Somewhere past the 100km mark on New Zealand's Te Araroa Trail, a group of newly acquainted hikers marked the occasion the only way the landscape allows: by writing in the sand. Day 4 of one walker's account of the route captures what the famous beach section at the top of the North Island is actually like — long, soft, occasionally dramatic, and surprisingly full of kindness.
The trail begins with roughly 90km of beach walking from Cape Reinga toward the town of Ahipara, and it's the part many aspiring thru-hikers dread. This account suggests the fear is worse than the reality. Tides dictate the day: with high water pushing right up to the dunes, walkers sometimes found themselves sprinting up the sand to avoid soaked feet, and the soft going is relentless on the legs. But the writer, who expected to be 'broken' by the end of it, finished feeling fine — crediting low expectations and good company.
There were small dramas, too. A beach-scapades guessing game produced a surprise winner when the group spotted a fur seal cub stranded on the sand, exhausted and scrambling away from the waves — a reminder that this stretch of coastline is a working seal habitat as much as a hiking route.
It also turned out to be a day of trail magic. An ice cream van near a mid-beach campsite disappointed with a broken machine, but the owner, Kay, handed out chocolate and strawberries instead. Later, a passing driver gave the group an entire bag of fruit. The writer's observation rings true for anyone who's done a long-distance walk: look like a smelly hiker with a pack and poles, and strangers start feeding you.
The day ended at the Top 10 holiday park in Ahipara — reached just before the 6pm reception closing time — where the group of six showered, did laundry and celebrated with ice creams after four days of sand. One member hitched back to Kaitaia to collect a car to shuttle everyone onward. For anyone contemplating the trail, the practical notes are useful: a campsite about 17km in breaks up the final beach day, Top 10 membership gets you a discount, and the beach itself is technically a road, so expect the odd vehicle.
Why should a holidaymaker care? You don't need to commit to a 3,000km thru-hike to enjoy this corner of New Zealand. The Cape Reinga to Ahipara beach walk is doable as a multi-day trip with campsites en route, and it delivers wildlife, wild surf and a genuine sense of remoteness — with a hot shower and an ice cream waiting at the end.
