Wairere Falls
Guest WriterxTue May 03 2016
We decided to do the Wairere Falls walk on a bit of a whim, it had been a lazy weekend and I was desperate to get out, put on my walking shoes and explore the amazing backyard we get to call home. The fact that this was an unplanned trip meant we didn’t have time to do the walk all the way to the top of the Wairere Falls but managed to reach the lookout whilst the sun was still shining and boy was that a treat in itself, I can’t wait to get the chance to explore further! That top point is calling my name for sure.
Located just 15kms from Matamata we were able to reach the carpark inunder an hour (we’re a Tauranga based business) which made us wonder why haven’t we been here before?! From the road you can see the Wairere Falls in their full majesty, if you’re excited by them here you’ll love them up close! Now, we’re all used to the DOC signs reading ’45-minute walk’ and thinking “pft, we can knock that bad boy out in 20minutes”. We couldn’t. It took 45minutes. The walk to the lookout is a steady uphill with an added bonus of a fair few steep steps. Don’t get me wrong though, the track is beautiful and very well maintained. I’m incredibly clumsy and only fell on the way down once!
Heading up the track you’re treated to natural wonders such as large moss covered boulders, cascading rivers and rock formations that have you questioning how they even got there in the first place! DOC have done an amazing job of the tracks, the bridges and boardwalks take nothing away from the walk and if anything they only add to it! The pools that formed were calling my name for a refreshing swim – again, I cannot wait to have more time to explore here.
Upon reaching the top of the steps we were treated to the magnificent view of the 153m high Wairere Falls from the lookout point. This made me want to keep going even more, but alas the sun was lowering and we still had to get back down!
The return track takes you back the same way you came, but this time IT IS ALL DOWN HILL! Thank you nature, thank you! I really enjoyed the walk back. We had to hurry to ensure we beat the sun to our car but we still had time to take everything in from this new angle. If like us, you’re doing the walk to the lookout we recommend taking lunch or a few snacks to enjoy up at the Wairere Falls lookout point and really take the time to appreciate all that is around.
Have you been to Wairere Falls? Which part of the walk was your favourite? We’d love to hear your stories over on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/luggage.co.nz/