Nature (Wellington) Upper Hutt, North Island, New Zealand
By brucewwnz on 16-Dec-12. Waypoint GC429TA

I spent one day here by the river after I came from Tararua Range. I was so happy to see flowers and blooming trees again and green grass. My friend James wanted to see the place where the movie Lord of the rings was filmed - Rivendell - and he helped to look for some caches as well. Thank you for the nice cache.

In the North Island after a great time caching the Dunedin Mega Madness. We have some very specific D/Ts to grab and a few oldies to boot and of coarse no time to complete such tasks. We parked near the ranger station and walked a loop in the rain. The trail to this cache was a little difficult as some places the trail markers were playing hide a seek with us.

Muggle65 and l parked near the Rangers office and decided to do a loop and walk back up the road to the car. Unfortunately it drizzled and rained all day so even in wet weather gear, we were drenched by the time we returned to the car.The narrow track down to this one was, at times, difficult to stay on. Luckily we managed to spot a triangle each time we got discombobulated. Had a few slips on the way but managed to stay on my feet. No problem locating and signing this one.Thank you for the fun

#236 TFTC

I called by this morning to check on the cache as I try to do every year or so. The cache was in great shape but getting to it was more of a struggle than it used to be. This can be attributed partly due to my aging body and partly due to the effects of erosion meaning there seemed to be less steps available to use as footholds on the steeper sections of the track. I have decided I will make only one further visit to this site to remove and archive the cache. This I plan to do late next year.

Don't be fooled by the first hint object! Keep going!

Travelling down to Wellington for a few days and stopped the night here at Kaitoke park. Hadn’t planned to spend long here but there was so much to do that we just stayed on. Did a circular walk up this track then back to the car park. Pretty steep going up. Got distracted by other twin triangles but got there in the end. Cache was all fine. Didn’t know about the connected caches but fortunately saw the extra information Thanks for this series.

Not sure which is worse, but I think it was easier coming down this track. Nice quick find here, cheers

Took a while to find this one. Third tree lucky. TFTC

I had a day in Wellington to go caching, so teamed up with The Seagnoid as we occasionally do to head off somewhere new for both of us. Today's efforts saw us in Kaitoke Regional Park, doing a big loop walk starting from near the Ranger's Office and heading East up into the hills to end up rejoining the road near the Kaitoke Weir. All logging for today was done as T.A.T.S, for TwigNZ and the Seagnoid.

As this day out had been a bit of an impromptu decision, I hadn't really looked ahead to see what I was in for today. The short answer was "inclines" and lots of them. On the basis that what goes up must come down, there was a lot of testing that notion and my legs are a bit grumpy with me this morning (currently Monday 4th) but it's all good prep for a couple of big climbs I have planned for later.

We are happily making our windy way down the hill back towards civilisation by this point, and getting to GZ we were presented with a perfect location and Hint object, but no cache. Hmmmm, after going around and around it a few times, we broadened our search radius. "Surely it can't be that tree over there" said I, but tS dutifully goes to check it out and sure enough finds the cache. I'm happy with the find, but suspect a bit of cache creep has set in here, otherwise the co-ords are a little off. No issues at all with this cache. Dry container and log, which was signed and returned exactly where found.

Thanks for setting up this cache.

There is a big gap between this cache and the next up hill. It is likely to be where the final of one of the puzzles here i have yet to solve is hidden, so we checked the hint of the likeliest candidate and kept an eye out on the way down. Bit of a tall ask and we didn't succeed. Not surprising.

And then we get here. Wow is this different from the dry beech forest above! I love this environment. I am a tramper from way back and although I like the tops, I really love being in amongst the green. This place is just gorgeous. But alas the cache is missing. Twig and I circled the tree twice each, there is a good hole for the cache but it's not there.I was thinking of putting in a replacement but before I do, I thought I better check further afield. And found the cache at another tree matching the hint, 15m from GZ. Despite the crook coordinates I love this are so much (and the cache is dry and big enough) that this gets a favourite. And a ruby. And a path tag.

Twig decides he needs to go for a walk and calls me up. A late start as he was busy first thing in the morning, so we didn't get to start on the track till about 11 or 11:30. Phew! What a slog up that track! Especially as we walked more of it than we had to. Thank goodness it was a cool cloudy day, perfect tramping weather. We completed the Fellowship of the Ring series and a few others and ended up with 19 finds for Twig and 18 for me (I already had one) of which 5 were lonely caches. Nice! All logs signed as TATS for TwigNZ and the Seagnoid.

Out for a morning walk - Norbett Creek loop - before an afternoon of floating down the river on an inflatable rainbow! Only searched for a couple of caches with my muggle friend but always good to have some to come back to for next time. Felt sorry for the people coming up the hill here - was glad to be on the descent!

3 rivers and feet still dry. Doing well today.

Quickly spotted. TFTC

although I've been to Kaitoke many times over the years I'd never done the Norbert Creek loop before, so today was the day to complete the loop with my family, the first bit of the track was very pretty but steep, glad we walked in a clockwise direction, a quick easy find here, have noted down the code for future reference, TFTC

Sveppi and I were intending to test out the hammocks on a wild camping trip in the eastern Hutt valley. We are new to the area and didn't know we weren't allowed to camp in the catchment area. We saw the sign at the top of the ridge saying so, and we turned back. Nevermind, we'll call it training!
GPS took me 20m from GZ along a side track. Some crashing about then we looked at the hint and we had to back track to produce the goods.

20m out on the GPS but found easy with the hint. TFTC

After coming down this way I'm glad I did the loop going up along the road! A wee bit of back and forth here, signal wasn't great. Had the prize in the end, nice spot. I took a photo of the extra clues, they might come in handy in the future..! Thanks for the cache

Looked in the wrong place initially but then the GPS settled and started pointing about 10m away from where I was. Once I got over there a hiding place presented itself and the cache was found there. TFTC.

Glad for the hint thanks My phone did not get closer than 20m Retrieved the codes All dry here TFTC

Nice quick find, thanks brucewwnz

#8102

I called by this morning for a pre-WENZ check. As expected, the logbook was a little damp so I replaced it with one that has spent time here before but has had over two years away to dry out. I put everything in a larger (but still small) container.

Found on a club day walk over to the Hutt Forks. Reasonable weather and lovely bush. We found the wee red container but the log was very damp so our signing is pretty illegible. TFTC

As I had been working all week I decided enough was enough and decided to go for a walk in the Kaitoke Regional Park. The road up the hill was not to bad with plenty of caching stops. Taking the smaller path down the northern end was another story with plenty of very steep parts. Pleased there were no mishaps and that I took the route I did. Grabbed some more caches while walking along the road back to my car which was parked in the ranger station. Altogether a good walk but the legs feel it a bit. A quick find. Everything in order. TFTC

(find # 4257)

Argh, this is one of the series I'm trying to complete - and I totally missed the laminated card! Oh well, I will certainly need to come back another day. TFTC (until next time!)

Nice quick find today nearing the end of our 6 hour walk. Despite the dense tree cover the GPS coverage wasn't too bad here.

There were a number of hint items around and the GPS wouldn't make up it's mind where it wanted to be, so it was just a matter of checking out each one - turned out to be behind us, but we got it!
We left a pet rock - a rabbit.
Thanks for putting this here brucewwnz

Out for a tramp around the Norbett Loop and finding some with with taiko33. Nice cool calm winters day.
No problems with this one.
TFTC TNLN

The walk continues. TFTC

I visited the cache today to give it a refresh by replacing some contents with new and recycled items.

Found whilst running the track. TFTC

*French*
Aujourd'hui, visite de Rivendell et les environs. Nous ferons également quelques randos dans le secteur dont le Norbert Creek Track.
On cherche et rien! On se déplace un peu et bingo!

brucewwnz, thanks for the geocache
Frank et Muriel
#10117
Belgique
Log with GSAK

Fast find thanks to hint. 2nd time I've come across this series while bush walking in Hutt. TFTC brucewwnz.

A beautiful location we thoroughly enjoyed as we made our way downhill, we were also able to enjoy some wonderful birdsong as well as some beautiful toadstools - refer attached pic. *TFTC brucewwnz, #8799*

Found on a pleasant daytrip around Kaitoke. The weather mostly played ball and the forecast rain was just a few passing showers. It doesn't seem all that long ago that I had found all the caches in this area, but they seem to keep springing up by the minute these days. The CITO was a good excuse to come to the area and clean up a few caches at the same time.

Thanks for the excuse to visit this trail. A great day out with Yeetrees.

TFTC brucewwnz

I called by to put in the (now dry again) original logbook to replace the replacement that itself had been reported as being damp. I also put the original laminated card back in to replace the one that had gone missing. The images are somewhat faded put the names can clearly be read. I will look to create some more laminated cards before I visit again.

Found number 4 in the series. What a climb at the start for this one. a good walk in the bush and now to find the other one. TFTC (laminate clue card missing from this one)

Tftg

GPS was quite off but we got there with some help from previous logs.

The clue card is missing so we had to use the info written in the log book.

Apart from that, all good here!

Found with TregearP and Jojo&Dobby during a loop walk and an opportunity to grab a number of caches in the area.

All quickly found (less one puzzle where we need to recheck the reference material) and in good order.

Thanks to the CO's for motivating us to come here and enjoy some climbing and the bush.

TNLNSL, TFTC.

Quick find TFTC

Looking for some geocaches around the area. We go here for a walk every few weeks but now i came prepared to hunt for some caches. TFTC

What a lovely spot! No-one around today, not surprisingly - what a steep climb! Stopped to take a break and a photo of the little waterfall just before the cache. TFTC!

We tried to work out a plan to find all caches around this circuit without having to do too much doubling back. We decided we would do the loop in a clockwise direction starting from the carpark near "NZ Native Trees 2" as we prefer steep uphills to steep downhills. However, before setting off on the circuit decided to go up the 4WD track to find the first few caches which were needed for some of the multi & puzzle caches (Merry, Pippin, Sam & Frodo). All in all a very long day, but had a lot of fun and found all 18 caches we set out to find.

What a lovely spot. Would come here more often if it didn't have the steep climb to start with. Worth a favourite. tftc

A nice piece of bush next to the waterfall.

Great day out with the woffo family. Great spot! Log is a bit damp.

TFTC.

Nice find and a great day out.

Nice cache hide in a beautiful stand of native bush. Really enjoyed the walk around the loop with agcnz today collecting 20 caches from quite a number of COs. TFTC.

Nearly walked right past te cache while looking at teh stream, but stopped and soon had it in hand. The card was gone so I wrote the clues to the puzzle on a map I had. Problem is I don't have the map now! Anyway, the cache it a nice area with big trees all about. TFTC

I called by today in response to a "Needs Maintenance" log. While the logbook is a little damp, it is of the "Rite in the Rain" variety and is still usable. However, I had a new book with me so I replaced it.

I was dismayed to see the laminated clue card is missing and I did not bring the back up. I will replace it next time I call but, in the meantime, the information needed is written on the first page of the logbook.

Quick find with Wafflekitties, TFTC

Found in the second spot I checked, coords were a little jumpy but easy find with the hint. TFTC

This one took a bit longer due to searching in the wrong spot. The GPS was jumping around a bit, but the final location all made sense!! TFTC

Found it, nice little series.

#874. This cache is placed in an area of really diverse native forest. The stream running past adds to the tranquil setting. Really enjoying this bush walk today. All the caches along here deserve a favourite but as I have few available I will give it to this one. Fabulous track to explore. TFTC

A beautiful day to be visiting in the Kaitoke area. Happy to have the native trees series as an excuse for a day's caching, plus some others that we wanted to visit. A great day in Rivendell!
Cache find was straightforward. Everything in order here; log signed, cache safely re-hidden. Clues harvested. Thanks.
Enjoyed the visit to this area.
TFTC found with team cacher Sweet P too
The Turtle strikes again!

#6434. The rain had stopped upon reaching Kaitoke Regional Park. Both the Rivendell car park and the area around the trailhead were quiet. Entered Norbett Creek Route. No problem crossing the creek. After the initial steep climb, the going was a lot gentler. Nice spot. Quick find. The cache was in good condition. The logbook was only slightly damp, but perfectly writeable.
+ RUVI
Took nothing, signed log. Thanks for the cache.

Nice easy find

Log is a bit damp

Nice hide tftc

I called by today to refresh the cache. I have dispensed with the outer bag, replaced writing materials and put in a new, easier to read clue card.

what a beautiful piece of forest this is popped up to add this one to my sweet little mystery series, after collecting a joint FTF at the park today. getting closer to being able to put the pieces together.

Got close with nature today

Cache # 2,323 - my fourth in the series, so almost there. Quite a climb to start with (and then to descend later), but smooth walking after that. Noticed a firepit on the way back with a note from the rangers advising people not to light fires as the forest is very old. Cache easy to find - outer bag is mostly eaten through and I didn't get a good look at the large bug that scuttled out of it. Inner container fine. Clue card is very faded but still readable. TNLNSL. TFTC!

Wonderful bush walk, very pictureisque. Found with Jax479. TFTC

A very simple cache name, and a very apt one. Loved the wee falls just upstream of the cache, and we were impressed by the size of the trees we encountered on the walk. We were distracted off track to peer into the canopy. Beautiful. Well worth the short, sharp, clambering walk at the start (which we enjoyed, being a lovers of hill climbs). Have just realised we didn't grab the clue. Never mind, a lovely track and a good excuse to come back and complete the full loop. Stopped at the memorial on the way down, another unexpected diversion on the walk. That's what geocaching is all about. With metal-art.

Lovely walk with the geohound along a damp track. Tftc

No issues here, lovely walk also. Tftc.

Another quick find tidying up remaining caches in the area.

Easy find while tidying up caches in the area.

Good short climb up at start. I was back in the car 28 mins after leaving - a reasonable pace but not overdoing it. With kids would possibly take twice as long due to the steep ascent at start and decent at end.

Lovely wander when I got to the top and easy find. Cache is in good order. Surprised to see I was the first visitor this year.

Now all I have to do is find where my sheet of paper is with the remainder of the clues!

TFTC

Found it while walking the Hutt Forks and Norbert Creek loop track. Great walk and a great place.

Good walk up to this cache on a track I hadn't known about before.
Very nice area with the stream and crossings.

I appreciated the hint and it made it an easy find while the GPS was struggling with the dense trees a bit.
Noted the clues for the bonus cache - I think I only need one more in the series.

SL TFTC

#460 Finally I have the final piece of the puzzle. Found this one with JimmyNZ on a venture into a Park that we havent yet explored. Got to try out my new walking poles too. Cache was a little damp inside. Dropped off a Parks TB that I liberated from USA. It wants to check out some parks. TFTC!

Found with Greenslime. Once you get over the first bit, the tracks not too bad. TFTC

Had to go slightly further along the track than my GPSr was indicating, thankfully the clue narrowed things down a bit. A nice little walk to this one despite a little bit of drizzle today, the forest at this level is a great sight. Spotted a rather interesting 'memorial' on the way back.

TFTC brucewwnz!

We had decided to do the Norbert Creek loop walk for a bit of tramping practice as it would involve a nice steep climb. This was the first find of the caches around the loop. Nice simple find by Mrs B while I was looking in the wrong place. Without Geocaching we wouldn't have realised this track existed, thanks for encouraging us to come here. TFTC

After crossing the creek, I was surprised to see where the track went, it was not what I was expecting from a 3 star terrain and is pretty much at the upper limits of my ability.
Anyway, it's amazing what the lure of a cache can do, and soon we were making steady progress to GZ. Cache took a while to track down. My Oregon was useless in the dense bush, so had to rely on StreetWalker's GPSr. We initially searched on the wrong side of the creek, then after reading skindo's log, decided to carry on and StreetWalker soon had the cache in hand. Phew, after the effort of getting here, would have hated a DNF! Took note of the info, ready for some number crunching of the final when we returned to the car.
A lovely piece of nature indeed, just marred by my heavy breathing as I tried to keep up with SW. TFTC.

#5996. A quick look at the contours on the GPSr indicated it wasn't too much of a height gain to get to this cache. If I had had a closer look I would have noticed that the initial section was a very steep climb from the creek up on to a terrace. I suppose it's good that the toughest section comes first; a cacher that finds it too tough won't have far to backtrack. Thereafter the walk was pretty straightforward, with a couple of boggy bits being the main obstacles. Reception wasn't great at GZ, so I'm not sure whether the coords are a bit off, or the poor reception was the problem. After a fruitless search we decided to cross the creek, and the cache was soon in hand. TFTC.

My second find in this series of caches. Nothing seemed to go right on the way to finding this one, firstly I slid off the track and hurt my leg, then the batteries died in the old Garmin when I was about 100 metres from the cache. I had time to check the hint, then spent a lot of time checking hint objects. I eventually found it a bit further along the track than I thought it would be. Thanks for the cache brucewwnz

Such a nice day today. Much too nice to be inside. Enjoyed the walk up to this cache. Found in the second location that I searched. Gathered another piece of the puzzle jigsaw. TNLN SL TFTC

Went up the nice track for a check on my own cache today. Quick find. TFTC. Sherlock Hood.

See taybee log TFTC log By GSAk

Have Sunshine at the start of the walk at 10.48 am start the climb at 10.52 am and we had a light rain getting to the Ground zero was not bad and we had no chirping birds today was a easy found cache was in good order Got info out of cache and we headed up the hill to do the loop walk got to the top of the Hill at 12.00 and the end of the Norbett creek track the terrain to the top would be a good 4 the loop walk is 6.4 Km and 3 hours and 35 minutes we got back to the van the last 10 minutes we got very wet [:(!] thank for a great walk in the bursh TFTC ( log by Gsak)

Another FTF. early in the morning.
Bit of a weird one this one. Got out early, knowing exactly where i had to go. No-one around in the park at all. Weather still suspect, and intermittant showers coming through. Found the cache easily enough, and signed the log. Came out to find a sign up saying the track was closed "for Army exercises". As i was driving out the Army were driving in ... trucks, Pinzgauers, Military Police 4WDs and a helicopter!

TFTC!

Went for a walk in the rain to find this, quite pleasant. I have been up here before to find other caches so was fairly familiar with the lay of the land, and the cache was a quick find once the GPSr settled down and pointed me to the correct hint object. No sign at all of any military people or activity. Signed log, TFTC!

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