East Cape to Cape Egmont Traverse
The East Cape to Cape Egmont Traverse is a pilgrimage in New Zealand that holds historical and cultural significance. Two authors have documented their experiences in books: Raymond Salisbury's "Cape to Cape – 80 Day Traverse of the North Island[1]" and A.H. Reed's "From East Cape to Cape Egmont On Foot at Eighty-six" (1st Edition 1962).
The traverse involves a pilgrimage through the landscapes where early pioneers once tread. A.H. Reed, at the age of 86, undertook the traverse, opting for a route along the east coast beaches before heading west inland, avoiding the challenging Raukumara Range Forest Park route.
Proposed Cape Egmont to East Cape walkway
[edit]In the late 1970s, the know disestablished Department of Survey and Land Information commenced a project to link Cape Egmont to East Cape by a walkway.
Oone section of the ‘Cape Egmont to East Cape’ walkway was completed and still remains in use:
- Matemateāonga Range Track – a traditional Māori trail, then a dray track in the early 20th century.[2][3]
Cycle tour
[edit]In the February of 2020, the North Island traverse was completed as the "Kopiko Aotearoa" cycle tour:[4][5]
West – east route:
Cape Egmont – Te Rewa Rewa Bridge – Hobbit Hole – Mangamataha Bridge – Centre of the North Island – Waiotapu – Ruatāhuna – Lake Waikaremoana – Rere rock-slide – Motu Road – Bay of Plenty – East Cape Lighthouse
East – West route:
East Cape Lighthouse – Bay of Plenty – Motu Road – Rere rock-slide – Lake Waikaremoana – Ruatāhuna – Waiotapu – Centre of the North Island – Mangamataha Bridge – Hobbit Hole – Te Rewa Rewa Bridge – Cape Egmont
References
[edit]- ^ Salisbury, Raymond (1 April 1997) [1995]. "The Great Escape". Cape to Cape – 80 Day Traverse of the North Island. Word for Word Publishing. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2005. Retrieved 1 March 2007.
A red station-wagon full of elderly folk pulled up alongside me. Seeing I was obviously going tramping, a lady asked me 'Where was I going?' I replied 'for a walk down the road,'...
- ^ Barnett, Shaun (17 May 2015). "Wild Range: Matemateaonga Range". Wilderness Magazine. Pakuranga, Auckland: Lifestyle Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
No wonder Maori had a route along it and Europeans planned to build a road over the crest, too. Some work on the road was completed in the early part of the 20th century but, happily for trampers, it never became much more than a dray road.
- ^ "Matemateāonga Track". www.doc.govt.nz. Department of Conservation (New Zealand) (DOC) (Māori: Te Papa Atawhai). 23 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
Penetrate deep into the wilderness of the Whanganui National Park on old Maori trail and settlers' dray road.
- ^ "Cape to Cape: friends cycle from Cape Egmont to East Cape". Gisborne Herald. 12 April 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Hope, Sharnae (9 February 2020). "Waikato man's pedal power to give back to NZ's mental health crisis". Stuff (website). Retrieved 24 September 2020.
External links
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