A non work day in the middle of the week. Amazing!! Having had a wonderful exploratory holiday so far to a variety of beautiful parts of the North Island, over the summer (2025) this day needed to continue that pattern. After a lot of research, where the criteria was not too far for a day trip but spectacular scenery to enjoy,  Marakopa was the place chosen.

Otorohanga was the first stop for the obligatory coffee Such a pretty town with hanging baskets edging the main street. Vibrant petunias, blue lobelias cascading down the sides of the horse hair baskets, and white pansies to soften the overall effect.

Back on the road with the next stop planned at Marakopa. (52 kms from Otorohanga) but firstly passing through Waitomo Caves a very popular tourist spot. The caves  are situated in the Northern King Country region, about an hours drive from Hamilton. They are formed from limestone which over the hundreds of years water has flowed through and gradually formed the caves. Three are now tourist attractions: Ruakuri cave, Lucky Strike cave and Tamutumu cave

Waitomo Glowworm Caves – Wikipedia

Then on to Marakopa

The road is well formed and tar sealed but quite windy making the trip a little longer than expected. However breathtaking scenery of rolling hills, valleys dotted with sheep and the early appearance of pine forests made the time pass quickly. There was not an abundance of stock maybe due to lack of feed and water. 

Marakopa is a rural community in the Waitomo district. It is located close to the coast between Awakino and Kawhia harbors. This community has predominantly been a farming area since the early 20^th century. The population in 2018 was given as 69 Ref( Marokopa – Wikipedia)

While exploring the beach on arrival we came across a really interesting German man. Dressed very simply you would have no idea of the adventures which he had had. (Being a hiker I thought they were interesting anyway) He had completed the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Highway as well as many others. He was in New Zealand to enjoy some parts of the Te Araroa. He was absolutely embracing life but was vey much his own person. He seemed to be vey happy chatting but said overall he prefers his own company. If there is only ONE person in a hut where he intends to stop, he pops up his tent to have privacy and to sleep in. The beach was beautiful with many beach goers enjoying all it had to offer.

Starting to wind our way back home, Markopa Falls was the first stop. 600 mtrs along a well formed track found us enjoying the beauty of the falls. They fall 35 mtrs over  a huge cliff of Wacke Basement rocks. This whole area is nestled within a bushy area made up of Nikau palms, Tawa, cabbage trees and punga. There are very well maintained viewing platforms which provide a safe and steady base for watching and photographing the Falls. The carpark was amazingly full.  

Next was the Mangpohue Natural Bridge only a short driving distance from the Falls. A short 700 mtrs return walk to this spectacular natural formation. The walk takes you through  a limestone gorge and has a excellent well maintained walkway all the way. This 17 mtr high limestone arch spans the Mangapohue Stream.  The stream itself was crystal clear and quite fast flowing.

Arriving home hot and tired, but re energized from enjoying, once again, another part of our beautiful countryside

During our holiday to Coromandel (Dec 2024) we took time to ride the Driving Creek railway, an iconic railway built by Barry Brickhill starting in 1975. Brickhill developed the railway to transport the special clay needed for his pottery.  

The train was 250 meters in length. It climbs 120 meters over a 3 kilometers distance. It is made up of ten bridges, three tunnels, about five switchbacks which allow the train to change direction and passes through hand planted forest which includes Kauri, Rimu and ferns. The trip was one hour and 15 mins timewise.  

It is New Zealand’s only narrow gauge railway (381 mm wide track) and was built by hand

On reaching the top you step out into the  cleverly constructed “Eyefull Tower” which provides stunning panoramic views of the whole of the Coromandel countryside.

The view are magnificent but considerations of how Brickhill actually built this railway are almost beyond belief. Definitely well worth the trip.

Another of our roadies during our 2024/2025 holiday was a day trip to Orakei Korako. A geothermal park abut 30minutes north of Taupo.

This venue was officially opened as a tourist resort in 1937 and spans the  Waikato river.  Consisting of  beautifully constructed café/shop and toilets on one side of the river and the tourist attraction on the other. This is reached by a small boat ride (about 2 mins)

A stepped pathway winds its way through the attraction , making it reasonably safe to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding thermal activities. Bubbling mudpools, geysers and silica terraces.

A pleasant afternoon activity.  

My heart is pounding. My legs are burning. My back is tired from the weight of my pack but the beauty that surrounds me, the bird calls which are now becoming more frequent  again and the feeling of exhilaration as my body responds to the demands asked of it – this is what keeps me hiking.

I have enjoyed many day hikes in the North Island including Whakapapa ( Tongariro National Park), most of the big tracks in the South island – some more than once, and the three day hike on Stewart Island. The ultimate hike would have been  the last trip on the Milford Track when I was accompanied by my grandson. Such  a special time. And now the younger grandies are also stepping up with the last outing being the track at the base of the Kaimais.

The out doors have always been my passion and have been fortunate to have experiences overseas as well –much snorkeling in Fiji and other Pacific Islands,  cycling in Provence alone for eight days  when I spoke no French and unfortunately there was no one else on the tour which I had joined!!!  Walking between Vienna and Prague was also a most amazing and exciting challenge. 

Hiking is a most wonderful part of my life. It provides beauty. It provides balance.

  12- 16^th Jan 2024

Five hours wait in the Wellington airport

The start of my hiking trip saw me spending 5 hours in Wellington airport, waiting for my connecting flight to Dunedin!! Not at all exciting, when all I wanted to do was pull my boots on, but bought a good book,” Not Alone” by Tim Voors, who had hiked the Te Araroa so got lost in that and the time flew by. The night before transfer was spent at the Leviathan hotel, a beautiful old hotel in Dunedin which had been built in 1884. There had been some modernizations, like new showers. However  the beautiful architraves, dark paneled wood and clunky old lifts were still in place.

Pick up was 8 a.m. Our bus was lovely and spacious. The countryside easily seen through the large windows. We passed through Lawrence, Roxborough and Wanaka as we wound our way to our final destination on the Mt Aspiring station. The old homestead, belonging to the Aspinall family,  had been offered to Dunstan High School in 1969 when a new homestead was being built for the family.  The Lodge, now named Tititea, which is Māori for Mt Aspiring, is now administered by Mt Aspiring Outdoor Education Trust. Our hosts and guides were from Otago Youth Adventure Trust Rotary club of Milton Tramping club. The Lodge is used by a variety of groups from around the region.

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 Tititrea Lodge

Day one was to Glacer Bryne. A shorter hike than all the rest. Up quite a steep hill covered with tree roots . Progressive lenses in my glasses didn’t help so I found this, coupled with hiking poles, very difficult. However although challenging, the views were beautiful.  Once we got back, because it was the shortest walk, our group were on providing the dinner for the night so the next little while saw me chopping cabbage very finely for 30 odd people!!!! Lots of fun, sharing of stories from previous trips and laughter. Very happy to crawl into my bunk that night.

Next morning 6.30 arrived far too soon. The weather had deteriorated very quickly overnight. And the rivers had risen. Raincoats were pulled on and very soon our boots were soaked. The stream which had been almost dust the night before was up to my ankles.

We started the walk to the Eastern Matukituki but changed our minds due to the heavy downpour. By the time we got back to the stream it was up to my calves. Really scary how quickly it rises. The rest of the afternoon was spent reading in our bunks.

The third and last day we woke to brilliant weather. With streams quite low again, a group of us headed for the Mt Aspiring hut. I loved this. It was my kind of hiking. Undulating but easy walking.

The track was edged on one side by the Matukituki river and encircled by majestic cliffs, which emitted a slightly purple glow in the early morning. Stopping about 10 a.m. for apples and water we had time to be awed by the grandeur of the cliffs which surrounded us. We were also joined by cattle who shared the shade of the trees with us.

Snow capped mountains was something I didn’t expect to see. I guess the fact that the elevation of Mt Aspiring is 3,033 mtrs had something to do with this.

This return hike was 22 kms but with beautiful weather, a rest at the hut which had 32 bunks and flush toilets, and easy walking, this was the most pleasant day of all.

The fourth day was clean up day and leave. This was extremely well organized by the guides so everything was completed relatively quickly. In a very short time we had completed the cleaning and were outside waiting for the tractor to take us across the creek and back to our bus. (Unlike our arrival when we had to walk 6 kms to the hut. At least we didn’t have to carry our packs). While waiting for the tractor, the farmer, who owned the station shifted  some Angus cattle with the help of these beautiful and very efficient dogs.  The farmer suggested the cattle were very quiet, but with a couple of bulls roaring and kicking up dirt on the other side of the fence I stayed very close to the trailer of the tractor which I was to travel on!!!!

It took quite some time to get back to Dunedin, with many drop off along the way. Finally, I was back in Dunedin and  walked very happily, in the front door of the Leviathan. A very enjoyable few days away

This very pretty, easy 8 kms return walk/bike ride starts at the Gaslight theatre in Cambridge. The walk takes about thirty minutes one way. It has the Waikato River running down one side and cattle grazing on part of the other

About a km before reaching the café, the Te Awa River Ride joins the track.

Because the track is concreted, it is easy to push a stroller or wheelchair APART from the very last part where there is a hill to the playground and the The Bikery café. Essenza coffee is served and a really scrummy cabinet of food makes choosing something to go with the coffee, very difficult.  The added attraction of the café, following a really tasty coffee, you can wander through the double doors and watch the cyclists going through their practice runs.

Fun to watch the cyclists going through their paces.

A lovely short walk

One cup enamel if poss

One knife fork and spoon.

One plate. If it has a lip you can use it for breakfast as well and the lip keeps the milk controlled. Enamel if poss

Pots to cook in

Stove to cook on and gas

Tea bags

Cfe bags.

Bag of milk powder

Tea towel

Tiny tiny detergent.

Serviettes or packet of tissues to mop thing with.

One steelo

Matches to light stove with.

Torch (Head torch good and then hands free)

Liner in pack

Rubbish bag

First Aid kit especially blister packs

Clothes

Boots

Socks (3 pair if poss)although if they are wool you can put them back on wet (yuk) but it does work.

4 pairs of knickers although you can use pantie liners and reduce amount of knickers.

One merino as you can wear it for the three days. Dries easily.  

One shorts or tights.

Something to wear in hut when the hike is over. (You will have jandals on your feet.)
Rain jacket.

Sunhat.

Swim suit possibly

Boots

Toiletries. Towel.

Camera

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Insect  repellent

Something to pack your lunch in.

Something to wrap your lunch in.

Water bottle

Day pack

Walking poles

Locator Beacon