Pt2 Day 38. Lower Mangatawhiri to Mercer - 30/3/16.

Left camp at around 0820 knowing we had a good climb ahead of us up through bush, up through 445m, and then all the way back down to the swingbridge across the Mangatawhiri River, at which stage we would only be about 6km from SH2 - nearing civilisation again!

Today's GPS track is here. 

The first bit of the track, still in the Hunua Regional Park, was OK with some sections of boardwalk and some steps in places.  Then it was out of the Park!!

Nice track to start off with.

More bush-clad hills to climb today!!

But ... some small boardwalk sections ............

...... and, of course, the obligatory steps!

And some pleasant bush walking.

The track then turned into a usual tramping standard, so not fast, and to get to just past the swingbridge over the Mangatawhiri River (8 km), at the end of this bush section, took us a whole 4 hours!!!! That gives some idea of the terrain we were faced with for the bulk of this first section of the day's walk.  

Nearing the high point, we heard what we thought was machinery - assuming work on a trig or something.  What we found was a logging operation on the boundary of the bush.  We had to walk right past the back of the cable hauler in operation.  We had to shoot out into the logged area for a short while and it took a couple of checks to make sure we found the right place to re-enter the bush!!

We carried on up and then down until stopping just past the swingbridge, adjacent to farmland, for some lunch and a bit of a rest.

Warning, warning, (danger, danger) Will Robinson!!

Back into more familiar terrain!

And more.....

Chance for a photo-op!!

Belinda's cobweb clearing technique.

This is my approach to the cobwebs. They are a bit of a nuisance when they wrap around your eyes and nose. Sendin B in front doesn't help me - if only she were taller!!!

As you can see, the bush was more open in places.

Getting closer to the high point we came across a log hauler in operation. We had to walk right behind it.

The view northwest on the logged bit.

Looking west down onto farmland, with part of the logged area visible in the foreground.

Then it was back into the bush and some of the ever-present "roadblocks"!

And some steeper bits to keep you on your toes.

B found this funny little hollowed out trunk with a spider apparently living in the middle.

Getting closer to the bush margins.

Me heading across Mangatawhiri River on swingbridge.

B following along - looking happy to have finished the bush section??!!

From there it was out onto roads near what I believe (from Google) is the Dilworth School Rural Campus. Then it was 6 km or so on road, including a short stretch on SH2, before turning SW under the highway and onto the Mangatawhiri River track. 

This started of with 6 km of stopbank walking. This is OK walking except where it is heavily rutted by animals - as you can imagine there isn't much shelter on a hot day either!  All this area used to be wetlands and right at the end of this stretch there is a parcel of land owned by Fish and Game that shows what the original landscape was.

Dilworth Rural Campus ........

..... and some of the planting around it.

Our initial road walk ..........

....... with livestock in evidence again!!

Start of Mangatawhiri Track - we turned left and headed under the SH2 bridge you can just see to left of the photo.

Classic stopbank walking shot - lots of this.

Mangatawhiri River between the stopbanks. Swans and cygnets.

Plenty of farming activity with the drainage in place.

Archimedes Screw pump. Water taken from drained farmland side, on right, over the stopbank and into the river (out of shot to left).

Archimedes Screw close up.

Fish and Game wetland area - what it all looked like prior to drainage.

Fish and Game wetland.

After another couple of kms on road we had to head under SH1 to get on the west side into Mercer. Had a small brain fade here by trusting the gps track instead of (or as well as) reading the notes - so had about 400m of unnecessary road walking before discovering the track that took us under the road. From here we headed south down the side of SH1 - sometimes in scrubby grass/trees a little away from the road and sometimes right beside the highway.  In fact we eventually settled for walking most of it beside the highway!  

The only exciting thing here was that I almost stepped on a wasp nest right in the middle of the grassy track! Luckily I add been watching wasps (lots around) and noticed a congregation of them. No photos as I barracked pretty fast (!!) and suggested to B (following) that we took a small detour.

Pigeons under the highway bridge.

We squeezed under here!

Walking between river and highway - not much fun really!

So we chose this for the last little stretch into Mercer!!! Separated from 100kmh traffic by an Armco barrier!

Then the Armco ran out just by the northbound onramp from Mercer.

And now we join the mighty Waikato River for the first time, in Mercer.

Arrived in Mercer to book in at Podges Place - a small bar with motel attached. Sandra is famous for chasing down any TAers she sees and getting them to stop in - Podge also picks a few up as he is driving around in his truck! They offer free camping for TAers, which is really generous. B and I decided to shout ourselves a small motel unit - our justification was that we should support local businesses who support Te Araroa!!! We also needed to spend some time repairing B's pack.  Some webbing had frayed and one of the supporting rods was working lose - very uncomfortable.  We went back next door to the bar for a feed and a few beers / ginger beers. Sandra is larger than life and really lovely - the pizzas are superb and the size of the meals is old school. We couldn't eat everything but were stuffed completely full!  Our shrunken stomachs did suffer a bit of overload - especially mine as it also had to make room for a few beers along with all the other fat and carbos!!

Sandra was a lovely host. B didn't pour me a beer while behind there!!

This was taken the next morning - hence the roller door down over the actual pub part of the operation!!

All the patrons were very friendly and Sandra and Podge provide a great service for the TA.  If not for TA we would probably never have stopped in Mercer - it's just a reminder that there is so much of NZ that we miss out on as we zip through on the main highways. The motel unit was great and we got a good night's sleep - with no concerns about having to put the tent up and down!​