17 June 2007

South Bethells

page 5

For a while it's back to climbing again,

It's nothing too demanding, and as we move further inland, the vegetation begins to feature more ferns and generally become lusher.

We reach a three way junction. To the right, the track continues to join the Houghton Track, the Wainamu Bush Track and Smythe's Ridge Rd, and on to the Cascades, the Waitakere Dam and so on and on. To the left is our route, back down to the car at the Bethells carpark.

As we descend, we are indeed in a more sheltered and lush type of bush, with a few bigger trees starting to be evident.

Down to the right is Lake Kawaupaka and we know there is a track down to it somewhere along here.

When we reach it, it has a definite air about it of a road less travelled, but we decide to check it out anyhow. (I knew there was some Frost about this morning.)

Here's a tall clump of what I believe to be Gahnia - a sedge that, according to Alan Esler, was part of the construction fibre for the early Maori whare.

Ahead of us is a gate which we head through.

On the other side of this, the track becomes far less defined.

Over to the right is a construction we can only assume to be for the purposes of water collection, though it may well have served as a shelter for a campsite as well. The tank serves a small cattle trough, just behind it.

Up ahead it's looking less inviting.

Dan heads through, and I, in my bare legs and shorts, follow delicately.

It's more of a walking track than a 4WD track now.

and we emerge at another gate. This area looks as if it had once been prepared for subdividing. There are newish fences, and posts for new fences, and more gates than are strictly necessary. It's all a bit overgrown at present.

Someone's been up recently, however.

and there are fresh vehicle tracks on the other side. A fallen vine of supplejack may well have been dragged down by a passing vehicle.

The track is bordered by hound's tongue fern and shining spleenwort.

and somebody here has obviously imported a few bits of rubble to patch a biggish bump in the road. Not in the "real" 4WD spirit, mind.

The lake is just below.

As we approach the lake, kowhai become more common.

Just along here, the 4WD track joins another which heads back down towards the beach. This one did not figure on our topo maps. We had intended to head back up to the main track and down from there. but this promises a shorter way out.

Visitors by permission only! Oh, dear...

The lake is beautiful. There are beatup long boards tucked behind a flaxbush and a rope swing for the kids.

Dan is in paradise

We enjoy it all for a spell, and then head back up to the track junction.

The well travelled road we head down takes us into a small enclosure which looks as if it was built with horses in mind,

on past some beehives

and into somebody's back yard. A couple of slightly surprised-looking ladies look up as we come down the track, and we stop to explain ourselves. Dan asks about Alice Woodward, and I introduce myself and Alice. One of the ladies believes she was connected with the Bethells.

With post facto permission, we continue past another house and out onto the private access road. There is a wonderful gully full of pampas, visually, if not environmentally, pleasing.

We're back onto public road, and there, just ahead is the van.

The fridge has cold beer and a can of Coke. We put these away, and it's homeward bound. Miranda has a fire going when we arrive. It will be another cold night. Her lady is still overdue, but obliges shortly after midnight. We go walking on Monday afternoon instead.