There and back again

It all started well running down Anderson track then along the tracks and through the tunnels of the Waitakere Tramline. After soaking in the views from the top of the dam we ran up Fenceline track to Simla junction. Simla track down to the Anawhata stream has to be one of the steepest track in the Waitakeres, time to put away the map as both hands are needed to swing off trees on the near vertical decent.

We were welcomed into the stream section by a large eel that soon slipped away leaving us to make our way upstream. We have done many streams before and they are usually a mixture of wading and walking on rocks or minor tracks next to the stream. Not this time, the whole way was wading with slippery rocks underfoot making very slow going.

A map check and some mental arithmetic after half an hour of wading showed us we were less than a third through the stream section and the "finish before dark" part of the plan was very much in doubt. So, we decided that returning the way we came was the best option, back up that stupidly steep Simla track then run our way back to the start.

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A couple of avian highlights on the run back were spotting a morepork in the fading light and the wood pigeon back at the carpark that almost flew into Adrian's head.

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Post by Alan Moore, who leads our Cure Kids Great Adventure Race team.

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