Tag: William Pike

Lake Daniells Poem

We had the opportunity to participate in an overnight tramp for William Pike! I really enjoyed the experience, it was so much fun.

 

Overnight in the Outdoors

 

Beautiful beech stretching up tall towards the clouds

Looking very similar indeed we all thought 

Packs on our backs tramping together

 

Walking across bridges, gravel and creeks 

Playing fun games to fill in the time,

like I Spy and guess who?

 

A balanced bench marked half way 

We cheered as loud as fireworks,

when It came into sight

Resting our legs we nibbled on snacks

and guzzled some water

 

Everybody chatted,

Then we continued our trek

Soon we could see Lake Daniell

Everyone was thrilled

Sprinting down the twisting trail

 

Reaching our destination well before tea

We unlaced our shoes and entered the hut

Manson Nicholls was its name,

because of three men who lost their lives there

 

The lake was so tempting

We put on our togs

And dashed toward the luring water

I stepped into the lake

 It was like a sheet of ice

 

Target practice with slingshots followed,

creating utter chaos throughout the forest

Molly hit a bullseye and I was close

 

The dads chopped rounds of firewood,

Which we carefully loaded into the woodshed 

A tiny mouse was hiding in a tree stump

Poking its face through the gaps

 

We started making our meal

Which seemed to take as long as a century

The sausages were fantastic

A ten out of ten 

 

The sun was disappearing 

Ms Kemp took us outside into the woods

We told stories, 

Either scary or funny

 

Mine wasn’t great

But Ms Kemps was a cracker

We all walked back towards the hut

Shivers moved down my spine because of the stories

 

Climbing into my snuggly sleeping bag

I tried to fall asleep

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

Someone was knocking on the window

“Dad!” Pippa yelled

 

We awoke the next morning and started breakfast

Pancakes and bacon were top of the list

We cleaned the hut and said our goodbyes

Then set off back towards the cars

 

We talked and talked the whole way back

Light drizzle started to fall 

We reached the bench 

Sliding into our rain jackets

To keep out of the wet

 

We crossed the sluice box 

We were nearly done

The cars were in view 

We kept moving forward bit by bit

We had made it

 

-Emma

Callaghan’s Ridge

Callaghans Ridge

 

Rain drops covered the windows, this was the start of a wet adventure! On Wednesday 28th September Ruma Waru once again set off on a William Pike outing. Meeting in Ruma Waru we checked our gear, collected some essential supplies for bivvy building and were reminded of our car groups. Mum and I had Lucy and Aden in our car. We piled in and set off towards Dillmanstown, where we would then go down a road to the start of the track. Along a bumpy gravel road we drove turning a few corners on the way until we finally turned up at a big sign. Most cars pulled onto the side of the road to let their kids out because of the lack of space in the carpark. Our car was one of them. The rain was pouring as we climbed out of the vehicle.

 

Everybody hopped out and we waited at the sign for our teacher Ms Kemp and her car group. Once they arrived we walked to the carpark while the other adults did a car shuffle to the other end of the track, so there would be vehicles there when we arrived. We then got into our checklist groups, my group was Lucy, Charlotte and I. We were the dream team. We ticked off heaps of things before starting the track! I was even kind enough to accidentally tell everyone where a rimu tree was. So was Ms Kemp who yelled out something like “there’s a kereru” this happened to be one of the items on our list, thanks Ms Kemp! Throughout that whole wait we were all getting drenched! Trees sheltered us a little and finally when the adults arrived including: Jo, Angus, Rachel, Laura and Luzanne, everyone soggily started the tramp around 9:30am.

 

Trying not to slip we trudged along the muddy track. Using the checklist soon became very difficult as the rain washed the whiteboard marker off. We found chicken wire on every bridge to help with stability but couldn’t exactly tick it off. There were many undulating parts throughout the track and everyone did great on the uphills and down. We kept going through the amazing bush filled with terrific trees and raging rain. Mum was at the very front and a big line of children followed. We stopped quite a few times to let everybody catch up and to make sure everyone was alright, also to have a snack, then kept moving. 

 

After a few soggy hours we arrived at our lunch spot. I was so glad it was lunch time. We got all of our bivvy equipment out, this was some rope, a pocket knife and tarpaulin. My group, which consisted of Lucy, Charlotte, Hayley, Mum and I found the perfect spot and started building our bivvy. We tied the tarpaulin to some surrounding trees with rope and that was it, our bivvy was complete. We scattered underneath the bivvy and unpacked our lunches. Suddenly an awful smell filled my nostrils “ that’s stink wood” mum said and she was right we had built our bivvy right beside a stink wood plant, ew! We ate our lunches in our bivvy out of that annoying rain. Soon enough the yell came for us to pack up our lunch and bivvy. So down came the bivvy’s and off we went. 

 

It was pretty much downhill from there and I was really glad! I was nearer the back tramping down the hill. We talked and laughed and had a great time. Lucy and I and some others jumped in all the puddles and all sections of water flowing down the track completely forgetting about the challenge to keep our feet dry. Splash! Along the way I slipped over on a very slippery log, ouch! And then behind me Hayley did the exact same thing. Such an annoying log! We continued until another sign was in view. 

 

Everyone posed for a quick photo and video then we kept going. The track turned into a bit of a four wheel drive track for the last part of the walk. Lucy and I were splashing in all the puddles we could and had so much fun. Soon enough we popped out of the track into the Goldsborough car park and sheltered ourselves in the information shelter. When all the children and parent helpers had arrived at the car park, the kids whose cars were there hopped in and headed off, while everyone else waited for the car shuffle to happen again. Heading back to town was definitely cold and wet but mum cranked up the heater and we drove home, first dropping Lucy off at around 2:30pm then picking Aden’s things up from school and dropping him off. Everybody was looking forward to a nice warm shower!

William Pike Bike Ride No. 2

Bike Ride

 

On Friday the 16th of September Ruma Waru and some parent helpers including: Glen (my Dad), Seamus, Tracey, Jack and Laura set off to the Mananui Tramline and Hurunui Jacks trails. The drive to the start was great! Casey and Lucy came in a vehicle with Dad and I and we ended up taking six bikes which was crazy awesome. We finally arrived at the start, helped get our bikes off the vehicles and set off for an adventure around 9:45am. Karmi and I were biking buddies, which meant that we biked along the trail together. There was such beautiful bird call and lovely scenery along the way including grass green towering trees and blue skies. We kept going until we reached the car park where we had a much needed snack and of course a good chat. We turned back, heading to the vehicles again having a quick walk to Lake Mahinapua which was a great stretch for the legs.

 

Stashing our bikes on the side of the trail we headed to the lake along the bumpy rugged track. Through the trees the lake was in view glistening tannin stained water holding memories which was soon to be partly told by Ms Kemp. Walking back to the bikes, chatter filled my ears. When back at the bikes Nate, Shannan, Karmi, Seamus and I led the pack back to the vehicles. Zooming downhill, cruising on the flats, pushing through the uphill pain. We reached the home stretch, and we made it back in one piece. After the bikes were on the vehicles with kids aboard we headed off to Hurunui Jacks.

 

Lunch at the Hurunui Jacks carpark tasted great and it was at about 12:30pm – 1:00pm. Raring to go we hopped on our bikes and rode down the track. Twisty turns, sudden hills and my favourite down hills filled the ride as well as a few crashes for Charlotte who kept taking one for the team. After a while we came to a ford. I didn’t do it but I knew I would have a go on our return. A road appeared and we rode up a steep never ending hill. Luckily it did end and at the very top was a nice wee shelter and a small junction. We rode towards Lake Kaniere along a stunning water race, with small bridges and thin bits of track. After a while we reached yet another road and were looking over a beautiful lake. We clapped and cheered for the others when they arrived and accidentally started cheering for people we didn’t know.

 

Turning around we headed back down the water race to the junction. I really struggled to bike through the narrow bridges and hit the side of one after I had just said “ I made it ”. The return to the vehicle went pretty quick and had the awesome downhill after the little shelter which I ended up zooming down. A group of us went back so fast and of course I had to go through the ford even Ms Kemp did! 

 

We peddled back to the vehicles from there really fast and before we knew it we were there. When everybody was all packed up, vehicles pulled out of the car park and headed back to school. We arrived at school at about 4pm so it was a big day out and such a great experience!