Paddling the Bay New Zealand’s Bay of Islands is located on the north-east coast of the North Island. Maori called the Bay Ipipiri, however Captain Cook re-named it the Bay of Islands in 1769 on account of it being a bay of islands. Paddling the Bay’s intricate coastline promised a unique perspective on this beautiful area, so I set about organising a multi-day kayak trip. At first, the hire company were reluctant to rent me a sit-in sea kayak as…
‘Round the Cape The Kiwis refer to Northland, the northernmost region in the north of the North Island, as ‘The Winterless North’. Now I’m here to tell you that winter in The Winterless North is still bloody cold, however it is just marginally warmer than the winter in The Wintermore South. Searching for every extra degree on offer, I travelled as far north as I could go, and discovered a spectacular part of Aotearoa. For Kiwis, Cape Reinga is considered…
Oatcakes are a Scottish savoury biscuit traditionally made of oats, lard and water. Legend has it that oatcakes are called ‘oatcakes’ because oats are the main ingredient, though perhaps the real origin of the name has been lost in the mists of time. That aside, the whisper round the croft is that oatcakes have been munched by Scots since the Roman times. Growing well in the Scottish climate, oats were the primary staple of the Scots’ diet in the olden…
Marlborough Man The Marlborough Sounds are a beautiful part of New Zealand’s South Island, and walking the 71km Queen Charlotte Track is a great way to experience the region. The trip to Ship Cove, the starting point for the Track, is a tour in itself offering spectacular views of the waterways and mountains. The small boat operators at Picton ferry tourists, locals and the mail to remote communities in the Sounds. The Queen Charlotte Track traverses both public and private…
‘Round the Mountain I’ve spent the last four days completing the ‘Around the Mountain Circuit’ walk at Mt Taranaki (Mount Egmont) National Park. The Mt Taranaki volcano is impressive to say the least, and dominates the landscape in the inevitably named Taranaki Region. Its last major eruption was over 150 years ago, and Geonet (those tasked with monitoring and assessing volcanic activity in the Land of the Long White Ash Cloud) currently lists the location as having ‘no volcanic unrest’….
For more on Mt Taranaki National Park click here If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Te Paki Coastal Track, The Queens Charlotte Track Know someone who might like this post?
‘…you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…’ Back before corona interrupted life’s simple pleasures, I went for a short walk to Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls near Raglan. The falls are a little natural gem in a district largely cleared for agriculture. A gentle path through the forest leads to viewing platforms, then a steep staircase descends to the base of the falls. Now as I while away the days under Alert Level 4 house arrest, I can only dream…
As I have no home here in which to isolate myself as per NZ Alert Level 4 instructions, I thought that a walk in the bush would be a good short-term substitute. I figured I could uphold the 2 metre ‘social distancing’ rule as I didn’t expect to see anyone to distance myself from. I prepared for wet weather, as in most parts of New Zealand the question is not whether it will rain, but rather when it will start….