Whananki
Day 15 Up early when the birds woke up. Everyone else was sleeping. Took 2 eggs from the box and tried (unsuccessfully) to fry one, then (successfully) poached the second. It was worth trying, but needs non-stick pans I think.…
Walks
Camp 306
Day 14 Left earlier with hopes to take it more slowly. It is not in my nature to walk slowly, and nature is hard to change. But after two weeks on trail, I feel I am starting to slow down.…
Life on The Farm
Day 13 Ruth, Elliot and I had discussed “The Farm” many times, and we had created our own stories about this place. There were rumours on the trail that it was a hippie joint, or maybe it catered to corporate…
Sheryl’s Place
Day 12 After the kayak trip, we had a short walk to Sheryl’s place, my first trail angel. It was an eye-opening experience for me and not what I was expecting. Sheryl lives on Maori land. Her home is a…
Kayaking
Day 12 There are a couple of options when leaving Paihia. Either take a small passenger ferry to Russell and walk the roads or board a sea kayak and paddle with the incoming tide to Waikare. I opted for the…
Kerikeri and Paihia
Day 9 to 11 The walk to Kerikeri was very pleasant, but maybe a little harder than anticipated. Or maybe it was harder because the previous day was a big day. The last 5 km stretch into Kerikeri was especially…
Puketi Forest
Day 8 Huge and very rewarding day. I got to walk the river gorge, something I have wanted to do since hearing about the Te Araroa Trail. It did not rain overnight. In the morning I walked back almost 2…
Raetea Forest
Days 6 and 7 The weather warning ended at 7am, and it was time to get on the trail. But first a coffee on the way through town. As I started I was not sure where I would be at…
Ahipara and Kaitaia
Days 4 and 5 Time to enjoy a little time in some Northland townships. Ahipara is tiny, with a gas station, dairy, holiday park and a very pleasant and unexpected coffee shop. Kaitaia is 15 kms walk away, and has…
90 Mile Beach
Day 1 to 3 It is really good to be on the Trail. Although, 90 Mile Beach is a tough way to start. Typically the walk takes between 4 and 5 days to complete. However, the first section of the…
Te Araroa 2023/2024
It has started. So far I have walked from Cape Reinga to Hamilton completing my first section of 4 sections. At the end of 2024, I will walk the second section from Hamilton to Wellington. And later I will attempt…
MassIV Ruta
The MassIV Ruta was an epic walking journey through four spectacular mountain areas and National Parks in southern Norway. The journey was 372 kms (231 miles) long and took 22 days to complete. The photos below are all taken at…
Abel Tasman Track
Golden beaches, costal native bush and mainly fine weather. This was a vacation hike, spending time on the beaches and in the water, taking it easy and testing out some new gear. Day 0 – Getting There Monday, March 6,…
Kepler Track
From lush rain forest paths along the shores of Lake Te Anau and Manapouri to alpine sections over Mt Luxmore and exposed ridges. Some modest rain, but dodged some nasty weather on the day that counted. Day 1 – Te…
Lake Waikaremoana
A lovely semi-circular walk from Whanganui Hut to Onetoto Bay along the shores of Lake Waikaremoana. And it would not be a Great Walk if it did not rain, and it certainly rain on the last day. Day 1 –…