Short scrambles and trail angels

Days 13-18, Kerikeri to Ocean Beach

The magic of the trail continues! So does the monotony of road walking haha (it’s not that bad actually! In case the prospect of road-walking is putting you off walking Te Araroa — embrace it, it’s part of the journey). Having crossed the island from west to east, I’m now making my way down to Tāmaki Makaurau where I’m excited to see family again and have a good old rest.

I’m hitting my stride and am surprisingly not phased by the constellation of itchy bites forming around my ankles. I’m getting to know my trail friends better, and we have met some top notch trail angels on this section. Trail angels are people who live on or near the trail, who provide a roof/showers/food/hot cup of tea for walkers as they pass through. I aspire to be a trail angel one day.

Day 13 - Kerikeri to Russell (17km)

It felt good to be back on the trail with Dad. We strode off towards Waitangi feeling rejuvenated. Rest days are underrated, especially when easing into a long hikoi like this! We walked the back streets of Kerikeri to the start of the Waitangi forest, a pine forest used for logging and mountain bike tracks. Having come from the ngahere (native bush) days earlier, this pine forest felt starkly eerie and dry. As I walk I’m learning more about the way these trees are endangering indigenous forests, and also the countless conservation initiatives in Far North communities.

There and then, however, the trees provided shade and the fallen pine needles a cushioned path which made for good walking conditions (every moment not walking on tar seal road shoulders=incredible). Dad and I chatted intermittently about our future job and study prospects, to remind ourselves there’s a life outside the new rhythms we’ve become so accustomed to.

We emerged from the forest onto the Waitangi Golf Course in the afternoon to the first glimpses of the Bay of Islands. We walked straight through the golf lawns (oops) to the Waitangi treaty grounds. It was a strange juxtaposition, having this golf Course neighbouring arguably the most important area to Aotearoa’s history. There, we spent a couple of hours learning about the histories of early interactions between the European colonisers and tangata whenua. It felt surreal to be there and we really needed two days to take it all in. Our tour guide, Dan Busby, told us about the significance of Waitangi as both a political and geographic place, as well as some rongoā - my favourite being that drinking mamaku droplets can heighten a person’s senses and karaka leaves are nature’s plasters. This experience filled many gaps in my understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which absolutely needs to be taught in all schools in Aotearoa.

As the late afternoon sun hung in the sky, we drifted onwards to Paihia to catch a ferry to Russell. As we got off the ferry at Russell, we merged with a large group of clearly well-off international tourists on a cycling tour (judging by the fact they were all wearing either Lycra or colourful cycling socks) coming off a tour boat. For a moment it felt like COVID never happened and gave us a snapshot of what the trail might be like, had the borders been fully open this summer. So far we’d just been rocking up to our accommodation without having booked because all places have been relatively empty. We checked in to our top 10 holiday park (the essence of an Aotearoa summer), inadvertently gate-crashed a massive family reunion in the kitchen, had a small panic about the fact we couldn’t find a place to stay the next day (turned out all fine, as things do on the trail) and then went to sleep in our tent.

Bumbling along with a narrow pack:body ratio

Day 14 - Russell to Punaruku (32km)

Due to Kauri Dieback (which is sadly a theme of this section) we had to take a road bypass north of the Russell forest to get to the next destination. The first 15km took us through a semi-busy road, mangroves (quirky ecological phenomena, mangroves!) and then to a gravel road that borders the forest. As we entered, a farmer whose ute was filled with dead possums pulled up alongside us and warned us of the “loonies” who tear around these roads.

We encountered a few of the aforementioned loonies, but by this time we had become experts in road walking safety: walk on the side of oncoming traffic, don some headache-inducing high vis gear, always be alert. Judging by the dumped cars, bottles and mattresses in the forest, people sadly use this reserve as a rubbish tip. The roads wound up and then down again. We were soon out the other side, and stopped to have afternoon tea next to a horse gazing longingly at their reflection in the water trough. It’s funny how normal it has become to plonk ourselves down on the roadside, regardless of the cleanliness of our surroundings, for a bite to eat or a lie down.

The final stretch went on seeminglyforever. We eventually arrived at Sue’s Place, a backpackers for Te Araroa walkers passing through Punaruku. We were greeted by Sue and Al, the trail angels, who showed us around. Sue had converted their barn into a paradise with everything we needed to eat, relax and sleep. The bed was so comfy it was hard to get up the next morning.

Day 15 - Punaruku to Whananaki (34km, 12 long hours)

We set off bright and early to make the most of the shade and low sun for the first 11km of (road, naturally) walking. Sue had offered us a lift, but we wanted to walk and the roads weren’t too bad. The shade made it bearable as we dipped underneath the trees, and before we knew it, we were at Helena Bay. We paused at this glistening slice of beauty before boosting up the hill to the start of back-to-back tracks Helena Ridge and Morepork-Onekainga. In true Aotearoa trail fashion, the track cut straight to the chase as we transformed into mountain goats and scrambled through Mānuka trees. Not a zig-zag/switchback in sight.

The trail notes describe the Helena Ridge track as “mostly easy walking... with a few short scrambles”. That is an understatement. There were many dips, slips, and messy bush to walk through, but nothing we hadn’t encountered before. Dad’s developed this distinct chuckle which I know means there’s a huge hill coming round the corner. Trail builders must really enjoy keeping trampers entertained like that.

We emerged at a road that joined up with the next track taking us through to Whananaki. This track started out tame but we were soon clambering down 174m of elevation, only to climb straight back up. It was a delightful surprise to find Shirley and Laura, a mother-daughter duo who we’d met at Ahipara, sitting in the bush eating crackers and cheese. Theres an unparalleled sense of camaraderie with people who are walking the same steps as you are.

Peanut butter is rocket fuel! Slurping it before the big climbs is the key to hill climbing success, I reckon. This climb was the highlight of the day for me - sometimes hills are just so fun to climb when you’re in the mood! It was 6pm by the time we got back on the ridge and by that point I’d used all my energy on the climbing. There was a flat bit for about 200m and then - you guessed it - straight back down. The last few km felt as though we were bush-bashing through someone’s private bank down the back of their property. We were both exhausted once we got to the overgrown paddock of bulls. This had been our biggest day yet. Squeezing every last drop of energy out of our bodies (that’s what it felt like, at least) we pushed through to Whananaki Holiday Park and set up camp for the night. I felt like crawling, not walking, after all that undulation.

The Southern Hemisphere’s longest footbridge in Whananaki, built so kids could get to school. Making education accessible since 1947

Day 16 - Whananaki to Ngunguru (24km)

It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for restoring morale and energy levels.

Northland beach views are postcard material, and they’re getting better with each hill we climb. Our bodies felt surprisingly fresh after yesterday’s scrambling. The day started with the Whananaki coastal walk, zig zagging in and out of farm and coast. This section felt a little more rugged, which reminded Dad and me of Wellington. I’ve been thinking of the concept of home in relation to Te Araroa. I’ve at once been feeling more at home everywhere I walk and stay than I ever have in this country, yet I also have moments of missing home in the sense of marmite toast, squishy cuddles with my dog, seeing my mum and sisters in person, and running in the hills.

We had a steep detour road hill to climb before descending to Ngunguru. We stopped off for an ice cream as the day was Hot with a capital H, before checking in to our campsite (shared with many many mosquitos and some barking dogs). While sitting in Ngunguru a woman approached us asking if we were walking Te Araroa. Her name was Marianne, and we’d heard from some other TA walkers that we’d be catching the same boat the next morning. Word gets around fast on the trail. It was fun to meet another walker and grow our trail family network. With our scroggin levels dangerously low, we resupplied at the overpriced food mart and ate out at the local restaurant.

Small towns do extravagant letter boxes well

Day 17 - Ngunguru to Taiharuru (15km)

We walked in a group today with Kale and Marianne. It’s a different experience walking with other people as time passes quicker while we get to know each other, and we become familiar with each other’s routines and paces. The day started at 7.30am with a free boat ride from James across the estuary. James runs an eco lodge across the river called Nikau Eco Lodge, which we’d heard incredible things about but sadly couldn’t stay in due to tide times the day before.

James epitomises the spirit of a trail angel. He has painted a person-sized map to scale illustrating all the different walking options through the section south of his place. He talked us through all the tide times and options for the day, river crossing tips, and made sure we had all the contacts we needed for the next few days. He’s built his lodge out of recycled schoolhouse material and it’s such a wholesome place. I can’t wait to spend more time there in the future.

James’ amazing map — James’ amazing river-crossing map

We reluctantly said bye to James and walked through a private section protected by tangata whenua, down to the Horahora river. The tide was low and we plodded barefoot across the muddy riverbed. Something nibbled at my toes and a flounder shot out from under my foot. The mud was quite therapeutic between our toes, but black and icky. We washed our feet in a swamp puddle (new standards of cleanliness on the trail), put our shoes back on, and continued on to the road.

Fast forward to arriving at our next trail angels: Hugh and Ros at Tidesong B&B. Walking up to their house was like stepping into a magical garden dream. Hugh welcomed us in to their grand house and brought out the biscuit tin and juice jug. We sat chatting in the cool indoors for a while, set up our tents in a shady tōtara grove and feasted on the fresh vegetables Hugh had given us for dinner. Any fresh food is pure gold at this point.

Day 18 - Taiharuru to Ocean Beach (12km)

We started walking late today, at 9am, because of the low tide times and also because we didn’t want to leave the paradise of Tidesong B&B. In the morning Ros treated us to pikelets, homegrown bananas, coffee, and oranges. I experienced pure joy while bottle feeding Lamby the pet lamb. The experience brought out the inner farm kid in me I didn’t know existed. Ros then guided us through the low tide estuary crossing where we departed ways and continued on to Kauri Mountain, a short but steep track boasting a view of the Ocean Beach and the Te Whara walkway rolling out ahead of us.

We dropped down to the beach again, had lunch under a giant pohutukawa tree, and headed along the soft sand of Ocean Beach (with memories of Te Oneroa-a-Tohe flooding back, only the sea on the other side this time). Being semi-professional beach trampers by now, we got our stride on and bounced along racing the impending high tide that was washing its way up the sand. We made it just in time to clamber over the headland, only to realise we’d overstretched. Luckily, our next trail angel picked us up from the car park and all was well. The long drop here and that makes me happy.

Though the last few days have been relatively short and chill, tomorrow will be different. We’re heading over Te Whara track, a steep 400m climb with time pressure to catch a boat across to Ruakaka. Rain is forecast for tonight so we’re grateful to have a roof (not a canvas sheet) over our heads tonight. Dad’s leaving back to Wellington this Friday so adjusting to solitary trail life again may be a little hard. But if I’ve learnt anything on this haerenga so far, it’s to never anticipate what might happen. The trail offers many, many opportunities to be surprised and challenged.

Total distance walked: 373km

Currently reading: Colonising Myths, Māori Realities by Ani Mikaere

Favourite trail food at the moment: dried peaches and chocolate for dessert

Te Whara in the distance, a hill to look forward to in many senses!