Day 25: Govan Wilson Rd to Dome Valley (15km, 7.5 hours)

It was still raining this morning. Time to break out the wet weather gear, and head to Dome Valley.

I texted a thank you to Karen as I left, and waved goodbye to their house as I headed on my way. Another tear in my eye, that’s happened a lot over the last few weeks. (Though Karen and Hamish have a business in Greenlane, so I may well pop by and see them again when I’m back!).

It was raining steadily as I turned off onto the trail. It followed an overgrown dirt road, then became a little bush track, pretty dark and damp in the rain. I was already getting drenched, and was worried my phone might be too, so I took a pic and then stashed it in my pack for most of the morning. So, not many photos today. 

Already soaking wet. Note to self: get better rain trousers!

After a while the trail wound down to a stream, and followed alongside it for several kilometres.

10am pic: time for an OSM bar, under a tree by the stream.

By 10am it looked like the rain was easing. No, false alarm - it just got heavier. Supertramp’s “If Everyone Was Listening” started going round in my head, and stuck with me for the rest of the morning.

For the next couple of hours the trail started going up, and getting tougher - lots of roots, and multiple ups and downs. Luckily there were plenty of orange triangles, so I didn’t need my TA app too much for this. I was walking under all sorts of native trees - totara, rimu, kauri, pungas - and there would have been the occasional great views of the Mahurangi at times, if it wasn’t for the rain and cloud. But mostly I was just plodding along feeling very wet. 

I knew there was a steep and clambery climb to the Dome trig point, and eventually I came to it. You know if it’s a trig point there has to be some pain getting there, and there was. But I realised that when they said “steep and clambery” they were really talking about the descent on the other side, which was really precarious. It took me about 10 minutes to go about 20 metres, sliding down rocks and climbing down slippery muddy footholds.

By now the rain had finally (mostly) stopped. One final ascent to the Dome Lookout, and then it was well maintained paths all the way down to SH1, through more native forest. I’d been hearing the traffic in the distance for almost an hour.

Looking south from Dome Lookout

The trail came out at Dome Valley tea rooms (now closed), not far from Sheepworld on SH1 north of Warkworth. Luckily there was a functioning loo there - so I still haven’t had to use my poo trowel! 

There was nose to tail traffic heading south on the road to Auckland, after their summer holidays - it took a while to find a gap to cross the road. A couple more kilometres up a gravel road on the other side, and I found a piece of grass where a friendly farmer allows campers.

Home for the night. And time to do some drying!

There was a cellphone tower not far away, so I have perfect coverage! And surprisingly, enough battery left to catch up with my blogs for the last few days. Unfortunately, there’s no water here - but I think I’m carrying enough to get me through to Puhoi, as long as I’m careful.

Sandwiched between a cell tower and a farm shed (with chickens!

I’m at the 494km mark today. 92km to go! Three more big days, and I could be home.