Holiday Day 7: Sixth and final day on the Wangapeka Track

The 6th and final day of the long Wangapeka Track!

Today is only 10 kilometers to be traveled slowly and gently over descending terrain which after yesterday was a nice but what became quite quickly boring walk.

Looking forward to today’s nice flat walk

It is far more fun to be climbing up and over, and around large rock and tree falls than walking at full speed down a track like highway, the final day was like being back on a Great Walk.

Looking back up at the Little Wanganaui Saddle far in the distance which I crossed yesterday

There were large patches of today’s walk which were super easy and then there were other areas where there was rock and tree fall that required climbing up and down. It is easy to see how the track used to be quick and easy but because of the cyclone in 2014 the track has been covered over in places and not being cleared.

Julianne cruising down today’s walking highway.

At 12 we almost stopped for lunch, which was going to be left over wheet-bix and I decided to keep going instead all the way to the farm home-stay we are staying at – and what a great decision that was.

Weka visitor during a rest break

We walked out of the Wangapeka Track at around 12.30, but then we had to head down the road for an extra several kilometers. After 6 days of tramping I was quite ready to stop and rest and the last two kilometers just seemed to go on and on and on especially as I was getting quite hungry but just after 1pm we arrived at the wonderful Atawhau Farm and the couple who own the place were just putting on lunch and we could join in – talk about great timing and what a lunch – omelette, toast and salad made from their own garden, much better than wheet-bix eaten on the track.

The farm-stay is a 2 bedroom home, with the owners in one room and us in another, which was quite unusual but they are very friendly and it’s so nice to do nothing but relax after 6 days of walking. The afternoon was spent reading and playing games and for dinner they cooked a roast chicken with roast potato’s one of my all time favorite meals and so much better than tramping food and no work required just turn up and eat.

6 days later, the end of the Wangapeka Track!