East Cape Escapades

Having caught up on sleep the previous weekend we were ready for something a bit more active for Anzac weekend (Anzac Day is the NZ/Oz equivalent of Remembrance Sunday in the UK). With the Friday as a bank holiday, and taking the Monday and Tuesday as time off in lieu/leave we set off Thursday night after work for a bit of monster drive down to Te Urewera National Park, and specifically Lake Waikaremoana. 

Getting halfway on Thursday and finishing the drive on Friday was a good call for Matt - as the 70km through the National Park to our campsite was all very bumpy, gravel road through absolutely stunning, isolated forest. Beautiful scenery for me as the passenger but hard going for Matt driving! I like to think it was worth it though as on arrival at the campsite on the lake's shore we were treated to a stunning view.

Mystical Lake Waikaremoana

Whilst I could have spent the weekend chilling at the campsite and admiring the view we had come all the way to the wilderness specifically to tackle our fifth Great Walk - the Lake Waikaremoana Track, a 50km track through lush native forest and up and over a challenging climb. The track is recommended as a three or four day hike. Having planned the trip during our Ironman training we decided that two days would be plenty, so booked into a hut halfway round, we set off on the Saturday morning at a pretty fast pace!

Oh dear - mud does have a
tendency to slow me down!

Taking a breather!

Luck was on our side with the weather yet again so whilst we were going at a good pace we enjoyed some beautiful views on our first day.

Almost a mirror lake

A lone boat

Our day 2 climb in the distance

Quick detour to a waterfall

We were right to keep the pace up - with darkness arriving at 6pm we only just had time to arrive at the hut, get our sleeping bags out and meet our bunk mates before it was time for head lamps (the hut had no electricity for lights).

Lots of fun to be had with his and hers head lamps.
No? Just us then

The hut didn't have gas for cooking either (unlike huts on previous tramps in NZ). No matter, we had planned to go continental so enjoyed a dinner of cheese, salami, pitta breads and sun-dried tomatoes. Followed by chocolate. Yum. Bedtime followed at 8.30pm - and we were up late compared to the rest of the hut's guests!

Up and off the next morning, we were the first on the trail to tackle the big climb.

Matt and our home for the night

Some of the Ironman fitness must definitely have still been there, as we were at the top within two and a half hours, rather than the recommended 4-5. Suffice to say a break was in order!

Not a bad view for a chocolate and nut break

Carrying on along the ridgeline we were treated to some epic views of forest as far as the eye could see.

A very happy hubby

Enjoying life

Before we knew it we had descended all the metres we had climbed and were back at the lake front for our water taxi back to the van. Jumping in and hot footing it to the coast for a pie, hot pool and bed we were ready to explore a bit of NZ's far east.

First stop Gisborne - one of NZ's wine making areas.

A flight (or two) of wines

...And the very first part of NZ spotted by Captain Cook. Whilst this statue has pride of place overlooking the town, apparently it doesn't look anything like the famous explorer (even the plaque underneath said so!)

Captain Cook (or some other bloke)

Turning back in land we started heading home, first via the Waioeka Gorge - another part of the north island which still felt pretty wild.

A view of Carrie parked up while
we explored a bit of the native bush

Hotfooting it along the coast we revisited some old haunts from our very first Tiki Tour - Whakatane, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Paeroa. Neither us of can believe that we arrived here nearly two years ago now. Is there anything left to explore?!

View from 'The Mount'