Stats: Standards: Distance 12.8km, Vertical ascent 424m, Time 4hrs 25min
  Alternatives: Distance  11.27km, Vertical ascent 434m, Time 4hrs 18min

Being the last to get on the bus, maybe arriving at 8.31am, I was immediately seconded as today’s diary writer, I think as a reaction for my lateness? Passing down the bus and looking for a safe refuge, I sat myself next to Gary and after chatting for a while he told me he was on the weather team for this outing. Looking out the bus window one could observe the precarious state of the weather with dark clouds overhead, but the call had been made for the green light to proceed with the potential promise of the weather clearing in the afternoon. A little later in our conversation Gary mentioned the possibility of rain for about an hour around lunch time and so it proved that Gary was really on-to-it.

In the interim vice president Bev took the microphone, possibly for the first time, to welcome us all, introduce our visitors, and to inform us of the 2 leadership teams, which she did, I think, with great aplomb.

The welcome at Tiromoana car park, arriving around 10am, was punctuated by a fair amount of dampness underfoot with various trampers deciding to wear their raincoats from square one but with me choosing 3 layers with my polar fleece on top. However, trampers tumbled out of the bus with their usual enthusiasm as if it was a lovely summer’s day and Wendy was the standard’s leader and after a short walk down the starting path, we were directed to pass through a deer fence gate, this built suspended into the fence and so requiring us to step through it: feet up, heads down, and backpacks off, 20 standards followed by 19 alternatives! We proceeded along a wettish grass path, the Te Ara Tawhai track, mainly descending to our tea and biscuit break at the look-out, this affording good views of the surrounding areas but being aware that our destination included the further off coastline with the need to get there but not before climbing Ella Peak. According to the map, this peak has an elevation of 346m and takes 50min return but helped by the fact that we could leave our bags to be picked up when returning down the same track.

The alternates also commenced this climb, but their leader Leonie led us to the Te Ara Kānuka track and as the name suggests it was a large stand of kānukas. The track weaved between the bush and soon we met up with the main walkway. A nice diversion from the usual track. During the walk down the road to the ford we passed a paddock of plants with a very strong smell, this turned out to be fennel and some members remarked it smelt like curry powder.

Upon returning to our discarded backpacks some decided to again put on their raincoats as rain was in the air but with me taking the gambol it would stop and so stuck with my polar fleece option. However, my unusual optimism proved to be unfounded, so after about 20min of walking in fairly light rain decided to put on my raincoat which proved just as well as Gary’s anticipated hour of rain more or less eventuated as we proceeded our descent to our coast line lunch stop when thankfully it stopped raining and we precariously seated ourselves on various log debris to eat our lunch in the presence of a cool breeze and noting that Norma in her usual organised manner was sitting comfortably under her umbrella already enjoying her picnic!

Our return via Tirimoana Track passed a conveniently situated portaloo and the nearby farm and can be described in simple terms as “uphill”! But the track took us through a lovely, forested area where we passed various fantails which entertained us with their hovering aerobatics and song.  The walk up the hill to the bus was completed without trouble, the standards uniting with alternatives, but no one was worried and just happy to be back at the bus.

For my money the weather team made the right call as we had all dried out by the time we got to the bus, roughly at 2pm. We all had a great day!

Keith L & Ray B    

Nice to sit down.

Red fungi make a show.

Packing up after lunch among the debris.

Time for jackets again.

Ella Peak summit.