Walking “The Long Pathway”

Spring has arrived and for people who enjoy the outdoors fine weather means trips to the mountains, valleys and forest. What a lot of people dont realise is that New Zealand has one of the premier long distance walking trails in the world, the Te Araroa Trail

Te Araroa Trail (TaT)

Cape Reinga, start of Te Araroa trail, http://www.teararoa.org.nz/

Te Araroa (The Long Pathway) is New Zealand’s long distance tramping route, from Cape Reinga to Bluff, a distance of over 3000 km’s.

Mark Percy (left) and Fiona Mackenzie, Te Araroa’s project manager in the North, install the sign at the Govan Wilson end of the new track. Te Araroa Trust, 2011

 

The trail has approximately 300 sections ranging from walks of 1–2 hours through to a 9-day route in the South Island where full equipment must be carried. Te Araroa joins a mixture of existing tracks and walkways, new tracks and link sections alongside roads.
The straight line distance from Cape Reinga to Bluff is 1475 km, but the Te Araroa Trail covers a longer nominal distance of 3000 km. and is constantly being adjusted.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing, part of the Te Araroa Trail, http://www.teararoa.org.nz/

 

 

Methods of madness

“Through hiking”, or walking the full length of the trail in one go,  takes three to six months. The fastest effort was by British ultramarathon runner Jezz Bragg, who managed 53 days during the 2012-13 season.

Some walkers report around 100 days, but many take their time to enjoy the whole season and spend around 150 days. Most start in September-October and finish early in the new year.

Ridge to Roses saddle, Motatapu Alpine track, Te Araroa, http://www.teararoa.org.nz/

 

 

 

You can also “section hike” various parts of the trail. Section hikers work their way along the trail section by section. In this case it may take several years to complete the whole trail, but the end result is the same.

I am currently section hiking the South Island part of the trail.

Blue lake to Waiau Pass in Nelson Lakes National Park, Te Araroa Trail, http://luiwalks.blogspot.co.nz/

 

 

How about it, will you take up the challenge?

If you are a fit, keen person looking for a life altering challenge, perhaps the TaT is for you. Check the resources below for more information about the Trail and those who have walked its length:

 

 

 

Resources:

A Walking Guide To New Zealand’s Long Trail: Te Araroa by Geoff Chapple. This is the official guide book for anyone thinking of walking the trail

 

The official Te Araroa Trust website:  Information, trail maps, gear lists etc.    http://www.teararoa.org.nz/

 

Here is one of my favourite blogs from Kiwiscout, a New Zealander who through walked the trail in2013/2014:http://kiwiscoutwalksteararoa.blogspot.co.nz/

 

 
Another great blog about walking the Te Araroa, from Nicky and Cookie:http://www.nickyandcookie.com/

 

 
Some section hikers, Rob and Debby McColl walk from Cape Reinga to Bluff on the Te Araroa Trail:  http://robanddebsbigadventure.blogspot.co.nz/