Day 5, Kaitaia to Raetea
Another fine morning as I walked into Kaitaia to sign the register to say that I had survived Ninety Mile Beach. In the Information centre café was someone who had been forced to give up the trail on Sunday and he was waiting for a bus back to Auckland which was a good excuse for a cup of tea and a chat.
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| On the way into Kaitaia |
I had decided to walk the roads to the start of the Mangamuka Track through the Raetea Forest and was enjoying walking the road, looking at the non beach scenery and the eighteen wheel trucks passing when a car pulled up that was taking Eric, one of the people who started with me, to the start of the trail and I was offered a lift.
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| The road out of Kaitaia |
The road walking was more interesting than beach walking but it didn't take me long to decide to take the offer, at least my shoes will last longer.
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| The start of the Mangamuka Track |
The Mangamuka Track is renowned for being overgrown, steep and very muddy. It didn't disappoint!
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| On the track |
There is very limited camping along the track, in fact it isn't a track just a muddy footpath, and very slow going.
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| Where's the path? |
I got to the high point, Raetea, at 744m where there is space for a couple of tents by the radio repeater station and decided that with the speed of travel through the forest at only about 2kph, the next possible camping being 10k further on and the threat of rain I decided to stay overnight.
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| Camp at the top |
Eric thought about carrying on as it was only 16.00 and he had heard somewhere that there was a camping possibility a bit closer but then decided to stay as well.
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| It was a bit muddy |
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