The Te Araroa Trail is still relatively young. Officially opened in 2011, the numbers of people walking the full trail has grown significantly over the last ten years, with some estimates suggest 4000 walkers a season.

Te Araroa, meaning “The Long Pathway” in te reo Māori, is a 3000km trail stretching from Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island. It crosses beaches, volcanoes, alpine passes, rivers, farmlands and cities – a true cross section of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Some walk a section (like the Escarpment Track), some walk for a few days, and others commit to the entire length, a journey that takes approximately 6 months (approx. 3 months per island).

The Escarpment Track between Pukerua Bay and Paekākariki, is widely considered one of the most dramatic stretches of the North Island section. At only 10km, it is a trail of narrow ridgelines, long stair climbs (1200 steps), swing bridges clinging to steep hillsides and exposed sections where wind and weather shape the experience.

One of the most special things about Te Araroa isn’t just the landscapes but meeting the people along the way. Everyone carries their own reason for being there, their own story, their own version of “why”.

Yesterday, I met Larry and he had been on the trail for months, but what stood out wasn’t just the distance he’d covered – it was the 10.5kg log carried on his shoulder to raise money for the Make-A-Wish NZ charity.

Encounters like this are super memorable – the trail isn’t just a long line on a map, it is a moving community stitched together by footsteps, stories and small acts of quiet determination and sharing a smile or a ‘wow” with a stranger on a windswept ridgeline.