This is another of the Waitakere’s beautiful bush walks but has a few surprises up its sleeve. It leads from the carpark through the trees past a few lovely wee waterfalls and over bridges, along little weir walls, eventually coming out along the top of the Nihotupu Dam. From here you can climb straight up the side of the dam wall, using the ladder/stairway(it’s dam near vertical, sorry more puns) and there’s also an old disused mini-rail line complete with tunnel that you can walk through if you’re really keen. The views are incredible and unfortunately it will be some time before we can do anything other than imagine what it must look like when the dam is full enough to be discharged through the gates. The track is a proper track, not a rugged bushwalk which makes it good for most fitness levels, kiddies included. There are further tracks that branch off into the bush but we didn’t attack those. The Waitaks are full of Auckland’s engineering and logging history and these places and their odd artefacts add a really interesting insight into its early days. The dam too plays an important role and it’s worth reading all the info that’s available on the walk. And best of all(for me anyway) is that it’s a lovely cool shady walk full of those wonderful damp rich bush smells without the scorching sun killing you every step of the way. A lovely way to spend an afternoon.
