a 2nd carpark for those who want to shorten the track. A short distance up the Mountain Track there is an unmarked but well-formed and well-used road which we followed the rest of the way up the mountain in jandals or in Marc’s case, bare feet (this tends to be his “footwear” of choice).

When planning for the trip we had read up on the internet about the walk and found information saying that it should take us approximately 5hrs return trip, however when we got to the gorge every sign we saw seemed to tell us something different – the first one indicating that it would take us three hours one way…….

However being the bushwalking extraordinaire’s that we are, it only took us a comfortable 1 ½ hrs to make it to the top - and once we got up there the view was simply breathtaking!! We got an amazing view of the top of Mt Te Aroha and out towards the mighty Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

We have enjoyed pretty much all of the tracks we have walked so far but this one has definitely been one of the best so far. It was a gentle steady climb, soft underfoot, well marked and plenty of cover to shelter us from the sun.

We have enjoyed pretty much all of the tracks we have walked so far but this one has definitely been one of the best so far. It was a gentle steady climb, soft underfoot, well marked and plenty of cover to shelter us from the sun.

We even found part of an old mining tunnel along the way!

The return trip was very quick and only took us about an 1hr 20mins as we were spurred on by the thought of lunch! Once we got back down the tummies were grumbling loudly so it was definitely time to rip into our goodies. We found a shady spot away from the tourists and other avid walkers, and quickly devoured our BP provided sustenance. After lunch we swapped our barefeet and jandals for walking shoes (which definitely felt strange!) and went for a gentle stroll around the Historic Walkway that takes you through the ruins of the old goldmining operation and through the old rail tunnel.

To top a hot, energetic day off which involved four hours of walking, 544m of climbing and about 7kms of walking we made a pit stop in Waihi on the way home and got Grapefruit and Lemon Fruju’s and I tell you what – they have never tasted so refreshing 

It was another great day and yet again no feet or jandals were damaged in the process 