Waiheke island, Coromandel and a mountain hut

Having escaped unscathed from the rainforest we made our way to Auckland to spend a hot and sunny day on Waiheke Island with a friend of Steve's who was visiting her sister who lives in NZ. This is a super- trendy island so you would expect us to be there:-) It's full of vineyards. Someone has to go. En route we stopped off to look at this beach

 

which is at 100 kilometres NZ's longest drivable beach and before you ask, no we didn't as the van would sink into the sand. (... a bit like Southport if you discount the facts that: it was totally deserted; it was clean; the sea was blue; and it wasn't raining. S.)

Then onward to the Coromandel Peninsula where we had a campsite to ourselves, if you don't count the mosquitos. We did a run in the early evening (click here for the route) (and see above for Karen's sprint through the undergrowth!) to another giant kauri tree

 

and the next day started a 2 day trek up through 'the bush' to The Pinnacles where we stayed overnight in a hut called, er, the Pinnacles Hut. Those of you who know me well are aware of my preferences for 4 star establishments, with frescoes, but I'm proud to report that I did survive the Pinnacles hut. The GPS track may be viewed here. (Hopefully I'll eventually figure out how to get the link to open in Google Earth...)

attempt1

	En route to the hut we had to contend with some quite safe but precarious-looking wire bridges which swayed disconcertingly as you made your way across. Here you can just about make out the hut embedded in the surrounding forest.
After abandoning our packs at the hut we moved fast and light (... Or at least not quite as slowly) to the Pinnacles summit. A superb scramble using a combination of steps, ladders and staples in the rock.

 

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