Gisborne Gadabout

Disused Gisborne Railway

Gisborne Car Park

Firstly Hi to Icy and Cedric & Sally, thanks for the comments you posted on this blog. I do enjoy receiving them.

I left Wairoa on Saturday 21st September after a pleasant stay at the Riverside Camp Ground.  I walked the first 2km up the main road, sans my large pack. Stu from the camp took it to where the road meets the railway line. From there I walked 6km along the disused railway to Tuhara then turned right towards the beach. My map showed a road to the beach but a farmer on a motorbike advised me that I would need to cross his land. Richard readily gave me permission and also offered me the use of his cabin at the beach. I had intended to walk further that day but a cabin is always better than my small tent.

The cabin was locked but a window was open so managed to open the door from the inside. I noticed a hole in the floor chewed by rats so covered it over to keep them out. Later that night I could hear them scratching and clawing but a bang on the floor or walls shut them up up for awhile. About 1am I noticed a shadow on the INSIDE of the window and realised that the scratching had been Mr Rat trying to get out not in! I uncovered the hole and a short time later heard it scrabble through the hole and never heard another thing for the rest of the night.

The next day, after waiting an hour for the rain to cease, I covered 18km, all on the beach. I camped in a sheltered spot not far from Nuhaka. On Monday I was away at 7.50am. the first 3km was on the beach but I had to head 1km inland to cross the Nuhaka River by a railway bridge. Just before the bridge I came to a deep side stream. A semi submerged fallen tree was the only way across. As it was I got wet to my waist but the day was hot and I soon dried out. I could have been a lot wetter, a side branch broke off in my hand as I was crossing and I nearly fell in.

I walked along the railway for 4km and then on the road for 5km. I had not seen anyone for two days and was short of water and refilled my water bottle from an outside tap at a house near the road. A short while later I came to a petrol station and bought myself an ice cream. The final stretch for the day was 3km along the beach to Mahia where I booked into the Motor Camp. The price of cabins was outside of my budget so I paid for a campsite.

The following day the forecast was for heavy rain and gale force winds so I had no choice but to book into a cabin for the next two nights. The owner Jacinda generously gave me two nights for the price of one. I spent the next two days reading, doing crosswords and watching the America's Cup yatch racing, on the camp TV, with two other couples staying at the camp, also sheltering from the storm, Sel & Jenny and Dale & Jenny. From the local shop I also picked up a copy of The Wairoa Star with an article and photo about my walk. One night I had a pub meal and John who cooked my meal recognised me from the article. World famous in Mahia!!!

On Thursday 26th September I walked 19km on roads and farm tracks. I had my raincoat and leggings on when I left Mahia but was down to shirt and shorts by the afternoon. I passed through Mahanga and got permission from Malcolm Rough to cross his farm. From there it was a steady climb for 6km until I reached a pine plantation. A gang of loggers was at work and I struggled through the thick mud past their work site. They advised me that there was a 2nd gang just down the road and they would let them know by radio that I was coming through. Shortly after passing the second gang I camped for the night alongside a disused house and old woolshed. A pleasant wind free spot complete with a longdrop!

Next morning I walked down Paritu Rd and after 2km a ute stopped and the driver offered me a ride. I declined but asked him to take my pack to the end of the road, a distance of 10km. It turned out that Shane had been in the 2nd gang I'd passed the day before and they did in fact receive a radio message about me. "Bear Grylls is coming through!! Just before the main road I collected my pack and refilled my water bottles. My map showed no houses on Paritu Rd but I saw 13 people by the time I had reached the end. Next it was 3km along State Highway 2 and finally another 8km along the railway track. Total walked that day was 23km. At that point I stepped out onto the road and, as a van was coming put my thumb out, the van stopped and within 30 seconds of leaving the track I was in the van and on my way to Gisborne. Once there I booked into the YHA.

On Saturday I hitched back to where I had left off the day before and walked another 10kms along the rail tracks and crossed the rail bridge over the Waipaoa River. I then followed the stop banks to the beach. I had the choice of following the beach, a road or a 4wd track for the final 8km into Gisborne. I chose the track. I was shocked at the amount of rubbish dumped along this track. The worst I have seen since I started my walk. When I reached Gisborne I stopped to read an inscription on a statue and heard someone say my name. I had met Sel and Jenny at Mahia, so we had a catch up. They are an Australian couple who have been travelling in NZ since last December. To celebrate reaching Gisborne I shouted myself a bottle of wine.

I had yesterday off and today am doing some chores, updating blog, shopping and being interviewed by the local paper. Tomorrow I head off again, this time to go around East Cape. As there are few accessible beaches, that join up, or tracks, I will mostly be walking on the road.

Total km walked so far = 166 since restart 2 weeks ago. 730 North Island and 2466 in total.

Unfortunately I left my camera behind at the hostel so pictures will have to wait.

Wairoa Wanderings

Wairoa River mouth near where I left the beach to hitch into Wairoa..

My bus departed Hamilton last Saturday at 10am, with me on board, but I was destined not to leave Hamilton until 3pm! The bus broke down 10minutes later and we were all decamped to the footpath. An hour and 20 minutes later a mechanic arrived, he was unable to fix the problem and we were put aboard another bus and taken back to the bus station about noon. We were told that a replacement bus was being sent from Auckland. When it arrived  at 1.30pm those of us travelling to Napier and due to change buses at Taupo were advised to wait for the next direct service to Napier at 3pm! I finally arrived in Napier at 8.05pm, friends Bev & Chris collected me and took me home for a delayed dinner.

On Sunday Bev and Chris drove me to the end of Aropanui Rd where I had permission from Ron, the owner of Glendale Station to walk across his land. This was where I had walked to in March, before returning to Hamilton with a sore foot. After saying farewell to Bev and Chris it was a long hard struggle uphill. I had weighed my pack that morning at 26kg. It rained an hour after I started and I had to put on my raincoat and new leggings. Having done no training this time around I intended to take it easy for the first few days and only did 6km that first day. I camped on the coast at Ridgemount having seen nobody. I did see lots of sheep, goats, geese and one very dead very bloated pig! As it was dark by 6.20pm, I was in my tent and in my sleeping bag by that time!

On Monday I did 12km along the beach, the first 5km of which involved lots of clambering over rocks. Later it was all hard sand and easy walking. Towards the end there was a mass of tree debris washed up on the shore. The Waikari River proved to be too deep and fast to wade across so I decided to camp alongside it and try to cross at low tide next morning. At that stage I had seen nobody since Bev and Chris had dropped me off the day before. Later that afternoon I was sitting in my tent reading when I heard an engine. Thinking that it might be a boat, I got out of the tent and discovered it was a plane flying over. While watching the plane I saw a man walking on the beach. Allan had rowed down river from a campsite upstream. We sat chatting for quite awhile and he told me about the many different and diverse careers he had during his working life. Now "nearly 80" he is long retired. He agreed to row me across the river the next morning as he was planning on returning to do some fishing.

About 7am on Tuesday, Allan rowed me across the Waikari River. Shortly after I got wet feet crossing another shallower stream. I walked along hard sand all day until I got to the Mohaka River, where I  walked up roads and crossed the river bridge. There is a camping ground at Mohaka but it was locked up and there was no sign of anybody being around. After filling my water bottles at a house, I spent a miserable night camped above the beach, with the tent flapping in the wind. Total walked for the day was 11km.

I was away at 7.20am on Wednesday. An initial scramble along the steep banks of the Mohaka River brought me back to the beach. The beach was ideal for walking, nice hard sand and no rocks. All day I walked under steep cliffs and it looked like that, at high tide, the sea washed against the cliffs. Just before the Wairoa River mouth the cliffs finished and I followed a road for a short way. After walking 19km that day I  hitched a lift into Wairoa. The young family, who picked me up, drove out of their way to drop me at the Riverside Motor Camp, where I booked into their backpackers dorm for 3 nights.

I'd have to say that this is the cleanest camp I've been in so far! Bill and Sharon made me very welcome.  It was great to spend a night in bed again and the two others sharing the dorm, Howard and Derrick assured me I didn't snore too loudly!

Yesterday (Thursday) Bill the camp owner drove me back out to where I had hitched from and I walked the 7km back into town alongside the Wairoa River. I spent the rest of the day trying to get information about my route ahead. I was also interviewed by the local newspaper, the Wairoa Star.

I'm having a rest day today. After a leisurely start to the day I posed for a photo to go with the newspaper article and then walked into town to update this blog. This afternoon I intend to curl up with a book. Tomorrow morning I head north again.

So far I have felt no adverse affects in my feet, legs and back and I am hopeful of continued good health. I may not be able do another post here until I reach Gisborne, in about 10 days or so.

Total walked since restart on Sunday is 55km.
Total North Island to date = 620km
Grand total = 2356km.

On The Road (Beach) Again

63rd Birthday 

Over the past few months I have been back in Hamilton with Charissa for the winter to allow my foot to fully recover. However, I have not been idle. During the week, I have been doing casual work for Tradestaff and on weekends, selling at street markets, fairs and swapmeets. The work for Tradestaff was varied: landscaping, painting, stock taking, stacking pallets, store man, plant nursery and construction work. The shortest period of work was half a day and the longest 6 weeks.

Thanks to Rebecca Lee of Jade Acupuncture in Hamilton, my foot quickly recovered and I have had no pain for some months. Rebecca advised me to rest the foot for 3 months and since then I have been waiting for the weather to improve.

On Saturday, I travel to Napier and on Sunday 15th of September, I restart walking from where I left off which is about 30km north of Napier.This time I have not done any training in preparation but I plan to take it easy for the first few days and gradually increase the amount of time walking each day, using that as my training.

On my last day of walking earlier this year, I could not get around a headland as the sea was too deep at that point to wade around and the cliff too steep to climb. I have permission from the farmer to walk across his land so my first 6km will be up a farm track.

My next post will likely be from Wairoa in about 10 days time.