Mount Tauhara is a 65,000 year old dormant lava dome volcano, the gentle giant that stands as gatekeeper to Lake Taupō. The 2.5km track to the summit (1,088m/3,570ft) is popular with locals and visitors alike. At the top, the tall fella and I were treated to panoramic views of the district, and even as far as the peaks of Tongariro National Park.

After a weekend of foodie indulgence for our anniversary, a walk up Mount Tauhara was a must-do before heading home to Whakatāne. After downing coffees and bacon butties at the Sunday market (Aaron was stoked that the butties came with HP sauce), we drove the 10 minutes out of Taupō to the Mount Tauhara carpark. The car park is at the end of Mountain Road, just before a gated working farm.

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