The Tauranga Bridge Hike
Sometimes its good to get away, even if only for a couple of
hours.
Taking the Tauranga Bridge Track about 30 kilometres from
Opotiki takes about two hours and offers just enough hiking adventure to make
your Sunday feel purposeful.
With a French couch surfer and one flatmate we packed up and
headed onto the track which extends through the Waioeka Gorge for about two
hours, even at my fatty pace.
The track takes you out into the gorge along the Tauranga River
and at times you are able to walk through grasslands giving the feeling of
complete isolation even after just a few minutes.
The day we completed the hike was after some severe weather
events meaning plenty of water kept the river at its peak and mist on the hills
giving an adventurous feel to the day.
The trip starts with a picturesque walk across the old-timey
Tauranga Bridge, once the old access for farmers and loggers doing it rough in
the valley, which was resurrected in 1995 to accommodate travellers.
This loop trail presented a slight problem from the start
when we found the start of the trail submerged in water so a bit of
backtracking and we were on our way.
Flatmate who had completed the trail once before was sure
there was less water the first time.
On the trail home you need to ford the river which had
swelled some and the look of it feeding into the mighty Waioeka, stained brown
from torrential rain looked ominous.
But a quick test showed it was not so deep and a pass was
quick once boots were removed.
Continuing on back home the swollen river made for stunning
back drop even with a shirt soaked with sweat and burning lungs from yours
truly, it was still magnificent.
Just about done we had to ford the stream again with the
help of a rope, which once again made for wet shorts but was easily passable.
A great trip for all fitness levels but a great feeling of
being out in it despite the odd bit of litter on the trail.
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