Off exploring some more dirt tracks. We left the camp site driving a few miles up the road, turning inland at Tapu to enter the heart of the Coromondel. We were soon on unsealed roads (gravel, dirt roads), climbing up a bendy curvy road until we came to the tourist attraction of the Square Kauri Tree. Not exactly square, more rectangular in cross section, because I believe it was growing at the edge of a precipice.
The New Zealanders look after their forests with a steep path and steps, then eventually a platform around the tree in the hope that this will protect it from the fungus destroying the Kauri. From the tree platform, you could see other Kauris overlooking the road below. We spent a few enjoyable minutes there before descending to the road. We met two other couples on this walk, including a motorcyclist couple.
Back on the road again, climbing a little more, before descending down in to the Whitiangar road. I learnt how to engine break in an automatic, select B. In New Zealand I have never seen so many signs on the roads requesting heavy goods vehicles not to use engine breaking. They are normally around built up areas where there is a steep hill entering the settlement. Needless to say, there were no such signs here, nobody to be seen.
On reaching the Whitiangar road we stopped at the Coroglen Tavern, recommended to us by the motorcyclist we had met at the Square Kauri. Good call, lovely large pub, decorated with equipment through the ages, chain saws, & general agricultural equipment, some of which I have no idea what they were. We had a couple of drinks and some potato wedges with bacon, cheese, yogurt, an excellent $20 spent.
Refreshed we left and headed North, then West again across the Coromondel, heading now to the Coromondel township, for some more dirt fun. This time we stopped at the Waiau Kauri grove where there was yet more pathways and platforms for us to traverse, and trees to be seen. Was persuaded to take a few pictures of some mosses. Am hoping some will look like forests photographed from above.
We continued down the road, ignoring the water falls, we had seen enough and there are some good falls coming up in the days to come. Slowed up to see the pigs and piglets which were kept in a domestic/farm fashion, but allowed to wander at will across the road. We’ve seen a few signs warning of wandering stock, one even included a phone number to report the escapee.
We reached the township of Coromondel, stocked up with some lager for Rosemary and some essentials for the next couple of nights. Started heading off to the East coast to camp in a DOC site, but stopped. The weather forecast was dire for the next day, Cyclone Hola was due tomorrow. We decided to go for another posh site just North of Coromondel called the Shelley Beach, where we could cook and eat under shelter.
The beach here is very definitely shelly and goes out a long way at low tide. Masses and masses of bi-valves. When we arrived there was a group of oyster catchers at the high tide mark and some white faced herons. Later we saw one of the heron chase after a sqashum. Also saw a rat wander around the beach. Again, R claimed to have seen a Kingfisher, but I didn’t. Suspect she is paying me back cos I was the one who saw the Kiwi,
After dinner, the West, towards Auckland was lovely, which made a nice end to the evening with the Oyster Catchers at the sea edge.
