After visiting Martha Mine we went onto the Karangahake Gorge and completed the Railway tunnel loop.
The tunnel feels like it goes on forever and ever. I would advise taking very strong/powerful torches as the tunnel is lighted (but very sparingly) the ground is uneven and wet with water dripping down the ceiling and walls.
The ruins of the several battery's scattered around the track are amazing.
When then went part way to the under ground pumphouse as I wished to see how different it was to the Cornish pumphouse situated at Martha Mine. Well needless to say our torches were weak and the two of us adventurers are both scared of the dark. Went entered the mine shaft then took the right hand brach that took us back out. This is when we found that we had come out right next to a shaft that must go every deep under ground as there was freezing cold 'grave' air blowing out at us.
I went as far as the gate into this tunnel (which was perhaps 5m in) then freaked my self out by imagining that the second I went through the gate it would slam shut and I would be stuck!
There are many other walks and I will go back another time to do these. Also with a very powerful torch.
DoC advises that you don't enter any shafts that are at the side of the tracks as they are potentially unstable. One of the 3 we went past on the way to the shafts you were allowed to enter proved this point with large rocks and debris blocking the shaft completely only 2m in.
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Did you go through that tunnel that was next to a swimming hole sort of thing (and I think a little tiny waterfall-not really a waterfall it was only like a metre high was next to it)?? I'm not sure how far you had to walk to get to it, quite a way I think. Anyway, that one was the one we had to go through on the trail we were on, and we didn't have a torch so I used the light on my cell phone. On the other side we found a grassy place were boy scouts or some sort of group like that were camping. Then we had to go up a steep hill to walk back. It took a couple of hours all together.
ReplyDeleteNope. You must of been on a different track. There are plenty around. There are also many mine shafts, most of which youre not meant to enter.
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