So today is the 1st day of June & is the official start of winter according to meteorologists, but apart from some drizzle initially, it turned out very mild, so it didn't feel like winter at all!  25 woppers arrived at Orakei Bay Village by various means of transport - car, bike & bus. Some of us bused in from the North Shore & got the Rail Bus from the city as the Eastern Line is undergoing an upgrade & it was not as onerous as I thought it would be. A very warm welcome also to new woppers who came today.

This morning, led by Kirsten we headed off around the Hobson Bay walkway & had morning tea at Wilsons Beach. An historical area & it was popular for swimming, boating etc with regattas held from mid 1880's. We retraced our steps back along the boardwalk & crossed over to the Orakei Basin area. Orakei Basin is one of the volcanoes in the Auckland Volcanic field & we followed the walkway around the edge of the basin & over the bridge looking down on parts of Purewa Cemetery. This is a corridor that continues all the way to Glen Innes. We turned off into the beautiful Kepa Bush reserve which lies on the slopes of Purewa creek that flows past Orakei Basin into Hobson Bay, it encompasses 13.6 hectares. So, this is where our boots, gaiters & poles came in handy. Lots of glorious mud & we squelched our way along hugging a track (of sorts at times) by the Purewa creek eventually climbing up & looping back around & down passing the very old large Kohekohe tree with its viewing platform.  The real muddy part was only down by the creek with the rest of the track in fairly good condition considering the Auckland weather this year.We had lunch in an amphitheatre area with more Kohekohe trees, some in flower (see pics).  The Kohekohe tree has its flowers sprouting from the trunk & branches. Heading back along the same slippery muddy path we encountered a large group of Selwyn College students. As you can imagine, very noisy, all holding onto a rope & slipping & sliding their way around, a lot barefoot! We stepped aside & waited till they had all passed.

Then back along the long pathway with its views back to the city & trainline. Some continued on around the basin lagoon walkway while others headed back over the bridge to bus back to the city. An enjoyable walk Kirsten & many thanks. So ladies for those missing the mud & need a mud fix go no further than Kepa Bush!

Colleen W.

Click here to see photos by Colleen