Kawerau: The Stoneham Walk (and the Ruruanga Stream)

I had started a new, fixed term job in Kawerau last week, and spent the first week with a combination of: trying to please, figuring out what I had to do, overdoing what I had to do, slim-lining what I had done, and planning way too far in advance.  I would like to blame the current level 2 COVID situation, but in reality that doesn’t affect us yet, but has changed how we offer programs in the short term.

Anyway, enough waffling about non-walking related stuff.  Today, during my lunch break, I decided to head out and explore a nearby walk a co-worker suggested – the Stoneham Walk along the Ruruanga Stream.  I had researched the walk online, found a downloadable brochure here, and determined I should easily be able to do a 30-minute (according to the brochure) walk in my 1-hour lunch break.  In fact, I guessed I would complete the walk in much less time.  I was wrong.  It took me 40 minutes, for a couple of reasons: I made two accidental detours off the suggested route (for one I had to retrace my steps), and I stopped often to take photos.  My mapping app tells me the walk there and back was about 3km with a total elevation of about 93 metres (so it’s mostly flat).

According to the Brochure, you begin by initially walking from the edge of Plunket Road opposite the i-Site (or, information centre, for you older ones like me).  At this junction is a sign showing a map of this part of Kawerau along with the walks that are nearby.  I noticed quite a few, so there will likely be more lunchtime walks and more posts of those.

Initially, head away from the road, on the access lane that leads away from the i-Site and along the side of the Bowling Club.  Immediately ahead of you is a walking bridge that crosses the stream (do not turn left before the bridge, like I did, otherwise you will add some extra time and steps to your walk).

Cross that bridge but do not go up the path ahead of you (I did and then went up the left fork, walking some roads before re-joining this trail – I made sure to walk the correct route back, which was when I took the photos of this section).  Instead turn immediately left and walk south across the grass along the west side of the stream – you might see a worn trail in the grass here and there.

The stream curves to the right and you follow along with it.  I had the impression that the stream has thermal water flowing into it, as it was exceptionally clear and there was a hint of sulphur in the air.

Eventually you cross back over the stream over another bridge, which brings you up to Glasgow Street.

  Keep heading west, crossing Bell Street, to the path on the other side.  This is where the walk actually begins.  How do I know, you ask.  Because there is a big sign telling me so!

Here the grounds open up and the stream widens at some locations.  Very soon I came to a circular area, around which the path went.  On google it said this was a rose garden, but I failed to see roses (I must admit, I wasn’t really paying much attention), however there was a large herb garden that proclaimed you could take whatever you needed.

Staying on the south side of the stream (i.e. not crossing the bridge at this location), I continued along the path heading west, which eventually led to a stone walled bridge crossing a small tributary.

Stone-walled bridge ahead

It was an interesting walk, as I encountered no other person – seeing only one person walking the other side of the stream at a later point.  The day had intermittent rain (I carried an umbrella that I used for short periods when the rain got heavier).

Eventually I reached a point where the stream came out of a large culvert pipe ahead of me just below Valley Road.  The path had disappeared back behind me a short distance, but it was obvious that I should turn right to cross the stream at yet another bridge.

Now on the north side of the stream and heading east, the path was still missing, with just the occasional worn patch in the grass to indicate people sometimes walked here.

From this side I could see the stone walled bridge again.

Soon I was back to the circular area, having crossed the bridge to gain access to the south side just prior to getting there.  

From here it was merely retracting one’s steps all the way back to the beginning (although, for me it was taking the correct path instead of the roads for part of it).