Northland Part 2

 After a night staying in Opononi I took the short ferry crossing from Rawene over to Hokiangi.

Farmland and tree covered hills. Some twisty roads through the landscape. There are plenty of crawler lanes to get past the trucks, but they only slow down on the uphill! Speed limit is generally 100 km/h.

Kakaitawhiti, revered ancestor of the Ngai Tamara tribe and Kahutianui, daughter of the chief Tūmoana

Next stop was the near the south end of 90 Mile Beach. So named because it took the first Europeans 3 days to travel its length on horseback and 30 miles a day was considered average riding speed. However they hadn't calculated with riding on sand which was slower. It's only 55 miles long and is also an official highway and can be driven. It's Maori name is Te-Oneroa-a-Tōhē (the long beach of Tōhē):

Near the top of the beach you come to the Te Paki giant sand dunes. Here you can hire a boogie board and slide down the sand. However it was pretty hot and I didn't fancy all the climbing back up. Plenty of people did though. Figures just visible on the skyline:

Just before the top of Northland there was a great view of Cape Maria van Diemen:

Cape Reinga is not strictly the most northerly point of New Zealand (3km south of Surville Cliffs to the east holds that honour).  However it is easy to reach dramatic. The Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet here. Te Rerenga Wairau is a sacred place for Maori. The name means 'leaping off place of spirits' as they believe this is where the spirits enter the underworld (reinga).

That night I camped at the site on Tapotupotu beach, a beautiful place at the bottom of a winding gravel track. Still a bit cold for swimming.

First stop next day was at Rangakapiti Pa near Coopers Beach. A pa was a Maori fortified hill top settlement. View from the top of the earthworks.

Then a lovely beach at Taupō Bay where I did go for a paddle:

Some great views from the coast road here:

Next was a walk along the Mahinepua Peninsula where I did go for a swim on the long beach below (and it wasn't cold):

Dramatic coastline from the peninsula:

More views from the road, this time Matauri Bay and the Cavalli Islands:

At about 6 I arrived at the hostel in Paihia just in time for a power cut that put the whole town out overnight. So very quiet! Thankfully I had my camping stove to cook on.