This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 96, no 7, August 2024
A journey of bumps and misguided navigation South Mangaone Road end to Hadfield Road MF
Wednesday 12 June
The promo for this day trip included the words ‘off-track and navigationally challenging’. Five adventurous club members responded to the opportunity.
Approaching the date of minimal daylight hours, we were walking from the South Mangaone road end just after 0800. About halfway along the Mangaone Walkway, just past the wooden gate, we went off-track in a generally north-west direction, ascending 260m up an easily travelled spur. Quite dramatically, the topography levels off (comparatively). The biggest grunt of the day was done and we had morning tea in calm conditions.
We then headed west towards our first defined bump of the day, point 466, but by no means was it a straight-line approach. Gently rolling terrain and challenging vegetation ensured there were attentive eyes seeking the occasional markers I had placed during a previous investigation across this landscape. From that point we headed roughly north-west down into a saddle and up a steepish incline to our next bump. There was an aluminium plaque identifying it as Brown Knob (520m +/-). Leaving that bump, we headed just north of west to another bump before making a significant direction change to the south-west to get around a headwater gully on our way to bump 546 (the high elevation of the day).
After passing over bump 546 our direction of travel turned to slightly north of west; and then quickly changed again to almost north. It was here that we stopped for lunch in sun-dappled, calm conditions. We had just begun our post-lunch travel when we encountered a contract hunter and dog, who were targeting goats. We were able to advise him that we had smelled and sighted goats near bump 546.
Shortly after that interaction, the leader's presumptive navigation ability got left behind. Someone pointed out that the sun was in the wrong position relative to our intended direction of travel. Communal conversation and referencing devices soon had us connecting with the remnant of a logging road that the leader was familiar with. Once on that feature it was an easily followed footpad in a west of north direction to bump 530.
Getting to bump 530 from where we left the Mangaone Walkway, our travel included crossing broad and rolling terrain between two western tributaries of the Waikanae River. It has footpads that are not clearly defined and are probably used more by animals than humans linking minor bumps.
From bump 530, conversation, complacency and thick crown ferns contributed to the leader embarrassing himself yet again as he led the party down an incorrect remnant logging road. A sixty-metre vertical correction was required. Once back on the correct footpad it was a straightforward ramble to connect with a currently used bush road, passing in the shadow of bump 508 and hence to the crest of the hills overlooking the Kāpiti coastal plain for respite in the low afternoon sun. After passing below bump 540 it was less than an hour's downhill plod to end an eight-hour day at Hadfield Road.
Thanks to Tricia French for both morning and afternoon shuttle assistance which made the day a smoothly integrated adventure.
- Party members
- Bill Allcock (leader and scribe), Robyn Chesterfield, Colin Cook, Leonore Hoke, David McNabb, Sieny Pollard.