Another blue-sky Monday. How fortunate we were especially with the huge downpour on Sunday night and meteorological winter only weeks away.

Our route map was a rather circuitous one leading us along trails in the Huka Falls area beginning with the Redwoods.

A dark and moody plantation virtually devoid of understory and with tall bare trunks giving off a reddish hue.

The forest floor was soft and quite a contrast to the Junk and Disorderly Track that it linked with.

Hard packed pumice and blackberry competed with struggling shrubs and contrasted with great sections of native plantings.

Across the road we followed a short easy track to the falls.

This quiet section of native bush runs parallel to the road and very close to the Waikato River.

The roaring sound of the water being forced through a chasm and tumbling over the falls increased the nearer we got.

We stayed on the same side of the river following a path along Ferguson’s Track.

This shared track was a little slippery from the overnight rain, but most stayed upright while negotiating the switchbacks.

Bush crowds over the track and there are views from high vantage points of the trees and cleared land on the opposite bank.

In the distance the iconic red bridge stood like an art feature with steam puffing from the Wairakei Power Station beyond and the wide river flowing determined but quietly towards them enroute to meet the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato.

We took an uphill route at a cross-track intersection to link with the Honey Hive Track where the clearing of damage and the growth of the replacement plantings since Cyclone Gabrielle was impressive.

As we doubled back towards the Hub there were splashes of autumn colours, particularly the gold of larches and on a later track a bush of brilliant red rosehips.

On the opposite side of the road is the Cathedral track. Here the damage was still evident with massive pine trees down and the biker’s tunnel still orange ribboned.

Nature was softening and breaking down the scars with moss and fungi.

This short windy track deep in a gully really did feel cathedralic.

After a short break we headed down the steep Totara Gut Track. Again, a very pretty track for walkers with wafts of steam coming from a bordering waterway, but perhaps a challenge for the novice rider. The initial section was slippery even for those of us on foot.

We reconnected with the Ferguson Track and soon arrived at a gravelled path and open area from where we accessed the walkway over the Red Bridge.

There were many pleas for a repaint job to restore it to its former red glory.

The trail on this side of the river was more open and easy walking and we were quickly at the Huka Falls high lookout.

The foaming aquamarine and white water and the noise of it tumbling down never fails to impress.

We made our way past the usual crowds of visitors and across the concrete bridge. Imagine daring to cross that torrent when it was spanned by a swing bridge built not by engineers but men from the redoubt.

We used the wide concrete path along Huka Falls Road to return to our start point. The palisade fencing and flax and reeds plantings provided a safe and attractive route away from motorists.

This area is easily accessible and a great place for visitors and locals to enjoy tracks of varying difficulty.

For more information on the group email walkersmondaytaupo@gmail.com or Facebook at ‘Taupo Monday Walkers’.