Tātou Araroa — Episode 14: Kia tupato kia pai to hikoi
Me te titiro whanui, kia Kia
Ki nga taonga kei mua i a koe
Walk the path in safety
Look deeply and learn
From your surroundings
Progress: 1695.5 — 56.37%
Finishing off the North Island + North Island Irreverent Awards
Smiles and beers all round at the Southern Terminus of TA North Island.
Thank you North Island, you’ve been swell. Bring on the South!
Following two well earned rest days after our exploits in the Tararuas, we jumped in where we left off on the Kapiti Coast from Porirua on Sunday.
We’d been told it’d be picturesque which was handy, after our adventures last week there was a danger of a “after the Lord Mayor’s show" feel to the completion of the North Island. It was very much picturesque, challenging too, but a lovely approach into our nation’s capital.
The walk began with an immediate climb up more than 500 steep steps to Colonial Knob lookout. Despite the earliness of the hour we were sweating after step 10. A worrying harbinger of hot and sticky times to come as Aotearoa New Zealand’s summer kicks into full swing.
Infinite steps up to Colonial Knob
An expansive view greeted us at the top. The vista looking inland at the Southern end of the Tararuas, up the Kapiti Coast and towards the suburbs of Wellington itself. Looking south and west we were treated to the Cook Straight (the stretch of water separating the North and South islands) and to the green and luscious Marlborough Sounds on the northern tip of the South Island itself.
The expansive views continued for most of the day as we climbed to the very top of Colonial Knob and down into the forest below. Our map showed us with one final obstacle between us and the city itself, Mount Kaukau. The meandering shared use (walking and mountain biking) trail eventually led us up to the summit and offered a tremendous aspect of the beautiful Wellington Harbour and the City.
The view of Wellington Harbour from Mt Koukou
The track now became the Skyline Track and circled the outer rim of the central city, again offering us an ever evolving and stunning outlook below. The Skyline Track eventually dropped into the city, through Wellington’s maze of parks and reserves and eventually onto the Northern Track and finally into the well maintained and beautifully situated Botanic Gardens. A stroll through the Gardens and down the hill to the Beehive (New Zealand’s parliament building) and we called it a day.
Almost there — Wellington City from the tremendous Skyline Track
We made our way across the city to Brooklyn and to Sarah’s friends Howard and Jess' lovely house set deeply in the bush of the city’s fringe.
We awoke the next morning with a skip in our step. Today was the day we were going to complete an entire island of walking. Following a quick catch up with our friends Jess and Rob, who are completing their own adventure, albeit mainly on the two wheels of their bikes, and we began the final 12km of Te Ika o Maui (the fish of Maui — the Maori name for the North Island).
Stopping for the day at the Beehive, our parliament building.
The final dozen kilometers takes the walker along Wellington’s public friendly waterfront, along the fancy townhouses of Oriental Bay and up and over two “mountains” of Mount Victoria and Mount Albert. The city continued to deliver us great perspectives of the surrounding area as we traverse along its southern edge.
We finally dropped off from Mount Albert and the reality hit us. We had 2.2km left to go of our almost 1700km odyssey down this wonderful, diverse and rugged island. We hit the sea at Houghtons Bay and turned right. 1.1km. We turned the corner into Island Bay. 600m. We spot Shorland Park, home of the trail terminus plaque. 250m. Finally we enter the park, find the plaque and it’s done. We have walked an unbroken line from the very North to the very South of the North Island of New Zealand.
One final view before dropping to the sea at Houghtons Bay
Some good fortune and good planning meant that our friends Chelle and Gareth, the Original Trail Angels who drove us to Cape Reinga to begin our journey, some 80 days ago, were there to welcome us and greet us with a well earned beer!
So there it is folks, one down one to go! Whilst we sit at Wellington Airport before our flight to Queenstown we thought perhaps we’d hand out some awards;
Te Araroa North Island Awards
Best Pie: No contest here: it’s the Roast Lamb from Rangiriri Pies. At $12 it’s a pricey pie but the generous size and healthy meat/gravy ratio makes it very much worth it.
Best Beer: We couldn’t limited this one to a single beer so here’s a top 3;
3: The Final Beer — Urbanaut Brixton Pale Ale. Thank you to Chelle and Gareth for bringing us a sturdy and fruity tipple to celebrate the finish of the island yesterday!
2: The Unicorn Beer — 8 Wired Tropodelic Pale Ale. Rarely, if ever, found on tap, we couldn’t believe our eyes seeing this at Wood Street Pizzeria in Mangawhai Heads. Its unsubtle hoppy and robust flavors were a real treat after a long and hot day.
1: The Delivering on Expectations Beer — McLeods Paradise Pale Ale. From the magnificent Pizza Barn in Waipu we’d been talking about this majestic beast since KM0, at KM408 it delivered in droves!
Happy Place
Honourable mentions: Fortune Favours “The Wellingtonian" from the Rutland Arms in Whanganui — fresh off 80km on the bike and served in proper 568ml imperial pint, cannot be ignored.
Best Kaitiaki/Trail Angel: All of them. We have been so incredibly blessed to have met some amazing people on our journey southwards and it is impossible to pick between them. From the kind gesture of offering to fill our water bottles from the family at the end of Mud Hell in the Raetea Forest to George and Rob’s incredible hospitality and sage advise in Whanganui, the sum total of each piece of generosity, of kindness, thoughtfulness and support is the sole reason why we have made it this far. The gratitude of two weary bodied trampers to each and every New Zealander who has provided us with the inspiration and willpower to continue cannot be understated.
Best Camping/Hut spot: Need a top three again-
3 — the Bali-esque environment of Ahipara Holiday Park. It would be in the Top 3 just for the shower but its here mainly for its loving embrace following the brutality of the beach.
2- Hunts Farm — a much needed home away from home whilst Sarah was recovering from her cellulitis. The tranquility and hospitality were unmatched.
1. Nichols Hut. A toughie but you cannot deny its beauty. The little 6 bed hut in the middle of the remote Tararua Ranges was not only pleasing on the eye but a sight for sore eyes after a monster of a day up and over Mount Crawford.
Highest Highs:
3 — All 4 days of the Timber Trail. We’d had a tough time with the Mangaokewa Stream Track, phone issues and the “Nightmare at Bog Inn Hut” but all was forgotten after 4 days of the most well looked after, well serviced and stunning walking you could imagine. The Timber Trail’s gravity defying bridges, fascinating history and rich verdant forest left an indelible mark on us both.
2 — The Mangapukahukahu Stream Walk. A sunny and warm Northland October day made the cool glistening waters of the stream invite you in to their refreshing embrace. A truly stunning day with the Famous Five.
Palpable joy from Pukematawai Summit
1 — Summit of Pukematawai in the Tararuas. A hugely impactful moment for so many reasons. After our disbelief that we were actually having to walk “up there" from Butchers Knob, to the sun beginning to shine to the huge wash of relief that this was our final summit on the tricky Tararua section. It represented a watershed in our minds between the fear and anxiety of completing the notorious section and the relief, confidence and satisfaction that we had indeed done just that.
Honourable Mentions:
Off the beach! Stepping off the beach at Ahipara after our 88kk ordeal on the sand. We look back now and know it hardened us and deaffirmed our desire to complete this mammoth task, but at the time it was the simple and overwhelming physical and psychological relief that we were getting off the bloody beach.
Whangerei Heads views — the view of 4 dimensions offering views from 3 days back and 4 days ahead as we looked down Bream Bay from the heights of Te Whare Track.
Walk into Wellington — superb entrance to our nation’s capital.
Karamu Walkway Day — despite its length it was a great Waikato day with rolling hills and sheep aplenty.
Finally, to you all for reading this, for offering support and for keeping us in your thoughts — a huge thank you.
P.S. it’s $250 No Beard vs $230 Beard right now! Just head HERE, donate and comment if you want Bill’s 80 day beard to STAY or GO come Christmas Day! Highest total wins!
