Glamping Tramping! Get ta crew together and treat yourselves 🥾 🥂 🌿

Beautiful mountains. Stunning coastline. Spectacular cuisine and Great friends. What more could you want for a 3 day adventure away. Check out the video below from my trip away on the TORA coastal walk.

I have to say doing a three day hike with only a day pack was pretty awesome not to mention being catered for 😋. Having done this walk during a very dry February, I think I’d also like to see it in October or November in all its full green lushness. We walked for about 12-15km per day and everyone in my group had walking poles and used them on day 1 and 3 due to steep terrain.

For anyone thinking of doing the trip, here are some notes from my trip and tips I think I would have liked to have known in advance:

• Day one – why rush? Stop and look around, the views of the surrounding mountains are endless. We cruised along, taking 6 hours to trek to Stony Bay Lodge, which included plenty of stops and the quick side trip up the Bulgar (worth the short steep climb 💪). Try and take breaks in the shade when you can as it is pretty exposed (the last bit of shade is just before the Buglar). Stony Bay Lodge is beautiful.
  • The Crow’s Nest 👇 walk is only a ~10 minute walk that takes you a 3rd of the way up the hill behind the lodge. We checked this out at the start of day 2 but it really would have been a stunning spot to have a wine and watch the changing evening sky at sunset 🌄.

• Day 2 – I recommend not doing the ship wreck walk as there isn’t much to see as it’s mostly eroded away, and it’s a ~7km return walk on the gravel road – Instead take your time in the morning enjoying the beautiful Stony Bay Lodge and take a slow walk to the Shearer’s Quarters (this section is road walking which I didn’t particularly enjoy – but that may have been due to the fact it was top of the road trek to the ship wreck. Take a leisurely swim/lunch stop along the way (conserve your energy for the Trig walk ⛰).
  • There is a good swim spot at Te Awaiti really close to the driveway for the Shearer’s Quarters. Once you pass the little cluster of houses on your right (oceanside), keep following the road until you reach another small gathering of houses buildings but this time on your left. Opposite these houses there is a grassed driveway/reserve with camping sign – if you follow this around the little hill you come to a choice little secluded stony beach. Fair Warning – oh so cold  🥶 but oh so refreshing 😁.
  • Unfortunately we did not do the trig walk. Only 2 of the total 13 guests ventured up and apparently had to almost crawl the last part due to the really strong wind that day.

• Day 3 – You begin with an hour walk with mountain vistas amongst farmland until you meet the bush edge – enjoy the bush whilst you’re in it, this day has the most in-bush walking. Very steep downhills on bulldozed tracks made me glad for my poles. This day for us was a super-hot one with no breeze. There were times you could feel the sun burning you. I was thankful for my face scarf/shield (wish I had of used it on the first day as I got super wind burnt 🥴).
  • A couple of us braved a cold shower at Whakapata Cottage at the end (a party of nine had been and gone before we got back – maybe if you were first back it wouldn’t be cold) – I personally found it nice and refreshing after the massively hot day we had. We went straight from there for a massage at Brackenridge Country Retreat and Day Spa – great way to top off a luxury tramping experience 🧘 😝.

As I stated at the top: Glamping Tramping! Get ta crew together and treat yourselves 🥂

What happens on TORA stays on TORA 😜

Anita 🥜✌️

Have you done it? What were your highlights?

Wanting to do it? – If you have any questions, flick me a line below. I’d be happier to have a korero 📬