Bell Rock Walk, Hawke's Bay

What: 2-2.5hr return walk to Bell Rock, panoramic views overlooking the beautiful Hawke's Bay ranges


When: Any time of year (just make sure its a clear day!)


Where: Pohokura Road, Approximately one hour north of Napier


How...


Bell Rock is a beautiful walk through a mixture of lush NZ bush and open farmland.  After hearing of the Bell Rock look out with its views over the Kaweka mountain ranges and Hawke's Bay coastline, we decided this would be the perfect chance to stretch our legs on a four-hour drive from Tauranga to Napier.  Unfortunately, the overcast weather this day did not agree with our plans to capture the panoramic sights that can normally be seen from Bell Rock. However, the mist provided an element of enchantment and to the bush, and Bell Rock in thick fog was an eerie experience, with all sights hidden beyond the massive rocky outcrop.  


The start of the Bell Rock walk is a decent drive off the main highway and there were several small landslips along the windy gravel Pohukura Road, so care should be taken!  When you pass a rocky formation in a paddock to your left you have almost reached the entrance to the Bell Rock walk.  Continue down the road for a further few minutes and you will see the Bell Rock walk track signposted on your right.  There is lots of room to park on the grassy verges next to the track start.  

The walk itself started as a gentle undulating path through beech and podocarp forest. A symphony of native bird calls provided some sweet background music with the chatter of tui, bellbird and kereru often heard here.  After  30-40minutes the path emerged onto open farmland with painted green DOC posts marking the rest of the track (about 30 mins) through the paddocks towards Bell Rock.  Bell Rock is a massive rocky outcrop, and the ridges of this outcrop are fun to explore but slippery when wet!  The return trip is via the same track, just make sure to keep track of the green posts when heading back through the paddocks!

Pohukura Road can be accessed from State Highway 5 (Napier-Taupo road) via Waitara road, if coming from Taupo.  If heading up from Napier, head towards Tutira and take a left onto Matahorua Road and a second left onto Pohokura Road.  If heading from Taupo don't miss the turn-off to the Waipunga falls lookout on Napier-Taupo road (signposted, just off the main highway).  This triple-waterfall is a spectacular sight after some heavy rainfall!

Full moon tramp, Mt Egmont, Taranaki

What: 4 hours to summit, 8 hours return

When: Summer is best (very dangerous in the winter months)

Where: From New Plymouth it's about a 30 minute drive. Head south on State Highway 3 to Egmont  Village and turn right onto Egmont Road. The track access point is at the North Egmont Visitor Centre.

How... 

You can choose to either do a day tramp or if you are lucky enough, a full moon tramp, starting at around 2am. It's pretty tough work climbing the mountain so would not recommend starting after about 10am. We decided to do the moonlight tramp so we could watch the famous sunrise. We met up at the visitors centre at 2am, kitted with headlamps, thermals and plenty of food and water. I would highly advise if you choose to do the moonlight walk to go with an experienced climber as this mountain is definitely not one to mess with!




To begin, climb the stile over the locked gate and wind your way up the gravel road to the private hut. The last public toilets on your way up are found here. Continue up the steps through the rock covered Hongi Valley. This will lead onto the steep scoria slopes where you will be going two steps up and one step back. There is no track from here, so you just aim for the summit. Eventually you will get to the Lizard (2314m) which is a prominent rocky ridge. Here, it is vital to watch and warn others of falling rocks both above and below you. This is probably one of the most difficult and dangerous parts of the climb, as sections of this route involve almost free-style rock climbing. Some rocks may look stable to climb on, but can easily become dislodged. It is also about the stage in the climb where your legs become very fatigued and heavy. After about 3.5hours of straight climbing you will reach the crater entrance. The crater is covered in ice year round; this can be a bit slippery so take your time while on it. After crossing the crater there is another 30minutes of clambering up rocks to reach the summit (2518m). 

I can't even begin to describe the incredible feeling of reaching the summit. On a fine day you will be rewarded with views of as far as Mt Ruapehu. Watching the sunrise from the summit is probably the most amazing thing I have seen while out tramping. You are up so high that the earth looks rounded and as the sun breaks you are surrounded by spectacular changes in the colours of the sky. If you look north as the sun is rising you might be lucky enough to see the shadow of Mount Taranaki on the ocean!






To return, head back down the same way you came up. The trip down is a lot faster and easier than on the way up so take your time ad enjoy the beautiful views in the sunshine.










This tramp is rated as the most difficult day tramp in New Zealand. It has also taken peoples lives, so don't take safety lightly. Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes for when you are at the summit. We went in the peak of summer and were still freezing wearing 3 thermals and a windproof jacket! Lots of short breaks are vital to allow you to stay focused while climbing. Take at least 1.5 litres of water and plenty of food. The weather can change rapidly on this mountain so if the weather takes a turn for the worst, head back down. The mountain will still be there tomorrow!

Rainbow Mountain Summit Walk

What: 2hr-ish return walk to the top of Rainbow Mountain      
When: Anytime of year
Where: Rainbow Mountain lies 26 km south-east of Rotorua, beside the Rotorua-Taupo highway (SH5). Approaching from Rotorua the carpark is located just past the turnoff for SH 38, on the left-hand side of the road.

How…

Rainbow Mountain is a great place to stop and stretch the legs on a long journey whilst catching some spectacular 360 views across the Rotorua lakes, and mountains of the Central Plateau.  From the carpark on SH5, follow the signs to the crater lakes lookout.  After a 10-15 minute walk, the viewing platform here provides a peek of the stunning emerald lakes and unusually coloured brown, orange, and red surrounding rock-faces. 

From here, the track to the summit continues upward through a mixture of native bush and bare ridges providing regular views of the crater lakes and surrounding countryside along the way.  The final part of the track emerges onto the dirt and gravel summit road which will take you the remainder of the way to the top. 

From the summit Mt Tarawera, Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana and Rerewhakaaitu can be seen to the north, the Paeroa Range to the west,  Urewera Ranges and Kaimanawa Forest to the east,  and Mt Tauhara, Lake Taupo and the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park to the south.  The summit  provides a nice flat picnic area to take in the views, or for a slightly better view, ask the man in the fire-watch house nicely and he’ll invite you up for a view from the deck.  

Sore muscles?  After returning to the carpark, drive a few minutes further down SH5 and take the turn off to Kerosene Creek.  A few minutes down the gravel road will lead you to a carpark with the thermal creek running alongside it.  Walk as far as you like until you find a spot you fancy.  This natural wonder forms from a hot spring flowing down through natural bush, pouring over an old lava flow.  With a range of bathing spots along the river this is a great place to come with a group of friends or perhaps a romantic spa (if you don't mind the 'slight' smell).     

Whataroa Falls Walk, Bay of Plenty

What: 1 1/2-2hr return walk to the Whataroa Falls         

When: Anytime! (Less slippery in summer)

Where: Mountain Road, off Oropi Road (South from Tauranga)

How…

This pretty bush-walk makes for a nice summer’s afternoon activity and is an easy track for people of all ages.  The start of this track follows the Rimu loop track, which is well-sign posted opposite the picnic shelter on Mountain Road.  After about 10 minutes on the Rimu track a sign-post will direct you onto the Whataroa fall track.  The path to the falls undulates through beautiful, dense native bush and while an easy track it can be slippery in parts, especially following heavy rainfall.  At the falls there are several large flat rocks making for a great picnic spot, and the waterhole under the fall is an inviting swim for those warmer days.  The walk follows the same track back to the start, and an ancient fallen Kauri is a cool sight to check out on the way back to the Carpark. 

 

The Whataroa falls track is approximately a 40min drive from Tauranga

Wild foods Festival - Hokitika

What: A festival where the main attraction is food and drink that you would not usually consume. 

When: 9th of March

Where: Hokitika, West coast

How...

Hokitika is about a three and a half hour drive from Christchurch, with absolutely stunning views as you cross over Arthur's Pass National Park. The festival begins on the Friday night and continues until the early hours of Sunday morning. The main attraction is the Saturday festival, which starts at 10am and finishes at 5pm. The population of Hokitika quadruples during this weekend, with up to 18,000 people attending the festival. There is a range of accommodation available in Hokitika, however, it does need to be booked well in advance. For people travelling on a budget, many of the local schools become camp grounds over the weekend. Dressing up is highly encouraged and the "best dressed" receives a $1000 travel voucher.

The Wild Food Festival is famous for the special West Coast food that is on offer. At the festival you will find things such as huhu grubs, crickets, mountain oysters (aka sheep testicles), brain, vertebrae, duck stomach, horse semen, pukeko, raw tuna, gourmet garden snails, colostrum desserts, moonshine and elderflower and rhubarb champagne. There is also plenty of West Coast whitebait and fresh berry desserts for those not so keen to try the interesting wild foods. The food is reasonably priced, between $1 and $5. To wash down the wild foods there is plenty of local Monteiths beer on tap. 

As the sun goes down many people head to the beach, which was covered in bonfires for as far as you can see. Here, you can have a few drinks and socialise with the other hundreds of other festival goers. The following morning there is a mass exit from the town. It is definitely recommended to either get up early, or else stay in Hokitika for the day and explore this beautiful West Coast mining town.

The Waikato River Trails - Arapuni section

What: 2h ish mountain bike ride along the Arapuni section of the Waikato River trails (can also walk this)

When: Anytime of year

Where: Arapuni village is 10min from Putaruru, or approx 45min from Hamilton.

How..

We parked our vehicle outside the Rhubarb Cafe, Arapuni village. We then headed a few kilometres out of the village towards Putaruru until we came to Horahora Road. Along Horahora Road, we enjoyed a sweet long downhill then scenic flat tarseal before arriving at the Little Waipa Domain. The domain is a cute camping spot lying next to the Waikato River and is where the riverside section of the trail begins.

The next section to the Arapuni Dam is an undulating ride comprising of gravel and boardwalk and is suitable for riders of all fitness levels. There are many scenic picnic spots and great photo opportunities along this section. The path reaches Powerhouse Road just before the Arapuni Dam. We biked across the road bridge and up the right side of the river, crossing the Arapuni swingbridge to get back onto the trail. This next part of the trail provides some tougher hill sections until you reach the road at the south end of Lake Arapuni.

The section from this road to Jones Landing is recommended for advanced riders and walkers only as the steep climbs and tight downhills are not easy. However, this section can be easily completed with a combination of biking and walking and is well worth it for the views it provides over Lake Arapuni. Upon reaching Jones Landing, we turned around and headed back towards Arapuni village. There is the option to go further with the trails towards the Waipapa Dam. It is roughly 20min of road cycling alongside gorgeous farmland back to the village.

The Rhubarb Cafe in Arapuni Village is the perfect way to end your ride. The cafe also offers 'cruiser' bikes for hire.

Te Waihou Walkway - Putaruru, South Waikato

What: 2.5hour easy walk along the Te Waihou Stream

When: Anytime of year - though a hot summer's day would be perfect to take a dip after the walk in the swimming hole at the carpark off White Road (SH28).

Where: 5min drive from the Putaruru township - off SH28 heading towards Rotorua.

How...

Living in Hamilton and in need of a free activity to change up your Sunday afternoon? Take a trip out to Putaruru and do this 9ish km return walk alongside the Te Waihou Stream (home of 'Pump' water).

We parked our car at the White Road carpark. The walk to the stunning blue spring is a flat, easy walk over a combination of bush track and farm paddock. The walk includes a loop track where you can take the scenic boardwalk along the stream.

The Te Waihou stream is unique with its 'blue spring' - where small trout can be spotted within its stunning clear water. Alongside the blue spring is a selection of picnic spots, where families enjoy a nice day out amongst the beautiful scenery that the South Waikato has to offer.

The Te Waihou Walkway is approximately 45min drive from Hamilton.

Wineries on Bikes - Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay

What: Wine tasting and retro cycling around the beautiful coastal township of Te Awanga in the Hawkes Bay.

When: Summertime, though we went on a rainy Easter weekend and still had the time of our lives. The wineries' most popular time of year is Mothers Day.

Where: Te Awanga - 15min drive south of Napier

How...

We decided to skip the usual winery tour with lunch and tastings provided and decided to do our own thing and just hire bikes, rather than a full-on tour. The retro-look 'cruiser' bikes from Coastal Wine Cycles were perfect for our girls' day out and at $40 for a day's hire - well priced. The huge baskets at the front of the bikes are perfect to collect bottles of wine purchased from the four lovely wineries in the area.

Our first stop - Te Awanga winery - was the furtherest winery from the bike depot. This winery exports a lot of its grapes to Kim Crawford and has an amazing Pinot Gris. The woman taking the tastings here is hilarious and taught us beginner wine tasters lots of tips and tricks. During the summer, this winery hosts a series of concerts so it would be well worth timing your visit to the area with these.

We then biked down the road to Clifton Beach, where we had lunch at the cute Clifton Cafe. It was then time for the next winery - Clearview Estate. This winery was very busy with many people dining there, but it had a huge range of wines to sample; including three savignon blancs, two chardonnays and a delicious dessert red wine.

The third winery of the day was Elephant Hill, where we sampled their unique red - 'Le Phant'. This is a very popular winery, evident by the signatures of famous New Zealanders scribbled onto bottles displayed on the wall.

The last winery we visited was my personal favourite; The Beach House. This winery is small and laid back and makes the most delicious riesling. The interior furnishings of the building had an awesome vintage feel, and was a great place to chill after a long day of biking and wine.