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There may have been other hikes - but the first one everyone
knew about was when A.H. Reed, then aged 85, walked the
length of New Zealand between 22 September 1960 and 12 April 1961.
The old man - founder of A.H. and A.W. Reed Publishing - walked
on-road the whole way.
That's not Te Araroa's aim.
But, in his book From North Cape to Bluff (A.H.& A.W. Reed,
1961) A.H. says in explanation of the journey "Yes, I knew I wanted
to travel leisurely on foot through the whole length of our favoured
land..."A.H. that's it - you had Te Araroa spirit! The octogenarian
did the North Island half in 86 days. In the 1960s the nation
enjoyed surfing a single emotion - the Beatles right? and it got
right behind AH.
The 85 year-old's journey entered New Zealand's heart. People
clapped him through, brought him cups of tea, waved and tooted
from cars, screeched to a halt by the entire busload. And along
the route, class after class of school-children were gathered
for compulsory, but unforgettable, immersion in the eerie spell
cast by this old, gaunt giant of early hiking.
Interesting that A.H. chose, for his "leisurely" walk, a route
that mostly followed roads, but which was, in its geography, similar
to Te Araroa's off-road North Island trail. He went North Cape,
Cape Reinga, Kaitaia, Herekino, Kerikeri, Whangarei, Warkworth,
Puhoi, Albany, Auckland, Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui,
National Park, Raetihi, Pipiriki, Jerusalem, Wanganui, Marton,
Bulls, Palmerston North, Masterton, Wellington
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The last New Zealand long walker we know of is George Spearing
George Spearing took early retirement from the Fire Department
- the Devonport Fire Station actually - and decided to take a
look at the North Island. He'd already walked the 4,000 km Pacific
Crest Trail along the Sierra Nevada Range in America. His North
Island route mainly off-road, started at the northernmost point,
Surville Cliffs, and ended at its southern-most, Cape Palliser.
He took 73 days - November 24 1996 - Feb 5 1997.
George firmly closed the door of his Whangaparaoa home to begin
his long hike, and dislodged the lucky horseshoe. He set out donged
and bleeding, was almost washed off Te Horo Beach Headland but
got to Cape Reinga, then walked 90-Mile Beach to Ahipara. He was
bitten by wild dogs just beyond that town, but kept beach-walking
down the western coast, kayaked across the Hokianga and Kaipara
Harbours, went on through Woodhill Forest to Muriwai and the Waitakere
Ranges. He kayaked across the Manukau Harbour to Papakura, tramped
the Hunua Range to Kopu, then Paeroa and entered the Karangahake
Gorge. He followed bush tracks in the Kaimai-Mamaku Range then
exited into Carter Holt Harvey forestry roads that led through
to Taupo. He road-walked SH1 to the Kaimanawa Range, then entered
the Ruahines. Bad weather closed in, strong winds lifted him off
his feet, but he made it out, crossed farmland to Ashhurst, road-walked
to Shannon, then traversed the Tararuas, linked with the Rimutaka
Incline trail , road-walked to Lake Ferry then round the coast
to Cape Palliser.
A good walk! But different from Te Araroa - exclusively, as ours
is not, a coastal, bush, and mountain range trail. "Did I enjoy
my walk?" he says. "I must honestly say that I did not." He found
it "a slog really" with too few enjoyable moments. George - you
gotta road-test Te Araroa some time!
Visit George's
web site to read about his walk along the Pacific Crest Trail
from Mexico to Canada.
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