Rewanui Forest Park

Just 15 minutes from Masterton on the Te Ore Ore, Castlepoint Road, Rewanui Forest Park is an easily accessible light adventure for the family. The car park is on the left just before the turn off to Riversdale.

The car park has a large map of the various routes and an indication of expected times. There are plastic coated maps available for you to borrow for the walk and the kids enjoy navigating and pointing out just where you are right now. And now, and now… Not that you need the maps really as the trails are creatively blazed with colour coded Rewarewa leaves, finger board signs pointing the way and other large maps dotted in the park which helpfully point out that ‘you are here’.

From the car park the track heads across a farm paddock to the bush line where the different tracks plunge into the trees. At this point there is a toilet block.

There is an ever present chatter and call of birds sometimes broken by the distinctive swoop and swoosh of a crash landing Kereru.

Loops vary in terrain and duration which is great for filling whatever length of time you have spare; 20 minutes or a couple of hours. Some of the hill climbs reward walkers with great views across the rolling hills and farmland.

You might want to consider having long pants for the kids with the tight tracks sometimes grabbing smaller legs with sticks, burrs and the odd nettle.