For a birthday treat, we headed to Raglan for a girls walking weekend. We headed south on a sun filled Friday arriving at our booked Bed & Breakfast Journey’s End at 2 pm.

That afternoon we did the “Three Bridges” walk around town (about 9kms) – alongside the harbour edge and then the estuary. 

Saturday was overcast with threatening rain, but we managed to stay dry as we drove south around the coast route past Rangipu, Ngarunui Beach, Manu Bay, and Whale Bay to the steep and deep Te Toto Gorge.

Along the way, we stopped and walked through the Bryant Memorial Reserve, enjoying the autumn trees and toadstools. Then onto Ruapuke Beach before heading inland to the magnificent Bridal Veil Falls (261 steps down and 261 steps back up). From there we rounded the back of Mt Karorioi to return to Raglan.

The sun appeared again on Sunday for a drive back to Auckland.  We took back gravel roads via Te Akau and the Nikau Caves to Port Waikato.  There is a one and a half hour walk near the Nikau Caves to a waterfall but we didn’t have the time to do it this time.  We did however, have time to have some delicious home made soup and a sit in the sunshine at the Nikau Caves Cafe.