Te Araroa - The Long Pathway is a 3000 km route that stretches the length of both islands. I had decided to walk just the south island but while I was up in the north visiting my Kiwi friend Barbara I thought I would do a little test training trip -
A. To get my tramping fitness improved
B.To get an idea of what gear/food worked for me and what I needed to change
Day 1 November 4th 2017 Cape Reinga to Twilight Beach 12km
Well first there was the small matter of getting to Cape Reinga from Whangarei. I had heard about the legendary generosity of Kiwi drivers to hitchhikers...and I wasn't disappointed! 270km - I got there in 4 hours with just 3 hitches!! Result!
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| In Whangarei hoping for a hitch to the Cape - wearing my handcrafted Tyvek rainkilt which I'm sure helped get me lifts!! |
Luckily for me the beach is not 90 miles long!! Ninety Mile Beach is actually around 62 miles (100 kilometres) long. The story goes that the early European settlers named it because they knew their horses could travel up to 30 miles in a day. ... Unfortunately, they didn't account for the slower pace of travelling on sand - it took them 3 days but they only travelled 20 miles a day!
Left to right - Tent all set up - Cooking in the shelter - Dinner - thousands of massive green-lipped mussels on Twilight Beach - oddly I was the only person eating them!
Day 2 November 5th 2017 Twilight Beach to Bluff Camp 28km
No not that Bluff at the other end of the country! Te Araroa isn't that easy! It was the first long day with a heavy pack - felt pretty good but shoulder and neck a bit tender - using muscles not normally used but that muscle pain went after a few days - ibuprofen was a big help!
The sand was pretty hard - best to walk where it's slightly softer I reckon and wear your gaiters - sand inside your socks = blisters... I didn't suffer much just a few rubs but some people has very bad blisters. As soon as I felt the slightest rub I had my shoes and socks off and put on some zinc oxide tape. If it's sunny you're very exposed - hats, sunscreen - you'll need it. I split my walk into 2 sections 7am til 11am and 3 til 6pm - snoozed in the dunes in the hottest part of the day and avoided the high tide...
Day 3 November 6th 2017 Bluff Camp to Utea Camp 30km
Another big day on the beach - weather perfect - so another lazy afternoon in the dunes. Tides weren't an issue - even at high tide there was a narrow strip you could tiptoe across at the top of the beach.
Camped at Utea Park which I would highly recommend - run by a Maori woman called Tania who took a great interest in us all - was very interesting to hear about her off the grid lifestyle.
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| Tania - Hostess with the mostess! |
Payment is by Koha - suggested amount is $10 Please note that Tanya will not ask you for the Koha - it's your responsibility to give it - so please do - well worth the $10..
Day 4 November 7th 2017 Utea Park to Ahipara 30km
It was a bit cloudier today which after 2 sunny days was actually no bad thing. I actually stopped about 2km short of Ahipara and camped in the dunes. Permissible - the only place you can't camp along the beach is the Aupouri Forest.
Day 5 November 8th 2017 Hitch over to Whananaki
A lot of people go on to the backpackers at Ahipara and take a rest day before the forest but I wasn't doing the forest section.. I got a quick hitch to Kaitaia (there is an interesting museum at the Tourist Information Centre that's worth a look if you have time) and then a few more hitches to Whananaki
There is a free camping spot here on Whananki North Road (not in the TA trail notes AFAIK) I spent the rest of the day walking round the Motutara Recreation Reserve which is a small peninsula but you probably won't do that if you're doing the TA proper
Day 6 November 9th 2017 Whananaki to Nikau Bay Camp
Started the Whananaki Coastal Track on an absolutely peach of a day - this is a great piece of tramping. I got a few bits and bobs of food at the local store - not a place to resupply though and set of across the footbridge which is the longest in the southern hemisphere at nearly 400m
There's a bit of road walking on this section but the road hugs the coast so it's bearable! There's then a forest section (make sure you stop and see the massive kauri Tane Moana) before reaching Ngunguru - the local shop has decent supplies and there is a fish & chip shop next door that sells a great fish burger!
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| Waiting for James... |
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| Here he is!! |
Day 7 November 10th 2017 Nikau Bay Camp Zero Day
The camp is great, awesome showers and the bunk house is well worth the extra few bucks. If you have the time it's a nice place for a day off - great beaches and free use of kayaks to explore the mangroves and creepy little islands with old graveyards!
Day 8 November 11th 2017 Nikau Bay Camp to Tidesong 22km (35km if you do the roadwalk)
I took the Ngunguru Ford Rd which connects to the Mackerel Track. After that there is a 13km road walk (sealed - not a quiet gravel road) - as I was not doing TA north island I skipped this section and then walked to Tidesong - this road walk didn't look great with a lot of bends and the Kiwi's negotiating them at their usual breakneck speed!
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| 2 things you'll see a lot of on the TA - postboxes and beehives! |
Thoroughly recommend Tidesong - again a koha system but suggested donations of $10 camping and $15 small cabin which I went for - Hugh and Ros are great hosts - definitely take the breakfast! They also have lovely gardens you can stroll round if you have the energy...
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Tea and cake on arrival and fresh veggies from the garden to supplement my SeaLord Tuna!! |
An easy day for me as I was meeting up with my TA support team (aka Barbara) at Ocean Beach
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| Early morning on the cabin deck at Tidesong |
The exit from Tidesong is a wee bit unusual though as you have to walk across the estuary!
Me and Hugh on the left - why the bucket you say? Well Hugh and Ros kindly lent me some wet suit boots to get across the mud - the bucket is to leave them on on the other side - now that's what I call classic Kiwi hospitality!
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| Bucks Fizz on arrival at Ocean Beach!! |
