Seventeen Thursday trampers set off to walk up the Waipawa river to the saddle above its source. To get there we drove to Highway 50 in the Hawkes Bay, then turned off on Wakarara Road and North Block road. Most of the day was spent in the river which was shallow - only calf deep and the water temperature was pleasant. There was quite a lot of boulder hopping at times though. Eventually we left the river and climbed up to the saddle, reaching it at 12.45. Although the weather was fine, a cooling breeze was sweeping down the valley and we had to shelter below the high point for a leisurely lunch and enjoy the views. Most of us returned back the same way along the river, although some chose to climb up to a DOC track and walk out the higher way. It was a great day out, but after a 6 1/2 hour tramp we were all ready for a late ice cream stop in Dannevirke on the way home.
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| Our destination - Waipawa Saddle in the distance |
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| Made it for lunch! |
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| On the saddle looking west further into the Ruahines |
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| View from the saddle looking east over the Hawkes Bay - the way we had walked up |
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| Walking back down - the Waipawa River is just a small stream here |
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