It's not exactly sunny but at least its stopped raining for the first time since entering Te Urewera- Land of the mist. Its possibly the longest day so far distance wise but it's all reasonably easy walking.
From the hut it's onto another 6 foot pack track, there a bit of windfall to navigate and its bit overgrown but its a level gradient and its easy progress. It probably owes its existence to the fact it still used by horseback, tho it also makes it very muddy, especially after yesterday's rain.
Unfortunately after about 2 hours the track enters private Maori land, and travel reterns to a standard tramping track. Its still in better nick than the previous ones just muddy and scattered with windfall. The topographys changed asewll, no longer the steep vallys and defined ridgelines, but flat- rolling hills, crisscrossed with small muddy streams, not quite sure of which way to flow.
The clouds lift and i get occasional glimpses of the Maungapohatu scar, a 300m high wall of sheer rock, rising out of the rolling hills.
Eventually the track pops out at the Maungapohatu access road, where it boundaries private land. Now for road bash #3. It's about 13km to the Waikaramoa road. It crosses a few steams before climbing high into the goblin forest, following the Huiarua range to the state highway. There's occasional logging traffic but nothing much. After a few days bashing though muddy forest its actually nice to be back on the road, if it was called a very well maintained track I'd of probably even enjoyed it. The sun comes out and the phone comes out of hibernation. Open spots give ocassional veiws back to Maungapohatu and a now distant, double peak which can only be Te Rangaakapua. A tree marked PHONE in red spray paint marks a spot where there's reception. Its only 1 bar but enough to check the five day forecast- fine, fine, fine- they said that last time. Apon reaching SH38 i turn left and its another 8km to the campsite, all gently downhill. There's 2 campsites on this strech, i chose the second 1 as its nicer, away from the road, and theres a bucket of goodies buryed behind the longdrop. I've crossed the main devide for the second time, with water now flowing East to Waikaramoa/ Wairoa.
Unlike the last roadside campsite its free and there's only 1 vehicle based camper.
There's also some sandy spots across the river if it were busy, but theres no need to make life harder than it needs to be- especially if it means getting my almost dry boots wet again. For water there's the Hopuruahine stream or a tank collected off the roof of the dungie- hard choice. Digging up my first buryed tresure, I've still got way too much food. With no huts to stock up i manage to peel off some rice to the germans in the hiace.
It's turned out to be a perfectly clear night and after 8 nights in huts it makes a change to be in the biv with a campfire.
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