Route 06 of this tour of the North Island continues south passing Auckland and ends on the west coast at Raglan.
After fuelling up, you will leave Wellsford on the Kaipara Coast Highway (State Highway 16), another of NZs great State Highways. After a few kms you'll see the Scenic Lookout on the right, you can pull in here for a great panoramic view of Kaipara Harbour. Kaipara Harbour is the largest natural harbour in the Southern hemisphere. The Kaipara Harbour is so vast it occupies the whole western horizon; and it is very shallow, so when the tide goes out, the shallows are exposed for several kms and the light shimmies and bounces off it across the land. A little further on an the route leaves the highway to join a gravel track that will take you deep into the heart on NZ countryside. The majority of the 28 km gravel road is an easy ride but there are a couple of short sections that are a little rougher, the beautiful scenery is worth it though. You can easily skip this by staying on the highway and picking the route up again at RP 8.
At RP 9 you'll see some of the outdoor sculptures situated at Gibbs Farm on your right hand side. It contains the largest collection of large-scale outdoor sculptures in New Zealand. An extract from 'Seeing the Landscape' by Rob Garrett:
"The landscape rolls across ridges and gullies and extensive flatlands that have been contoured over the years. But it is a landscape that is dominated by the Kaipara Harbour, the largest harbour in the southern hemisphere; and it is this body of water which greatly increases the property’s sense of scale. The harbour is so vast it occupies the whole western horizon; and it is very shallow, so when the tide goes out, the shallows are exposed for several kilometres and the light shimmies and bounces off it." You would need at least 4 hours to view the pieces in this large open-air gallery, so perhaps just a casual glance as you go by.
The landscape is made up of gentle hills and rich pasture and the road has enough curves to keep you happy. You will leave the Kaipara Coast Highway at Kaukapakapa village and you'll notice more vineyards as you head to Waimauku. The warm, well-drained rolling countryside around Waimauku has many vineyards. These were established by Croatian settlers after they left the worked-out gumfields. I have suggested a short coffee stop here.
At RP 18, you can turn off the route briefly to see the magnificent views from Pukematekeo Lookout. The view east is out across the city of Auckland and beyond towards the distinctive round volcanic Rangitoto Island.
The landscape has changed to more wooded and elevated as the road travels through the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park. The Arataki Visitor Centre is at RP 21 and is one of Auckland’s “must-do” attractions, It is a favourite place for overseas visitors to learn about the New Zealand wilderness and the many plants and creatures, both of recent and from Maori times.
The route now skirts around the southern side of the city of Auckland and uses the Mangere Bridge to take you across the Mangere Inlet using an 8 lane highway, a shock to the system after some of the roads that this tour has used.
I have suggested a fuel and lunch stop on the outskirts of Auckland, you will find all of the popular fast food outlets here.
The urban sprawl of Auckland lessens as you travel further south and cross the regional border from Auckland to Waikato. You will cross over New Zealand's longest river at RP 29. The river starts its journey to the sea from high in the central North Island's volcanic zone, from there it flows into Lake Taupo. Leaving the lake, the river cuts through the volcanic plateau flowing north, passing through eight hydro electric dams, and onto the lowlands from Cambridge to Mercer. The river finally flows into the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato after a journey of 425 km from Lake Taupo.
After crossing the river, you join Highway 22 for 62 kms of fun on the twisty and hilly road traveling through beautiful countryside. Some of the hills resemble mini volcanoes indicating to you that you are approaching a volcanic area.
At the end of Highway 22, you have 30 kms to go to reach Raglan. You will pass some tidal inlets for Raglan Harbour before reaching Raglan on the coast. I have suggested filling with fuel at the end of this route before finding your accommodation in Raglan.
Raglan is both a surfing mecca and a dramatically scenic area of black sand coastline. Many people believe that Manu Bay on this coast has the longest, most accessible and consistent left-hand break in the world. If you have the required level of skill, it's possible to catch a wave and cruise for up to two kilometres. If you're not a hard-core surfer, Ocean Beach is a fine place for a swim or relax. There are some great walks from here too. The town is an entertaining mix of cafés, bars, surf shops and galleries. This part of New Zealand has always attracted people who are into sustainable lifestyles, so the residents are full of character. Perhaps you might stay here for 2 nights. I have included some suggestions for accommodation below this review.
Enjoy.