We set ourselves the challenge to find an old tunnel which was somewhere between Stratford Mountain House and Waingorogoro Hut. The instructions were very limited and out of date, however this has never stopped us in the past. We found the 'possible location' and spent a couple of hours struggling upstream through the tree falls searching every dark spot that could have been a tunnel, but that produced no leads so decided that the 'location' was wrong and tramped on to the next creek. More upstream and downstream searching, wet feet and trying to speak to each other over the roar of the water but still nothing that looked tunnel like. Stopped for lunch and tough decision time - do we go on to the hut and do a loop walk back to the car, or go back to the first creek and try downstream through the really thick jungle? Yep, we went back for a final look. Neil and Sharon tried to find a way through the downstream jungle while I wandered back to the crossing point and chatted to a group of trampers who happened along. Once they'd passed by I turned round and saw an old overgrown track so decided to follow it - after all we didn't all need to be wet and cold! So I headed up the bank and back upstream, along a convoluted trail under tree falls (dirty - but not wet!) and there it was, hidden by vegetation but very much a tunnel. I yoo hoo'd the others and we gathered to explore the depths. Turned out to be quite short (maybe 15m) so congratulated ourselves on achieving the target, took the usual photos and wandered back to the car. We have no idea why the tunnel was dug, but it made for interesting conversation all the way back.
So, looks like we are OK at finding tunnels, it's just holes that defeat us. Bring on the next vague challenge!!!
Words by Jacqui, photo by Sharon
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