Tawarau RiverIntermediate

Description

From the farm gate you follow a farm vehicle track along and then up into the hills.

Cresting the first hill, this track gradually turns from a wide dirt track to a two-wheel then grassed track before gradually narrowing to a single track as you wind your way along the hillside. The formed track drops down to a hut in the gully below you but resist the temptation to follow it, keeping a close eye on your markers you will see the trail step off onto a grassed step towards a bushed gully area.

Following from here through more farmland you will eventually come to a farm gate on the edge of native bush and enter a wide track of gradual downhill on leaves and litter, a good opportunity to open up for a while although there are the odd hollows and bogs in the path along the way.

From here the trail starts to get a little more technical in places. You will come to an open glade (Blackberry Flat) that you go through the middle of before picking up the bush trail again. After that, a short section of technical downhill will see you come to a suspension bridge.

There is a fork near here where track continues along the gorge towards Were Road, however, you will be crossing the suspension bridge. Another short technical section uphill and some moderate uphill running will bring you through to open grass track and then forestry road.

A first intersection has a left for Te Anga Road – stay right for Appletree Road and Double Falls. Another intersection follows shortly with signs for both Appletree Road to the left and Double Falls to the right – follow Double Falls in the first instance, this spur track will take you through basic vehicle track before a climb down to the falls.

Returning as you came, you then continue on the new trail towards Appletree Road. A good couple of kilometres of moderate bush running will then bring you to the highest point of the route and a fork, and onto a loop. Keeping to the left will eventually bring you along to more vehicle track and a nice downhill run before you are back into the bush.

From here you are on trails alongside and crossing the river, both by bridge and ford. A spur track to Tawarau Falls comes up and you descend the hill for a view of these beautiful falls, and then a long climb up again hanging to the chain anchored to the rock.

Continuing from the spur along the track you will eventually close the loop returning to the highpoint fork, and from here retrace your steps back to the start.

Features of interest

This route follows in large part the Tawarau River gorge and then tracks alongside the upper Tawarau River, and noticeable features relate to the river. There is a basic suspension bridge across the river gorge a few kilometres in, alongside visits to Double Falls and Tawarau Falls, and a long section of trail alongside and crossing the river. River crossings both by bridge and wading!

Make Up of Run

Technical Single Track: 20%

Moderate Single Track: 35%

Easy Single Track: 30%

Farm Road / 4WD Track: 15%

Route Data