Almost four months ago, I stood at the northern tip of the North Island of New Zealand. The new pack on my back weighed just over 17kg. I carried five days worth of food and two litres of water; though anyone looking at me would have thought I was carrying the kitchen sink. I stared … Continue reading Reflections on the North Island section of the Te Araroa Trail
#WalkNZ
Answers to your questions on the North Island section of the Te Araroa Trail
101 days. 1,688km walked. And with that I reached Island Bay, the bottom of New Zealand's North Island on the Te Araroa trail and my #WalkNZ adventure. Here are the answers to questions I've been asked about what the journey has been like so far. What has the North Island section of the Te Araroa … Continue reading Answers to your questions on the North Island section of the Te Araroa Trail
Days 90-92 of #WalkNZ: The Tararua mountain range
I stood and stared at the squelchy pool of brown mud in front of me, a mixed look of disbelief and annoyance probably etched across my face. "Really! I mean really," I said out loud, to no one in particular. "Not more mud," I moaned. #WalkNZ was quickly becoming #WalkMuddyNZ. Here I was on the … Continue reading Days 90-92 of #WalkNZ: The Tararua mountain range
Reaching the halfway point of #WalkNZ
It took me 89 days to walk 1,500km and reach the halfway point on the Te Araroa trail down the length of New Zealand. The spot itself wasn't physically marked on the trail, but according to the GPS trail app it was at a quaint little point next to the pleasant Tokomaru River along Burtons … Continue reading Reaching the halfway point of #WalkNZ
Days 77-82 of #WalkNZ – the canoe journey down the Whanganui River
Whoever said paddling down the Whanganui River for six days was going to be easy was lying. Either that or I missed the memo about what this New Zealand Great Walk canoeing journey from Whakahoro to Whanganui was really supposed to be like. And for someone who is not only a novice but who has … Continue reading Days 77-82 of #WalkNZ – the canoe journey down the Whanganui River
Day 72 of #WalkNZ: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing – a day of ups and downs
I had originally planned to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, part of the Te Araroa trail, on Monday. But, you know how luck happens sometimes - the Mangatepopo campsite was full on Monday so Tuesday it had to be. Which is how I found myself walking up the side of a rather tall volcano in … Continue reading Day 72 of #WalkNZ: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing – a day of ups and downs
Volcano number 22: The Timber Trail Volcano
After the #WalkNZ rigours of the Mangaokewa River Track and a tough 38km one-day road walk, it was time for a decent trail - surely. So thank you Te Araroa for delivering me the Timber Trail, an 80ish kilometre cycle track between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. Described as a highlight of Te Araroa, this is … Continue reading Volcano number 22: The Timber Trail Volcano
Day 60 of #WalkNZ – WTF was the Mangaokewa River Track?
Day 60 of #WalkNZ didn’t start well – and it didn’t get any better. What with a terrible night's sleep and then being shadowed for a kilometre by a greasy-haired, gap-toothed cyclist out of Te Kuiti, I guess it didn’t bode well for what was to come – the Mangaokewa River Track; a 15km riverside … Continue reading Day 60 of #WalkNZ – WTF was the Mangaokewa River Track?
Volcano number 21: The #WalkNZ volcano
The sign said it would take four hours to get to the top of Pirongia, an ancient 959 metre-high volcano in New Zealand's Waikato/King Country region, and to the Pahautea hut. Clearly this sign does not take into account a 17kg backpack nor the mud. But six hours to the highest peak on #WalkNZ so … Continue reading Volcano number 21: The #WalkNZ volcano
#WalkNZ – highlights from the first 49 days on the Te Araroa trail
Forty-nine days of walking (up to my festive five-day rest break), 773.5km walked. Here’s the highlights from the first quarter of the Te Araroa trail down the length of New Zealand. Walking the whole of Ninety Mile Beach (boy it was hard and an introduction to Te Araroa) Spending 12 hours wading through … Continue reading #WalkNZ – highlights from the first 49 days on the Te Araroa trail