Pohangina Weekend – 4th – 7th February 2022

Six of us gathered for this weekend at The Pohangina Base Camp for a weekend of walking. The weather forecast was not promising but it was a glorious hot day on Friday. This camp is a really comfortable base for exploring the Irongates Experience which covers the Manawatu Scenic Circle but it is relatively remote and requires driving some distances.

Jeannine and I did a 30 minute Kahikatea Walk just down the road. The trees were massive in there.

Saturday was overcast and we set off past Apiti to walk the Stoats Trap Track (Moderate), which included a scramble down a very steep hill to the Irongates Gorge, returning back to the main track and up to Alice Nash Hut (Easy), a lovely walk through very old bush. We then drove 30 minutes to Mangahuia Wetlands (Easy) in Rangiwahia and walked around the wetlands. The rain arrived just as we got back to our cars. It was amazing countryside with lots of papa cliffs.

There was no walking Sunday as the rain didn’t let up but 3 caffeine deprived ladies made a 100km round trip (just as much driving as the previous day) to get a coffee in Palmerston North. We them embarked on playing cards and solving puzzles.

Judith O’Leary