Waitahanui, pretty as a picture
Taupō’s Monday Walkers cross the Waitahanui River.
Taupō turned on another stunning Monday; perfect for our walk along a section of lake shore and the Waitahanui River.
A large contingent of walkers set off from Mahuta Road, enjoying picture-perfect views of snowy mountains.
The wind stayed away and the still blue of the lake merged into the shadowy outline of the distant Western Bay.
The track runs through a narrow strip of land between water and highway where blackberry bushes jostled for space with flaxes, tree lucerne, native bushes and even some blossoming trees.
It is unpaved but wide enough for people to walk several abreast.
The traffic noise from the parallel running SH1 was loud but definitely no match for our volume of chatting.
We soon reached a stand of gnarly old pines. Their roots twisted and protruding from the ground and several of their trunks bearing danger signs warning of the hazard of falling branches.
Probably what was more hazardous was assessing the gap in traffic and making a safe crossing to the riverside of the road.
From the Waitahanui Bridge we watched large ducks stretching their wings, absorbing the warmth, and pāpango or New Zealand scaups tightly grouped on another section of bank and occasionally venturing into the water.
No trout were seen and a lone fisher person stood where a picket of anglers often gather in the early morning and late evening.
Nymphing and dry and wet fly fishing are all techniques used to catch the brown and rainbow trout that draw so many visitors to this river.
Today the water was clear and its gravel and sandy bed clearly visible.
The Waitahanui River is predominately spring fed and comes all the way from the north of the Kaimanawa’s meaning it is less prone to discolouration after heavy rain.
Despite its narrowness, 3-4 metres wide, it makes up for its lack of breadth with strength of flow which also helps.
We followed the main trail with frequent detours down shorter fishing tracks.
From one we saw a huge pine tree had toppled over completely spanning the river and apparently burying forever one of the many predator traps two of our walkers maintain.
We sloshed through some muddy sections and climbed up a bank because we like a challenge.
We crossed one of the ‘new’ bridges and heard the story of a helicopter transporting in the pieces for its structure.
We left the quiet tracks and returned down a metal and then tar sealed road, back to the village and across to the lakeshore.
Waitahanui has long been settled by Ngāti Tūwharetoa and is the home of a thriving Kōhanga Reo and a full immersion Te Kura o Waitahanui.
The taller amongst us had to duck under the low ceiling of an under-road pass before we all braved the road crossing again.
A matuku moana or white-faced heron had taken over the prime sunbathing position on the riverbank showing off its light blue grey body - a contrast to the vivid blue of the grape hyacinths and sky-blue periwinkles that bravely peeped out from the blackberries. A colourful reminder that spring has arrived.
Next Monday we have a small mountain to climb. If you would like more information, please email walkersmondaytaupo@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at ‘Taupo Monday Walkers’
