Monday Walkers chose the pretty lakes of Tikitapu and Rotokakahi for their walk on the last day of March.

Lush regrowth across the disused logging road.

A pea soup fog had us creeping along Broadlands Road at snail’s pace before we broke free of the gloom on the Rotorua side of Rainbow Mountain.

We made good use of the wonderful facilities that are part of the Whakarewarewa Forest Park cycle centre where we gave Hinemoa and Tutanekai a drive by before going on to the car park on the shores of Lake Tikitapu/Blue Lake.

We set off anticlockwise around the well-worn and well cared for track which offered many opportunities to stand and enjoy the wonderful reflections of the bush clad hills in the still waters of a mirror smooth lake.

This track is deceptive, and suddenly one is puffing on what appears to be a very easy track.

It rises steadily from the shoreline to quite a height above the water at the far end.

We were soon at the junction with the track down to Lake Rotokakahi. The last time we walked that track the area had just been logged and we walked the logging road which was covered in rough stones and very hard on our feet, the sides of the road were bare of vegetation and ugly.

What a change we, who had been on that walk some eight to ten years ago, observed.

The rough stones have been covered with a layer of moss and lycopodium and is soft and forgiving under foot.

The vegetation on each side of the road has regrown with a vengeance and is now meeting in the middle making a narrow tunnel in some places.

Much of the regrowth is Himalayan Honeysuckle with a smattering of gorse thrown in for good measure but there are also young natives like Makomako /Wineberry making their way up amongst these nursery plants.

We reached our destination at the camp site and old jetty at the western end of the lake at lunchtime. We sat and enjoyed the view back up the Lake.

Black Swans floated serenely across the water, an occasional Mallard Duck gave vent in its raucous voice, Scaups and Canadian Geese were also calling this lake home.

Lake Rotokākahi, also known as the Green Lake, holds significant historical and cultural importance for the Tūhourangi/Ngāti Tumatawera iwi, being a sacred, privately owned lake with Motutawa Island serving as a burial ground.

It is an old volcanic crater. The waters flow via the Wairoa River into Lake Tarawera. It is named for the abundant Kakahi/freshwater mussels that flourished there.

We walked back out the way we had come in before continuing our circumnavigation of Lake Tikitapu. The lake water level was low so we were able to walk the pretty track close to the water’s edge.

Now it was decision time, more walking or coffee and ice cream? Not surprisingly the coffee and ice cream won the vote.

Seven hardy souls did another short loop track. We heard more birds as we walked this little path than we’d heard all day and a lucky few spotted a Toutouwai/Robin beside the track.

We were soon reunited with the other group and made a safe trip back to Taupō.

Next week we are off to a forest and riverside walk. To join us, email walkersmondaytaupo@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at ‘Taupo Monday Walkers’.