Day 5 - Raetea Summit, ending at SH1

Wednesday November 25th - 13 km - 8 hours

The time vs distance says it all - a very hard day on the section called the Raetea Bypass, but ending where it joins SH1 at the Mangamuka Saddle

Continuing on from near Takahue the track climbs steadily to reach a ridge with a few tops over 700m, including one called Raetea. Forecast was for fine weather and views - fine weather, yes, but very limited views because of the wonderful bush.

Mostly a rough, slow track, so really happy to get to the end even though it was a few hours later than predicted

My feet need some serious remedial activity before I do any more walking, so tomorrow is a rest day before we head back to Auckland on Friday. The blisters etc are not what I expected, so will have to figure out how to prevent that next time

5 days - around 160 km from Cape Reinga to the Mangamuka Saddle - looking forward to being back in the Far North early in January

Day 4 - Herekino Forest

Tuesday Nov 24th - 26 km 7.75 hours

From the Herekino Saddle on the Kaitaia - Awaroa road the track climbs up and through the Herekino Forest, with its grove of splendid large Kauri trees, onto old logging roads and then to the summit of Taumatamahoe - 558 m. No views, but not raining, just misty.

A hard descent of a steep 350 m to leave the forest after 5.5 hrs. Then some back country roads, with an intervening walk through a pine plantation, to reach Takahue. Then 2 km more of a country road, to get me close to the start of tomorrow's hill climb

Day 3 - Hukatere to the Start of the Herekino Forest

Monday 23rd November - 41 km - 7 hrs

Finished off 90 Mile Beach on a very misty day - but meaning that it was just warm, rather than hot. Met up with Hazel at Waipapakauri and Ahipara where I was very happy to leave the beach. After Ahipara, a more relaxing road walk past the Ratana church at Roma, and then into the edge of the Herekino forest to the saddle from where tomorrow's walk climbs up into the forest. Unhappy feet, but hoping a change of terrain will help.

Day 2 - Te Paki to Hukatere

Sunday 22nd November - 54.5 km

Back to Te Paki Stream first thing, down the stream, and then out onto 90 Mile Beach for a long walk down to Hukatere (next public access point to the beach) - such a contrast from yesterday's walk with all its super views and different terrain - today had a very similar view from one hour to the next .. to the next

Lunch at the one landmark on the beach - The Bluff - and then arrived at Hukatere after 9 hours grateful to find Hazel waiting for me. A few blisters from the hard sand, so will require a bit of patching up before setting off tomorrow

Day 1 - Cape Reinga To Te Paki Stream Road

Saturday 21st November - Cape Reinga to Te Paki - 5.75 hours

Hazel and I arrived at a deserted Cape Reinga at 8.00 am, so had the lighthouse there and the views to ourselves. Left around 8.30. A warm and cludy day, so great for walking down and up hills, along beaches, and over and around some scrubby headlands.

A diversion from the main track took me out to Cape Maria van Diemen, with a break at the lighthouse lookimg back to Cape Reinga, and on to the next section. Didn't always find the unmarked tracks there - so at times walking through kikuya grass with each footstep sinking in over the top of my socks.

Pleasant walk on Twilight Beach (the last small beach before the big one), over some more headlands, and then down onto 90 Mile Beach for 40 mins, before heading up Te Paki Stream, avoiding a couple of buses, to the pick-up point

One Week To Go

One more week then Hazel and I leave for the Far North to start at the very beginning of the Te Araroa Walkway - I will be walking and Hazel is my support crew

For information about Te Araroa go to http://www.teararoa.org.nz

For my first section I have just 5 days - this may get me to around Mangamuka - south east of Kaitaia - but we will see. Then I will be back for a few weeks in January, and then will keep on planning after that - will see where the next few years take me