Monday 6th June
Day 5 – Schischka Campsite (Wenderholm Regional Park) to Puhoi
18km (Approximately), 4 Hours
It was a dewy and fresh morning when I woke up to put the tent away in the backpack. Once again, it was sunny and I doubled back across the Wenderholm peninsula and back into Waiwera, across the bridge. After stocking up at the store there with some food, I headed along the Weranui road which meanders alongside the Weranui river and nips under the Hibiscus Coast Highway and the Northern Gateway toll road.
This road is quite dusty so I might recommend that you take a scarf and shades to cover your mouth and eyes for when vehicles pass you by – especially in the summer months. It was at about this point that a friendly cyclist trundled alongside for part of the journey. I was glad of the company and we chatted for a while. We eventually parted, but not without him having given some good tips on the local area.
It was at the Noakes hill turning that I got my map out to check my bearings and lo and behold another friendly cyclist popped up and once more we chatted. I then walked up the very scenic but perhaps a little arduous Noakes Hill. I say arduous, because the road snakes up a steep incline for quite a while. There is a wonderful point though, when one has reached the brow and can see valley after valley stretching out into the distance (See picture 1)
I then joined the busier Krippner road and eventually made it to Puhoi with a warm welcome from the Landlord of the Puhoi Hotel and stables. This place is a veritable time capsule and is chock full of artefacts and pictures of different varieties. It was Queen’s Birthday when I 
arrived and the place was full of city folk as well as locals, bikers and classic car enthusiasts. I was able to people watch from the vine - entwined balcony for a bit while I rested (See picture 2).
The story of Puhoi is fascinating and the Krippner road on which I had trudged was named after the Bohemian Settler Captain Krippner. In 1863 a cutter ship had berthed at Wenderholm (where I had camped) and Captain Krippner along with about 80 fellow Bohemians (now part of the Czech Republic) landed. Full of optimism and hope for a better life of more freedom, and property of their own totalling forty acres each; they had travelled via England from Bohemia. Maori guides met them at the Puhoi river and canoed and punted them up to a somewhat disappointing scene.
Instead of acres and acres of verdant land ripe for the tilling, they met with thick, virgin Kauri forest. Never the less, there would be no going back for the Bohemians who eked out an existence from scratch and slowly developed the area. The Settlers were devout Catholics and their Cardinal in Bohemia had urged them to, “Keep the faith”. Initially they established a make shift chapel until after persevering, they were able to build the existing Church of St Peter and St Paul in 1881 replete with an alter painting replicating one in Littitz, Bohemia (See picture 3).
You can find out more about the Settlers story at the highly informative Museum. For the cheese lover, check out the Puhoi valley cafe and cheese store. This is situated about 3km from the centre of Puhoi. For those wanting to know more about the Puhoi spirit, why not visit the Puhoi distillery! There are plenty of other activities to do such as canoeing along the Puhoi river or - if your legs are still up for it - some nice strolls. There is also a good store next to the hotel for supplies.
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