Coromandel Peninsula 2

The following morning started cool and overcast but we filled our backpacks with food, water and wet weather gear and started out.
The path climbed through dense forest, which in New Zealand does not mean the conifer forests or woods in which one species of tree dominates as in England, but a wild botanical garden with a variety of small ground plants, bigger ferns and shrubs, small trees and, more so in North Island, great and ancient trees. The sun kept breaking through the cloud and then disappearing again. Eventually we began to get glimpses of our goal; a jagged ridge on a distant jutting piece of rock.

When we reached The Pinnacles Hut, a bunkhouse where a space can be booked for an overnight stay by trampers wishing to walk further or who don't want to go up and back to the Pinnacles in one day, it began to drizzle. But by the time we'd sat on the steps and had a drink, some nuts and some chocolate the rain had stopped again.
We peered into one of the hut dormitories and saw a number of long platforms one above the other with plastic covered mattresses placed end to end. You'd certainly be on close terms with your roommates after a night there.

The Pinnacles now looked very close but the steepest part of the walk was yet to come. The path wound through low bush with views of the forested hills and ridges. Then we started to climb a long flight of steps. It was good to pause every now and then not only to catch my breath but also to admire the views.
We stood to one side to allow a group of young things to go past. I had been able to hear them approaching for some time because they were fit enough to talk as well as climb - with occasional pauses. The conversation continued, over their shoulders, as they went by in single file. I heard the words 'salary', 'more pay', 'extra time', 'bonus'. What it is to be young.
30 minutes later we encountered the group again; they were lounging around at the top as I, having climbed the steps, ladders and rungs hammered into the rock, was hauling myself up the last rock. They looked completely unmoved as Lawson, standing at the summit, announced ' Not bad for someone on the wrong side of 50'. I wished he hadn't added, 'or 60', as I came into view, red-faced and panting.

We had lunch perched on a rock near the summit, taking in the views of the Coromandel Peninsula, before starting back down.

We took a different route, with a less well maintained path and plenty of ups and downs. It was late afternoon by the time we arrived back at the, now empty, campsite. We went down to the river to bathe our sore feet and freshen up. We then felt refreshed enough to decide to stay in the Park for another night and do another walk there the next day.