Fairy Falls Track

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This one is a newie on me. I suspect it might be a kaikomako, but I've only ever seen pictures of these. The coarse serration at the ends of the leaves is the most obvious sign but I'll wait for a confirmation. It might also be Alseuosmia banksii, the northern karapapa.

I still have trouble distinguishing pate (Schefflera digitata) from five finger (Pseudopanax arborea). I think this is the Schefflera, but what I do find along the way is a juvenile form of Schefflera which J.T. Salmon mentions is found only in the northern North Island, I have seen this on the Bridal Veil Falls track near Arthurs Pass, so it might have a wider distribution than previously imagined.

There's a nice little makomako on the side of the track, the serrations on its leaves suggesting an origin for its name. It's called wineberry, but only in the South Island this year at the Franz Josph glacier, did I see my first makomako in berry. There was a huge tree in a patch of bush near my childhood home, but never a berry year in or out.

One of the things I like about the Waitakeres is their capacity to surprise you, in the middle of rejuvenating bush, with some real old biggies every now and again.

As the track descends it wears an increasing load of water and in places begins to scour near the bottom of the track. Even so, there is enough gravel remaining to prevent it becoming too slippery,

though even gravel is hard put to resist a flooding stream.

This area remains tricky some six months later. No maintenance has been done here, though it could well use it.

There are some areas where the ferns are simply luxuriant.

and on the way back up the track Miranda catches a wonderful punga against the sky.

As we near the bottom of the track we meet our first stream crossing.

I get wetter feet than Miranda as I'm not agile enough for the long strides on a potentially slippery rock. And a useful thing to remember: even if the rocks are apparently not slippery, the bottom of your boots may well have a coating of clay on them. I'm thankful all over again to have my hiking poles.

photo by miranda woodward

photo by miranda woodward

You pushed me!

For the next little while the track continues beside the stream with some evidence from flattened ferns that the water has recently been up to a metre higher.

There are several more crossings,

and one point where the track is formed on the same hard base rock that forms the bed of the stream.

photo by miranda woodward

At one point a huge old log juts out across the stream capped by a wonderful patch of kidney ferns

photo by miranda woodward

The occasional rockpool throws back a brilliant reflection. I didn't even notice this until I was editing my pictures afterwards.