700ha of native bush offers trails for all

Waitahinga Dam is a peaceful spot. PHOTO/LAUREL STOWELL

The emerald waters of Waitahinga Dam emerge out of dense bush and make a gorgeous destination for walkers of Wanganui's Waitahinga Trails.

The trails are on 700ha owned by Wanganui District Council. The land is mainly regenerating bush, with a few enormous old rimu trees and a cleared area planted in pruned pines.

The trails, about six hours' walking in all, were made by Wanganui Tramping Club volunteers. They are clearly marked and signposted, and their brochure is available at Wanganui's information centre in Taupo Quay.

They are reached from Rangitatau East Rd, then Junction Rd which turns off 12km inland from Bushy Park. They start about 1km up that road, with a marked car park.

The trails opened in May last year but were closed during winter for goat culling. They have been well used, Wanganui Tramping Club member Dorothy Symes said. There's no counter on them, but wear on the tracks and people's stories bear her out.

Getting to the start of the trails means driving high into the hills on the fringe of the Waitotara Conservation Area.

The best-used trail, judging by footprints, is the Chicken Run, a 40-minute circuit to two high viewpoints. On a clear day visitors will see Mt Taranaki from the western one, then Mt Ruapehu from the eastern one.

In between are layer on layer of hills stretching to the north, mainly covered with either native bush or radiata pines.

The longest trail goes downhill instead. It's a loop track to the dam, down one ridge and then back up another. The bush and the slopes are varied, but mainly easy. Occasionally there is the sniff or the sight of a wild goat.

The arrows that mark the path need to be faithfully followed - because the ridge lines are not clear. Sometimes the path takes unexpected directions, and it would be easy to get lost. Occasionally there is a view beyond the trees on all sides, out to cleared farm land.

The track descends into a damp, V-shaped valley just before reaching the dam.

It was built in 1904, made higher in 1926 and provided water to the city of Wanganui. It hasn't been used since 1990, but the concrete structure still holds back deep green water at a point where two valleys meet. It's slightly spooky and eerily silent, except for the water spilling down the lower side.

After enjoying that destination it's back up, with possible trail variations, to the car park.