I took an extra day in Hamilton to rest the knees, the walk through the farms had pretty much turned them to jelly with the hard uneven ground. The walk to Whatawhata passed through the Taitua Arboretum a great collection of trees and roosters.
From Whatawhata the trail followed the roads and short trail around to the start of the Mt Prionga track. I didn’t get that early of a start waiting out the thunderstorms then off into the notorious mud and a climb up Priongia. For having thunderstorms all night the track was in good shape, mud?
After a few steep climbs you come to the Pahutea hut, the first doc hut of many to come over he next 4 month’s. The walk out was mainly down hill and slick after 1km of boardwalk and stairs, nothing to worry about unless you are wearing a 900km old pair of runners with no tread. From the road I diverted into Otorohanga for a resupply then back and down through Te Kuiti. Great to be in sheep country, CLEAN AND GREEN.
Walkabouts 
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