I followed an unnamed creek up a steep hill, got stuck in a ravine, then lost my shirt.
Today was a bit of a mixed bag. The plan was to explore the creek behind Gums Loop Meadow, east of Nikau Creek. In my previous bush bash, I ventured partway up two creeks with the intention of tracing one to its origin in a future trip. Today was the day and blessed with perfect weather and time, I drove toward Hine Road Recreation Area.
Onroute, I made a photo stop to capture the breathtaking autumn hues along Hine Road. Then, I found myself veering off course a bit, drawn by nostalgia to revisit a cherished childhood swimming spot nestled within the recreation area, aptly named ‘Secret’. I was curious if it still existed and if so, is it still a suitable swimming spot. To my delight, it was still there, where Wainuiomata River turns westward, downstream from Top Pool, at the northern section of the recreation area. There was even a small track leading to it, meaning that it is still being used. While not as big, as popular spots like Top Pool or Ultimate, Secret retains its allure as a delightful choice for younger kids to enjoy a safer swim. Its manageable depth and compact size make it easier for parents to keep a watchful eye on their children while they frolic in the water.
After capturing some photos, I headed to Gums Loop Walk and behind Top Pool. A little further along, I decided to head off track and follow the Wainuiomata River atop the high bank flanking the river. After all, this was probably part of the paddocks that once existed in Gums Loop Meadow that I had been exploring lately. While there, I found some old wire fencing near a small section of land that had clearly been carved out and flattened by someone. Perhaps a small building like a shed was located here back in the day. I pressed on through the bush till the land gave way to a steep bank with Nikau Creek below and near its confluence with Wainuiomata River. I climbed down and followed Nikau Creek for a bit, then crossed over and walked through a section of native bush then gum trees, till I hit Gums Loop Walk. I crossed the walk straight away and continued into the gum forest. From there I headed toward the back hill in order to follow one of the unnamed creeks nearby, a familiar path from my previous bush adventure, where I had ventured partway up their courses.
As I ascended the terrain where a creek flowed down, it didn’t take long before the creek bed was dry, and the landscape grew steeper. Undeterred, I pressed on, finding the vegetation sparse enough to traverse. About 100 meters up, the bush thickened, and I navigated through the paths of least resistance. Eventually, I reached high enough and seeking vantage points for photographs of the view below. However, dense vegetation obstructed most views, though I managed to capture some shots where I used the foliage to frame the scenery. I continuing going up till I reached a ridgeline that still ascended, but with a much more civilised gradient. Here I could see what looked like faint traces of a track that appeared intermittently. At this point, I was uncomfortably hot and opted to take my shirt off, but it was too small to wrap around my waist, so I tucked it into a pocket and left most of it just hanging. I pressed on, hoping to intersect with the Old Whakanui Track, but eventually, realizing I needed to descend, I abandoned that pursuit and opted to head back down.
I made my way down going to a different section, then descending steeply into a deep ravine, relying on small trees to anchor myself with one hand while reaching for another tree with the other hand. This technique allowed me to descend more swiftly without risking a slide down the hill. As I descended, darkness intensified, with minimal natural light reaching the bottom. Upon reaching the ravine floor, I encountered an abundance of vines blocking my path, prompting me to ascend the opposite hill from the one I descended. At this hilltop, I had to crawl through dense, low-lying vegetation before descending once more down, but towards the next gulley, where Nikau Creek awaited. Negotiating this steep slope required careful navigation, but once again, there were plenty of small trees to hold on to as I descended. Eventually, I reached the valley floor, where the distant sound of Nikau Creek greeted me.
As I headed for the sound of the creek, a clear sign that Nikau Creek Track was nearby, I contemplated putting my shirt back on. But I realised it was nowhere to be found. A moment of frustration swept over me as I scanned the slope I had just descended, but there was no sign of it. With no time to spare and a commitment looming in one hour, I made the decision to continue without it. I came out onto Nikau Track at a marker, a notable group of kahikatea trees. Navigating both the Nikau Track and Gums Loop, I encountered no one along the way. However, upon emerging at Hine Road Recreation Area, I was surprised to find more people than usual milling about, maybe because it was sunny. A group of women and girls, two couples each walking their dog and about 4 guys milling about. Trying hard to be undeterred by my shirtless state, I made my way through the crowd to my car, where I always kept a backup shirt handy. It’s a habit I’ve adopted due to the copious amount of sweating I do on these excursions. I’m pretty sure I would have got a few strange looks, but I didn’t make eye contact, so I can’t say for sure. It wasn’t exactly the peak of summer and my skin was white enough to radiate almost 100% of the light shining on me back into space. In other words, I probably stood out like a sore toe.
On the way home, I stopped at the lookout atop the Wainuiomata Hill and took some photos of the suburb with a perfect autumn blue sky. A great way to cap off another adventure.
