From this point you have a choice. If you've done enough walking for now, hang a right and you're onto a quad bike shortcut back to Selwyn Rd, about 150m north of the entrance to the nature reserve, and from there to the car park is the way you came in.
Otherwise, hang a left and follow the curve of the track about 20m to where the Long Loop Track branches off to the left, not that the sign is excessively informative. Leave Rangatira Beach for another day.
Continue around to the right where you are faced about 50 m further on with three possible choices of route. Keep to the left. The dog has the correct bearing.
The right hand two both take you back to Selwyn Rd.
Miranda is signalling to the weather people for a little more cloud.
There's another tree across the track, and the chainsaw chappie hasn't got this far. Never mind it's easy to walk around.
The landscape along here is a strange mix of pines and natives, as if to say that fences do not define either. Clematis smothers the tops of a number of trees. We are probably as close to sea level as we are going to get on this trip, and up is the way to go. The track is broad and sandy. The chances of meeting a horse and rider, or several, along here are good.
Just beyond is a stiffish hill climb, easier when it's been raining as the sand is firmer.
Come on. Let's run up!
At the top, there is another shortcut back down to Selwyn Rd, and the path continues on uphill for a way. It is mostly sand
with occasional outcroppings of clay.
We reach the top of the path and head downhill briefly for a hundred metres or so, passing on the left a small swampy area which is rarely dry, even in mid-late summer. I imagine there's a spring nearby, but it still seems strange this near the top of the hill, in sandy clay. Babe likes a swim around now.
About 50 metres from here on the left is a stile, and about ten metres the other side is a lookout complete with benches for sitting on. It's our favourite cuppa stop.
The sign pointing to it has been vandalised. I figure, if you can reach it on motorised wheels, it will be vandalised. If you have to walk at least 5 minutes to get to it, it's reasonably safe. It's a pedestrian thing.
The view from here (sitting down) is always marvellous. The camera disagrees. It is supersensitive to ocean mist and the light diffused from it, and won't take good pictures.
This is about as good as it gets. Babe isn't much into vistas and swiftly locates a shady spot for a kip.
