The stunning scenery and historic lighthouses of the Te Paki Coastal Track make for a memorable tramp, writes Wayne Pooley
As we stood waiting for the shuttle at Waitiki Landing, my mood began to mirror the leaden skies and steady rain. Walking the Te Paki Coastal Track (formerly known as Cape Reinga Coastal Walkway) had been planned six months before and March had seemed a good month; not too hot and not too cold. Rain wasn’t part of our plans. But by the time we had been dropped off at the eastern end of Spirits Bay, itself to the east of the Cape, the rain had stopped and the sun was peeking through the clouds, illuminating the beach in the mid-distance. One of the great appeals of tramping is the huge variety of environments you can walk through. Although with my friends Dean, Mike and Geoff, I have a fondness for winter tramps in the mountains, we were relishing the idea of a coastal walk. The eastern half of Spirits Bay consists of a crescent-shaped strip of golden sand (Te Horo Beach), which contrasts strongly with the coastal bluffs in the west. The abrupt transition from beach to bluffs occurs at a smaller inlet called Pandora, which was our destination for the first night. A feeling of remoteness combined with the stunning colour of the sand and turquoise sea made for a fantastic start to the tramp. Although the loose sand made for difficult walking, we made steady progress towards Waitahora Lagoon at the western end where DOC has constructed a boardwalk. After steeling ourselves for a challenging crossing it was almost an anticlimax to find the lagoon wasn’t connected to the ocean. By skirting around the rocks on the far side we clambered to the top of the hill to be rewarded with panoramic views over Spirits Bay. From here we avoided the last hill by taking the low tide route to the tent site where DOC has provided facilities, including toilets and a timber gazebo for sheltered cooking and dining. We were greeted by a trio from France, Mexico and Ireland who had come from the opposite direction. These would be the only other trampers we would see for the entire trip. In contrast to us, they had spent the day enveloped in mist as they made their way over the coastal hills and so seemed considerably less upbeat. [caption id="attachment_6495" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]
