**Nothing like a bit of uphill to beat the cold.**

In 1887, the then paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa Horonuku Te Heuheu Tukino 1V, gifted the sacred summits of Tongariro to the government to protect their tapu, but also, as Sir Hepi Te Heuheu wrote “to be owned by no-one and yet be for everyone”.

Over the years many great walking tracks have been developed in the Tongariro National Park and this Rāhina we enjoyed exploring a few.

It was cold and the sky was grey as we bundled ourselves into a colourful array of wet weather gear and started out on the Upper Silica Rapids Track.

The bronzed red tussock and orange, brown dracophyllium provided contrast to the grey sky.

We crossed the old lava flow formed from the extinct Iwakau crater and gazed up at the weird rocks eroded into strange figures by the wind, water and ice.

The track dipped down stairs, across a bridged stream and passed several small tarns before dropping to the shelter of the Silica Rapids and Silica Springs area.

We could hear the water roaring before we could even see it. Water was flowing down from banks in all directions. The stream bed was a gleaming, creamy white, tinged with gold.

Silica Springs is perhaps a misnomer as the deposit that colours it is actually aluminosilicate.

Whatever the science it is a beautiful sight with great viewing platforms.

We followed the track that borders the Waikare Stream, admiring the Punaruku Falls, and the rusty red bogs beside the path.

These bogs are the result of poor drainage and low oxygen creating acidic conditions which leech iron out of volcanic ash.

Lower down a bridge crosses the Golden Rapids. ‘No gold to be found here’ the signage notes, just iron and a clay giving the stream bed its golden hue.

From here on bush surrounded us. Beech, kāmahi, kaikawaka, tānekaha, fleshy tōī, umbrella ferns and mountain five finger. The kamahi’s contorted branches were coated with different mosses. The kaikawaka’s red strapped bark hung down and twisted about their trunks.

Apparently one third of the trees will have bark that twists to the left, another third right and the other third the bark hangs straight down.

Piles of discarded leaves of five finger were seen. Presumably the result of selective stripping by possums seeking the soft cambrium layer under the bark for nutrients.

We continued along the bush track following the Whakapapanui Track alongside the Whakapapanui Stream, a stream that drains from the Whakapapa Glacier on Mount Ruapehu.

A raised board walk protected plants in a bogland including the low-lying, olive-green bog pine.

We emerged to a small parking area and then walked down the road to the Tawhai Falls Track.

This was an easy short track, initially bordered by tussock and then beech and mountain toatoa forest.

**The boardwalks come into their own at this time of year.**

Water tumbles 13 metres down into a clear blue, boulder lined pool. The pool is famed for its role as Gallum’s pool in the Lord of the Rings movie and despite the deteriorating weather we did meet a number of tourists on this track.

There were good views from upper and lower platforms but even better from a clamber down and over rocks.

Home beckoned. We left after an enjoyable day with the knowledge that the park has so much more to see and explore.

Next week we are walking a track new to us. If you would like more information, please email walkersmondaytaupo@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at “Taupo Monday Walkers”