This recently opened cycle way links the Bay of Islands with the Hokianga Harbour. We stayed in Kaikohe cycling east the first day and west the second day. 87km altogether.
Kaikohe to Opua
Kaikohe takes its name from an incident in the early 19th century after an attack on the Pakinga pa, the survivors escaped up the slopes of a hill where they took refuge and lived on the bitter berries of the kohekohe tree. Kaikohekohe means to feed from the fruit of the tree.
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| Lush native bush below the bridge. |
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| Plenty of turkeys along the way. |
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| One of the many gates we passed through. |
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| A sad looking school, now closed for business. |
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| Many, many dead trees in a swamp. |
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| Kawakawa's Hundertwasser toilets. |
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| A Kawakawa street mural. |
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| Historical information signs along the trail. |
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Opua harbour
Opua - (a short word with a lengthy meaning). Pua pua are the leaves are used to wrap carried food. Kai is food, but when it's a provision for a long journey it becomes O. A warrior who walked from Opononi didn't want his precious food to get wet so wrapped his precious food in the leaves. |
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| The Opua end of the trail. |
