Walk 2 - Goldie Track

So a new year, a new walk, a spot we've never been. The book described the walk as an 'adventure' surely a good idea. It was to involve lots of stream crossings and was for 'experienced' trampers. Don't really consider myself one of those, but Adam has the confidence for the two of use. The choice of footwear was a dilemma but we went for the walking sandal thingies. In retrospect probably the right choice. Though what is needed for this walk is transforming footwear that morphs between boot and sandal depending on what you need. Boots would have been good for the mud, you see there was a lot of mud. Squelchy sloppy type of mud, some pools of muddy water and some holes of mud that you just loose your leg in.
The first part of the walk along the Goldie Track walkway was OK, downhill mainly and fairly muddy, slipping a bit here and there but helped considerably by the large stick Adam gathered for me. Now while I may have thought I was in Gandalf mode as made my way through the middle earth/prehistoric walkway I do think I am much more in the hobbit range, small, round and mainly cowardly, but with faith in my friends - or in this case Adam the saviour.
We get to the Mokoroa stream and then it's up the stream path. Simple. The sign does warn you and the fist bit of clambering over the boulders scared me to be honest, but the stick was doing a grand job and I managed the first few crossings OK. In fact I started really enjoying the crossings, the stream was not in full force and it was walkable. The climbs in and out of  the stream back to the path where another matter and to say I got muddy was an understatement. Why did those we pass manage to not look as muddy.

Careful now

Struggling a bit here

Just a little mud

After the fall

All worth it at Mokoroa Falls

Getting in close to that waterfall - hell I'm soaked anyway and covered in mud

Mokoroa Falls

The path was a bit narrow at times, and remember there was a lot of mud and it was sloppy. So I lost my foot down a hole, quite funny, then a few minutes later, take a real slide and end up in said stream. Adam heard a little cry a loud splash then after walking back towards me saw a foot. My macpac rucksack stood up very well, I laughed a lot. It was a good spot to fall in, not a long drop and not many rocks around. Now I have done the mud with full effect. I am caked in it and wet. On we go.
Not much further and to be fair the last ten minutes or so of the path I'd had enough of the mud and trying to keep my balance on a narrow path.
Then we get to the Mokoroa waterfalls and everything we've walked through fades from my mind. It was lovely. Just lovely. I walked as close as could. Lovely.
A snack in the sun, wash the mud off my face and some drying in the sun time, then it was a quick, disturbingly enjoyable uphill walk back to the car park. Stick and all.
Photos by Adam.
Happy New Year to you, a year of adventure I wish for us all.