Travelling from Whanganui to New Plymouth, as usual, by bus, was the next stage of my journey northwards on North Island NZ. After only 2 nights in the YHA, New Plymouth, I decided to move to the Shoestring Backpackers nearer to the town centre which had a far better quality of accommodation, in fact the best place to stay so far in NZ. The stay in New Plymouth was extended to 9 nights due to the onset of winter and a general deterioration in the weather. I waited for 5 days before the weather improved enough to safely hike up to the higher altitudes of Mount Teranaki region, and then only with the hiring of crampons due to the risk of snow, which was just what transpired. Whilst waiting I made use of the local swimming pool and continued to train for the diving course in Australia, now booked and confirmed for mid-August. Local hikes included some quite spectacular walks along the coastal path at a time of high seas, and an inland trek to Lake Mangamahoe, a local park created when a dam was built in 1931 and the surrounding area landscaped and given to the people of New Plymouth. The Pukekura park, closer to the centre of town, provided some very fine walks as well as a decent cup of tea in the tea rooms in the centre of the park, particularly useful when the weather was changeable and getting soaked was an all too frequent occurance!
I spent many evenings in the hostel chatting to other backpackers, over a few beers, an opportunity to meet people from all over the world, and other evenings spent watching DVDs, of some films I'd not seen, with the same group of people. The local Arts Cinema had a one night showing of the French film, 'the Diving Bell and the Butterfly' a biographical film of one man's experience of dictating the story of his extreme disability (a stroke at 52 years). His only means of communication was by blinking one eye. A film very movingly portrayed, and I had not had a chance to see it in London.
Finally the weather cleared sufficiently to attempt the Pouakai circuit walk, the mountain range facing Mount Teranaki, where there would also be good views of Teranaki. The Pouakai range was another volcanic range thought to have been formed 250,000 years ago, 180,000 years before Mount Taranaki. The European colonists named it Mount Egmont, however the Moari people had named it Teranaki, one of the Maori sacred mountains in the area alongside Mount Tongiriro and Ngauruhoe and it is generally referred to as Teraniki today. The advice of DOC was to start at the Mangerei track, and avoid the higher altitudes of the Holly hut tramp starting at the Mount Egmont Visitor Centre, as the weather is very changeable at this time of the year and the track icy with some snow and also the wet weather had caused some significant landslips at the higher altitudes. The Mangerie track proved to be quite challenging as the track itself was poorly maintained by DOC and therefore extremely muddy in places with large areas of erosion. The lower half was very muddy and when I reached an altitude of 850m snow had fallen and started to fall again making the journey slower. A two and a half hour tramp took three and a quarter hours to reach the Pouakai hut, where I stayed the night. Climbing a further 50m brought me to a plateau with some spectalular views of Mount Teranaki where the sunset was bathing the mountains in incredible colours. By this time I was joined by Suzanne, a Czech tramper, and Mark, a teacher with ten 14 year old boys on an outward bound course who were spending the night in tents! The boys were well behaved but whenever possible sneaked into the hut to warm themselves by the fire.
The weather next morning was, in contrast to the previous day, diabolical, and conditions were blizzard-like. We waited for two hours with only a slight improvenment in the conditions and finally with great reluctance decided to go back down the Mangerei track and abandon the circuit, not a good day...
Whilst in New Plymouth I was able to make contact with Rena's friend, Geoff, and spent one night at his family home in Normandby. It was an enjoyable stay, and Geoff gave me the 'grand tour' of his caravan business. Wendy, his wife, made me feel very welcome and I stayed in the 'bach', their guest accommodation and though only there for 24 hours ate and drank my fill of good NZ hospitality!
Photo 1. Lake Mangamahoe
Photo 2. The Tasman Sea viewed from the Coastal Walk, this was taken from beyond the swimming pool in New Plymouth.
Photo 3. The lake at Pukekura Park, viewed from the tea rooms.
Photo 4. The Mangerie Track at the beginning of the snow line.
Photo 5. The sunset looking towards the sea, from the plateau above the Pouakai Hut.
Photo 6. Mount Teranaki, again taken from the plateau, facing east.
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