Leg 4 Kinloch to Oruanui Pony Club

Distance 18.7km
Height Gained 290m, Height Lost -130m

This was the longest leg of the Trailwalker. It was also where we transitioned from daylight to night, having finally walked all day, into the sunset, and then into the night. It also had a big change in temperature from a moderate day to a cool night.

Leaving Kinloch we followed the Whangamata Stream up to Whangamata Road, with a short road leg along it to Holyoakes Road. We followed this road to the end and into the Blue Gum eucalyptus forest and out into Brittens Track along the upper reaches of Whangamata Stream. I found this to be the most depressing part of the trailwalk. We were in a gully, surrounded by scrub, soggy ground underfoot and nightfall was upon us. I could not wait to get out of there. Emerging out into farmland it was back up another hill, around the corner and downhill to Hurunui Lane where there was a Aid Station - reaching there right on nightfall. Halfway!!! We had now done 50km of the Trailwalk. As the next part of the leg involved a 6km roadleg, the St. John Ambulance Driver handed us all Glow sticks so that we would be visible to the road traffic. We had a 15 minute breather here, to put on warmer clothes, have a bite to eat, and put on our headlamps. I also had had the beginnings of my 2nd blister on the other foot and used up 3 blister pads trying to apply it in the dark. I spent a couple of minutes sending text messages on the cellphone to all our various supporters. A great big thanks to all our supporters who sent text messages of support - they were really appreciated.

Leaving Hurunui Lane it was out onto Whangamata Road. Just as well they had given us glowsticks - the cars literally zoomed past us. Approaching the turn onto Poihipi Road I felt the ball joint in one of my feet let go as a result of the impact of walking on the road. I returned to walking on the grass verge and instantly felt much better. 1.5km from the checkpoint we left the road to the safety of the farmland alongside.

Here James got a 2nd wind and started jogging. He grabbed all out light sticks - we had a Sith Lord with his Light Saber, suddenly he threw a glow stick towards me shouting "Fire in the hole". We all had a damn good laugh at his antics. After such a long leg it was just what we needed. As we crossed Oruanui Road, Alan from our support crew was there to greet us and lead us into Checkpoint 4. We checked in after walking 3:50 - exactly as planned.

Once again our support crew excelled themselves, hot chocolate drink, hot pizza, warm foot baths, lots of blisters to attend to and the massage from Louise was simply out of this world. It was at this point that we changed out of our day clothes into our night gear.