1600 KILOMETRE WALK COMPLETED, SOUTH ISLAND HERE I COME !
Two pairs of boots and almost a year later Jesse Hyde completes the first half of the Te Araroa Trail. The Te Araro trail is a 3000km long walking trail that stretches the length of New Zealand starting at Cape Reinga and finishing at Bluff in the South Island.
Jesse, who was fifteen years old and in year eleven at Palmerston North Boys High School, set himself a goal to walk the Te Araroa Trail before he finished school. With a love for the outdoors, Jesse was already familiar with the New Zealand bush and camping, so in September 2015 he set off and spent nine days walking through the Tararua Ranges from Palmerston North to Wellington. Jesse says ‘I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to come with me so I just went by myself.”
Still being at School meant Jesse had to walk the trail in sections so during each holiday period he has continued. By the end of the summer holidays he had completed most of it including Cape Rienga to Auckland which took four weeks. “Planning is important” says Jesse, “I’ve learnt a lot in my travels. Having enough food for long stretches but keeping my pack light was always difficult.”
Now almost a year later Jesse has finally finished the North Island. In total it has taken him fifty five days and includes 1600km. The trail includes Kayaking the Wanganui River and for Jesse this was one of the highlights. Although he walked the trail solo he constantly teamed up with other walkers nearly all of whom were foreigners. “There were sixteen of us on the river together and we were all from different countries.” says Jesse, “I meet so many amazing people on the trail both kiwi’s and other walkers, it was the best part of the whole trip.”
When asked what the low points of the walk were Jesse says the mosquitoes on Ninety Mile beach, being caught out in a lightning storm in Northland bush that drenched all his gear and sore feet from the long stretches of tarmac where the trail has to follow the road in places.
Jesse is determined to finish the trail and can’t wait to start the South Island. The trail includes long sections of South Island high country and the Southern Alps. As far as he is aware Jesse thinks he is the youngest person to be completing the trail so far.
