After a hearty breakfast, Linda kindly dropped us back to the track at marsdon Point and we followed the beach past Ruakaka for 15km. There were a few rivers/streams to cross on the beach but good weather meant they were no deeper than knee deep for us - we took the extra time to take our shoes off so feet were dry for the forestry tracks on Cullen Road to our next camp site.
While it may have been more beach walking, the break from climbing steep hills and bush walking through vines and branches was welcome. The views behind us were of the heads that we climbed the day before and in front we could see the Bream Tail we'd be climbing the day after. The storm from the night before had washed giant jelly fish onto the beach which too made for an interesting walk.
On the way up to Dragonspell I had what I would call a 'wobble'. I had had enough of walking roads that never stopped going up and enough of legs that ached from top to bottom. I sent Luke on ahead and had a sulk (maybe a little cry) to myself before catching him up in time to pass another walker. He was walking it North bound and was only 400km from finishing - it was just enough to remind me why I was walking this trail. If it wasn't a challenge, I wouldn't be doing it so I tightened my laces and continued brave faced to the camp site which could have possibly been the strangest camp site I'd ever stayed at.
The guys running it had only just started up- they offered bunks but to save some cash we camped. For the first time ever on this trail, they offered a couples discount which made us very happy to have walked the extra few kilometres to get there. The 'peace' sign at the entrance, the scribbles on the water tank and paintwork on the front house made the site seem somewhat wacky but nothing in New Zealand is normal compared to home and the views over the sea were just incredible. We had showers, a cup of tea and chilled in their lounge area before heading to bed with tired legs.
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