On Saturday morning, we set off from our campsite in south Auckland and took a slow drive into new territory. First stop was a village called Warkworth, which we'd been advised was pretty and had a lovely little cafe for a lunch overlooking the river.
Then it was on to Leigh and the Goat Island Marine Reserve. A specialist diving and snorkelling area, due to its Reserve status. All kinds of marine life flourish here. Sadly we couldn't make the most of that as dogs aren't allowed in the Reserve and we didn't want to leave Maddy in the van for long. So we quickly took in the view and then went back to seek some more pet friendly locations.
A quick perusal of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (yes, we are old farts!) travel directory pointed us towards a campsite near Mangawhai. A quick call confirmed availability and off we went. Not only was there availability, but we were the only ones at the campsite! It felt very secluded for us!
Signs at the campsite directed us on a walk through the forest towards the beach. It wasn't an easy walk, being covered in sand, but it led to a fabulous sandy beach that is good for surfing and body boarding. We will make a note of that for future reference!
Maddy isn't a big one for the surf so she reluctantly got her feet wet, whereas we both enjoyed a paddle in waters that are an awful lot warmer than Wellington!
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