Mangatāwhiri to Mercer

Follow SH2 east for 2 km keeping well off the road shoulder as this is an extremely busy road with a lot of traffic.

Warning. After very heavy rain the canal crossing at km 696 may be flooded and unsafe. In these conditions it may be necessary to continue another 4.5 km on SH 2 to cross the canal on the highway bridge and then walk southwest on the eastern side of the canal.

 Serpel Road to Mangatawhiri River - 3.5km

• SOBO: turn right from State Highway 2 onto Serpel Road at km 692, and after 350 m enter through a farm gate on the left and follow the line of trees to the farm track. Walk along the farm track and in 620 m turn left at the track junction, then right in 140 m and follow the track for another 450 m to its junction with Dobson Road. Turn right onto Dobson Road and follow the orange TA markers 1.8 km to the Mangatawhiri River stopbank. Climb up  the stopbank and check the river depth.  
• After heavy rain the river may flood beyond the normal bank and cover the grass area up to the base of the stopbank. In these conditions the crossing point downstream will be too deep to cross safely.  It will be necessary to return to SH 2 either via Dobson Road or by walking northeast along the stopbank to use the highway bridge to cross to the eastern side of the Mangatawhiri River.
• If the river is not in flood walk down to the marked path along normal riverbank Turn right and follow the path 450 metres downstream to the crossing point, just before a wooden duck-hunting shelter. There is an orange arrow pointing across the river and a concrete power pole across the riverbed. It’s marked on both ends by a steel post carrying and large orange track marker, and at this point the river has a gravel bed. The shallowest place is just downstream from the concrete pole.  If you’re unable to cross the river due to high water levels, follow the stopbank 2.8 km upstream to State Highway 2. Carefully cross then walk under the road bridge to join the other stopbank, and follow that back downstream to the crossing point

• NOBO: Walk upstream on the Mangatawhiri River stopbank until the crossing point, marked on both ends with a steel post carrying and a large orange track marker. The river here has a gravel bed. If you’re unable to cross the river due to high water levels, continue along the stopbank for 2.8 km to State Highway 2, carefully cross the road bridge, and walk along State Highway 2 for 3.6 km to rejoin TA at the junction with Serpel Road. If you can cross the river, follow the roughly marked river side path for 450 metres upstream and climb over the stopbank to the farm track. Follow the TA track markers along the farm track (which becomes Dobson Road) for 1.8 km to a marked farm gate and farm track on the left. Follow the track for 450 m to a left turn, then follow it for 140 m to a right turn. Continue along the track for 620 m and follow a line of trees until you reach a farm gate that enters onto Serpel Road. Follow Serpel Road for 350 m and turn left onto State Highway 2. State Highway 2 is one of New Zealand’s busiest roads, especially on Friday afternoons and weekends, so be very careful crossing and walking along it.

Mangatawhiri River Track — 2.5km / 1 hour 15 minutes

This track opens up a little-seen corner of New Zealand where you’ll overlook the stopbank, a Dutch Polder-style agriculture. It follows the Mangatāwhiri River from the 2.5 km below the SH2 bridge, southwest to the exit at McIntyre Road.