Grandparents' and aunty's trip
This article was first published in Tararua Tramper in May 2025, pp.18-19
Grandparents’ trip to Waerenga Hut
15 - 16 April 2025
‘There’s another rimu tree granddad!’ The clarity of a young voice could be heard along the Five Mile Track from Catchpool to the Ōrongorongo Valley. A six-year-old and three adults, one armed with the I Naturalist app to educate and lollies for reward, enjoyed a leisurely three-hour walk with a lunch stop at ‘the half-way mark’. It was the quarterly TTC Grandparents’ trip, rescheduled from the Holdsworth circuit because of incumbent weather to an overnight in Waerenga. The remaining twelve of the group, four adults and eight older children, slogged and sloshed their way up the Whakanui from Sunny Grove and descended to the Five Mile Track via McKerrow, each laden with good-sized packs. In the mild temperature, slight dampness filled the air spaces, and moisture and mud filled the immediate environs.
As the only ‘aunty’ on this trip and with the privileged position of ‘all care and no responsibility,’ I opted for the easy walk in. It was a trip down memory lane for me. The ‘TRACK CLOSED’ sign at the top of Jacob’s Ladder created some intrigue for the six-year- old whose granddad received a quizzical reminder from the alert younger generation.
Down in the valley, the river crossing was a paddle in bare feet for some, with barely enough water present to call it a river.
On arrival at Waerenga, my first impression was how the trees have grown, and how our building is losing light now. But inside was as welcoming as ever, and we soon had a fire going and water boiling for hot drinks. With the others' arrival, bed spaces were claimed, later to be rearranged, and a tent set up outside. The children disappeared up Browns stream to create their whare and as evening drew near, dehydrated meals were set hydrating and food prep accompanied the general social merriment. Kids having fun together on a tramping trip is a heartful reminder of what’s important in life.
Minimal lighting proved more than adequate as we cooked, ate and socialised before bedtime. A portable solar light illuminated the central table with a cluster of candles providing a warm ambiance, while head torches served well over the kitchen bench. Lights-out at eight-thirty offered plenty of time to rest. The night passed with no apparent snoring, no rodents scurrying along the open beams or possums leaping onto the sink outside in search of food remains. No one stepped on the children who had opted to sprawl on the floor, the person sleeping under the table managed to avoid banging his head, the adult on the window squabs didn’t fall off, and the adult on the deck said he had a cosy night despite his narrow bedroll, as did the two adults in their tent a comfortable distance away. Well rested, we enjoyed breakfasts that suited an array of tastes, from bacon and eggs with croissants to muesli, porridge or cereal. The weather had improved so most of the group set out on an exploration up Brown’s stream and yonder on the true right. Navigation followed blue markers and led to some scrambling and significant elevation up a tributary. The children handled the off-track travel with exuberance and as we headed back, we came across a couple of well-kept private huts. Firewood was collected before our return to Waerenga for lunch and a clean- up. Many managed to avoid using the ‘Thunderbox,’ as it was affectionately once called, and some are hopeful that there will, one day, be a significant upgrade.
As we all walked out the Five Mile with a stop at the ‘elephant tree’ for a photo shoot, we met many other families heading in for their time together in the bush. A six-year old’s enthusiasm, the older children’s initiatives and the adults’ patience highlighted the simple joys of being together in nature.
Helen Foo with Harry and Eddie Foo, Jim Gibbons with Jack and Ella Gibbons, Jane-Pyar Mautner (scribe), Chris and Peggy Munn with Zach Munn, Lynne and Warren White with Phoebe and Flossie Bisley and Finn and Cato Fraser.