‘Tough Mudder’ Tame In Comparison to Northland’s Rainforests, Te Araroa Trail, NZ

Posted on by wilkinsontravel
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Arduous, Unrelenting, Challenging
Tramping Herekino Forest, Raetea Forest, Omahuta Forest, Pukatea Ridge Track to Puketi Forest over five days was demanding in terrain, in attention to each footstep and in condition.

Kilometres of climbing and descending summits, kilometres of tramping (slippery and sucking at your boots) muddy trails, kilometres of clambering up and over treacherous tree roots, was taxing. Kilometres of sweat running down faces and backs.  But, at each day’s end we were triumphant in spirit and in achievement. We were also very grateful that rain was not a constant. The trail condition would have been so much more treacherous.

The beauty and serenity of the bush, the massive kauri trees, enjoying countless crossings of Mangapukahukahu Stream, sometimes up past the knees, the warbling of the grey warbler and other birds, when the going got tougher, were rewards.  Free camping alongside the river, washing, bathing, swimming and the peacefulness of the remote setting were back to basic reminders of a simple life. Hospitality for two nights at William and Lisa McNabb’s Homestay at Diggers Valley was an absolute treat in comfort, good food and learning a little about Maori culture and sampling William’s wonderful organic homemade beer.

Reaching Kerikeri 220kms from Cape Reinga was such a good feeling . A shower was amazing, so too Claudio’s request of fish and chips and beer in celebration. Goodbye to Claudio who will continue the trail while we head to Hamilton for Christmas with my beautiful sister Trudie and her husband John in their wonderful and relaxing home in Hamilton. Joining us are our Canadian friends Donna and Duane Ehrmantraut who have been comfortably travelling the North Island by car! 😃😜

Maori carving to assuage the spirits – Herekino Forest
Look how clean we are at the start!
Mud glorious mud
Who has the grubbier boot?
Majestic Kauri
Abseiling this bank!
Diggers Valley Homestay
Afternoon nibbles await
Two Kiwi girls – Nancy & beautiful Lisa
Dinner with good food & converSATION
William’s RO boutique beer label
Raetea Forest Track – Claudio & Nancy
Beautiful views from Raetea Summit 744 metres
A rest after the tough getting tougher
Rangiora leaves – underside velvety and called the ‘bushman’s friend’!
Descending from Raetea towards Mangimuka Bridge
Free camping for trampers in a peaceful riverside setting
Wearing Trevor Water’s bandana! Useful for trekking dusty logging roads
What is worst than mud? Dust…clouds of dust from the logging trucks
The dust is awful but the considerate logging truckies slow down when they see us to reduce the dust clouds.
Tramping Omahuta is easier!
The joy of a beautiful but cold pool
Free camping alongside the river after leaving Omahuta Forest
The drying tree
Dinner prep. Claudio & John
Our secluded spot…made extra comfortable with dried punga fronts
Fording the Mangapukahukahu Stream
Safer down stream crossing of the Waipapa River
Prior tackling the very rough and challenging Pukatea Ridge Track
Pukatea Track Ridge also lined with traps for possum, stoats, weasles, rats & pests of native wildlife
Beautiful young kauri
Yah! 200km walked. 1500km to go to Wellington
Aha…the orange markers have changed. Fooled us. Spent a while looking for this marker.
The locals in a standout! Young inquisitive bulls. Glad a fence separated us. Enroute to Keriikeri alongside the Kerikeri River
Rainbow falls at Kerikeri
The not so clean ‘out of the comfort zone’ but happy to have made it this far, trampers.

10 thoughts on “‘Tough Mudder’ Tame In Comparison to Northland’s Rainforests, Te Araroa Trail, NZ”

  2. Hi Nancy and John, really impressed with what I see I would like Matt to see these posts having travelled to NZ recently. But am impressed at your enthusiasm great stuff.
    Have a good rest and then onward and away. love Marilyn

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  3. We are enjoying having you as well as Donna and Duane. Enjoy your exploring before you continue your journey xx

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  4. Hi John & Nancy; computer idiot that I am, I have only just found how to read your blog (had to even find out what that meant!) and so, as I think of you on Christmas Day, I am catching up with your amazing first 200 km. I have been wondering how you are, as thought there had been no posts! What beautiful scenery you have captured. I hope the weather gets a bit kinder; might be waiting if today is anything to go by; cold & windy here. Have an enjoyable time in Hamilton with your family before setting off again. Do you go back to where your stopped, or forward from there?
    My day has been quiet; I helped a baby into the world early this morning, so a couple of ‘little lie downs’ to catch up on lost sleep. Trent & Sarah will have dinner tomorrow, although were in for a while today.
    I am enjoying fostering a small dog over the break; she is part of the hearing dog assoc. group here, and will begin formal training at 8 months; providing lots of laughs.
    Happy travels,xx Jan

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    1. Hello Jan, so glad you have managed to negotiate our blog and have caught up on the various posts to date. We return to Kerikeri where we left off Te Araroa rejoining the trail from Kerikeri on 6 Jan. Our travels from Hamilton take us to Rotorua, Whangamata via Tauranga to catch up with friends Janice & Terry then into Auckland for New Years Eve. Whangarei then Kerikeri sightseeing via Waitangi and whatever takes our fancy. Our Canadian friends leave us to travel south when we return to the trail . A long break from the trail but we want to spend as much time with them and of course, showcasing a little more New Zealand. Thanks for following our progress. Xx

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  5. It looks hard going in places but you must be so exhilarated when you look back and realise you DID it! We will be following your travels every step of the way and wishing we could do it too!
    Merry Christmas to you both.
    Elizabeth and Darryl

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth & Darryl.So good to hear from you. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your family. We have had a great Christmas with my sister Trudie in Hamilton. Xx

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  6. Well done guys, it all looks amazing.
    Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a bit of a rest before the next stage.
    Have just finished filling the stockings and am soon going to bed so Merry Christmas to you both and look forward to,the next update X Morag

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    1. Merry Christmas and now Happy Boxing Day Morag. Enjoy your celebrations . Thank you for posting a comment. So good to hear from you. We are very much enjoying this little break, resting the backpack for a few days. Back to the trail on 6 Jan after more travelling (by car 😃) with our Canadian friends. Xx

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