5 October 2007

East Tunnel Mouth Track

page 3

Over to the right, the track heads off uphill.

A collection of ferns hangs off a wet bank.

The track is narrow and surfaced in loose rock.

Great views are to be had on the way up from time to time.

There has been rain in the last few days and the track is still functioning as a drain, to some extent.

We sidle up the ridge.

Here and there it becomes very steep indeed, with steps around 500mm to negotiate, still with the same embedded loose rock which comes away under your feet with little pressure on your part.

For about 15 minutes each step becomes a separate task, with little energy or impulse left to pay attention to the surroundings. Finally we round a corner, and there, about 10 metres from the Scenic Drive, is the junction with the Peripatus Track

Now strictly speaking, the track ends here, but there are a number of pics taken along the road that really deserve to be here.

Clematis, the native kind, not the terrible Old Man's Beard that has killed off many areas of bush around the country.

Here's a rangiora about to burst its buds.

and here, right beside the main road, a native orchid shares a punga trunk with moss and rata.

Here is a kumeraho in flower

and a bush lawyer, some of its (edible) berries already formed but not yet ripe.

Tarseal forever, then Mountain Road and more tarseal, and finally, we are back at the van.