Walking Legends Blog

The Tongariro Crossing - Walking Legends style!

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 11:01:34 +1300

The Tongariro Crossing is one of the world's best day hikes, but at 19km over an alpine pass through an active volcanic zone it's not an easy undertaking! Walking Legends provide everything you need to enjoy this life-changing hike in maximum comfort and safety.

Read about the full Tongariro Crossing Walking Legends experience in this great article:

Tongariro Crossing with Walking Legends Guided Walks New Zealand.

Emerald Lakes on the Tongariro Crossing

The Big 5: Our top 5 feathered sights to see in New Zealand!

Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:36:04 +1300

Forget Africas' "Big 5", it’s been done! Here are the “big 5” feathered sights in New Zealand and which Walking Legends tour you should take in order to see them!

#1: The call of the North Island brown kiwi

To really increase your chances of hearing a kiwi call in its’ natural habitat join our Lake Waikaremoana guided walk. We spend our first night at Waiharuru Hut on the lake shore, situated directly alongside the predator-proof enclosure belonging to the Lake Waikaremoana Kiwi Restoration Project. From its’ inception in 1994 the project has increased kiwi numbers in the area from just 24, to 200. Keep your ears tuned just after sunset for a ‘creeee creeeee,’ that’s the kiwi call!

#2: The blue duck or whio (fee-oh)

The whio is the Mick Jagger of the duck world! Endowed with a unique pair of fleshy lips, the whio sustains itself by sucking algae from the river rocks. Armed with a jaunty whistle, instead of a quack, the call of the whio is often mistaken for fly fishermen on the river. See the worlds’ strangest whistling duck on our Waikaremoana Discovery Tour!

#3: The New Zealand Falcon

Plantation pine forest in New Zealand is an important habitat for the falcon. Only 38 falcon species exist in the world, and New Zealand is home to just one of those! Instead of building a flimsy, tree-top nest, this forest giant gouges a divet in the dirt, usually under a rock outcrop, to hold its’ eggs. Although a fully protected species, the falcon still comes under threat from human development in the form of logging and wind farm construction. The view from Red Crater, the highest point on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Day Walk, gives a “birds-eye view” of these magnificent predators as they soar over the plains.

#4: The North Island kaka

You’d be forgiven for thinking that all parrots are bright, colourful residents of tropical isles more at home in a coconut tree than the barren, alpine environment of the North Islands central plateau! Special because it retained many of its prehistoric features when the continents broke apart 100 million years ago, this endangered native parrot likes to join a boisterous flock of other kaka in the early morning or late evening to socialise. Guests at our mountain-side lodge on the Tongariro Hiking Tour are often treated to displays of amusing antics by these intelligent, cheeky birds.

#5: The tui

Resplendent in his white cravat and dark coat-and-tails, the tui could give Pavarotti a run for his money! With a wonderfully melodic range of calls including a whistle, click, chuckle, gurgle and trill the tui is a common sight in the pohutukawa and rata trees of the Coromandel in the summer months. Join our Coromandel Explorer Tour and hear the one bird-call that really epitomises native New Zealand bush!

Top 5 Hidden Hiking Trails in the Coromandel

Sun, 06 Oct 2013 11:40:26 +1300

Love the Coromandel but hate the summer crowds?

Strap on your hiking boots and head up into the hills to escape the crowded beaches this summer! There are so many beautiful Coromandel Walks to get you away from the summer crowds and off the beaten track.

Not only is the Coromandel home to the Pinnacles, the most popular overnight walk in the country, but there are so many beautiful hidden tracks and trails to explore. An area that is gaining wider recognition as a top walking destination, particularly with the backing of Coromandel mayor Glenn Leach, who aims to establish New Zealand’s 10^th Great Walk on the Peninsula next year. As the only Great Walk in NZ to be found north of Taupo, the track would likely stretch the length of the Peninsula, using the ranges along the backbone of the peninsula to link the lower Coromandel Forest Park with the Coastal Walkway at the northern-most tip. If you can’t spare enough time to take in the entire peninsula, here are the top 5 short walks in the area you must see!

#1: Collins Drive Tunnel, Broken Hills Recreation Area

As part of the larger 3.5km Collins Drive Loop circuit, Collins Drive tunnel is 500 metres long and pitch black. It is one of the longest abandoned gold mining tunnels you can still walk through. Lasting approximately 15 minutes, you will need a torch – but turn it off near the entrance and exit to see glow worms!

Collins Drive Tunnel

#2: Waiomu Kauri Grove

This 2.5km round trip should take you around 2.5 hours and takes you up through regenerating forest to one of the few remaining stands of mature kauri. Mature kauri are a rare sight on the peninsula these days after extensive logging cleared all but the most inaccessible valleys in the early 1800’s. Pack some waterproof shoes or crocs as there are a number of small stream crossings.

#3: Waitaia Track, Kuaotunu Peninsula

A short, 2-hour walk that takes you through regenerating forest, past old mining tunnels and across streams, the Waitaia Track enters the Project Kiwi Trusts’ kiwi reserve on the Kuaotunu Peninsula. The Kuaotunu Kiwi Sanctuary was established in 1996 with the support of a handful of keen locals and landowners, intent on controlling predators through trapping, aiming for a survival rate of 20% for kiwi chicks. Check out their website for recordings of male and female kiwi calls before you go!

#4: Poley Bay, Coastal Walkway

This stunningly beautiful, private inlet is often overlooked by trampers rushing to complete the Coastal Walkway. Add an extra half hour to your trip and have a picnic lunch at the private, sheltered Poley Bay.

Time for lunch! Hiking down into Poley Bay

#5: New Chums Beach

Voted one of the top 20 beaches in the world, New Chums Beach is only accessible on foot. From the Whangapoua beach carpark, walk out along the headland, around the rocks, past an old pa site and down onto the shore. Visit this stunning, remote beach while you still can as it’s under consideration for privatisation and residential development with public access looking unlikely.

Not another person in sight on New Chums Beach!

There you go! Those are the top 5 hidden hiking trails in the Coromandel - enjoy! See you out on the Coromandel Explorer Walk soon!

Green Prescriptions: What They Are and Why You Need One!

Mon, 23 Sep 2013 10:30:50 +1200

Green Prescriptions – What They Are and Why You Need One!

So you’ve been slaving away at work all year and what you really need is a holiday? Well, you’re not alone! If you feel like you’ve become a victim of the uniquely first world disease called “Rushing Woman Syndrome” (or man!) then you may have heard the new trendy term “green prescription”!

But what is it? It’s a simple health directive, tailored to the individual, that recommends more sunlight, fresh air and outdoor activity! Luckily we are in the business of fresh air and outdoor activity!

And just because we care, we have a special offer that’s just too good NOT to share! Everybody that books any of our NZ multi-day walks before October 15^th will receive a FREE spa massage treatment valued at a whopping $150! Imagine how relaxed and revived you will feel after that! Just hop over to our website, choose a fabulous NZ hiking trip and enter “SPA” in the comments field on our booking page, easy!

For the serious health addicts among you, we now have an epic 12-day monster of a hiking adventure, The Bucket List Walk! Combining three of our best individual walks (Coromandel Explorer, Waikaremoana Discovery Tour & the Tongariro Hiking Tour) and ticking off two “Great Walks” and a World Heritage Area, this walk should be #1 on your Bucket List!

Prescribe yourself a holiday today!

Administering a large dose of green at the top of the Panekire Ridge, Lake Waikaremoana

Tongariro National Park: Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 13:39:38 +1200

There’s a brilliant German saying “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” I was reminded of such recently on a weekend away in the Tongariro National Park.

Only a hop-skip-and-jump from our BOP coastal home, but worlds away in terms of landscape and conditions! The Tongariro alpine area is a vision in mid-winter, cloaked in heavy layers of snow and swathed in wisps of moody grey cloud. Whilst the majority of winter visitors are there to ski and snowboard – us hardy hikers can have a sneaky wee laugh as we saunter off down the many hiking trails, blissfully deserted by the fair-weather tourist crowds!

You simply cannot leave the Tongariro National Park without walking the Taranaki Falls Track. The track is a hikers dream - an easy loop, with the falls situated about half way! The thundering blanket of water tumbles about 20 metres off the edge of an ancient lava flow, created 15,000 years ago in one of Mt. Ruapehus eruptions. Here’s a tip - get your camera ready as you descend from the waterfall, you will definitely want to capture the deep, sheer gauntlet-style gorges carved out of the bedrock by the Wairere Stream!

Un-encumbered by shuttle service timetables, we made it back to the Chateau just before après-ski hour and secured the best spot in front of the fireplace to swill our warming whiskey and read the paper!

Walking Legends offers multi-day guided walks in the Tongariro National Park.

Tongariro Northern Circuit – 3 days, hut-to-hut, $890 per person.

The Tongariro Hiking Tour – 3.5 days, lodge-based, $1450 per person

And if you’re short on time, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Guided Day Walk!

“Like” us on Facebook and see some incredible photos our previous guests have taken! www.facebook.com/WalkingLegends

The Great Coromandel Give-Back!

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:33:46 +1200

Walking Legends, Cathy Taylor, and Sarni Hart of Coromandel Adventures welcome the newest addition to the block.

Take photos, leave only footprints. That's the advice given to visitors of our native New Zealand bush. Guided walks company, Walking Legends, takes that a step further offering clients the chance to plant their own 5-year old kauri seedling in a specially allocated grove. Two seasons on and the grove now boasts almost 70 trees. Guide Brad Taylor says "It has become an unexpectedly poignant experience for our clients. The trees are often planted in memory of a loved one or as a celebration of an achievement or milestone reached. There have been quite a few tears shed up on that hillside." Far from the tree-hugging days of old, this is environmentalism for the iPad generation. Each tree has its’ GPS co-ordinates logged so clients can check up on their trees from anywhere in the world.

The land, at Driving Creek Nursery, has been generously donated by owners and operators of Coromandel Adventures Sarni Hart and Willie Lochore. "Restoring kauri forest on our land had always been part of the plan," says Ms. Hart. "Our relationship with Walking Legends has enabled us to realise that goal a lot faster."

With the guided hiking industry growing annually visitor numbers look set to increase over the next five years, and with it the number of trees planted. Walking Legends is a Qualmark Enviro Silver award-holder and is committed to reducing their carbon footprint. Planting these seedlings is a positive step towards saving kauri forests and exercising the environmental responsibility all hikers have. They also aim to help international visitors create strong ties with the Coromandel, lasting memories that will see them return year after year.

"It’s exciting for both ourselves and our clients to think that in 30 years these trees will be popping their heads up above the canopy and changing the Coromandel skyline,” says Taylor. “We give our guests a truly memorable holiday and every single one is so grateful and appreciative of the local community that allows them to visit such spectacular locations that for them planting a small tree is a more meaningful token of thanks.”

US Triathlon Team Blogs about their post-race hiking adventure!

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:35:34 +1300

The US Triathlon team joined Walking Legends last week on a 3 day Tongariro Hiking Trip. What a blast! Amazing weather, awesome walks, fun characters!

Here's Cortney's interesting blog about the whole experience...

http://unblob.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/itu-worlds-post-race-adventures.html

A Short History of Long Walks in New Zealand

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:00:54 +1200

Ever wondered why tramping, or bushwalking, is so popular in New Zealand? This is an interesting article that sums up how tramping came to be ingrained in the New Zealand psyche.

A Short History of Long Walks in Aotearoa

Getting around in New Zealand with its raging rivers and steep topography has never been straight forward and has often involved long journeys by foot. This may be the reason why even today wilderness walking is close to the kiwi heart.

Maori arrive to Aotearoa

The first people to inhabit Aotearoa (New Zealand) were voyagers in the true sense, having risked all to cross the largest ocean in the world. It’s rather fitting that these characters are remembered as demi gods who slayed demons, shaped the physical world, and in death became part of the very landscape they created.

Their descendants remembered their feats and matched various legends to the landforms around them. In this way the ancient Maori used their stories and genealogy to navigate on long foot journeys, carefully avoiding the mountain peaks where their gods still held court.

Europeans came next

In the late 18th century the first Europeans deemed much of the country impassable due to dense forest, steep mountains and most fatally wide raging rivers. Drowning became known as the “New Zealand death”, as travellers were routinely swept down swollen rivers.

The majority of settlements were limited to the coast and alongside major waterways, where ships and canoes could come and go with ease. However, with the prospects of gold, good sheep grazing and the ever present quest to survey, the frontiers of New Zealand were continually pushed by the likes of Charles Heaphy, Patrick Caples and William Colenso - New Zealand’s own versions of Australian explorer “Matthew Flinders”.

Early tourism

Whilst large parts of the country were still yet to be explored the government was enthusiastically developing a tourism industry that would include the volcanic peaks of Tongariro, the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, and of course the Milford hiking trail.

Road and rail

Early 20th century a network of road and rail crisscrossed all but the steepest parts of the terrain. Work in scrub clearing and native timber harvesting gave way to more sedentary work, but the romance of “the bush” stayed in the New Zealand psyche leading to a new wave of outdoor enthusiasts who dubbed themselves “trampers”.

Deer hunting

Around the same time New Zealand experienced an ecological crisis. The deer that were introduced a century earlier as game were destroying large swathes of native forest. In 1930 red deer were declared a pest and a bounty offered for their eradication. Once again Kiwi blokes laced up their boots and went bush. They established tracks, bridges and thousands of huts creating the basis for what is undoubtedly the best hut/track network in the world.

With the advent of helicopter shooting, deer numbers were quickly under control and the huts were adopted by keen trampers, climbers and recreational hunters, who pitched in to maintain and improve the facilities.

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation was formed in 1987 to take over from the forest service with a mandate to conserve national parks and facilitate recreation. They maintained and extended the hut/track network and developed nine of the best routes known as the Great Walks:

Lake Waikaremoana Track
Tongariro Northern Circuit
Abel Tasman Coast Track
Heaphy Track
Routeburn Track
Milford Track
Kepler Track
Rakiura Track
Whanganui Journey

Each one of these spectacular journeys provides a full explanation as to why walkers from all over the world are so keen to spend their leisure time with packs and boots, sweating it out in New Zealand’s Great Outdoors.

For more info visit: doc.govt.nz/

Author Rob Franklin has spent his life walking in the New Zealand outdoors; from working on his family’s remote sheep farm to tramping and climbing the national parks from top to bottom. His passion led him to found Walking Legends, a guided walks company that takes pride in New Zealand’s rich history, providing fantastic service and having fun. To find out more visit: www.walkinglegends.co.nz

To see the article with accompanying photos see the Tourism New Zealand website here:

http://www.newzealand.com/int/article/a-short-history-of-long-walks-in-nz/

5 # Hints How to find the real New Zealand

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:29:48 +1200

New Zealand is undoubtedly a beautiful country, and its diversity of people and landscapes makes it a great place to explore

There is a well beaten trail the length of both islands that provides a great intro to New Zealand. It has all the facilities that tour buses and 5 star travellers need whilst they skim through our main attractions, but for those who want to explore deeper into the culture and discover some secret uncrowded spots, here is a few things to remember on your trails.

Have an ulterior motive. A sight seeing trip alone will take you on the typical guide book experience of crowded car parks and souvenir shops. I’ve always found pursuing your passion or activity will set you on many new and interesting adventures. Once you are pursuing your particular interest, be it china dolls or rock climbing, it is bound to take you to the kind of place you enjoy and put you in contact with people you can relate to. Walking is one of my default interests and has led me on many adventures and down many side roads, meeting lots of good people and stumbling on incredible places.

Get outside your comfort zone. This is easier said than done in many of the world’s adventure destinations where safety is a constant concern and authorities recommend no “go zones” for good reason! Thankfully New Zealand is no such place. Universal safe it’s often in the places off the main tourist trail where you will find locals with the time and interest to have a chat, give advice or even show you around. So forgo Mc donalds and the Hilton seek out some owner operators down some dead end beach road and open your mind for some rewarding unglobalised surprises

Ask. There is no quicker way into a local persons heart than to ask them about the unique place in the world. As a guide I’ve been showing people around my favourite places for 12 years, and I still get a kick from watching people light up at the view or a unique aspect of local culture. Asking people is also courtesy and protocol when planning to explore Maori or farm land, because of spiritual, practical and safety reasons.

Smell the flowers (or sulphur). When you are travelling on a time frame it’ tempting to rush through to tick off all the “must sees”, but in my experience it’s often the memory of relaxed simple moments that stay with you. In New Zealand it could be fish and chips on the beach, or a soak in one of our many natural hot pools, but keeping time to enjoy the spontaneous moment is crucial.

What’s the story? This is a part of our ethos as guides and part of the way learn about and interpret the areas we work and love. Stories are everywhere you go, and there are so many ways to dig them out. I think your own imagination is the best place to start, ask yourself “how did this quiet town in the middle of nowhere come to be here?” All of a sudden you find yourself in the middle of a story and a mystery. Somewhere nearby someone is panning for gold or fishing for eels and each of them hold some part of the story that makes up the fascinating culture of ” someone else’s” every day life.

Good luck!

Author: Rob Franklin, founder of Walking Legends Guided Walks, has travelled extensively at home (in NZ) and abroad and would like to thank all the trusting locals right round the world who let me experience the beautiful culture of their every day lives.

Unlikely group discover a beautiful North Island hike

Mon, 30 May 2011 22:57:35 +1200

Hilary hosted her last book club meeting at somewhere just a little different to where the monthly meetings are normally held. The group of 8 had to trek in to the Central Whirinaki Hut for an overnight meeting!

Our group, all female, and living in Whakatane had a range of experience in the outdoors, so it was with some nervousness and trepidation that we set off from Whakatane on a Saturday morning late April. Nerves had also been heightened due to the fact that it had been raining heavily for about 2 weeks in Whakatane leading up to the trek. However the day dawned a crisp clear Autumn morning, and in fact the whole weekend was simply beautiful. After a windy drive the hike began, on a stunning little track that started at about 1000 metres above sea level. The native forest was really impressive. Whirinaki is known to be one of the best podocarp forests in the world, and soon the girls got into the rhythm of strolling, chatting and stopping to enjoy the views and variety of treats that emerged from backpacks. An easy 3 hour walk, mostly downhill, to the Central Whirinaki Hut, where the girls were pleasantly surprised by the facilities (I later learned that some were expecting the hut to resemble a dog kennel, so I could understand some of the wary looks that my trekking proposal initially received!). The Central Whirinaki Hut is a lovely 20 bunker with a large dining area and log burner, tucked into a little clearing of beech trees alongside the Whirinaki River. And our book club had the hut to ourselves!

The evening progressed like a standard book club meeting: lots of great food, wine and discussions – sometimes even about literature. Actually that also sounds a lot like a standard evening on any of the Walking Legends’ guided walk trips!

Sunday’s walk was slightly longer, about 5 hours, and followed alongside the Whirinaki River for much of this time. Several pairs of whio (native endangered blue duck) were spotted from the track, and again the forest was diverse and lush. From the towering podocarps right down to the tiny ferns and mosses, every available space was covered in green life.

I don’t make it out of the office much these days, so really appreciated this weekend away in one of the most beautiful corners of the world. It was great to be reminded of the awe-inspiring beauty of the Whirinaki Forest, and how lucky we are to be sharing these special places with the visitors we host on our New Zealand guided walks. Time to start planning next year’s book club trek! Cheers, Hilary.

For more info on the guided walks we do in Whirinaki Forest click here: Rotorua Day Trek

Guided Walks New Zealand: Years of Local knowledge At It’s Best

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:24:22 +1300

New Zealand has a variety of non-guided and guided walks in New Zealand. The type of walk that you choose will normally depend what you want to get out of your walking adventure. Many people choose to do a non-guided walk in New Zealand to get amongst the peaceful nature where you can spend hours walking without hearing a man-made sound. This type of walk is often chosen by people that live a hectic lifestyle and want to get away from it all. Others choose to be instilled with as much local knowledge as possible about the area by a local guide. This knowledge often includes specific information about the local plant an animal life has often been passed down through generations that have lived in the area.

A guided walk in New Zealand can also be a safety net in case anything goes wrong. Guides are trained professionals that have learnt to deal with any situation that may arise, providing piece of mind which is reassuring if a tourist in a foreign country. The best guided walks are when the groups are small, and people feel comfortable engaging in questions with the guide. These small groups are often a great way for travelers meet like-minded people and really feel part of the guided atmosphere. No matter what type of walk you choose whether it be non-guided or guided walk in New Zealand, you will be sure to experience the breath-taking scenery that the country has to offer.