Coromandel Town to Tairua

Headed north, on recommendation of  our hosts, to Colville (coffee stop), shortly after which the paved road ended and we continued on gravel surfaces. Yes, some of the coast is reminiscent of the West Coast of Scotland until you look more closely and see fern trees scattered over the landscape, swamp bushes in the tidal estuaries and pass roadside palm trees.  In fact very few of the trees in this subtropical rain forest could be found at home.  We followed a circular route up and over the mountains to Waikawau Bay, where we stopped for a walk across the dunes and along the beautiful, fine sand beach.  It was cloudy, almost deserted but we weren't tempted to paddle for an onshore wind was bringing the breaking waves onto the shelving beach.

Mangrove swamp at Kennedy Bay

We pottered on at 30 km per hour (the road isn't great!) through the rain forest up and over some more hills to Tuateawa, down the coast to Kennedy Bay, then up and over the mountains again, back to Coromandel Town.  A very scenic but slow drive, much of it through forest.

View down to Coromandel Town

Joined the main highway again and it was back over the mountains again to the east coast of the Peninsula. Stopped at Kuaotunu for our picnic lunch, overlooking yet another beautiful beach which John duly photographed while Aenea had a snooze.

Then, guess what, it was up and over some more mountains to Whitianga, where we got out first views of Mercury Bay, then on to Whenuakite where we turned of to head for Hahei and the walk to Cathedral Cove.  Mercury Bay, the offshore Mercury Islands and Cathedral Cove have an association with Captain Cook observing the transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun, an event that occurs only once every few years.  Must look this up.

Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove car park still busy, despite being late afternoon by now. Met lots of people walking back up as we headed down. Car park is high on the top of the cliffs, so it's quite a steep walk down to the Cove (and an even steeper one back up again) but a lovely walk through some wooded groves and offering more fabulous views out over Mercury Bay. The trees were alive with tapping, clicking and buzzing of numerous unseen insects.  Reached the beach (beautiful white sand) and the 'romantick' archway leading to Cathedral Cove. Still quite a few people on both beaches but it must be heaving earlier in the day. As well as the arch, there's a striking grey stack off the beach in Cathedral Cove. All very picturesque.

After Cathedral Cove, it was a shortish drive (over some more hills) to Tairua where we were booked to stay the night. This turned out to be a rather pleasant seaside town, on one side of an estuary, which was a patchwork of sandbanks and tidal pools, as we pottered on the shore before dinner. Dinner in town was good but service slow.