Mt Ruapehu is visible through the beech forest.

Life is a series of changing seasons and Matariki and the winter solstice is a perfect time to remember those and what has passed, celebrate what we have and reflect on the future.

Walking part of the Te Iringa track in the Kaimanawa Forest Park was an opportunity to do just that.

This track was the first ‘out of town’ venture Monday Walkers attempted after the group was established in 1984 and was a firm favourite of our previous, long-standing organisers, Arthur and Betty.

The park was gazetted in 1969, is managed by DOC and, at more than 77,000 hectares, is certainly something to celebrate and protect for the future.

Some areas have had a chequered history with sheep farming attempted and abandoned as uneconomical, commercial deer hunting and culling in the 1950’s and red and silver beech felling for timber and log splitting.

The road into the trail entrance is metal with a few large potholes to avoid.

Once on the track we were surrounded by beech forest, the sun was shining, the trees protected us from the chilly wind and the only noise was our chatter with a little music competition from birdsong.

After a short warm up on an equally short flat section we were making our way up a steady gradient.

Some old, gnarled trees were bearded with wispy lichen, and green ferns and lichen covered fallen trees.

The brilliant purple of a pouched fungi, and a red berry ladened coprosma added extra colour to the surroundings.

Widow makers or fallen epiphytes were easily stepped over, but a very large trunk of a long-fallen tree was more of an obstacle.

With a little help from one another and much less grace we all hurdled it.

There were a few little rivulets to cross and in sections stiff ferns, shoulder height for the vertically challenged, crowded over the pathway.

Water had channelled deep narrow guts in other sections.

As we climbed, we caught glimpses of huge areas of forest on the hills opposite and luscious tī tōi or mountain cabbage trees interspersed the beech trees.

In this higher area the understory was sparse and predominantly the peppery horopito.

A miromiro looking very smart with its white belly and black head and back scanned the area hopeful we might disturb insects for it to eat.

From a ridge past the saddle, we had amazing views of Mount Ruapehu before continuing down the steep trail and out into a sunny clearing.

A hut that once stood there burnt down in 1999 and its replacement was also destroyed after a spirit burner caught fire.

Obviously, no-one wanted to try a third time. We continued along the ridge, occasionally seeing farmland through gaps in the forest.

The next section had a series of short steep downhills with small waterways covering slippery rocks and a narrowing path. This route is a grade 5 cycle track and we marvelled at the thought of mountain bikers squeezing around bends and over the debris and making their way to the the Oamuru Hut some hours away.

Our goal was less lofty, and we happily returned to the campsite catching a clear view of Mount Ngaurahoe just prior to reaching the saddle before making the easy and faster trip down to our vehicles.

A happy and peaceful day with much to be thankful for. Next Monday we are planning a sanctuary forest walk.

If you would like more information about our group, please email walkersmondaytaupo@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at “Taupo Monday Walkers “