Additional - Okura Walkway - Ara Weiti entrance

Saturday 28th December 2019.

So who thought that the Okura Walkway was still closed!?   
Good news, most of the Okura Walkway is open, but from a new entrance, from Ara Weiti Road, Okura!  

We will meet at the large gravel carpark on the left, about 3kms down Ara Weiti Road, just before the big stone wall entrance to the private housing development.  

Initially we walk through a flattish grove of very tall Gum trees and arrive at the very familiar big red barn and historic Dacre Cottage and Karapiro Bay with many rare, native water birds.  

As it's high tide at 9.46am, we'll head north up and over the shaded headland bush track with spectacular views across the bay and many extremely large trees along the way.   
Dropping down to the bay working our way around the foreshore past the Dotterall's on our way to Stillwater, for a slightly early lunch.  After lunch we will back track a little, now with the tide going out we should be able to walk further down on the wet sands around the base of the headland, heading south past the cottage, we will stay on the foreshore around to a large shell bank up Okura River, before returning along the foreshore to the cars.  

Cruisey 3.5 - 4 hour tramp at most.  

This will be a scenic tramp, so bring a camera and phone.  Although there is a beach there, on the outgoing tide, too shallow for swimming.  We may go for a swim elsewhere afterwards, for those keen.  

We'll set off at 9.30am to enjoy our new variation of a club favourite tramp, so please be there 15 minutes or so before as usual.  

****PLEASE ensure that all your gear is clean before the tramp.  Although we are not entering the tracks at the southern end (Haigh Access Road due to Kauri Dieback closures), there is dieback in the area that we do not want to spread with a tiny speck of dirt.   Please bring clean shoes for afterwards.  

Trail or running shoes would be ideal.  As we're walking low tide, salt water is not good for leather tramping boots.  


PLEASE NOTE LATER THAN USUAL START TIME, TO WORK IN WITH THE TIDES.  

No bus today!

Organiser: Imogen 027 289 8440 (no text please newbies)

Cost:  FREE

Maps   Online / Printable / GPS

To access the printable maps, download the zipped file, and either:

·         open the zipped file, then drag the files to a new location OR

·         press and hold (or right-click) the zipped file, select Extract All, and then follow the instructions