Wanderer trip day 2

We drove north to Kaihu and parked outside the village hall. We drove the car + bikes a bit south to Mamaranui, where we saddled up for the ride back to the bus. This ride was mainly along quiet country roads.

back at the bus, we put the bikes on our other bike rack and drove back to the car. All hooked up again we made our way to Kai Iwi Lakes where we had a place booked for the night. After lunch we walked around some of the lake...

(Malcolm's short cut)

...and I had a swim to cool off.

 

Mainly Mangonui

First thing this morning we wandered around the jetty at Totara North. Everything was very tranquil.

Next stop was Mangonui, another harbour nearby. Mangonui has just had a new boardwalk and jetties built.

Can't go past a good cafe. This was the Little Kitchen, in one of Mangonui's old buildings.

We decided to walk a track around the Rangikapiti Peninsula and up to the pa site.  We turned at the police station...

...and made our way around another arm of the harbour...

...to the start of the track.

The summit had amazing views up and down the coast.

The track went through shady native bush, also with good views.

More local humour.

We were feeling pretty hot so were happy to find this ice cream shop.

In the afternoon we drove to Awanui where we walked around the old graveyard at this church, established in the early 1800s.

 

Day Three - Cambridge to Mokau

Blue skies returned for day three of our trip. First stop, Otorohanga...

...where we visited the Kiwi House and Native Bird Park. As well as birds there were lizards, skinks and tuatara (if you could spot them).

There were plenty of birds too...

Beside the Kiwi House was a carved gateway into a reserve with small lakes, which we explored before hitting the road again.

The scenery was very dramatic, especially through the Awakino Gorge. I snapped a few photos through the windscreen.

We parked overnight where the Gorge met the coast at Mokau, and explored the beach

Mount Taranaki hazy in the distance - the next day's destination.

 

Waihi and Waihi Beach

We walked around the edge of the Martha open cast mine in Waihi...

The dot on the skyline is the Cornish Pumphouse from the far side of the big hole.

The pumphouse.

The little town has a great cafe and interesting sculptures relating to the town's history.

Allister found a friend. From rocks to phones.

The old Rob Roy pub.

In the afternoon we walked from Waihi Beach, through clifftop bush to Orokawa Bay.

Then it was back to the waterfront cafe for cocktails and dinner.