The forecast rain happened overnight, with a fine crisp morning to set off on a tramp along a ridge. A good climb to Te Ranga Trig then relatively gentle ups and downs to the junction with the Russell Walkway – 3 hours in. Grateful for my 2 walking poles today as it was slippery underfoot.

The next section looked easy on the map (being an old forest road), so I did not understand the long time estimate on the DOC sign. The track started off relatively easy to follow, but a lot of gorse to avoid. Great views at one point back over to the Waitangi – Opua Coast

Then within less than 2 km from the junction with the exit track, the first of several major slips, with no sign of where the track went afterwards. The first one required a lot of scouting about and careful reading of the GPS to find that the track was at the bottom of the slip and heading off in a different direction. The undergrowth was getting closer and closer, with gorse all around. Next slip – climbed over that one and used the presence of gorse bushes to tell me where the track resumed.

Slip number 3 really bad – climbed above it to the a slip further up the hill – clambered over that and gave up on the track, knowing that the exit track was not far away. So bush bash to the top of the ridge, sidled around, spotting a line of gorse (= track) way below, and then eventually hit the exit track.

This track was a real gem, with avenues of kauri trees for at least half way down the ridge. After that a 4WD road walk out to the main road.

Tonys blog

South end Waitangi Forest – Waitangi – Paihia – Opua – out east to Ngaiotonga Scenic Reserve and the start of the Ngaiotonga Route / Russell Forest walk

33km, 7 hours

Super views out to the islands walking down towards Waitangi. Then around the Paihia waterfront to the start of the Haumai Bay to Opua walkway that keeps to the coast,
in and out of the bays, along a boardwalk (picture), and then ending up as a narrow path hacked out of the cliff. The ferry from Opua then took me on to three interesting up and down sections of the Opua to Russell Walkwaqy.

And then I headed off east past many mangroves before climbing via a minor forest road into the Ngaiotonga Scenic Reserve, winding its way through the bush, to arrive at the start of the Ngaiotonga Route (Russell Forest Walkway)

A road walk in a gentle but persistent much needed rain, then off road again following the Kerikeri River down to the Rainbow Falls, and then on down to the new footbridge by the Stone Store. Time for a lunch break with Hazel, and then over the hill and up the other side heading towards the entrance to the Waitangi Forest A hot afternoon, so took advantage of the shade from the trees where I could. Made sure to get well clear of the forest road when logging trucks rushed by, and ended up on the top of Mt Bledisloe, with great views to Waitangi, Russell, and the Bay of Islands

Day 7 - walking into Waitangi

Writing this while sitting on the paihia to Russell ferry. Nice walk past the waitangi area, where they signed the treaty with the maori. Didn’t stop in as I’ve been twice before. The trail doesn’t actually go through Russell, which I think is a bit of a mistake as it’s so much nicer than paihia. Lots of large pasty white Americans off a cruise ship wAndering around paihia. Glad to be heading toward the Russell forest but a fair few km of roadwalking to get there. Feeling good today but roasting under a hot sun. Beautiful spot.

If you would like to see where Roland was when he wrote this – check out the map.