One of the nice things about travelling in a Motorhome is visiting all the out of town village like shopping areas and the Farmers Markets.
Fun in the Sun
While we were staying in Ardmore recently, we visited the Clevedon Farmers Market which is just out of the village but well signposted.
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Coastguard Donations
Busy carpark
Smoothie time
The vege department
Kids enjoying themselves
Always somewhere to rest
Even a motorhomer
You know you’re in a rural spot when you see this.
We found out very quickly how popular this is when we first looked for a park. Its amazing, people everywhere.
There is everything from Veges, Cheeses, Spices and Jams all with some live music and a hay bale to sit on. Its a great atmosphere.
The weather wasn’t really behaving itself when we went with showers but it didn’t seem to worry anyone with lots of shelter there.
Sunday mornings from 9am – 1pm.. well worth a visit. If you want to park there with your motorhome, get there early 🙂
After staying near our friends in Snells Beach, Rob and Helen for Robs birthday (a big round number!), in the morning, they spoiled us with a beautiful big breakfast. I’m not really a big breakfast person but this was amazing and such that I wouldn’t want to eat until late afternoon, despite all the tempting treats in the area.
A lone paddler at Snells Beach
We visited a couple of places a little before and after lunch but still couldn’t be tempted to eat🤗.
Rafe on the waterfront at Whangateau
We ended up staying at the Whangateau holiday park which is an Auckland City run campground like Orewa. They had an off peak deal happening where they were doing a significant discount so we were up for that! 😎 The tide was out when we arrived and it was a bit gloomy initially with the weather, but that improved to the point where stayed an extra night. A lovely spot right on the water.
The next morning it fined up with a nice blue sky so I went for a bit of a walk around the park. It is well set up, a nicely kept dump station, nice clean loos, everything anyone could want!
After spending a couple days with a sudden lurgy and coming right, we needed to get out into some fresh air. Where better than the free parking at Gulf Harbour but by the time we got ourselves organised, it was 3pm. Maybe it might be Shakespeare Park I thought as it would probably be busy at Gulf Harbour. After trucking along the bends and obstacles along the length of Whangaparoa we arrived at Gulf Harbour. It was chocker! No sign of the 3 metre rule even.. Every single space was full. Most unpleasant I thought and dangerous so off to Shakespeare it was.
Auckland City from the beach
My only hesitation with the Auckland Parks is not the money. It’s just the tedious system they have to clock in each time. I tried to be helpful with the nice lady on the phone and suggested that they need someone to write an app for phones or iPads but that didn’t seem to be well received. I thought after I got off the phone that suggestion was probably going to do her out if a job.. Silly me!
Our Neighbours
Anyway, Shakespeare CSC park is a lovely place to stay and well worth the effort. We arrived just as the sun was lowering with a nice red warm tint over everything. With no wind, it was nice and warm. There were a few Motorhomes and a couple of caravans. Three Motorhomers I talked to were quite local, two from Helensville looked like they might be brothers with their families and an older couple from Orewa. Nice.
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Ships waiting out by Rangitoto
Visitors from Hawkes Bay
Pu, one of two Pukekos wandering around
Looking out towards the public parking
Rafe in the Self Contained camp
As it got later, the day trippers all left and we were left to the peace and quiet. We cranked up the Internet to see how it would go. Our neighbours from Helensville couldn’t get data but could get texts so it’s not a flash area for throughput. I did a speed test and got 3.5 Mbps down and 2.8mbs up so not great but about the adsl speeds we used to get in Devonport so based on that, pretty good really. Fiona was back into her movie on Netflix so she was happy.
The Beach
We had a good lie in as it was Sunday.. Be rude not to I thought. I immediately thought of our friends Gary and Dianne who have me on about “not being a morning person” as it got later and we were still lying in the scratcher reading the papers on our ipads😎.
We were a bit shy in the vege department so we got up and scooted along the road to the Manly vege shop and had a wee drive around the Manly waterfront. A few gave us a few strange looks as we got Rafe around the narrow windy back streets but all good. After getting back to Shakespeare, most of our neighbours were leaving or about to leave and we had the place to ourselves.
The eastern camp
Eastern Camp
Eastern Camp
We had some lunch and went for a walk down to see the other campground at the end of the beach for the non self contained. It’s a lovely spot with flashish toilets and a place to wash your dishes. A much bigger park with lots of picnic tables scattered around and rubbish tins. Nicely setup I thought.
Fiona checking out the Beach. Auckland in the distance
Then came a walk along the beach through lots of Oyster catchers and seagulls back to Rafe. A nice place to stay. We’ll be back!
One of the few Auckland CSC Motorhome parks run by the council that we haven’t had a look at is Scandrett Regional Park. It is literally at the end of the road beyond Algies Bay overlooking Kawau Bay just north of Auckland.It is simply stunning.
Across Kawau Bay
With weather warnings and a forecast deluge of rain that didn’t really arrive, we were a bit cautious about staying here as the Motorhome parking is all grass but on a flat platform overlooking the bay. To get to this flat platform though is a not so flat uphill grassy paddock area back to tar seal.
The Motorhome parking
On a fine day with no rain, it’ll be magic and there is lots to explore down on the beach.
The Scandrett family boatshed
Scandretts Motorhome parking at the end of the grass
Down by the beach
Along the beach. The bach at the end of the beach can be rented.
The fancy toilets
The original Scandrett family homestead is made of concrete which was quite rare and still stands, and all the sheds and barns, mostly built in the early 1900’s are also still there and in good nick. Auckland city has put explanations and signs on each and it’s well worth a look, even just for the day.
The Scandrett Homestead
The CSC park costs the normal Auckland City $8 each and as the parking is clearly Motorhome only, you don’t have to tangle with the day trippers in cars which I really like. We’ve got it penciled in for the next fine day.
With the heatwave, if you can call it that, we set off for a park beside a beach where we could swim.
Our friends Rob and Helen have stayed regularly and highly recommended Wenderholm Self Contained parks. The park is well setup with a boat ramp (tidal), Electric BBQ’s and Picnic Tables that are free to use and nice new toilets too.
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Our parking area with the BBQ and table in the foreground
We arrived in the early afternoon, settled down Rafe and headed straight for the beach. A really nice beach with views across to Whangaparoa and you can even see Rangitoto Island.
Wenderholm BeachPeople enjoying the sunThe Beach
I was surprised it was so busy for a Monday but it was hot and it is still holiday time. As the day went on, more motorhomes arrived and while we had a glass of wine before tea, a visitor from Wellington was out entertaining us with his metal detector looking for treasure.
He found a house key, several coins and said he’d previously found an expensive ring!
With the Waikato Buses
Behind the beach picnic areas
People enjoying the Estuary
The Toilet Block
The Boat Ramp
At Dusk
Late arrivals at the ramp
I’m think that I would prefer to park in a fenced off parking area like Sullivans Bay, another Auckland City Park further north. In saying that, where we were and because there were a few of us, it gave the impression that it was a motorhome area and cars didn’t park near us.
The Beach at Dusk
We have had a situation where we’ve been at beachs where the day trippers have been quietly drinking all day and leave to drive home where they can barely walk.(Not this one)
All in all, a nice place to stay, nice beach and things to cook on too.
Our friends Rob And Helen have stayed here regularly and really recommended it as a great place to stay so we booked in a few weeks before Christmas for two nights.
Awnings out while the sun was shining
A wonderful place and this would have to be one of Auckland City Parks better camping spots. On the western side of Mahurangi Harbour almost opposite Scotts Landing, there is a beautiful beach and the foreshore is divided into several areas. There is a general camping ground, for those that need water, toilets and rubbish collection. There is a self contained camping area (where we stayed) and there is parking for day trippers.
Fiona on the beach
The info centre at Sullivan’s
Rob and Helens AutoTrail and Rafe with Fiona off to the beach
Fiona walking on the beach,. Looking towards Scotts landing
The tidy up before the rain came down
In a past lifetime when I was Launch Captain and on the Classic Yacht Association committee, we used to come up in Rorqual for the Anniversary Regatta and organise and help arrange the launch racing from this bay. We often anchored in here too. I remember a dreary day in Sullivan’s with the rain pouring down watching DVDs in Rorquals front cabin with my mate Alan while waited for other boats to arrive from Auckland. Being here in a Motorhome and seeing how well set up it is from a motoring perspective leaves me with a much greater appreciation of how good it is, despite the worsening weather.
The New Year’s Eve forecast wasn’t good and during the day, the wind steadily increased. There were a couple hardy souls anchored out there today but they sensibly moved on given the 20 odd knots blowing in here now.
Our site on New Years eve
By 5pm, we’d moved around the back of Rob and Helens van for the start of our New Years Eve celebrations. We were joined by John and Heather who we met in winter at Miranda when they were enjoying their first night in their 7m plus Trail lite which they had just bought. It was nice to see them again.
We barbecued tea and sat outside out of the wind before the clean up started about 8ish and before it rained. A great night in a nice park with good company.
Later: The forecast has got worse so rather than risk being blown off the ridge road by predicted 50knot winds, we’ve booked to stay another night and hunker down.
I couldn’t think of a better place to be.😎
Last week, several members of the Takapuna – Devonport board did an about turn on their previously promoted position of supporting the Takapuna campground against their tussle against government and council funded Yachting NZ for yet another yotting facility on public land. The outcome was a compromise where the campground will lose about 10% of its land for a hard stand for the yotts. At least the campground gets to stay.
Takapuna Beach Campground
Takapuna Camp ground on Takapuna Beach is one of only two campgrounds on the North Shore. It is on leased land from the council. I think if my memory serves me right, it was given to the council by a local Takapuna family to be used as a campground several generations ago and many people from everywhere have enjoyed the grounds and its proximity to the beach for years.
People enjoying lunch with the campground behind
Yachting NZ were trying to build their HQ at the Strand, just down the beach but were rejected by the council. Even their past Chairman, a well known yachtie, is on record of saying, the people of the North Shore have said no to building on the campground and learn when to give up.
Auckland City, compared to some of the smaller cities around NZ, is not one of the better supporters of dump stations and Motorhoming.
Yes they have some great coastal parks which they inherited from Auckland Regional Council and various benefactors over the years and they make them available to campers and Motorhomers, but they generally charge a lot for very little so every full serviced campground we have, we need to keep.
Late last week the council had their usual 5am blessing for anything new and officially opened their new bridge across Milford Creek and I have to say, it looks pretty good. I think its a huge waste of ratepayers money but over the weekend, it was used pretty much non stop.
The Bridge with the emergency piles in the foreground
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The entrance to the bridge
Later that day, Andrew and I walked to the Milford Cruising club for a meal and a couple of drinks. I haven’t been there for a while so it was nice to see some of the old faces including Geoff Bagnall who rebuilt our old Whalechaser Rorqual.
Below is a recent drone movie of Andrew bring Rorqual back to Milford on dusk. This was just before the bridge was operational.
Andrew was telling me a funny story, how he went out in the boat with a mate that day to the Rangitoto lighthouse and back and on returning couldn’t remember the correct radio callsign to open the bridge.
As he tells the story, it went along the lines of : Bridge dude Bridge dude, this is Rorqual calling(and his callsign). Open the bridge please mate as I’m coming in hot! His reply: Rorqual Rorqual, this is ATOC. The bridge will be open within 5 minutes. Please proceed.
You’d think the council would come up with something simple like Milford Bridge or something similar .. no, they have to have something silly that no one can remember!
The bridge ready for business
During the evening at the Cruising club, we bumped into our old friends Heather and her husband Walter who was the previous commodore who was very involved with the bridge in its early days.
“Now don’t you go using that bridge to go home” she said as we left to go home .. oops.. sorry Heather but it was the shortest way back 🙂
After leaving Orua Bay, we quickly checked out Graham’s Beach which looks like a great spot to stay.
As were a stones throw from Awhitu Wines, we toyed with the idea of going wine tasting but as it was only 10am (yep, we checked the time) we decided it wouldn’t be a good look🍷😳 so we went on to Awhitu park.
Fiona with Rafe at Awhitu
This was originally a huge farm run by the Brook family in the late 1800’s.
We left Rafe in the carpark and walked down and along the beach to the Brook homestead and cottage. Many generations of the family lived in these houses and there is a picture there if them enjoying Christmas dinner on the verandah in 1950.
The wharf at the Brooks homesteadThe Awhitu beach walk to the Brooks Homestead
The Brooks Cottage
After getting lost in the golf course, yep.. We even had to consult google maps to get back to the carpark. We had lunch and then left to find Hamilton Gap in the West Coast.
The Giant Sandhills at Hamilton GapThe Sandhills at Hamilton Gap
What an an amazing place. There is a self contained Motorhome park there which is free but as it was blowing 20 knots from the west, we decided to press on.
We had a good look around at the most amazing Sandhills built up by the wind. Check out the images.
Make sure you click on them to see the hi res versions.
Fiona checked out a very trendy looking toilet and decided it wasn’t that trendy inside.
Rafe with the Trendy Loos which Fiona says aren’t that trendy inside!
Two days of having a look around the peninsula just on our doorstep and finding these beautiful spaces. Such a contrast.
Sandhills at Hamilton Gap
After an hour or so of looking around, we headed back to Waiuku and then onto Ardmore to check in with Alex, Sarah and our grandsons.
After hearing the great news yesterday that our property manager Downee received a contract from new tenants, I thought I’d celebrate by cruising down to NZMCA’s Ardmore Park at the Ardmore Airfield. We know where we’re going now after the false start from “the mad woman that was living in France”!
Busy busy
No sooner had I arrived, I met Roger who we met last year filling up his new AutoTrail Delaware with fresh water. It was nice to see him again and there is a plan to catch up for a cold one later.
Roger and Marion had the unique experience of having a 90 ish yr old woman beating their then brand new Motorhome with a broom in the middle of the night on the Devonport waterfront😱. There was amazingly no damage done. The police were called and apparently she has form for giving anyone a hard time that parks in front of their B&B! So when in Devonport with your Motorhome, watch out for a mad 90 something year old with a broomstick. 😳
It is a busy park but we suspect that because the nearby freedom camping area at Bruce Pullman park has a fireworks display on, that there more here.
The library and Check in Charlie hut.Next door neighbours herbs n spices
Tomorrow I’ll get the bike out and have a ride around and see what I can find.
Alex and Sarah and the grandkids are next door to the airfield so might see them tomorrow too.
Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.
There is everything from Veges, Cheeses, Spices and Jams all with some live music and a hay bale to sit on. Its a great atmosphere.
Bugger It, we are off - www.buggeritweareoff.com 
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