Fathmandu

As we get further up, the track becomes even narrower. So much for that huge bloody bridge at the bottom.

We pause for a minute beside a largish pool which I suspect is a product of recent rain as much as anything else. Alice is in for dip.

Through a gap in the canopy we can see a tall kahikatea. These are some of the tallest trees in New Zealand with the largest something over 60m tall.

To the side, a cabbage tree hosts a swathe of rata. One hopes the rata becomes erect in its own right before the cabbage tree disappears, but I wouldn't put money on it.

Now this would have to be the strangest rewarewa I have ever seen. In fact, over the next twenty or thirty metres or so there are several more like it, with the leaves wildly deformed, forked and divided like no other rewarewa I've ever seen, but undeniably a rewarewa for all that.

Almost as if one of those hormone weedkillers has been used, and caused grotesque mutations in the young growth. They're also covered by a sooty mould of some sort. I shiver a little and pass on. Nothing else seems affected.

We emerge from the small tunnel at the top of the track. You can just see where we came in.

A small Kauri cone is lying on the track just in front. I look up to check out the parent tree. I had been so engrossed in what was in front of my feet I had not been looking anywhere else.

We emerge from the bush onto a large grassed area

and yes, we have finished the official track, but let's just take a bit of a wander around now we're here

Christian Rd heads off to the right

and around to the left is the filtration plant

We pass a generous toilet block on the right and the signs point on to a couple more tracks, neither of which I was expecting, though I had been looking for the Swanson Pipeline Track. It wasn't obvious, so maybe a better look next time, when I've driven in via Christian Rd.

A wire enclosure borders a huge circular pond divided into sections. A path goes up behind it and we head up for a closer look.

The East Tunnelmouth Track is right in front of us, its gate securely fastened. As a ratepayer, I'm not at all sure I approve this profligate use of padlocks.

We head around the side of the pool.

That fence is not kidding.

Back down, and we head along the East Tunnelmouth Track towards the Waitakere Tramline headquarters.

Opanuku Pipeline Track