Totally Tamahunga
Sunday 12 November, 8.30am. Duration: 6.5 hours.
$64 - includes bus transport, and pizza lunch and drink at Leigh Sawmill Café.
Grade 5
Limited to 25

Please note all our walks start and finish at our base at Baxter St, Warkworth. Due to our Health & Safety requirements, we cannot accommodate meeting people at the walk location or dropping people off on the way back.

Experience views from the top of our local maunga (mountain).

Tramp to the summit of Tamahunga through regenerating native forest.

Starting at Omaha Valley Rd, this walk crosses farmland, climbing gently to the start of the bushline. We pass through nikau on our way and the gradient is sharp and steep. As we climb, the track is lined with hangehange and hardy makomako, which tend to thrive on forest margins. Puriri dominates the bush canopy, becoming larger and more sprawling as the trail winds its way up the mountain, their roots making excellent footholds.

On our way up we will learn about the local history and ecology, including conservation's pest, the stoat. We will pause to take in views across Omaha Valley. This track joins Te Araroa – The Long Pathway just before the summit.

Tamahunga is one of the highest points in the region and the historic site of Otamahua pa – an extensive complex that once sheltered 200 escaped Maori prisoners from Kawau Island. All that remains now is a grassy clearing and a wooden platform. Views from the top are wonderful.

From the summit we will head over to Rodney Rd, enjoying views to the north with the Hen and Chicken Islands. The bus will meet us and we will head for Leigh Sawmill Cafe for pizza and a beer! Yahoo!