Waiheke Island

When I first started this adventure I am having, I met Jan on Stewart Island. We walked together for a few days and he told me about his life on Waiheke Island and about a planned 5 day around the island walk. He suggested that once I got this far, to do the walk of the island. Over two years later here I am.

I crossed over to Waiheke on the ferry on Tuesday 14th January. Jan met me and brought me to his home in Ostend where I met his wife Jackie and daughter Mika. After a cuppa Jackie took us back to Matiatia (where the ferry comes in) and Jan and I walked 15km back to his home. The coastal route took us mostly along tracks but also along beaches and across rocky headlands. As we walked we talked about our lives over the past two years.

Jan on beautiful Waiheke Island

Me in same spot

On Wednesday I walked another 18km via tracks and roads to Rocky Bay. Then more tracks towards Awaawaroa Bay. At one point I took a wrong turn and ended up trying to bush crash through gorse and bush lawyer before turning back and finding the right track. There were some very steep sections. I stopped at a cafe and bought a cuppa and while there dropped my water bottle. The bottom cracked and leaked water, so I had to carry it upside down for the rest of the day. Whenever I took a drink, water would dribble out of the bottom. Later I stopped to ask two ladies, working in a vineyard garden, if I could refill my bottle from the garden tap. It was a hot day and they asked if I'd walked down the hill. I told them I was about to go up it. "Your bloody mad" was the response. I then found out why, the hill was very steep indeed.

On Thursday morning Jan ran me to the other side of Onetangi and I hitched to my start point. My 24km for the day consisted of mainly quiet roads. A side road leads off to Stoney Batter where there are large tunnels from a WW2 gun emplacement.  I got a ride with the local mailman the 2km to the end of the road then walked the final km.  I was the first customer of the day and when the custodian went to unlock the gate into the tunnels she found she did not have the key. There then ensued a Dad's Army scenario of me assisting her to find an angle grinder, then a power cord and working out how to operate the generator. Once we got the generator going, the grinder needed to be assembled. Finally when we had everything together and operating she cut the lock off. Once inside the tunnels they were very impressive. Quite wide with long stairways and totalling over 1km in length. Later more road walking and then 2km along a nice bush walk brought me to Onetangi Beach. Finally 4km of road walking brought me to Jan & Jackies.

While here I am sleeping in a 2 bedroom cottage in front of their house which they recently had moved onto the property and are doing up.  Meals are taken with them and Ive told them I might not want to leave!

Friday was a day off from walking and I updated this blog, did some shopping and blobbed. On Saturday Jan and I took part in the 25km Wharf 2 Wharf run and race. Jackie dropped us off at Matiatia and we caught the ferry to Orapiu, put on specially for the race.  Jan ran it in 2hrs 22mins while I took a more leisurely 3hr 59mins to walk it. Near the end I walked past Peter Leitch's (The Mad Butcher) home and as I did so he came around the corner, shook my hand and said "good on you mate, your going well, your nearly there".  After the race Jackie picked us up and Jan and I had Fish N Chips.

This morning, Sunday, Jan accompanied me from Onetangi to Oneroa along roads, walkways and beaches (including one nudist beach). He gave me a commentary on the various areas and where he has been involved with establishing the walkways and the graphics his company, Snapper Graphics, has produced for them. At Oneroa we had a cuppa and Jan went home and I was joined by Gary, Chris and their son Connor as well as Buster the dog. Gary is the Auckland City, Parks and Recreation Officer for Waiheke and Great Barrier Islands. As we walked to Matiatia he told me of the history of the areas we passed and of the problems encountered in establishing and maintaining the various walkways. He is very passionate about his job and quizzed me about my experiences and thoughts while walking the island. Once we arrived at Matiatia there was a frantic search for Buster the dog, who had gone missing. After much calling and whistling he was finally spotted racing down the beach towards us half a km away. Gary then drove me home.

Todays walk completed my circular walk of the island. I have enjoyed stunning views, lovely walks, steep hills and great hospitality over the past week. The around Waiheke walk is not yet signposted or advertised as such but I can recommend it to anyone looking for a scenic, if at times somewhat challenging, walk close to Auckland.

Thames to Auckland

 

It's been awhile since I last posted, so a lot to report, but will try to be succinct. After 3 weeks off from walking over Xmas and New Year, I resumed from Thames on Monday 6th January. Due to Xmas eating I was 4kg heavier! Charissa and I drove to Miranda Holiday Park on the Hauraki Coast where we dropped my pack & then drove to Thames. I then walked the 28km to Miranda. The first 5km to Kopu was along the Hauraki Rail Trail. The next 17km was alongside the main road, long and flat. Convoys of cars doing 100km zoomed past in both directions. I noticed an older camper van parked across a driveway with its rear end partially sticking out into the roadway. Cars were having to drive around it. As I drew level I startled a very old man leaning over the fence cutting bamboo. He asked if I was the owner of the property as he wanted to get permission to cut bamboo stakes. As his camper van was already full, back and front, I thought it a bit late to be asking permission. At my suggestion he moved his van further off the road. The final 6km was up the Front Miranda road, with less traffic, to the Holiday Park.  I stayed in my tent and that night I soaked in their hot thermal pool.

I was away before 7am on Tuesday morning, the first 3km on the road and then 2km along the Miranda Bird Hide Track. Later I walked along a beach where about 20 camper vans had parked overnight. Trish and John, retired farmers from Cambridge, invited me into their van for a welcome cuppa. Shortly after leaving them, and on the road again, I met Allan walking in the opposite direction. He had walked 4km to Kaiaua to buy a paper . He crossed the road to talk. Later, after reading my blog, he sent me an encouraging email. Once in Kaiaua I bought what food supplies I could from the local dairy. The night before I'd realised that I had left half my food in Charissa's car. After walking 20km for the day I found a basic camping ground and pitched my tent again.

Wednesday was a short day of 15km, all on roads, to Orere Point Holiday Park where I was in my tent again.

The 25km to Clevedon on Thursday was a mixture of beach and road. The first 9km along sandy beaches and rocky headlands to Kawakawa Bay.  Stephanie the manager of the Holiday Park took my pack into Clevedon and left it at the Presbyterian Church. When I called to collect it Anne Marie gave me tea and biscuits. I then hitched to the Twilight B& B, the only accommodation I could find in the area. Jill the owner made me welcome and gave me fruit and eggs.


On Friday I hitched back to Clevedon and walked  to Maraetai. The first 11km was along the main road but traffic quite light.  The final 4km was along the beach. I stayed with friends Diane and Andy at Maraetai that night. They had left the key out for me. After dropping my pack I then used coastal paths to walk past Omana Beach & Beachlands  to Pine Harbour.  This final 8km brought the days total to 23km. Then walked another 6km back to where I was staying. That evening I joined Diane and Andy in playing social bowls and a couple of beers followed by dinner of sausages and salad.  I had not seen my hosts for a number of years so later, over generous measures of rum, we caught up on each others adventures. Since last meeting them they had spent a few years in the UK where they bought a boat and sailed around Europe. After soaking in their spa I finally got to bed about midnight.

Friends Andy & Diane at Maraetai

I stayed in the unit at Diane & Andys place.

Saturday was another 25km day. After a substantial breakfast Andy dropped me at my start point about 8.30am and Diane later gave me a toot as she drove past on her way to work. After walking on the main road for 4km I then took side roads for the next 6km past lifestyle blocks, many of them with expensive houses on them. Another 2km on the main road brought me to Whitworth. A short walkway, side roads, main road and 7km of Coastal walkway took me to Melons Bay.  Diane had dropped my pack off at my destination for that night. This was a 4km walk from Melons Bay to Botany Downs. Julie is a friend of Charissa and although I'd never met her before she made me very welcome.

Just 8km was my total for Sunday.  Julie served me a large breakfast and then we took my pack to the Half Moon Bay ferry terminal. She then took me to my start point and I walked back to the ferry terminal. After lunch I caught the ferry into Auckland and booked into a backpackers in Queen St.

Monday 13th was a big day of 28km. I caught the ferry back to Half Moon Bay and walked back into Auckland. The route consisted of a mixture of suburban streets, walkways and coastal paths. The Rotary Shared Path is 9km long and a wide concrete path which hugs the coast and great walking. You hardly know you are walking in New Zealand's biggest city.

Total distance walked since start is 3553km, with 1799 of this in the North Island.

Coromandel Peninsula

On Monday 9th December I caught the Intercity bus to Coromandel then hitched to Te Rerenga. I  stayed at the Waikawau Bay Motor Camp again. Next morning I was up early and away at 6.30am. The first 2km was along SH25 then 5km along a forestry road. Glenn from Earnslaw One had previously given me permission to walk on their road and given very explicit instructions about where to turn off the road onto an old track. At the turn off point I found a log with my name and an arrow painted on it, showing me the way.

The first half a km of the track was through gorse and I nearly gave up. However persistence paid off and eventually I was able to follow the overgrown track reasonably well. It took me 2 hours to walk the 4km. Eventually the track came out onto the Kennnedy Bay Rd. I only saw 3 vehicles going my way in the next 3 hours. Thinking I was 7kms from my destination I hitched a ride with the 3rd vehicle only to find I was just 2km from the camp. After setting up my tent I got a ride back with the same people and walked the final 2km. Total for the day was 29km.

For the next 3 nights I stayed in my tent at DOC camps. The first night was at Waikawau Bay where the staff were very helpful. They arranged for Tim the local Rural Delivery mailman to take my pack on to Sandy Bay the next day. I was walking at 6.30am again and arrived, 18km later, at Sandy Bay at 9.50am. On the way I passed through Port Charles. Tim arrived at 12.20pm with my pack and I walked the final 7km to Stony Bay.

Thursday was a perfect days walking. The first 9 km was along the Coromandel Walkway, mostly through bush, with the last 2 km across farmland. There were great views across to Great Barrier Island. I was away at 6.15am and saw nobody until I arrived at the DOC camp at Fletcher Bay.

Looking down on DOC camp at Fletcher Bay

Two German tourists agreed to take my pack 6 km onto the next camp at Port Jackson. I walked up the road for 3km and then turned off onto the Muriwai Walk. This is a grass track with a drop to the sea on one side and farmland on the other. It reminded me of coastal walks in the UK. That was until I came to a view of Port Jackson and its long sandy beach, then I knew I wasn't in the UK!

Port Jackson from Muriwai Walk

Friday 13th was a long day, in the heat, all on roads. The first 3km was uphill then most of the next 28km alongside the coast. Tama stopped to offer me a ride about half way. He agreed to drop my pack at the Colville Store. I stayed that night in a backpackers 2km south of Colville where the only other guests were a French couple. Their English not much better than my French but they went into my blog on their tablet and used software to translate it into French.

On Saturday I walked the 2km back to Colville then took a back road, a track and then the main road to Coromandel. About 9km from Coromandel I met a German guy walking and heading for where I had stayed the night before. It is unusual for me to meet other walkers and even more so to find someone doing the same walk as me in reverse! I stayed in another backpackers that night after a 27km day. A long  hot day with my big pack.  I met some people from Hamilton who agreed to take my pack to Tapu the next day.

I slept in on Sunday morning and didn't get up until 5.20am but was still away at 6.15am. Shortly after leaving Coromandel I came across the survivors of an all night party, sitting drinking around the remains of a fire. There was rubbish strewn all over the place including the side of the road. As I was walking on the main road I was wearing a Hi Vis vest. The party goers must have thought I was someone in authority come to chastise them. When I called out a greeting they told me "don't worry about the rubbish bro, we'll clean it up"!

Later I walked through Manaia, I wondered if the inhabitants were referred to as Manaiacs?
I asked for a backpackers room at the Tapu Motor Camp and was given a cabin with a double bed for $15. I've paid more for a tent site in other places. As there was a pub over the road I shouted myself a pub meal that night as I'd walked 35km that day. The camp manager agreed to take my pack into Thames the next day.

The final 23km to Thames was once again mostly on the road, fairly narrow in places  and I had to have my wits about me. Once at Thames I followed the stop-banks for 1km and then the Coastal Walkway for 2km. After collecting my pack I hitch hiked to Hamilton. My 4th and final ride for the day turned out to be someone I'd worked with and Mike took me right to my door.

I will resume walking in the New Year from Thames towards Auckland. I wish everyone a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. See you all here in January.

Total kms walked to date = 1627 North Island and 3380 in total.

Santa's Little Helper

Kaylah and I at Opoutere School

Looking at Pauanui from Paku 

Friends Jo & Peter

Mangroves at Whangapoua

New Chums Beach on a rainy day

On Sunday 24th November Charissa drove me back to Waihi Beach and we stayed in the lovely holiday home of  Ange Annas, an ex colleague. I walked 9km on the beach from Bowentown to the end of Waihi Beach. From there a track goes overland to Golden Valley. However there was a sign saying the track is closed due to storm damage. Therefore Monday's 34 km  was all on roads. Perhaps due to the 25c heat, two people stopped in the afternoon to offer me rides. My grandson Cory drove out from Whanagamata to collect me and I spent the next 3 nights staying with my son and daughter in law, Adam & Adele, and my grandchildren, Cory, Hadyn & Kaylah. Later Adam drove me back to Waihi Beach and we collected my pack.

On Tuesday I gave a talk to the pupils (including Kaylah) of Opoutere School. They all seemed interested in what I am doing and if Rae, the Principal, hadn't called time then I think the questions would still be coming. Later that afternoon I completed another 8km from where Cory had picked me up, to the northern outskirts of Whangamata. That afternoon Kaylah slipped off the wet deck at school, sprained her wrist and had her arm in a sling.

It was an early start on Wednesday as Adam dropped me off at my start point at 6am. Just after 7.30am I had done 10km and called in and had a cup of tea with Rae at Opoutere School. Another 7km of back country road brought me to a forestry road. I had been given permission to walk the 5km through to the Hikuia - Pauanui Rd. I saw no one as I walked through mature pine trees. I left them undisturbed, quietly growing. It was overcast all day, which kept the temperatures down, but didn't actually rain. I had an ice cream at Hikuai, after 28km in 6.5 hours,  then hitched back to Whangamata.

Another 6am start on Thursday meant that I had completed the 12km to Tairua by  8am. At the local dairy I picked up copies of the Coastal News which featured Kaylah and myself on the front page. I stayed at the holiday home of friends, Jo & Peter, in Tairua for 2 nights. Adam delivered my pack that night. Charissa came through on Thursday night and Jo & Peter on Friday.  It was nice to be able to socalise with friends and family, after a days walking, for a change.

On Friday I climbed the local hill, Paku, walked the beach and then on SH25 to Whenuakite, a total of 15km, before hitching back to Tairua.

It was another early start on Saturday as Jo & Peter drove my pack and myself to Whitianga, where they had arranged accommodation for me with their friends. Shirley and Chris were away but had made a bed up for me in the unit in front of their home. After dropping my pack off they then dropped me at Whenuakite.  22km later I arrived at Ferry Landing, having walked along roads towards Hot Water Beach & Hahei, without actually going to either. I caught the ferry to Whitianga after climbing Shakespears Cliff.

Sunday was spent reading and resting. On Monday I became Santa's Little Helper. The first 2km were mostly along the beach and then on SH25. Out of Simpsons Beach  Sara stopped to offer me a ride, she agreed to take my pack to Black Jacks Backpackers in Kuaotuna, my destination for the day. A few km's later I stopped to pick up some Xmas presents which had been partially opened and discarded. I put these in pack day pack and continued walking. Over the next 5km I picked up ten or so Xmas presents.

Carl and Carol made me welcome at the  backpackers and Carl  agreed  to take the Xmas presents into the police station next time they went to town. I felt sure they were the result of a burglary. As some of them were obviously intended for kids I was keen for them to be reunited with their named recipients.

The next day Carol was heading to Auckland and agreed to drop my pack at a cafe, near where I was hoping to stay that night. The first 3km was along beaches at Kuaotuna where I was thrilled to see two tiny Dottrell chicks. I have been on many beaches with signs saying how rare these birds are. In fact I think I must have seen most of the total 1700 population between here and Stewart Island. This was the first time I'd seen chicks.  A narrow metal road then brought me to Matarangi and another 4km of sandy beach. At the end of the spit there was a track around the golf course and then through the subdivisions to a cafe, where I stopped for a cuppa and cake.

As I walked over a wide grass verge on the way out of Matarangi a car drove over the grass and stopped alongside me. The driver was wearing a name badge. Initially I thought that I had transgressed some local bylaw and that this was a vigilante come to run me out of town. This was far from the case as Puk is the local shopkeeper and the owner of the Xmas presents I had picked up the day before. Carl had recognized the names on the gift tags, phoned Puk who had gone to collect. He then set out to track me down to thank me. On learning where my pack had been taken, he phoned the cafe owner to arrange lunch at his expense. The good news is that the burglars had been apprehended, with the booty from Puk's and 2 other burglaries.

Another 9km later I enjoyed a lovely lunch at Castle Rock cafe then booked into the Whangapoua Holiday Park. Suzanne & Aaron have refurbished an old Forestry Camp and have reopened it as a Holiday Park. They generously allowed me to have two nights for the price of one.

Rain was forecast for Wednesday but I took a chance and walked to Whangapoua, then over a river and along a track to New Chums beach. This a a world renown beach for which access is only via the track or by boat. It was raining by the time I got there so after walking the length of the beach I returned to Whangapoua from where the local postie, Kevin gave a ride back to the camp.

It rained all day Thursday so I stayed put and read. As further rain was forecast until Monday I returned to Hamilton for a few days. The plan is to return on Monday and start walking on Tuesday. I will be in my tent for a few nights as I walk around the top of the Coromandel Peninsula.

Total km walked to date = 3220

Whakatane to Waihi Beach

11 & 12 yr olds at Thornton School asked some good questions

Keita & photo of Tyrese

Allan rowed me across the estuary from Pukehina to Little Waihi

Overlooking Mt Maunganaui from "The Mount"

Whakatane & White Island

On White Island

Boiling mud & sulphur

Abandoned factory White Island

White Island from boat Pee Jay IV

I left Opotiki last Friday, my friend Gavin drove me to the museum and then Len drove me to Ohiwa Bay, where I booked into a cabin at the Top 10 Holiday Park. Len then drove me back to Opotiki and I walked the 11km back to Ohiwa. The first 3 km was on the road with the remainder on the beach. I was not sure if I could wade across the Waiotahi River but after talking with some people collecting Pipi's, I crossed with the water coming up to my waist.

My destination on Saturday was Ohope, just half a km across the water, however there being no boat available to take me across, it was a 30km walk along the roads. At Cheddar Valley there is a 2km nature walk through a salt marsh. I stayed in my tent at the Ohope Top 10 Holiday Park. My pack was taken from Ohiwa to Ohope for me by a fellow camper.

On Sunday I walked to the end of Ohope Beach then walked back to the camp. Chelsea who lives in Whakatane and works at the camp agreed to take my pack into Whakatane at the end of the day. The days total was 16km, 11km along the beach and then up and over the Kohi Point Walkway.

I am staying in a backpackers room at the Whakatane Hotel for 3 nights. Yesterday was a little special for me. Pee Jays White Island Tours sponsored me with a free trip to White Island. It was a beautiful day and the sea was flat for the 2 hour trip out to the island 49km's away. Once there we were transferred, 10 at a time to the wharf by rubber dingy. We had been issued with hard hats and gas masks in case the active volcano erupted while on the island. Our guides took us on a 1.5 hour tour of the island and showed us sulphur deposits, boiling mud pools and the crater lake. Sulphur used to be mined here and there is the remains of a factory, abandoned in the 1930's. A great day out and something unique, visiting an active volcano on an offshore island.

Today I am having a day off (yes another one!) and catching up with some chores. tomorrow I head up the coast towards Matata, then Tauranga.

Total km's walked to date 2888km - 1145 North Island.

Barefoot to Opotiki



Abandoned road near Hawai



Cycle/Walkway Bridge Opotiki

On outskirts of Opotiki

On Tuesday 22nd October I caught a bus to Opotiki, where I stayed with my friend Gavin. On Wednesday morning I was interviewed by the Opotiki News and then hitchhiked to Te Araroa.
I booked into the Te Araoa Camp Ground and stayed in a caravan for the night.

 Thursday was a 29km walk, all on roads, past Hicks Bay and Pataka before hitching to Waihau Bay. About lunch time I spoke to Don who was doing some renovations on his house. While refilling my water bottle he told me a little about his life. He moved back here from Hamilton two years ago and in that time has not travelled further afield than Ruatoria, about 60km away!

The Waihou Bay Motor Camp is officially closed but a couple of long term residents advised me that nobody owned one of the caravans on site, on finding it clean and tidy I moved into that for two nights. On Friday I hitched back to where I had been picked up from the day before and walked the 20km back. Once again it was all on SH35 except for a 2km stretch of beach. On the way I passed from the East Coast region to the Bay Of Plenty.

The first one km on Saturday was along the beach then back to SH35. As I passed a house in Waihou Bay a lady called out "Good on you" and started to clap. Presumably she had read the Opotiki News article. I thankfully had my pack taken on for the last 5km of the 23km for the day. I stayed at the Maraehako Backpackers. This is in a fabulous location, built right on the rocks alongside the ocean.

Sunday was an easy 15km walk to Te Kaha, made even easier by having my pack taken the whole way. There being no beds available at the Te Kaha Camping Grounds I pitched my tent for the first time for awhile.

There was lots of traffic on the road on Monday due to it being a public holiday. An hour out of Te Kaha I was invited in for a cup of tea by Martin & Marina who had just read about me. Their guests Vic & Barbara were heading home later that day and readily agreed to take my pack. Later I met them at the Motu River bridge and they gave me a ride to Hawai where I stayed in a backpackers room at the Motor Camp. The 27km for the day were once again all on SH35.

The first car I stuck my thumb out to on Tuesday morning took me back to the Motu River Bridge and I walked the 13km back to Hawai. After collecting my pack I then walked another 14km to Opape. I stayed at the small Opape Motor Camp. Beryl & Kevin and their son Perry gave me a cabin free of charge as Perry had read about me. Before I moved into the cabin they had to evict the current tenants, a mother cat and two young kittens.

Yesterday was an easy 15km, all on the beach, to Opotiki. After 2km I removed my boots to cross a stream and never put them back on until I left the beach 10km later. It was a beautiful day, I was off the road at last and walking in bare feet. It felt like I was on holiday!  Once again Gavin welcomed me to his home.

Im having a rest day today and catching up with a few chores. tomorrow I head for Whakatane which
should take about 3 days to reach.