Geography

Masochism and magic - the Coast to Coast

By rock, river and road a procession of desperate athletes struggle 239 km across the grain of the South Island in pursuit of self-fulfilment and, for a lucky few, a place in the record books. More determined than most, West Coaster Steve Maitland tackles the mountain run. He has competed twice before in the two-day race, but 1995 was his first shot at the single-day traverse.

Magazine

ISSUE 025

Jan - Mar 1995

Waikato river

Routeburn track

At the bach

Coast to coast

New Zealand bats

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Travel & Adventure

Routeburn

Can New Zealand's most popular alpine track sustain more than 10,000 hikers each summer, yet retain those pristine wilderness qualities that nourish the soul?

Geography

At the bach

These lines from Ian Wedde's poem The Story always come to mind when after a long spell in the city I finally make it out to my bach. Struggling forward into a head wind as I explore along the high water mark, mopping at a bit of a runny nose, I can't help remembering those last two words. What for? I love coming to this bach, but why? What is it New Zealanders love so much about their baches?

Geography

Waikato - the royal river

Silver ghost shrouded in mist, the river slips past ranks of low ridges north  of  Huntly. Revered by Maori, coveted by European, fought over in bloody battle, today's Waikato seems far from its former glory, its importance measured in megawatts and cubic metres per second. Yet the river-New Zealand's longest-retains. its mantle of greatness.

Geography

The remarkable world of bats

I have in my hand a small, warm bat. Wings folded, she fits perfectly in my palm, and her chestnut fur, damp from the evening dew, is spiky in a punkish sort of way. She is groggy with sleep; she has been napping-something bats do wonderfully well-while she awaited rescue from the benign trap set for her, this most unusual little mammal.

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