Day 1: 4km Russell to Orongo Bay
Day 2: 9km Waikare Inlet to mid-Russell Forest
Day 3: 14km to Oakura Bay
Day 4: 16.5km to start of the Morepork Track
Day 5: 14km to Whananaki
Total walking days: 11
Total 320km out of 3000km
We ended the last section with an awesome day off in Paihia, which is one of our favourite spots in NZ. We went out on the Hole in the Rock cruise in the morning and resupplied and planned for the next section in the afternoon. Glens parents drove in to have dinner with us that evening as well, which was great.
We got up on the 15th and took a ferry across to Russell before a leisurely hours walk down to Orongo Bay Campground. The campsite was perfect and we had the cutest duck family keep us company. The trail doesnt actually take you this way, you are meant to kayak from Opua, but it's quite a pricey option. So to save some money and because Russell is a pretty nice spot too we made our own way here.
The next morning the owner of the campground was happy to take us back to the trail start, which saved us about 16km of road walking. From Waikare inlet we travelled a gravel road through and up into Russell forest. It was a warm day, but with plenty of breeze. After about half the track we entered a stream and walked through the water until we reached the shelter and campsite for our stop that night. It was a bit cold on the feet but our walking sandals worked perfectly here! Walking through the rocky riverbed without falling is great balancing practice too.
We arrived into the campsite first, but were quickly followed by...wait for it....12 other hikers! Slightly cramped for tent space, but someone lit a fire and it was a good evening. Seems like most people are doing this trail at speed. 30km every day (some doing more than that!) And no rest days. Hard going for sure. Also it's quite common for the other hikers to have an injury of some kind at this stage too apparently. We were starting to think that we must just be really bad at this walking business, taking it much slower and doing fewer kms, but I think it is just that there are two different types of thru-hiker. One is the 'sport' minded hiker where it's about how quick it can be completed. The other is much slower, but more about exploration. We know which type we are! Once we get fitter and our muscles strengthen we will be able to increase our days a bit, though we will still stop to smell the flowers on our way!
Once up and packed we were the last to leave. One last stream crossing then up and over the hill and out to the road. Road walking really isn't much fun. It was super windy and not a lot of room to step off when a car comes. I think we might be a bit more picky about which road sections we actually walk from here on! We then followed that road down the coast and then 3km off the trail to Whangaruru campground in Oakura Bay. What a fantastic spot! Had a swim in the ocean there and were followed around by a new duck family before turning in for the night.
The campground owner gave us a lift back to the trail here too which saved us that extra 3km, as we had a big day ahead. We road walked down to Helena Bay then it was 300m uphill for about 4 hours through the Helena Ridge Track. It was a tough climb through true NZ bush for us, but we didn't suffer too much and got to our planned spot early and decided to carry on another 3km. We reached the start of the next track and camped there the night. This time we were completely alone, except for a whole bunch of wild boar snuffling around the tent all night!
After a slightly sleepless night, we got going early and walked another bush track with steep uphill, downhill then back uphill sections before finally descending through some farmland down into Whananaki. And when I say steep, I mean almost vertical...having a muggy day made for a sweaty trek and being the fourth day in a row we were pretty tired by the end.
We stumbled into the campground and got a room for 2 nights. One zero day here while we plan and stock up then we take on another week down to Mangawhai! Proud of our wee legs for getting us this far, glens back for carrying so much more weight than me and my hip for actually starting to heal now.
Day 4: 16.5km to start of the Morepork Track
Day 5: 14km to Whananaki
Total walking days: 11
Total 320km out of 3000km
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| Hole in the Rock Cruise |
We ended the last section with an awesome day off in Paihia, which is one of our favourite spots in NZ. We went out on the Hole in the Rock cruise in the morning and resupplied and planned for the next section in the afternoon. Glens parents drove in to have dinner with us that evening as well, which was great.
We got up on the 15th and took a ferry across to Russell before a leisurely hours walk down to Orongo Bay Campground. The campsite was perfect and we had the cutest duck family keep us company. The trail doesnt actually take you this way, you are meant to kayak from Opua, but it's quite a pricey option. So to save some money and because Russell is a pretty nice spot too we made our own way here.
The next morning the owner of the campground was happy to take us back to the trail start, which saved us about 16km of road walking. From Waikare inlet we travelled a gravel road through and up into Russell forest. It was a warm day, but with plenty of breeze. After about half the track we entered a stream and walked through the water until we reached the shelter and campsite for our stop that night. It was a bit cold on the feet but our walking sandals worked perfectly here! Walking through the rocky riverbed without falling is great balancing practice too.
We arrived into the campsite first, but were quickly followed by...wait for it....12 other hikers! Slightly cramped for tent space, but someone lit a fire and it was a good evening. Seems like most people are doing this trail at speed. 30km every day (some doing more than that!) And no rest days. Hard going for sure. Also it's quite common for the other hikers to have an injury of some kind at this stage too apparently. We were starting to think that we must just be really bad at this walking business, taking it much slower and doing fewer kms, but I think it is just that there are two different types of thru-hiker. One is the 'sport' minded hiker where it's about how quick it can be completed. The other is much slower, but more about exploration. We know which type we are! Once we get fitter and our muscles strengthen we will be able to increase our days a bit, though we will still stop to smell the flowers on our way!
Once up and packed we were the last to leave. One last stream crossing then up and over the hill and out to the road. Road walking really isn't much fun. It was super windy and not a lot of room to step off when a car comes. I think we might be a bit more picky about which road sections we actually walk from here on! We then followed that road down the coast and then 3km off the trail to Whangaruru campground in Oakura Bay. What a fantastic spot! Had a swim in the ocean there and were followed around by a new duck family before turning in for the night.
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| Oakura Bay where we had a swim |
After a slightly sleepless night, we got going early and walked another bush track with steep uphill, downhill then back uphill sections before finally descending through some farmland down into Whananaki. And when I say steep, I mean almost vertical...having a muggy day made for a sweaty trek and being the fourth day in a row we were pretty tired by the end.
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| This is much steeper than it looks! |
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| Thanks to the guy who's abandoned hat is now Glens...#sorrynotsorry |
This is a great record Emily! You’ll treasure these posts once you’re done! Well done guys!
ReplyDeleteWell done guys! A small correction to the pic's name: "Thanks to the guy who's abandoned ̶h̶a̶t̶ beard is now Glens...#sorrynotsorry" :)
ReplyDeleteHaha glad you like it man. 😀 Wonder what it will be like after 6 months!
DeleteYour going well. gosh soon be third of the way. 1000km. hopefully the wet stuff will soon be behind you. I reckon you'll have a few stories to tell on Tuesday nights . John B.
ReplyDelete