When most people think of Northland in New Zealand, they think of the northernmost tip at Cape Reinga or the quirky town of Paihia. Jess is a Wanderer has some top tips for how to enjoy Waipu. Located only a couple of hours north of Auckland, it's one of the first towns you come to in Northland. It's got beaches, horse trekking, waterfalls and caves. What more could you ask for?Here's a look at our recent pre-Christmas adventure. #horse #trek #northland #northisland #cave #Wa

Jess is a Wanderer, feeling inspired, headed down to Auckland's Hopetoun Bridge and Queen Street in search of some night photos. Here is the outcome. What do you think? #city #night #photography #Auckland #northisland

Jess is a Wanderer saw a clear spell in the weather and drove five hours at 11pm in order to do a hike and see that spectacular sunrise at the Pouakai Tarns. In keeping with tradition of 4 out of 6 visits to Pouakai Hut, I began climbing in the dark. This time I was prepared with a decent torch though it did die after just an hour. Fortunately, I was racing against time and managed to actually get all the way to the hut in an hour and ten minutes so the lack of light didn't t

To celebrate a year in New Zealand Jess is a Wanderer headed off to Mount Maunganui to catch a sunset and relish in the fact that it's been a whole 365 days in this beautiful country. It's not a difficult climb to the summit of 'the Mount' - as it's known by the locals - but it's worth taking your time so you can enjoy the views. Whether you're watching the giant cruise ships come and go, a beautiful sunset or a hang-glider taking off. The top can be reached in around half an

As of December 4th, 2018 Jess is a Wanderer has been in New Zealand for a whole year. Wow, time has flown by! Here are the highlights from one of the best years of my life and the first time in more than ten years that I spent a whole 365 days in just one country! Or rather, just one island. And actually, even one continent... isn't that a crazy thought! #video #oneyear #northisland #NewZealand

Just outside Hamilton (or at least not far away) is an extinct volcano called Mount Kakepuku. Jess is a Wanderer tackled it in search of some good views. The climb up is not particularly taxing - so much so that one keen couple were seen running up and down several times throughout my visit - I was happy sweating away on my single ascent and descent. That was enough for me! Even though the volcano is a bit off the beaten track, it's worth seeing as it's in a row of volcanoes

Jess is a Wanderer drove out to the east coast in search of New Zealand's self-voted 'favourite beach' Ohope. There are a number of tracks you can do that take you around the headland, through the bush and give you some incredible views. I did the trail along the Nga Tapuwae walkway which is around 16km return or you can go one-way and then catch the bus back to where you started from. More info here. #beach #hike #northisland

I had been in New Zealand for just over two weeks when someone first introduced me to the phenomenon which is glow worms. AKA the glowing poop in little grubs that appears blue in certain spots - waterfalls, caves, the bush. Fast forward eleven months and we went to photograph these fascinating wonders. McLaren Falls is a reserve which, as you can guess, has a most impressive waterfall. What's more exciting about this waterfall is that if you time your visit right (as in, in

Jess is a Wanderer took a trip out to Kawerau in search of Tarawera Falls. Either accessed by boat or along a private road (which you need a $10 permit for), it's well worth making the effort to see this spectacular 65m drop. Permits can be purchased Monday-Friday from the site at the start of the private road, seven days a week from the iSite in Kawerau or online via Doc. The road is unsealed and winding but the track to the falls is short and well-maintained. You could easi

New Zealand's Department of Conservation (Doc) asked for volunteers to travel to Mount Tarawera in order to pull up wilding pine trees. Normally the mountain is only accessible with Kaitiaki Adventures for a fee. I didn't pay for this experience but I did put in some hard yakka! Just like the regular tour, you are taken to (almost) the top of the mountain by 4x4 bus. The drivers are experts at navigating the steep, narrow and somewhat slippery tracks to the top. It makes for

Waikato's A&P Show happens every spring and is a fiesta of farm animals, sheepdog trials, inflatable fun for the kids and even sheep-racing. Yep. You read that right. Sheep-racing. Located in Hamilton, it only costs $5 to enter and you can see alpacas, bunnies, goats, ducks, prized-poultry, horses and live demonstrations of butter-churning, milking and sheep-shearing. They have a fence-building competition and wood-chopping demonstrations with some of New Zealand's finest woo

Jess is a Wanderer battled a winding, unsealed road, a puncture, a flat tyre, a 26km return hike and some hotter-than-expected spring weather to get to Panekire Bluff overlooking Lake Waikaremoana. The lake is manmade but beautiful. The Goblin Forest that you walk through to get to Panekire Bluff is magical. Literally, you could expect little fairies to pop out at any moment. From the carpark to the first main lookout point is a steep 45 minute climb. Doc recommends that the

Jess is a Wanderer headed off the grid for the long weekend. Lake Waikaremoana is located in Te Urewera and has so much to see - lakes, waterfalls, caves and some spiffy hiking tracks. The trail around Onepotu Caves is around 2km and has plenty of rocks, boulders and crevices to navigate around, between and over. Perfect for big and small kids alike, you could easily lose a couple of hours admiring the views and exploring the caves. #caves #northisland #NewZealand #lake #adve

Jess is a Wanderer visited Cape Palliser to see the southernmost point of New Zealand's north island. That's not the only reason to visit, however. You can also see the country's self-proclaimed 'spiffiest lighthouse' and search for seals along the coastline. See the full gallery here. #seal #lighthouse #northisland #photography #nature #wildlife

Jess is a Wanderer has visited the Pinnacles in Auckland so it was time to see the Wellington version. Famous for featuring in The Lord of the Rings (the part where 'The way is shut. It was made by those who are Dead, and the Dead keep it, until the time comes. The way is shut.') It's a bunch of gravel columns that range from 12-14 million years old... there are certainly some impressive rock formations here. You can climb up (around 2km) along a well-formed track and view th

Mount Taranaki is regarded as being 'like no other' and it's certainly a valid claim. This mountain stands head and shoulders above the flat landscape from which it emerges over on the west coast of NZ's north island. It's a mighty mountain with its own weather system that seems to have a mind of its own. I ascended the 1000 or so metres four times before finally being rewarded with the view in the pictures above. You can see more of the full gallery here. #Taranaki #mountain

Hairy Feet, Waitomo leaves a lot to the imagination when you first see the brown tourist sign pointing you away from State Highway 30. Following the road, you come across a farm which turns out to be the location for much of the Hobbit movies filming. The troll cave, the rabbit chase with the Brown Wizard, the warg attack and the horses disappearing... all of that took place here! I'm not the biggest Hobbit/Lord of the Rings fan but this experience was really fabulous and I c

Endeans Sawmill is a former native-timber sawmill located in the centre of New Zealand's north island. Jess is a Wanderer heard whispers of such a place existing and had no idea what a fascinating piece of history it would turn out to be. Separated by a road, one side is littered with workers' accommodation - complete with sofas, televisions and even a piano inside the rundown buildings. The other side is the actual mill that would have been processing all the timber. Left in

Jess is a Wanderer visited the living Maori village of Whakarewarewa. Nestled close to Rotorua's city centre, the village gives an insight into Maori culture and heritage. There are geysers on display which may erupt during your visit. Keep a close eye on any bubbling activity just in case you manage to get lucky. At the end of the optional tour, you can also see a traditional performance by local performers. This includes the haka. Visit in the evening and sample traditional

Jess is a Wanderer visited Te Puna Quarry Park - brought about by a troop of dedicated and committed volunteers, this disused quarry has been transformed into a garden wonderland. Split into different sections, you can visit the various garden areas: rose, rhododendron, bromeliads, do the sculpture walk or even a loop track through the bush up to a waterfall for the more adventurous. With beautiful flowers, blossoms, pond life and birds to see, you could easily lose a day exp