WITH TENT AND CAR

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 132, 30 November 1929, Page 28

WITH TENT AND CAR

THE CHRISTMAS VACATION

NORTH ISLAND JOURNEYS

By "Trip." . (All Eights Reserved.) It is none too early to be planning the journey to be undertaken at Christmas time. With tent and car, every road in the island is available, and every beauty spot a potential source of enjoyment. The ordinary beaches will be packed, but for motor campers who like the freedom of beach life without the disadvantages of over-abundant humanity, there are many secluded places. Tlie bays north and south of Auckland, and especially the Coroniandel Peninsula, are favourite Christmas camping resorts, and here and there along both coasts are beaches which, while not crowded, oiler line swimming, and in some cases fishing and boating. Rotorua, Wairakei, Taupo, National Park, aud MoUnt Egmonf are amongst the most popular Christmas resorts, and now that all can be reached on good roada they are within easy access of any North. Island town. ' Excellent facilities for camping exist at all these places, and no matter how many motorists make the journey there is always

room_ for more. The North Auckland district, too, offers wonderful possibilities for a jaunt of a few days, or a few weeks. For those who have the time a round trip probably commends itself. Several routes are open to choice, but as there are certain special features which anyone travelling afield should make certain of seeing, and which may easily be missed, some definite plan should be outlined before starting. South Island motorists especially, coming across to the North Island, wish, to see as much as they possibly can. With the improvement of the roads in the centre of the island it is easier to reach .Taupo and Botorua from the south, and a very good trip can now be made from Wellington, through the centre of the island, up to Auckland, and down the west coast. If plenty of time is available it would be more interesting to go up the East Coast, then to Eotorua through Whakatane, across to Tauranga, and so to Auckland, and return down the West Coast. For real enjoyment ample time is needed, because places like Wairakei, Taupo, and Eotorua can only be properly seen and genuinely appreciated " when several days, can be spent at each place. THE CENTRAL EOTJTE. For those who can afford to spend only a fortnight or thereabouts in the North Island, the central route is advisable, as this gets one rapidly to the most interesting plaees. Probably the best way (taking Wellington as a starting point) is to make up through Palmerston North to Bulls, and then take the road through Taihape out to Baetihi, camping there a night. Motorists starting from the north, would reverse this plan, while those from east to west would work on to the roads by the shortest route i available. From Eaetihi proceed to National Park spending a day or two there, and run on to Tokaanu, where at least a, day can profitably be spent. Camping anywhere along the shores of Lake Taupo between Tokaanu itself and the township of Taupo, is delightful, and if the journey so far has been strenuous a quiet day or two can be spent here in pleasant fashion. Wairakei is only a few miles from Taupo, and here thermal activity is seea at its best. There is a good camping ground, and frequent trips are made each day to the valley, iu which one sees, compressed into a few hundred acres, a most varied range of weird and wonderful sights. Using Wairakei as a base, visits can be made to the Huka Fall's and the Aratiatia Eapids, both, of which should be seen by every visitor. From Wairakei to Kotorua is aa easy day, and with, headquarters in the pleasantly situated motor-camp at Eotoruaj several days may be spent seeing the various lakes, Fairy Spring, and Hamurana Spring, and the sights at "Whaka." If the weather is good, a very interesting trip can be made up through Tauranga to Auckland, camping a day or two at Tauranga, which is a most attractive place. The roads from hero onwards are bad, and had best be avoided if wet weather is experienced. The run can be made up through Waihi, Paeroa, and Thames, thence to Pokeno, and so on to Auckland. If time permits a run should be made down the CoromandeL Peninsula to Coromandel, or, better, still, across to_ Mercury- Bay—a wonderful bush drive. When tho pohutukawas are iu flower there are few finer sights in New Zealand than tho coast line between Thames and Coromandel. From Auckland, the run back wouia bo _ made through Hamilton and Te Kuiti, the Waitomo Caves being visited from the latter place. Tho road down through the Awakino Gorge and over Mount Messenger, gives many beautiful glimpses of bush scenery, and in the vicinity of tho Mokau Gorge there aro some great camping places The run down is along tho coast to New Plymouth, then on to Hawcra, from which point Dawson's Falls and Mount Egmont can easily bo reached, and thereafter the j-eturn journey, made

through Wanganui to Wellington. I havo purposely refrained from mentioning the attractions of the various towns on route, assuming that the intention is to see the natural beauty and thermal activity of the island in the shortest possible.time. All the ground covered has interesting associations of one- sort or another, and it is simply a question of getting the most possible of those things which appeal to you. ALTERNATIVE ROUTE. With a month in which to holiday, it would be possible to see almost the whole of the island, and in this case the best plan would be to make up the East Coast. Using Wellington again as the starting point, the journey could be commenced by running up through the Wairarapa to Napier, thus saving going over any old ground on the return trip. From Napier one could go to Wairoa and then strike inland to Lake Waikarenioana, at present one of the lesserknown beauty spots of the island. Before many more years have passed it will be possible to make through from Waikaremoaua to Rotorua by a direct, and very beautiful bush road, but at present a very long journey round must be made. From Waikaremoana strike back to Wairoa, and thence make to Gisborne, a fine town, and the centre of one of the Dominion's wealthiest pastoral districts. Between Gisborne and Opotiki is the Motu Gorge— one of the finest bush drives possible—on a road that is both steep and narrow in.places. Then go through .Whakatane to Rotorua, run down to Wairakei and Taupo, and then back, proceeding to Tauranga, and following the route previously outlined. These aro probably the two most interesting round trip routes in the North Island, and easily the most comprehensive, for whilst they miss out some of those gems that are far from the beaten track, they take in all the principal tourist attractions. Moreover, -with the exception of one or two short stretches in the centre of the

island, ana the loads round Tauranga they cover only well metalled roads' winch in itself is no mean advantage The motor-camping facilities everywhere are excellent, and at comparatively little expense it would be possible for a family to visit every place mentioned. Readers who want any advice on motor camping-, or on routes not so far described, should write to "Triu •> care of P.O. Box 1178, Wellington, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope for reply. . L