So, today was going to be our first hike since we arrived here in the country. We had looked at the map of the forest hiking options that we picked up yesterday and had decided out of the six routes available that we would chose the longest one, which was an eight hour ´full day´s´walk. So, out came our hiking boots, waterproof clothing (just incase as we have been told that the weather here can change dramatically at times) and a picnic lunch…and we were off.
All six walks in the forest start at the Visitors Centre and cater for beginners & leisure walkers through to hikers looking for an extra challenge. Our hike seemed to fall in to the latter category as we were going to be doing the `Whakarewarewa Circuit´, which would take us through the Redwood trees before leading us to both the Blue and Green Lakes at the far side of the forest, and then a meandering track would bring us back to the start again. Whakarewarewa Forest is also famed for its extensive mountain biking tracks too, which are evident on either sides of the hiking trails with entry and exit points on either side as you walk. There are also tracks for horse trekking.
So, at 9am we entered into the forest, which at that time of the morning was still in semi darkness, housing the smell of damp earth and tree bark. As we walked through the Redwoods the ground felt spongy as we were walking on old, brown, fallen pine needles. Shards of sunlight broke through the tree canopy towering metres above our heads. There were a few crickets chirping, but aside from that, it was so quiet. We made our way along the track following the black arrows signaling our route. It lead us to the start of an uphill climb, through ground shrubs, smaller trees and the giant Redwoods. The track became quite steep, with some wooden steps dug into the ground to assist us up to the 520 metre summit of the trail. We had views through the trees and undergrowth back towards Rotorua and its lake. There were very few flowers as it is now autumn here, so the only splashes of colour came from bright coloured berries. From here we walked onwards up and down hillsides, on narrow forest tracks which at times was slippy underfoot due to the well trodden soil. After about two and half hours, we headed downhill towards the shore of Blue Lake (Tikitapu). The lake is good for boating and swimming, with a track that you can follow around it. The water is extremely calm and clear. We followed our track towards its neighbour, Green Lake (Rotokakahi). This lake is ´tapu´, meaning sacred in Maori, so it is off limits to all recreational activities. Both lakes were surrounded by forested hills, made up of both fern trees and pine trees. Green Lake also had a family of black swans, distinguished not only by their black feathers but by their, white tipped, bright red beak.
Here we stopped to have our picnic after a nice fairly leisurely walk up until this point. Here we noticed that we were only about half way thorough the route, and so we had better pick up the pace! (3.30pm). The track then took us onto a gravel road, used by forestry vehicles, before again turning steeply upwards back through the forest. By this time, we realized that the meandering track on the map was going to take us further uphill before descending back downwards towards the Visitors Centre, and that the distances were actually much further than anticipated. So we really started marching as we were concerned that it was due to start getting dark in around 3 hours. Luckily, as these trails are so well organized, there are drinking spouts along the way, feeding natural spring water to the weary hikers and bikers, so we did have refreshments as we hiked.
And gosh, did we hike! up steep hillsides with soil and rock under our boots, to skiddy slopes of loose stones, again and again. By this time our feet and ankles were beginning to hurt as we descended out of the forest to the tarmac and gravel road that would gradually lead us back to our start. I must say, we limped back to the car, as the 8 hour walk had actually taken us seven and a half hours of hard hiking, accompanied by two and half hours of photo taking and picnic eating, so we got back to the car at 7pm!
All In all though, it is an amazing trail, taking you through Redwood forests, hilltops covered in pine trees, to darker floors with shrubs and ferns where only a splattering of sunlight manages to reach you, to the glistening shores of two beautiful lakes. One thing we should remember in future is that whilst we have used guidebooks and hiking routes before, (finishing them far sooner than they have stated), the terrain here is much different and everything is much further than expected
So after driving back, we rolled out of the car and headed straight for the thermal hot pool available here. Forget the smell of bad eggs, the super hot water was such a relief to our weary feet and limbs, and then, after a cooler invigorating shower we were left feeling slightly less aching and broken than before