Hiking adventures in New Zealand
Hiking adventures in New Zealand
The track up to the Pinnacles in the Coromandel Forest Park, is one of my favourite local hikes. I usually make it up and back in a day walk of under 6 hours, at a very leisurely pace with at least an hour or so at the top. The Web Creek track starts from the Kaueranga Road end via the Hydro Camp. There are a couple of alternatives – including a return via the Billy Goat Track, which adds an hour or so to the return journey, or you can...
Today's adventure began at 3.30am. I was up early to enjoy some incredible late summer weather, and bag myself a sunrise on the East coast and a sunset on the West coast - thanks to a little inspiration from Lost Kiwi.
After a breakfast of champions (cake and a mocha) I left a clear, chilly Waikato and headed over to Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty. I reached the Mount at about 5.30am and got a park right outside the surf club - something you'll only ever do at this time of day. As I...
Since returning from my thru-hike of Te Araroa Trail I’ve been a bit of a homebody. It took a good week or so before I wanted to get out and do some fitness again. But in the past few days or so I’ve got back into the groove. As work starts next week (for 3 weeks, before the next adventure begins!) I decided to take myself out on a mini adventure. The weather was looking good so I drove over to Te Aroha, a small town at the base of...
We were up early and on the trail at 6.45am this morning and were looking forward to the 42 Traverse and the Waione Cokers track. A lovely mist rose from the forest as we made our way along the 42 Traverse mountain bike track through Tongariro Forest Park. It's technically a four-wheel drive track.. although we were very glad to be on foot and not on a bike or in a vehicle!
It was pretty hard going. The track was sometimes gravel with lots of...
Anouck and I woke at 5am and got a lift into town at 6.15am. Nothing was open except Maccas, so I had my first Maccas brekkie in about 10 years (and my 2nd brekkie of the day). I enjoyed a sausage & egg muffin. It was as delicious as I remember being. It came with a hash brown (oil, with something vaguely resembling fried potato) which was equally as delicious. The barista coffee was surprisingly decent too.
Anouck, Anja,...
I took another rest day in Taumarunui today, along with most of the other TA'ers :-)
We had our safety briefing with the canoe company Taumarunui Canoe Hire, in preparation for next week's trip. Karen was great and looked after us really well, even ferrying us around to the post office and supermarket... "Going the extra mile" doesn't even come close to describing it.
While we're talking brilliant service, Anna at the Taumarunui isite...