Posts in Opotiki
Day mission to Te Waiti Hut in the Urutawa Conservation Area

I have a rule when it comes to choosing my weekend adventures. For every hour that I’m in the car, I want at least a couple of hours tramping. Which usually means that day missions start early. Te Waiti Hut was just that - about 1.5 hours from Whakatāne. We stopped for takeaway coffees and something for lunch in Ōpōtiki, and being a long weekend, of course it was packed. Diesel was such a good boy, waiting patiently for us in the car.

It was around mid-morning before we finally made our way along the narrow, gravel road on our way to Bushaven. “Is your Rav a 4WD?” Katri asked as we drove across a shallow ford with a small stream running through it. I laughed. It wasn’t, but Betty (my trusty adventure Rav) and I have been on plenty of gravel roads together and survived. Te Waiti Road will definitely test your reversing skills - we count ourselves lucky because there was no one else on the road that day.

Read More
Savlon and Tokenui Huts via Tutaetoko Stream to Manganuku campsite

“Ronna, if you had balls, they’ll definitely get wet today.” My friend Mayer likes to keep it real. We’ve done a few day hikes together now, and just when I think I’ve cracked his sense of humour, he’ll throw something left field that keeps me wondering what actually makes our friendship tick. Being the introvert that I am, going into the backcountry definitely appealed to me. Less people, more chances of having a hut to yourself - just add cheese and that’s my dream getaway. Being my first time, we had originally planned on an overnighter to Savlon Hut, but Mayer convinced me to take the Monday off work so we could check out Tokenui Hut too. As gruelling as our three days were on my body (after a week my legs still looked like I got my ass beaten by a cat), I would do it again in a heartbeat. Just don’t tell Mayer that.

A ute was already parked up as I pulled into the Tutaetoko Road end where Mayer and I would start our walk. My friend Kat was driving my Rav back to Whakatāne and brought along her dog Diesel to keep her company for the drive home - he was so good in the car, I think he’s going to be a great adventure dog for sure. We managed to head off late morning, but being daylight savings, there was plenty of daylight left so I didn’t mind.

Read More
Discover Our Local: A return to the Pākihi Track on the Motu Trails

The Pākihi Track is part of the Motu Trails, which is actually made up of several shared use tracks (MTB and hiking) in Ōpōtiki, as well the villages of Motu and Matawai. My first time on the track was three years ago, during a solo hike where the track was closed to MTB riders because of a massive slip above the hut. This time I brought along my friend Kat to help kick start more Sunday missions.

I have ridden part of the Dune Trails three years ago, doing an 18km return ride from Ōpōtiki to the Tirohanga Campground. My friend, Richard Hamer (the Whakatāne Cycle Coach) had convinced me to get back on a bike after 11 years. Although I did enjoy it, I still prefer tramping as it allows me time to walk at a pace that allows me to soak in the views and do photography. Kat on the other hand does enjoy MTB and was scoping the track for a future riding mission.

Read More
Discover Our Local: Walking the Pakihi Track (Pakihi Rd to hut & return)

I have been planning on walking the Pakihi Track since I came across a photo of the suspension bridge earlier this year. Unfortunately at this time, there is a massive slip that has taken out a part of the track about 300m upstream of the Pakihi Hut, so I couldn’t start my hike from Motu Rd. Instead I walked from Pakihi Rd to the hut and back on the same day. It was still an 18km hike, and was glad to finally make use of the hiking poles I bought as fatigue began to set in on my legs on the way back.

Read More
Dune Trail On The Motu Trails Cycleway

Richard and I go way back to mid-2000s, where he was already doing a lot of youth work in our community. Over the years, I would run into him through my graphic design work and teaching dance. He was already a cycling advocate back then, but it’s only recently that I finally took him up on getting me back on a bike. I haven’t been on a bike since 2007 - maybe somewhere in the back streets of Vietnam.

The dune trail of the Motu Trail Cycleway is in the township of Opotiki, about 40 minutes drive from Whakatane. Now, when he told me that we would be biking 9km, I thought he meant in total, not one way! He did give the option to turn around at various points, but I figured I wouldn’t be this way for awhile, so decided to make the most of it.

Read More