Getting There (Now in Whangarei)

I restarted walking on Saturday 1st February with a 32km day. From Arkles Bay on Whangarporoa Peninisula, I took a mixture of footpaths and roads to Gulf Harbour and then walkways and  paths to Shakespear Park. My map showed the end of the peninsula to be Defence Force land and not to be entered but, as it was low tide, I was able to walk around it and beyond. After 3 hours of walking on the beach the tide was coming in, which resulted in wet feet as I edged around a sea cave. Just beyond the cave were steep rocks where someone had, conveniently, placed a rope. As I pulled myself over the edge I came face to boot with two startled Asian fishermen. " where you come from?" I eventually arrived in Orewa where I watched a Busker Festival and ate Chinese Takeaways for dinner.

Te Horui Bay, Whangaparoa Peninsula

On Sunday I felt tired, the pack felt heavy and I couldn't get into walking. Consequently I only covered 10km from Orewa to the Wenderholm Regional Park and booked into the camping ground.

I covered a more respectable 21km on Monday to Warkworth, all on roads. Most of it on State Highway 1.
My room at The Oaks Backpackers in Warkworth was hot and the window would only open a couple of inches, also a couple of other guests kept me awake cooking at 11.15 pm and using the computer, on the other side of the wall from my bed, until 12.30 am.

On Tuesday Kumal took my pack 10km to Matakana and I collected it from his work later than morning. Jackie stopped 4km down the road to offer a lift and took my pack the last 4km to Whangateau Holiday Park where I set up my tent. I spent the afternoon reading, in the lounge, and on returning to the tent I found that someone had set up a monster sized tent directly in front of it. My little tent looked like a pimple in comparison. The occupant of the bigger tent snored all night.

Wednesday was another 18km day, all on roads, firstly to Leigh. Traffic became lighter and the road turned to gravel and back to tar seal on the way to Pakiri. Two people stopped to offer rides but as I did not know where I would be stopping I carried my pack all day. Once at Pakiri Beach I hitch hiked into Wellsford, from where Mark Page collected me and I spent 2 nights staying with him and Loma. They are contractors to the company I used to work for and had invited me to stay once I reached their neck of the woods. Or perhaps that should be neck of the bush, as they have 500 acres of regenerating bush. They have no electricity or cell phone coverage. Next day they took me for a walk around and showed me the property. Possums, rats, stoats and weasels are being trapped, goats and pigs shot and neighbors cattle fenced off. Mark has developed a deep love affair with his bulldozer and mower while Loma is infatuated with the weed sprayer! They have an idyllic spot and I felt quite comfortable there, staying in the guest cabin.

The cabin on the left is where I stayed. The cabin on the right is Loma and Mark's. 

On Friday 7th February Mark and Loma drove me to Mangawhai Heads where, having established that both backpackers were full, we left my pack at the Motor Camp. They then drove me to Pakiri Beach from where I walked the 27km back to Mangawhai Heads. I had been worried about the depth of the water in a river crossing, at the start of the day, but it only came up to just above my ankles. After 15km of beach I could find no sign to show where to leave the beach and ended up overshooting the turn off. A route through forestry roads brought me back onto the roads to Mangawhai and then Mangawhai Heads. At some point I crossed into Northland, the last geographic region of my walk. It had rained on and off all day and as I set my tent up it began raining and rained on and off until the next morning. Despite it being a large camp there was nowhere to sit out of the rain. There is a kitchen (with notices advising guests not to sit on the benches) but no dining area or lounge.

During the night I kept waking with what felt like an insect tickling my skin. When I packed my tent away next morning I discovered it had been invaded by ants! The rain stopped as I left camp on Saturday morning.
I met a lady soon after, who inadvertently showed me the wrong path, an hour and a half later I was only .5km away from where I'd started. I then made a silly decision to walk on the road rather than retrace my steps and find the correct track. Later I missed the start of another coastal walkway and continued on the road to Waipu Cove. The tide was high which meant that yet again I had to walk on the road rather than the beach. I stayed at the Waipu Wanderers Backpackers after a 23km day.

From above Mangawhai heads looking south.

It was threatening rain on Sunday 9th February but stayed dry all day. The 20km walk seemed longer. The first 3 km was on roads and the next 5 km was on the beach. More road walking through Ruakaka brought me back to the beach where the tailwind wind blew sand and seed heads racing past. The seed heads were the size of golf balls and had many long spikes sticking out and reminded me of mini tumbleweeds. Expecting to see Clint Eastwood riding past on a mule, I whistled the theme tune to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!
I left the beach at Marsden Point and walked roads to One Tree Point. My map showed a camp there but apparently it closed down many years ago. Having failed to find any affordable accommodation I hitched into Whangarei where I stayed at the Bunkdown Backpackers.

Yesterday morning I hitched back to my starting point and walked 31km back into Whangarei. Most of it was on SH1 with lots of fast traffic. Friends had given me contact details for Lisca, who had offered to put me up in Whangarei. She collected the pack and I from the backpackers. She, her daughter Rhianon, Chris (Rhianon's husband) and Chris's daughter Shayla have all made me very welcome. Today I am having a day of rest, updating this blog and restocking my nose bag.

I feel that the end is in sight and was excited to see my first road sign showing Cape Reinga. It is only 266 km from Whangarei by road but probably nearer to 500 km by my more easterly, coastal route.  

I have now walked over 2000 km in the North Island and a total of 3881 km.

Locals comment on corruption in Northland.