Northland Trip - places to check out

[Danjr]

Hey all,

I'm doing a trip up to Northland with the family in the Cruiser for a week from labour weekend. Any recommendations of places to go/check out?

I'm planning on doing 90 mile entering at Ahipara and exiting at Te Paki stream but I've had a few warnings about this (I've got young children).

I've never been up there before so any advice/thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers
Dan

[Jay]

Gidday,

If you get onto shipwrecks bay at Ahipara, and go left instead of right (towards 90 mile) and follow the beach around the reef, you can carry on for ages - there are some pretty impressive sand dunes and little tracks all the way along there.... you will eventually come to the entrace to the Herekino forest.... Great scenery, and lots of places to stop and camp if you want too.

Depending on what you want to do, there is also the Crunchie trail, which comes out at the top of some of the dunes mentioned above, or the erehwon trail (I think it has other names as well) just bear in mind, the locals that live near the entrance may ask you to sign the 'visitors' book lol.

Tons of places up there to enjoy - have a great trip - I go up there camping for a week or two at least once a year.

Jay

[phraza]

If you get onto shipwrecks bay at Ahipara, and go left instead of right (towards 90 mile) and follow the beach around the reef, you can carry on for ages

You have to be careful of the tides though? I went through a couple of years ago (labour weekend funnily enough) and loved it, the massive sand dunes are awesome and some wicked photo ops there.

Karikari peninsula is a great area, head to Matai Bay for a swim if its warm enough, go for a drive along the massive Tokerau beach also. Puheke Beach also has some small sand dunes to have a drive through.

Going back up in January, can't wait!

Cheers

Fraser

[Jay]

Yup - be careful of the tides... Cause it can be a real mission trying to drive back up the dunes, and back down the crunchie trail!! (Not impossible, but it can be a struggle, esp if the sand is super soft!)

And I'm back up there in Jan too Fraser, might see you around up there!

Jay

[Danjr]

Awesome, cheers for tips. Both places (left at shipwrecks and the Karikari peninsula) sound awesome. The Cruisers got 35's with lockers so shes a capable old girl but with the family along I'm just looking to take it easy so these places sound ideal. Never driven it on sand either so that should be fun.

I've been doing a bit of reading about the tides for 90 mile and I see the recommendation is to travel 3 hours after high tide.

[Danjr]

Gidday,

just bear in mind, the locals that live near the entrance may ask you to sign the 'visitors' book lol.

Jay

Ha, got to pay the Koha!

[Jay]

Haha - yup, thats the one.... I know the family who look after/live on the land around there.... so I always just stop in and say hi, and come and go as I please. Its a cool track to do though, if you get the chance....!!

Jay

[Zooker]

Yep 3 hours either side of low tide is best. Especially on the rocks around reef point.
Also the sand around the point gets very soft in places, airing tyres down is a must, don't be shy with the right foot.

Crunchie trail was not an easy track last time I was there. And yes the locals will come out if they see you, They like to know who goes in there.
Rescued a guy with a broken collar bone out of there once.

Going north is quite good too. Te Paki dunes are very fun. air down and drive on up.
What warnings have you had? Shouldn't be any problems.

The lookout at the top of gum fields road is worth a visit on a nice day, awesome view.

I used to live and work in Ahipara, Loved it.

[Jay]

Hey Adam,

That wasn't the guy that came off the quad, and we got the air ambulance in??? Few years back... ?

Jay

[phraza]

And I'm back up there in Jan too Fraser, might see you around up there!

Haha sweet! will keep an eye out, im prob going up just after Auckland Anniversary. Can't wait, love it up there

[Danjr]

What warnings have you had? Shouldn't be any problems.

Going north is quite good too. Te Paki dunes are very fun. air down and drive on up.
What warnings have you had? Shouldn't be any problems.

The lookout at the top of gum fields road is worth a visit on a nice day, awesome view

Just been warned about the tides and the number of accidents on 90 mile. But sounds all good.

Cheers for the advice on how to drive the dunes and the places to check out up North (Te Paki dunes and the top of Gum Fields road). Sounds awesome, can't wait!

[Zooker]

Hey Adam,

That wasn't the guy that came off the quad, and we got the air ambulance in??? Few years back... ?

Jay

Pretty sure he was on a crf450 at the time of the crash, rode a mates quad out though.
Was the son of the guy who was Whangarei honda mechanic at the time I think.
Pretty sure his mates ended up driving him back to Whangarei hospital.

Some photos to tempt you.
Looking back a blue house from reef point.


Reef Point


Taken from the end of the crunchie

[Jay]

Oh okay, must be a different time - this guy blew a cv on a 4wd farm quad climbing a near vertical hill, and came down sideways, finishing at the bottom with the quad on top of him.. Broken back from memory.. Me and a couple of mates had to drive the ambulance officers in before the chopper turned up..

Awesome pics.. I know all the areas well.. Hanging out for January!!

[phraza]

Some pics of my last trip up there, will find some more later. In my first 4wd! The mighty Terrano haha!

[Dr_PC]

Last January Crunchie was closed and locked as someone is now building a house in there. Erewhon is open out to the road. I have been going there every New Years day for the last 12 years, and taking a smallish group with me and always meet up with others

[xj]

Could check out the Takahue saddle. Dunno what condition it's in though. Last time I was over it I was 16 and droving cattle through to the Kaitaia sales.

[Danjr]

Awesome pics. What road does Erewhon come out on - the main road? Is the track marked and reasonably straight forward?

[Jay]

Hey Dan,

It's comes out on gumfields road (gravel road, which is a continuation of foreshore road) its not really sign posted, but is about 4 or 5 k's from where the road turns to gravel.. There is a house on the left almost directly opposite the entrance to the track.. Last time I was there, they had put makeshift speed bumps and 'slow down' signs on the road..

Track has a few technical bits, but with 35's and lockers, you'll be sweet.. And the drive down the dunes at the end is pretty cool too!

Have fun!

J

[PAWARENGA100]

good place to go is Mitimiti . Im from up there and theres some good 4wding along the beach just watch the tides ova long weekend as they are around late morning to lunchtime . low tide you can get a feed of Kutais [mussels] of the rocks and can catch fish as you drive strait off the road onto the beach. Tarseal most of the way from Kaitaia thru Mungamuka, Kohukohu ,Pangaru.

[Danjr]

Sweet. Taking the fishing rod up so will have a go and getting a feed!

[pjb]

Last January Crunchie was closed and locked as someone is now building a house in there. Erewhon is open out to the road. I have been going there every New Years day for the last 12 years, and taking a smallish group with me and always meet up with others

Which one is which? When we were up last Jan, the first on the right was locked. The second on the right (opposite some buildings) had lots of keep out signs...

[Dr_PC]

Last January Crunchie was closed and locked as someone is now building a house in there. Erewhon is open out to the road. I have been going there every New Years day for the last 12 years, and taking a smallish group with me and always meet up with others

Which one is which? When we were up last Jan, the first on the right was locked. The second on the right (opposite some buildings) had lots of keep out signs...

First once Crunchie, seond Erewhon

[eins]

Great places to check out.

Has anyone been up there in the last month that has any updates on tracks condtions or access. Am up in the area next week with the family and keen to go down the Erewhon and around the beach to Ahipara just wondering what the Erewhon was like for a shinny (no winch).

[Jay]

Hey Eins,

I was up there a couple of months ago.... No winch should be all good, so long as you pick your path carefully in certain places, especially if you haven't done the track before - but should be pretty obvious when you see the areas that might be an issue tho.

Track is fairly overgrown, especially towards the end (Mind you, i had the 80 series) so as long as you don't mind a few scratches, then all good!

Have fun

Jay

[eins]

Thanks to evryone for the info. Went along Erewhon (Maungaperekere Pa Rd) in Jan in the shiny, no winch and 265/65/17 AT tyres with no problems, was scrtachy in places. Was dry so no problem driving the line I wanted but recon could be interesting in places with a shiny in the wet without a winch.

Great view from the top looking down over dunes and a great drive down to beach