Friday, December 28, 2007

27 Dec07 Tongaporutu

The trip from Auckland on our first day ended up at Tongaporutu arriving the afternoon of the 26th. A small settlement on the Tongaporutu River just off the main road that runs through to New Plymouth.Next to the small settlement, some of which are permanent homes, is a domain where a number of motorhomes were already parked and whilst we were there over the nights of the 26th and 27th a number of motorhomes, caravans and tents came and went. It would seem that apart from a place to stay a while it is known as a free park stopover during a journey.The road through the domain lead up a hill into a long coastal DOC farm that permits camping and overnighting.The DOC farm provides access to the Three Sisters, of which there's now only two, and the Whitecliffs at the end of the farm (in the distance). Excellent easy bike riding with great views.The bike ride or walk takes you parallel to the clifftop along the road that runs the length of the DOC farm.Heading inland there’s some interesting country to climb. The DOC farm is like a big long plateau that the rises up to some high country which I must admit required a bit of bike pushing to climb.

Once there at the top the views are great except on this day somewhat misty on this particular day due to the ever present strong Westerly wind.The Pohutukawa tree was most certainly a feature of this coastal area. In the main quite small and continuely harassed by the wind.Next stop Onaero Bay

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