We check out of the holiday park at Manukau to start our tour of the North Island. We have decided to go to Northland first which is the finger of land north of Auckland – the ‘winterless’ sub-tropical north, which at this time of year has only 6 days of rain per month and is home to a profusion of unspoilt beaches of all shapes and sizes. The weather is hot and sunny and the sky is blue as we make our way out of Auckland on highway 1 up the east coast. We take a detour east through Silverdale and along the peninsula that forms the southern edge of Whangaparaoa Bay (getting our tongues round the Maori names is proving a challenge) and at points is so narrow that sea views seem within touching distance of both sides of the road. Our first stop is Army Bay, a dark sand beach over-shadowed by low sedimentary cliffs with clearly defined layers rising at angles from the beach. At the eastern and western ends eroded bedrock protrudes from the sand. The tide is out and as the sand dries in the sun a feathered white and dark pattern starts to emerge like the topping of a Bakewell Tart. We cross the narrow isthmus that links the Shakespear Regional Park to the rest of the peninsular to reach Okaramai Bay on the southern side – a wild and beautiful bay, quiet and deserted. A perfect spot to picnic on the wide grassy verges that border the shore. The sea is a 200 or more yards out revealing a muddy expanse ripe for amateur cockle pickers – strict harvesting limits apply. Eventually we arrive at Shakespear Regional Park at the eastern end of the peninsular and take a walk through the Kauri forest up across farmland to the vantage point on the cliffs at the eastern most tip. From here is is possible to get the most spectacular 360 degree view of the surrounding coastline, the islands to the north, the rolling countryside and a view of Auckland to the south.
After retracing our drive we continue our journey north, stopping a few kilometres up the coast to lunch on the windswept beach of the Hibiscus Coast. This long expanse of sand is all but empty except for a few kite surfers and swimmers braving the breakers whipped up by the gusty conditions.
We make our way north via Warkworth and Wellsford through spectaularly breath-taking scenery. Beautiful vistas of rolling farmland of gold, green and brown stretch out before us at every twist and turn. At Brynderwyn we turn west to to our destination of Matakohe, a small village (no shop here) for our overnight stop in a holiday park overlooking the tidal estuary of the Matakohe river. In the fading light of the late evening we stroll down to the cockleshell beach. The mudflats are home to 1000s of the tiniest crabs which can be heard, if barely seen, scurrying across the muddy surface to disappear into burrows in the blink of an eye .
