North Island camping…   Tuesday, 02/01/2024

After a hearty feast on Christmas Day with Tom, I commenced packing all that I would need for an 11-day camping trip. Tom very kindly gave me a lift in to the airport, from where I picked up a hire car on the morning of Wednesday 27th. Drove it back to the marina and loaded up, then away. 

My first destination was the far north, because I wanted to see the northernmost point, Cape Reinga. I found a decent campsite a little short of the Cape, right towards the end of the Karikari Peninsular which sticks out a little into the Pacific. The campsite couldn’t be booked and I hoped that it wouldn’t be full. On arrival I got a place without difficulty, pitched the tent and investigated the location. The campsite was right on Maitai Bay, with the beach less than 300 metres from my tent. What a beautiful location: this was all turning out very well! I swam in the sea and then made some food, and spent the rest of the evening sitting outside and drinking a couple of beers. 

On Thursday morning I headed up to Cape Reinga. Not that far, but a very windy road, meaning that 120 kilometres (75 miles) took about two hours. On arrival there was disappointment: heavy cloud was coming in from the sea, meaning that visibility at the lighthouse, 165 metres above sea level, was very restricted. But… going off down to the western side of the cape was a track that said two kilometres down to a beach. And you could see fairly well along the western coast. I headed down the path, intending to go only so far – concerned that thicker cloud could come in and make it difficult getting back. But the path was fine and I realised that I could easily navigate back up. So I continued right to the bottom to a wonderful long beach. The brilliant thing was that most people simply walked to the lighthouse, looked around and saw little, and headed back to their cars. Only about two in a hundred proceeded down to the beach! Had a laugh about this with an Irish family I got talking to – that we practically had this huge area all to ourselves. 

On my return to the car I drove about twenty minutes and then turned off for the Giant Sand Dunes. Absolutely amazing – colossal and vast sand dunes. Numerous people there – kids were sliding down the dunes on boards. I thought I’d just have a look, but seeing people right up on top made me want to go up too. Quite strenuous walking up, but great views of the sea and inland from on high. 

All-in-all, a successful day. After a little rain that night, Friday morning was cloudy but dry, so I walked along the headland overlooking Maitai Bay, then walked back all along the beach and over a small headland on to the adjacent beach, about 2 kilometres long, which made a good walk. Lovely coastal scenery. Inland not very interesting – grass covered and windswept, few trees. 

Saturday morning saw me packing up and heading south, a long trip down past Auckland and then eastwards into the Coromandel Peninsular. Turned off and began heading up into the Coromandel  Forest Park. The road became dirt for the last 8 kilometres, but was in decent condition. Plus I was fortunate with my car hire – I was given a brand new Toyota RAV4, and luckily it turned out to be a four-wheel drive one. Very suitable for dirt roads, as well as muddy campsites. 

I’d booked the Totara Flat campsite, which is well up in the forest. A small site, perhaps 15 places, and very limited facilities – two long drop toilets. That’s it. The water supply is the Kauaeranga River which gushes down over stones next to the campsite. After putting up the tent I went for a walk and then decided to go in the water. Fairly cold, but very refreshing soft water – felt wonderful after. And it’s nice going to sleep with the backdrop of a rushing river.

Had a great walk up through the forest to The Pinnacles – I went up to the smallest of the three, not wanting to scramble/climb up rocks to get to the highest. It was enough – I set out at an elevation of 150 metres and reached 740 metres, from where the views were superb. Three hours up, including a couple of stops to chat with people – a group of South Africans and a young English woman from Wiltshire – and just over two hours back down, in total a little over 20 kilometres (13 miles). 

Then on New Year’s Day I drove some way up the Coromandel Peninsular to the town of Coromandel. An incredible road – for about an hour it winds along at the base of very high hills, only a few metres above the sea – and then soars up and over a mountain pass, before coming down to an estuary on which Coromandel is situated. The town is cute – several old buildings, shops and restaurants. At 1pm it was midnight in the U.K. so spoke to both Anna and Louisa, exchanging new year greetings, and to my sister and family in Norway. Walked up to the top of a hill overlooking the town – easy, only 100 metres up! – from where there was a great view along the coast. The Coromandel Peninsular is stunning – if ever the chance arises, I shall drive the whole thing. 

After eating dinner with a neighbouring two guys, had a dip in the river and then packed up this morning. I’m presently two-thirds of the way driving south to the Lake Taupo area, which is in the centre of the southern half of the North Island. There are several campsites south and south east of the lake. None take bookings, so I hope that I’ll find a space…