Whananaki to Mangawhai Heads - the last of Northland

20th Nov 18 - 26th Nov 18

Day 1: 26km Whananaki to Ngunguru

Day 2: 16km to Taiharuru Estuary

Day 3: 14km to South Ocean Beach
Day 4: 12km around Whangarei Heads
Day 5: Drive from Reotahi Bay to Ruakaka
Day 6: 19km to Waipu Cove
Day 7: 20km to Mangawhai Heads

Total walking days: 17
Total 440km out of 3000km

Whananaki Footbridge

Another rest day down, but unfortunately we both weren't feeling all that rested when we got going early (5am!) on the Tuesday morning. We had originally planned to do two very short days from this point, but for some inexplicable reason we decided to merge these together to make a 26km day! The day started alright with a crossing of the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere and a really nice walk through farmland along the coastline, then a short road walk into Matapouri where we had our first pie and V combo for early lunch! All this junk food, but honestly it's pretty boring muesli bars and dehydrated food for the most part.

We were still going strong when we entered the Matapouri Bush Track, which was a pretty straightforward forestry track uphill for a fair while. At the summit we found a massive kauri tree called Tane Moana where we scoffed our salami and cheese wraps, then carried on back down into Ngunguru. I was feeling soooooo good, smashing this super long day, then 3km out from town I got a new blister! On the same foot pad area as the old ones and my mood declined very quickly after that. I was trying to be clever and added gauze when I taped my feet that morning, but it seems this was not the right idea! I hobbled into town where we met 3 other hikers, Kim, a kiwi man doing the walk in sections with a camper bus to help in between, and two ladies from Holland, here for 3 weeks and hiking as much as they could. We all walked down to the estuary where we waited in our first downpour of the trip for a guy called James to pop across the estuary to pick us up in his dinghy.

Tane Moana

James grabbed us and took us over to Nikau camp, which is a very cool set-up for TA hikers as the trail goes right through his property. Glen and I got a cabin because of the weather, and although it was very basic, it was warm and dry! The evening was spent in the communal kitchen area with about 8 other hikers who had all arrived around the same time. The 3 from town, a mother and son, a German couple and another kiwi guy! The Kiwis were finally in the majority this night. James gave everyone a bit of a heads up on the two estuary crossings coming up, but as Glen and I didn't plan on going quite that far in one day, it wasn't too important.

Ngunguru Estuary at sunset

Being around so many other hikers that night, was actually very good. This group seemed to be more our pace for once. It also became quite clear that some hikers are planners (like me!) And others just wing it. We always look ahead a few days and at least have an idea of where we might get to each day. I need to know there will be a spot to sleep at some point. Obviously flexibility on this sort of trip is key, but walking blindly ahead just doesn't seem like a good idea. Especially when there are some rules as to where you can and can't freedom camp along the way!

Hora Hora Estuary

The next day started slowly. We couldn't leave until after 11am as the tide at the Hora Hora estuary wasn't low until after midday. It was also still rainy and dreary weather. I taped up my feet, minus the gauze and off we went. The first part was along a gravel road through Maori land, which was all fenced and gated as 'private property keep out', but all good as we paid our $5 koha. Then at the estuary, the water was mid-calf deep until the very last section which reached mid-thigh. With our sandals on this was no issue. The middle part of the day was all road walking. I didn't really enjoy this day, we weren't even going far, but I was just tired and over all the road parts. Finally we reached the turn off to the second estuary and it was way too high to walk around to our accommodation, so we called them and they offered to pick us up rather than walk the last few kms along the road. We made it to Tidesong B&B, where Hugh and Ros treated us like royalty! We got a room, dinner and breakfast the next morning all supplied to us! Just as we were settling in and eating some homemade cake, all the other hikers that left before us from James's and were planning to do both estuarys turned up as they had missed the tide and rather than swim across, thought it safer to turn back. See what blindly going ahead gets you on this trail!

Me on the Taihururu crossing

As it was another inconvenient high tide the next morning, Hugh gave us a dinghy ride across the estuary after a delicious and filling breakfast. We then travelled across farm paddocks and up onto the Kauri Mountain Track. This was steep uphill road walking and then down the other side to the start of Ocean Beach. Again, we were only going about 14km today, but we were both a bit flat and it felt like our legs were lead trying to get up the hill. Stunning view at the top, but all I could think was 'is it possible I can be getting unfitter as I go?!'. Obviously not, but after two weeks of walking I think our bodies have just reached a level of fatigue we need to push past.

View from Kauri Mountain

The beach was a great spot for lunch and right between rain clouds too! Glen met a spearfisherman here who recommended the area for freediving. So Glen started planning some summer diving/camping expeditions for us to go on before I reminded him he has about a year to wait before the next summer...

This beach was a stunner, however it managed to lull us into a false sense of success, as most beaches are good at! We walked for ages, with the heads getting bigger and bigger directly in front of us as we went. Thinking we must be almost there, we have done so well, kept up a great pace, yay go us, until we checked our trusty guthook app only to find out we weren't even halfway! Only beaches have this ability, as you can see so far ahead that you think everything is closer than it is. Finally after what felt like the entire day, but was really only 2pm, we arrived at our camping spot for the night. This was a friendly locals front garden, but they had built a shower and a toilet for us smelly hikers! It was just myself and Glen all afternoon to chill in the warm sun and relax until about 9pm when two older American couples showed up. Even though we were tucked up in our tent they managed to ask us all sorts of questions and got set up in rather a noisy way...finally they were also tucked away and we all drifted off, probably dreaming of the next days climb up the Te Whara Track...

My dream turned into a nightmare...the next day dawned with no rain and a semi good feeling, but then it was just 12km of hell. We climbed up and up and more up. When you think you must be at the summit, there is just another climb. Glen wouldn't let me give up though, even when the trail officially cuts off the heads walk about a third of the way along, we just kept going right over Mt Lion. I kept climbing steeply up and scrabbling down through roots, rocks and mud. Being passed by about 8 people over the day, who were just about flying through it all, just made me feel slow. By the time we made it out the other side my knees were jelly, but the kind of jelly that has been left out in sun and melted into a puddle of goo. But hey, we made it and Glen was right...I actually felt good about that!

Glens good friend Darren had taken the day off and met us at this point. I wobbled to his car and gratefully settled into the back. We apologised for the smell...a giant walk over a couple if mountain peaks in the hot sun doesnt make for a great smelling hiker! He agreed we were pretty 'choice'. He took us to his parents bach, where we washed and ate a fantastic meal of bangers and mash. We had a great sleep and no muscle cramps after such a hard day, which was awesome.

View of all the land we have walked now

The next morning we had more food in the form of bacon and eggs and then took off into the big town of Whangarei. First stop was rebel sport, where I bought myself new insoles. I had decided that the ones we got originally were forcing my foot into a shape where all the pressure was right on the ball of the foot. Now I have super cushioned insoles, with gel heel and ball sections...should feel like walking on clouds...a review of these to come in the next blog. We also resupplied our food and a couple of pharmaceutical items, then it was a quick drive through to Ruakaka. The trail is meant to go across to Marsden point and along the beach, but the weather was packing in and as Ruakaka was on Darren's way back to Auckland we thought it was a good place to start from. We splashed out for a cabin due to the weather and realised we might as well have just camped once we had a look at the state of it.

After a pretty lame sleep, we packed up and got going as quick as we could, leaving a dead cockroach behind that had tried to come with us. It was raining and raining hard! It rained all the way down the beach and most of the way to Waipu. Just as we got to Waipu, though, the sun came out again, which made for a great coffee break at Salt cafe. Not even the grumpy staff there could bring us down today!

After our delish mocha we walked about 100m down the street to the famous pizza bar of Waipu and got ourselves lunch. Best Pizza Ever! Definitely worth the cash and the extra long lunch just to have a cheesy, meaty morale boost. Then it was an easy 8km down to Waipu cove. This was all road walking, but no more rain and although my legs were starting to ache by the end we had smashed out a 19km day!

After a good sleep in a much nicer cabin at Waipu Cove campsite, we were off again. Home run to Mangawhai Heads and a rest day. A massive 20km day was ahead and I was a little worried about it. It wasn't a nice flat beach/road walk, but more hills and some bush tracks and then steep farmland. I was right to be nervous, it was hard! The first half was good mostly, we bumped into the two ladies from Holland again and made it to the summit of the Brynderwyns for lunch in the sun. Then rain all the way down to the Mangawhai cliffs walkway.

View over Mangawhai

Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway

We had an interesting section through a paddock of cows and although we have been through a few herds now, the cows in this one were just plain creepy! I thought they would go for me at one point. Glen let his inner farm boy free though and shooed the cows away. The walk along the cliffs was awesome with a great path and beautiful views right out to sea although a huge thunder cloud had settled in the distance. At this point of the walk it was a struggle. Stupid muscles! I couldnt wait to rest them and hopefully tackle the last week to Auckland stronger than ever. Glens aunty Karen met us at the end of the walkway and took us home with her for a tasty and soul-warming lamb shanks meal and a zero day in comfort to work out the next chunk of this journey.