Te Araroa Trail – Part 19

MANGAWHAI HEADS – PAIHIA Section Distance = 192 km Total Distance = 2652 km Heather from the NZ Fairy Tern Trust joined me for the first few km up to the Mangawhai cliff top walkway. After which I took a slight deviation from the official trail route to take in the Waipu Coastal Walkway pastContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 19”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 18

AUCKLAND – MANGAWHAI HEADS Section Distance = 147 km Total Distance = 2460 km Leaving the Auckland CBD behind I caught the ferry to Devonport where I had the pleasure of brunch with southbound hiker Kris as we traded information about the upcoming sections. A short hike along footpaths and beach brought me to theContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 18”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 17

HAMILTON – AUCKLAND Section Distance = 164 km Total Distance = 2313 km Leaving Hamilton behind my journey continues along the Te Awa Riverride Cycleway making fast progress along the flats. That is until I reached the Hakarimata Walkway and began the STEEP climb up hundreds of steps to the lookout (amazing views), across theContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 17”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 16

TE KUITI – HAMILTON Section Distance = 123 km Total Distance = 2149 km This section started with a nice short day on a “less than ideal” track but got me into Waitomo with enough time to do an afternoon glowworm tour! The town was named after the location in which the stream enters theContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 16”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 15

TAUMARUNUI – TE KUITI Section Distance = 161 km Total Distance = 2026 km Back to finish the north island!!! Roadwalking in a cyclone to kick it off 😅 but at least I didn’t have to worry about river crossings. Chose to sleep on the floor of the shelter rather than trying to set myContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 15”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 13

QUEENSTOWN – BLUFF Section Distance = 313 km Total Distance = 1830 km The looong home stretch for the south island began at the Greenstone/Cables carpark on the opposite side of Lake Wakatipu. The nice easy trail through beech forest developed into a boggy, tree root strewn track, through tussock taller than me (this ledContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 13”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 12

WANAKA – QUEENSTOWN Section Distance = 89 km Total Distance = 1538 km One cannot visit Wanaka without a quick snap at “that Wanaka tree” especially when your path takes you right past it. With a nice cycleway to follow the hike between Wanaka and Gkendhu Bay flew by (it may have also had somethingContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 12”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 11

LAKE TEKAPO – WANAKA Section Distance = 201 km Total Distance = 1449 km Helloooo lake country! Took a break from hiking to cycle the Lake Tekapo to Lake Ohau section of trail. Much faster than walking… Leaving Lake Ohau behind I officially passed from Canterbury to Otago after crossing the Ahuriri River! I finishedContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 11”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 10

ARTHUR’S PASS – Lake Tekapo Section Distance = 194 km Total Distance = 1248 km This section had so many highlights, from reaching the highest point of the TA trail and seeing in the new year with a snow capped mountain sunrise to big rivers and vast tussock plains, I don’t quite know where toContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 10”

Te Araroa Trail – Part 9

BOYLE VILLAGE – ARTHUR’S PASS Section Distance = 171.5km Total Distance = 1054 km Hang on, what happened to hiking St Arnaud – Boyle Village you may be wondering… in short 🌧🌧🌧 lots of rain! After hiking from St Arnaud to John Tait Hut only to find flooded rivers and a washed out bridge, withContinue reading “Te Araroa Trail – Part 9”

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