Five club members and three spouses recently did a 5-day combination cycle/minibus tour, starting at Pahia, then biking from Kaikohe to Horeke on the Hokianga on our first day. The next day onto Omapere, where we stayed 2 nights, and then onto Russell for our 4th night, finishing the trip at Kerikeri.
Some of the highlights of our trip, apart from the scenery and fellowship, was a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty ground along with a formal welcome onto the marae. Our accommodation at Horeke (a restored colonial villa overlooking the estuary), exceeded our expectations and was followed by a visit to the Mangungu Mission house. Next day the ride out to Arai te Uru (the south head of the Hokianga) overlooking the bar, was a great start to the day and in the evening, we had a twilight tour in the Waipoua forest to visit Te Matua Ngahere just on dusk, and then on to Tane Mahuta in darkness. At both trees our guide performed a customary chant as we neared the tree and also a Waiata in a deep voice which was amazing, especially when a Kiwi, not far away from us, joined in.
The next day we were off to Russell where we stayed at the Duke of Marlborough. We had a guided tour through Pompallier House, which is still a working tannery and printing press, where the French missionaries made Bibles, in Maori. That the building had a tannery behind it was a surprise for most of us.
The tour finished at Kerikeri with a visit to the Stone store and an evening meal at the Plough and Feather, opposite the Stone Store, before heading for home the next day.
