Up towards the Northland

Sporting folks these Kiwis, they're into rugby, cricket and running. But their tennis has suffered a bit in recent years especially in Mauku. Here's the local tennis club, we didn't have to pay to go in but there wasn't much going on anyway. Still it's in a very pleasant spot with two courts gradually being overtaken by weeds on either side of this dinky pavilion. Mauku is also home to St Bride's church. In 1861 during the Maori wars the newly built church was stockaded with split-logs set closely against the walls and rifle slits cut through exterior walls. The church became an important military post with as many as two thousand men being camped there. Women and children from the district were placed in safety on a schooner in the harbour but we haven't found out how long they were ensconced there!

Another church we found was built just 100 years ago in 1915, so it's a bit newer. this is Christ Church in Waiwera which we spotted when we were looking for the Waiwera hot springs! It's on the right hand side of the big finger of land that heads up north of Auckland. Very pleasant beaches and lots to look at in the Wenderholm Regional Park. We'd just done the Millwater Parkrun and I'd come second - seemed to be miles behind the front runner at the turnaround of an out and back course but I nearly caught the winner up in the last few hundred yards - 9 seconds behind at the finish - if only I'd pulled my finger out quicker! It did pour down a lot shortly after I took this photo but we found a pie shop! Kiwi pies are just as good as Aussie pies and I had a beef and onion pie and a chicken and mushroom pie (well I had just been exerting myself!) - Vicky had a quiche!

I mentioned that we'd headed up north of Auckland and I thought we'd made a bit of progress but the top end is over 300K north and the roads get progressively tinier - we really got less than a quarter of the way up - maybe next time.