Readers' magic hideaways

Secret bays, silent lakes, lonely lodges, hilltop vistas, marvellous parks, friendly beach resorts and even a sassy city street have all been unveiled in response to our New Zealand Magic Competition.

Entries have flooded in, with descriptions of magical places all over the country, but the competition has now closed.

The winners of a luxury weekend for two at Umoya Lodge and Vintner's Estate will be revealed in next week's issue of Travel. At the same time we'll announce the result of the draw for 15 copies of Boutique Lodges of New Zealand.

In the meantime, here's a further sample of the entries received:

Whatipu, Waitakere

Years of driving for hours to reach remote gorgeousness, with gear for skiing, kayaking or tramping, are ending.

We'd been there before and had the cobwebs blasted off rather than blown away. You sense great things off-stage in all directions - in reality, everything exceeds expectation.

There are no "no swimming" or other signs. Nature is clearer than any board that would have its letters sand blasted off within months.

There's obvious history demanding to be known, including the wharf pile remains tucked below Paratutu rock just metres from the amazingly treacherous Manukau Harbour entry.

We'd been to school camps at the lodge and had skilled guides, one botanist amazing us with secrets of the bush: a gaggle of "puppies" trailed the "big kid" reliving the nikau toboggan down the rough steep slopes; the universal shrieking that comes with eeling at night using a simple bait on a bent pin.

Dinner was shared out of the ancient kitchen under the gaze of fishing trophies and photos, where the old wharf piles come to life, and was outdone only by the blissful quiet as the generator cut out early leaving only the sounds of the sea and ruru.

We are now often drawn back and understand the rich history of the milling base, and its devastation, a bit more with each visit.

The Omanawanui razor-back along the edge of the Manukau is as spectacular as more famed walks, with the added spice of legends of thwarted love and spirits turning to swooping birds.

Other walks are part rocky goat tracks (and, yes, you can spot goats as you eat breakfast on the sunny back steps). The seaward clifftop walk reaches a lush valley and you return to the beach, passing swamps with leeches (shades of Africa or the Amazon) then giant sand hills (Arabia).

All this and fishing and tennis just an hour from Auckland and no queuing at the end of the weekend at Orewa or the Mangatawhiri highway.

I'll whisper it and hope you forget "Whatipu".

Oh, of course, there's terrible muddy patches on some tracks and the last bit is a horrendous windy gravel road. You wouldn't want to take your shiny SUV out there and, besides, there's no telly to dump the kids in front off.

- Jane Admore

Gold Mount, Coromandel

When visitors to Whangamata tire of the crowds and the beach, or want to escape from the sun, I take them to my favourite spot, the top of Gold Mount, in the Coromandel Forest Park.

The journey to the summit is a stroll through history and from the top it is possible to see everything that makes the Coromandel such a special place.

The track starts from the Wentworth Valley carpark. In the bush the noise and bustle of the holiday crowds is replaced by a cool, damp silence - the call of a fantail reminding us it wasn't always quiet.

A deep shaft, easily visible from the track, is a remnant of the gold-mining days. A splendid grove of regenerating kauri serves as a reminder of when kauri timber was king. Both mining and felling left a bare and scarred countryside that still influence present-day activities.

It requires a bit of puff to reach the summit, but the view is breathtaking. Whangamata town, the harbour and surf beach lie to the north, deceptively peaceful and so pretty from this height. The coastline stretches for miles.

Matakana and Mt Maunganui can be picked up in the far distance. Mayor Island and the Aldermanns are closer and Hauturu is just off the beach.

In the distance to the west and south lie the craggy peaks of the Coromandel peninsula, covered in regenerating native forest. Exotic pine forests and farms lie in the foreground, along with the winding highway into Whangamata.

Few visitors leave the top of Gold Mount without commenting on the splendour of the coastline and the majesty of the forests. It is a great place to reinforce how precious they are.

- Barbara McGillivray

Peter's Pool, Westland

On the left side of the approach road to Franz Joseph Glacier a small sign marks the track to Peter's Pool.

This is our favourite place, a little gem. The view includes the glacier, a waterfall plunging from the cliff and a charming pool surrounded by our colourful flora.

Although it is best seen on a still day, perhaps in the morning when the reflections are at their best, at any time the view of the glacier tumbling from the mountain is the most romantic introduction to the Franz Joseph, which is more awe-inspiring than beautiful close-up.

Peter's Pool is only about five minutes from the road, reached by an easy trail. Unfortunately, the track is not wheelchair accessible, nor is it suitable for those who are unsteady on their feet or disabled.

Don't let your overseas visitors miss this magical spot. It will stay in their memories, as it has done ours, for years to come.

- Victor and Gay Scaniglia

Elliotts Bay, Northland

Most New Zealanders feel an affinity with the coast, whether the east or the west, and its beaches and ever-changing sea. For me, it has to be the east coast, with its whiter sand and gentle waves. I grew up on the Northland coast, picnicking on the deserted beaches, which are now rapidly becoming populated.

A recent haven I have discovered, and hesitate to tell you about, is Elliotts Bay, on the coast between Rawhiti and Whangaruru. You have to go a short distance through the farmer's paddock to get to it but a 20c coin in an old tin can on the fence will let you park off the road.

The farmer also operates a simple camp site during the summer and it's a popular place for those surfies who know when the surf's up. The sand is beautiful and the water crystal clear.

But that's not all. More adventurous types who are prepared to walk half an hour north along the beaches will discover New Zealand as it was 160 years ago - bush coming down to the pristine white sand and not a house in sight, just the sound of the waves and the seabirds.

When you reach the end of the second beach, follow a track over the hill and you will come upon the site of the Whangamumu whaling station. The large vats and ruins of machinery, plus an informative monument, will evoke pictures of a thriving industry and a harsh lifestyle in an extremely beautiful part of New Zealand.

Enjoy it now, before they put up a parking lot.

- Jill Toplis

Stuart St, Dunedin

My favourite place in New Zealand is not a lake, a beach or a range of mountains but the brow of a hill that takes me down Stuart St, Dunedin.

I can never be sure what view of Dunedin will emerge as I reach the brow of the hill from this street high above the city.

I know that Moana Pool will be on my left, home to Olympic swimmers. But will I be greeted with a crystal clear panorama of Dunedin city, her sparkling waters welcoming me and the undulating hills stretching away to Tairoa Head, or do I see the rolling fog that has made its way up Otago Harbour to settle like a thick blanket pulled over the city? Maybe today the city will be cloaked in the mist that filters the light and creates a grey and sombre mood.

No matter the view of Dunedin that day, I know that as I drive down Stuart St, I will see the genteel buildings of Otago Boys' High School, the cafes in the Victorian terraced houses and the Fortune Theatre, which has been home to many a popular Roger Hall play.

As I reach the Octagon with its Writers Walk, modern art gallery and lofty St Pauls Cathedral, I can look down George St with its immaculately restored buildings and know that I am home where my heart belongs - in that elegant, sometimes eccentric but always welcoming city of Dunedin.

- Belinda Beath Mackay

Wainui Reserve, Raglan

Our favourite summer picnic place is at the Wainui Reserve, overlooking Ngarunui Beach at Raglan.

It's an easy 45-minute drive from Hamilton, so you can make the decision at the last minute if the weather isn't looking promising.

We usually go for an evening barbecue and stay to watch the sun disappear over the horizon beside Mt Karori. It is a pleasant stroll down to the beach for a swim and afterwards a climb back up the hill for a refreshing drink and time to fire up the barbecue.

The view is unparalleled, extending from the lower slopes of Mt Karori over Whale Bay along to the Raglan Harbour entrance and up the Te Akau coastline. The breakers rolling over the Raglan bar certainly make an impressive sight.

Once the sun has disappeared you can linger in a Raglan cafe before driving back to Hamilton.

- Vicki Wild