“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving”
Albert Einstein
Day 36 to 37
- Day 37 – Pureroa to Piropiro ; 40 km
- Day 38 – Piropiro to Ōngarue ; 45 km
Total hiked: 1022 km
Ahh the Timber Trail, situated in picturesque Pureroa Forest and a section I have been looking forward to since the beginning!
But for those not common with the TT then let me enlighten you 🙂
Within Pureroa Forest is an 85 kilometre track more commonly know as the Timber Trail. A favourite amongst mountain bikers for its Grade 2-3 terrain that takes riders from Pureora in the north through Piropiro to Ōngarue in the south. And that’s the last you’re going to hear of riding because I walked this 85 kilometre trail in two days! But I thought the quote seemed fitting 😛
This trail was something special. Not only is it beautifully maintained with no mud insight (this was a very nice change), has panoramic views of Lake Taupō, Mt Ruapehu and the Kaimanawa Ranges, has multiple campsites, a lodge that sells pizza halfway and ample toilet options. It also contains 45 bridges, multiple of which are suspension and has the second longest one in the country; the Maramataha Bridge at 141 metres.
It was like being in TA heaven!
The first day started early for me at 06:30 from Pureora. I sent farewell messages from an obscure bench (very limited cell reception the last few days and barely any on the Timber Trail) and set off excited for the trail ahead, who am I kidding mainly for the bridges and pizza.
Starting in Pikiariki Ecological Area I heard delightful morning birdsong before beginning the steady climb up Mt Pureora when I switched it up to Taytay; who provided great tunes for the rest of my TT trot (get it timber trail and tay tay, sometimes I’m too witty).
Bog Inn Creek bridge was the first suspension bridge I trotted over; it was incredible! And a little scary as it swayed in the wind while I was on it, but mostly incredible!
The bridges that followed that day kept my excitement levels high with each crossing 🙂
I realised while on the trail that I was going to pass a milestone; 1000 kilometres! To celebrate trotting a third of the country I decided to treat myself with a pizza and fizzy drink from the Timber Trail Lodge and stay in a swanky glamping tent at Camp Epic for the night. I think I deserved it, twas epic indeed 😛
On leaving Piropiro the following morning, I climbed through tawa and tānekaha forest until reaching the bridge of all bridges. If it wasn’t already obvious I’m a bridge frothier. Maramataha Bridge at 141 metres was supposed to ‘take my breath away’ and it did. Not just because I was a little breathless after walking up the hill but I also have a fear of heights. Excitement over the bridge was definitely outweighing my height fear though! Well mostly 
The remainder of the days trot included many trees (I am in a forest after all) and bridges; highlights being the Mangakahukahu Bridge and Ōngarue Spiral. I don’t know whether I took more pictures of bridges or of my elation on each of them.
I finished up exhausted from two massive days of walking and chuffed that I had made it a third of the way through my country and completed the Timber Trail!
Trot the Timber Trail; must do I say! (I’d actually recommend you bike not trot it but that just doesn’t sound as cool haha)
GC Chronicles 
Go Alex! So impressed at how far you’re walking each day!! You are smashing through it! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
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and yet another great read, the pictures once again wonderful, well done you 1000km and 1/3 of the way, you well and truly deserved the pizza
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