Tunnels, Tracks and Matariki π
Into the Dark, Into the Light πΏ
Hello friends,
We stepped into a tunnel and came out the other side blinking.
That is, more or less, what June feels like.
Matariki is almost here, that quiet MΔori new year, the season of reflection, remembrance, and looking ahead, and it felt right to mark its approach by going somewhere that held its own kind of history. The Waiorongomai Valley near Te Aroha turned out to be exactly that place.
Gold mine tunnels cut through solid rock. A swingbridge over rushing water. Rusting machinery slowly being reclaimed by fern and moss. And four women walking through it, stopping often, talking about things that matter.
Most people drive past the turnoff without ever stopping. I hope this month's story changes that for a few of you.
There's also something new this month, something I've been wanting to try for a while. Read on.
β Sharon βοΈ
π₯Ύ ADVENTURE CORNER
Stories and tips from the trail to inspire your own journeys.
πΏ Reset and Recharge in the Waiorongomai Valley
Gold mine tunnels, hidden waterfalls, a swingbridge into the dark and a gas bottle that had its own ideas about finishing the day with a billy of tea.
The June Reset and Recharge Walk took us into the Waiorongomai Valley on a winter Sunday, right at the start of Matariki. It was one of those days where the place surprised everyone, including people who'd lived nearby for years and never once turned off the main road to explore it.
If you want to know what it's like to walk a trail that feels genuinely alive with history β and what happens when four women spend six hours in the winter bush together β this one's for you.
Sharon, Karen, Carlene and Lietta enjoying a quiet moment after hiking to the top of the May Queen Incline, Waiorongomai Heritage Walks, Kaimai Conservation Park πΏ
ποΈ Milford Track vs Routeburn vs Kepler: Which Great Walk Should You Choose?
One of the questions I get asked more than almost any other: which one should I do?
All three are spectacular. All three are in Fiordland. And they are surprisingly different walks. Having done all three, I've finally written the comparison I wish I'd had before I booked my first one β scenery, difficulty, logistics, cost, and the booking chaos that is Milford Track in peak season.
My verdict might surprise you.
Sharon on the Milford Track, Fiordland. New Zealand Great Walks ποΈ
π COMING UP
βοΈ FREEWHEELING FRIDAY
β Freewheeling Fridays β Walk, Talk & Coffee | This Friday, 19 June
This is something new and it's happening in just a few days so if it speaks to you, now is the moment.
Freewheeling Fridays is a women-only pop-up morning walk along the Te Awa River Trail at Lake Karapiro. 5km return, flat trail, relaxed pace. We walk, we talk, we finish with a well-earned hot drink at The Podium CafΓ©.
That's it. That's the whole plan. And sometimes that's exactly what a Friday morning needs.
π Grab your spot here
πΏ RESET AND RECHARGE WALKS
πΏ Reset and Recharge Walk β Lake Εkataina | Sunday 5 July
Matariki is almost upon us, that quiet MΔori new year, a season of reflection, remembrance, and looking ahead.
Julyβs Reset and Recharge Walk takes us into the ancient forests around Lake Εkataina, near Rotorua, one of the most beautiful and least visited lakes in the district. Old-growth bush draped in moss, hidden waterfalls threading between roots and rock, and a hidden lake called Rotongata Mirror Lake that has a way of reflecting more than just the sky.
I'll offer a few gentle prompts along the way to help you use this season to gain some clarity on where you are and where you want to go. Nothing heavy. Just nature doing what nature does, when you give it the chance.
"By taking time out for myself I can do more for myself and others when I get back."This. π The July walk is now OPEN
π± Until Next Month
π Thanks for being part of our community
Winter is the season most people just try to get through. But the valleys are alive with waterfalls and the forests are full of things worth noticing, if you stop long enough to look.
Come and walk with me.
Take good care out there.
Sharon βοΈ
π¬ Catch up on past newsletters below
Matariki is almost here and we marked its approach by walking into a gold mine tunnel in the Kaimai bush and coming out the other side changed.
This month: the Waiorongomai Valley story, the Great Walks comparison you've been asking for, a pop-up Friday morning walk at Karapiro, and the July Reset and Recharge Walk at Lake Εkataina.