The weather Gods deserted us at Ahipara. They unleashed torrential rain, hail and fierce gales as we battled our way up steep cattle damaged tracks, stumbling over fallen trees and bashing our way through overgrown vegetation. Finding a place to pitch the tent each night was difficult - the old loggers' huts in the Herekino Forest were defnitely not appealing, so we made ourselves a campsite in the forest. Water was hard to find as we were travelling along ridges; we've been carrying around 4 litres per day.
The Herekino ridge took us all day and we camped that night at the start of the Raetea Track in gale force winds. The hailstones kept getting bigger and it was a hard 8 hour slog next day to Mangamuka Saddle.A fine night and a riverside camp restored our spirits for the Puketi Forest - a 32 km day in steadily increasing rain. We were saved by having a DOC cabin to stay and dry out in.
The sun came out as we walked to Kerikeri along beautiful riverside tracks past Rainbow Falls and we saw our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean - we have done the Coast to Coast - Northland style.Today we walked to Paihia through Te Puke forest. Beautiful sunshine helped us along and we enjoyed wandering through the Treaty Grounds.
We are still talking to each other and keen to continue.
Notes
Day 6: Ahipara to Herekino Forest - makeshift camp up past the loggers hut. 20 km
Day 7: Herekino to makeshift roadside camp near Ratea Forest. 19.5 km
Day 8: Ratea Forest to campsite beside Makene River. 19 km
Day 9: Makene River to DOC Puketi Recreation Centre cabin. 34.8 km
Day 10: Puketi to Kerikeri Pagoda Lodge. 25.8 km
Day 11: KeriKeri to Paihia YHA. 21.7 km
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