Holed Up In Karikari Peninsula As Storm Blows Through

On Friday 7th March I caught a bus back to Kerikeri. Bob picked me up from the bus stop and I spent another pleasant stay with him and Helen. Next day I walked on roads towards Matauri Bay. Jan a rural postie took my pack 3km and I collected it from the local gas station, where I was given oranges. After 25km I then hitched to Matauri Bay and booked into the camp. Next morning I hitched back and walked the remaining 17km back to camp. In the afternoon I visited the Rainbow Warrior memorial above the camp. The ship is now a dive wreck, not far off the coast.

Rainbow Warrior memorial Matauri Bay

After a 2nd night of poor sleep in my tent, I left Matauri Bay and headed for Whangaroa 25km away, all on roads. There were some spectacular views looking back down on Matauri Bay. At Wainui Bay I met Sailor walking on the road. We walked together for a couple of kms.  He's in his twenties and as we walked he told me about his life. He has 7 brothers and sisters, although his father has 15 children!  I had my big pack and Sailor wasn't carrying anything but I found I easily outpaced him up the hills and had to keep slowing down. Later a van stopped to offer me a ride and agreed to take my pack the final 7km to the camp.  Once at the camp I booked into a cabin and finally got a good nights sleep, despite the dozens of mosquito's in the room .

Next day I called in at a Farm Hostel after 12kkm but it was full. I managed 22km on SH10 towards Mangonui when a couple of Brazilian tourists did a u turn to offer me a ride.  I booked into a small backpackers room at the Mangonui Hotel. I was disappointed with the pub meal that night as the steak was full of gristle. Two things made me smile. One of the toilets at the pub was out of order and the sign said "Sorry for any inconvenience". The local shop had a bin of dated stock, one of the items was a box of condoms!

It took 30 minutes next morning to get a ride back to where I'd been picked up the day before and I walked the 12km back to the pub and collected my pack. The local information centre had advised me that there is a backpackers at Cable Bay. I walked 5km via roads and Coopers Beach to Cable Bay only to discover there are lots of B&B's but no backpackers. Jane, the local shopkeeper, was heading to Kaitia and gave me a ride to The Rockhouse Backpackers on Karikari Peninisular. Tonight will be my 5th night here.

This is quite a small establishment with just 6 backpackers beds. I have a large room with a small kitchen, an en-suite shower and toilet, for $30 a night. On Thursday I hitched back to Cable Bay and walked back here where I had lunch and then headed for Tokerau Beach via a rough track. I took a wrong turning and ended up crashing through gorse, scrub and an overgrown dry lake bed. Once on the beach I realized that I'd lost my bandana in the scrub. It was the 3rd one I'd lost so far and had been with me since Wellington. Once on the beach I removed my boots and walked for 9km down the sandy beach. Years ago this used to be the only way in and was used as a road. There is a 30km hour speed limit on the beach but twice I was passed by cars doing what seemed like 100km. At the end of the beach I walked to Matai Bay Rd and, after having takeaways for dinner, hitched back here having walked 24km for the day.

Friday was a big day of 34km. Initially it was going to be a day off but as a large storm was forecast for Saturday and Sunday I decided to take those days off instead. I easily got a ride back to my start point and walked towards Matai Bay. A track leads down to Karikari Beach and I walked the entire 6km  of beautiful sandy beach without seeing anyone. In fact I spoke to nobody all day.  I followed cattle tracks around the rocky headland between  Karikari Beach and Puwheke Beach. Another 3km of beach brought me to a vehicle track, 6km of roads then 7km of rough vehicle track and finally 4km of road. It had been threatening to rain all day and there had been a few short showers. Once I reached the main road and tried to hitch the rain started in earnest, so I phoned Ian the owner of the backpackers and he kindly picked me up.

Karikari Beach

Yesterday it was baked bean weather, wet and windy, as Cyclone Lusi made its way south. There has been no major damage here but further south there has been flooding and power cuts.

I'm still on track to make the final 156 km's to Cape Reinga on Thursday 27th March at 12 noon.

About a dozen or so family and friends have said they will be there to greet me and I'm really looking forward to that.

Last Leg

Tomorrow I catch the bus to Kerikeri and on Saturday start the final leg of my journey. Although "final leg" may not be the right expression when referring to a walk.

I don't usually preplan where I will be on a particular day but in this case I have calculated my end date and time, as several people have expressed a desire to be at Cape Reinga when I get there.

Please put the following into your diary:

12 noon on Thursday 27th March.

Apart from WW3 breaking out or any such major disaster I will stick to that date and time.  I have allowed a few rest days between now and then. If I should get delayed at any stage I will abandon rest days until I catch up.

It does seem unreal to be finally coming to the finish.

See you all on the 27th.

Nearing The Top & The End

On Thursday 27th February I reached Kerikeri in the far north.

 My hosts in Whangarei, Lisca, Rhianon & Chris had arranged accommodation at Whangarei Heads with friends of theirs Gary & Sue. On Wednesday 12th February Chris dropped my pack at Gary's workplace, so I had an easy walk through Whangarei and over the new river bridge. After walking on the road I took a walkway around the coast past Onerahi. The rest of the 32km for the day was on the road. On the way I met Kip who owns a B&B, he offered me a free bed for the night. When I explained that I already had a bed for the night he said "well if they mistreat you, come back here".  At Parua Bay I bought the local paper with an article about my walk. The photo was taken in such a way that my feet took up the biggest part of it. Sue and Gary looked after me with a pleasant room, food and conversation. They entertained me with their travel stories.

I only managed 16km next day but it was a hard days walking. Initially along the road and then by walking tracks to WW2 gun emplacements and then to Smugglers Cove. I was pleased not to have my pack with me as what came next on the Bream Head Track was a series of steps up past Mt Lion. I stopped often as the steps just went on and up, then up some more. When I thought it couldn't go up any more, it did! Then more, and yet more again!  The 5km to Ocean Beach took 3.5 hours. Once there, I texted Gary who brought my pack and I set up my tent.

Smugglers Cove from part way up the Bream Head Track

Next morning I got wet feet trying to get around a rocky outcrop, then had to retrace my steps and go over a high sandbank. After 6km of beach I turned onto Kauri Mountain Rd and then onto a track over Kauri Mountain (just 245m high). Later as I was walking on the road again Roz and Hugh stopped and invited me to their B&B, Tidesong, for lunch. Over lunch I learnt that last year Hugh had a kidney transplant and Ros provided the kidney. After a large lunch I didn't feel like going much further and so I was given a room for the night (and later dinner) at very a reasonable rate.

Hugh and son Bruce ferried my pack 2km up the estuary next morning while Ros walked with me up the road. Shortly after I crossed the Pataua footbridge across an estuary. 14km of road then brought me to the Mackarel Forest Track. Despite being overgrown I really enjoyed this stretch of track, as it meandered beside a pine plantation and a stream. Another 4km of road walking brought me back to the main road where I hitched to Tutukaka. I was picked up by Peter who not only knew my hosts from last night but also my sons boss in Whangamata. I booked into a backpackers room at the Motor Camp for 3 nights after walking 20km for the day.

Ros,Hugh & Bruce. 

The following day I hitched back to my start point and walked the 20km back to the camp mostly on roads but also over rocks along the coast. Monday was a rest day and I did a short walk to a lighthouse.

When I set off on Tuesday it was threatening rain but we only had a few spits. On the way to Matapouri my pack was taken on for about a km. Once at Matapouri I left my pack with the helpful male shopkeeper who was wearing a lovely short white dress.  I walked along the beach and then the Whalebay Walkway before returning and collecting my pack. From Sandy Bay a 6km walkway took me to Whananaki where I walked across the 400m pedestrian bridge to the Motor Camp. The weather didn't look too promising so I booked into a cabin. Later a fine misty rain rolled in and stayed for the next couple of days.

Footbridge at Whananaki

After 2 days and 3 nights I left Whananaki on Friday 21st at 8am and followed the Te Araroa trail through pine forests and bush. The track was quite steep and slippery in places after the rain. It took 6 hours to cover 10km, including an hour I lost after taking a wrong turning and having to retrace my steps. Later, on the road, I hitched to Whangaruru and stayed at the Motor Camp.
Next morning I hitched back and Bill picked me up and went 4km out of his way to drop me at my start point. It was just a 13km walk back to the camp.

On Sunday it was a 12km walk on a sealed road to The Farm where I appeared to be the only guest at this very busy backpackers. The owners Ellen and Michael have 9 children and also employ a lot of  WWOOFERS to help out with school camps, horse treks and trail bike riding. I was given a room with an ensuite for $20.

On Monday I walked 21km along roads, stopping for lunch at lovely Te Uenga Bay where people were kayaking and swimming in the blue water. At Jacks Bay I was offered a ride to Russell. Bruce dropped me off at the Oranga Bay Holiday Park. The cabins were too expensive for me and the tent sites were the most expensive I've come across yet at $25, although they discounted it to $22. As Don the owner was going into Russell later he agreed to take me in to do some shopping.  When we got back his wife Angela said " well you should be very happy, you've had good value for $22". I met a family staying at the camp who live in Whangamata and know my son and daughter in law. When they read about me in their local paper they had gone down to the road to wait with oranges, but I'd already gone past. Hopefully the oranges were for eating not throwing!

Next morning as I left the camp I noticed a, newly placed, blackboard sign saying "Tent Sites from $19". Bruce who picked me up the day before owned the local school buses and so I was able to get a ride back to my start point on a school bus. It was 10km of road walking back to the camp, on the way I picked up an expired passport on the side of the road, so I placed it in the next mailbox I came to. I wonder what the people thought when they next collected their mail! As my Sherpas did not turn up again I had to carry my own pack for the rest of the day. A 4km track that seemed much longer, due to some steep bits, took me to Okiato. Unusually I saw lots of other people walking the track. At Okiato I took the ferry to Opua, a bargain at $1! A 6km coastal track then took me to Paihia where I stayed in a backpackers for two nights

Wednesday was a day off and I took the ferry to Russell and back. On Thursday I left Paihia and walked to Kerikeri via Waitangi. At Mt Bledisloe I turned into the forest and was confronted by a sign saying it was closed to the public, due to logging operations. I phoned the DOC number displayed on the sign and spoke to Steve. He is that most unusual of people, friendly, helpful and knowledgable. He advised me that, as my route would not go through the logging area, I could proceed. After 11km of forestry road I then walked on public roads to Kerikeri and past the Stone Store to the home of Bob & Helen, relatives of friends. They have a lovely home and a large garden complete with a waterfall. Bob welcomed me with home brew.

Outside Stone Store Kerikeri, one of NZ's oldest buildings

On Friday morning Bob drove me back into Kerikeri from where I caught the bus to Hamilton.
I am here for a week and then back to Kerikeri and the final segment to Cape Reinga.

Total walked so far = 4122km.