Te Araroa: A Walking Guide to New Zealand's Long Trail
by Geoff Chapple
Random House, $49.99
An updated guide to Te Araroa, our national walkway system, which now stretches more or less continuously the length of the country.
Geoff Chapple, who has been the driving force in Te Araroa since he outlined the idea in a newspaper article in 1994, gives a brief history of how that dream has been transformed into a reality.
But the main emphasis is on the walkway itself, weaving its way through six cities and 60 towns, its progress illustrated in a series of excellent maps, lots of photos and descriptions of the various sections by Chapple himself (he has personally walked the lot, most more than once).
It's an inspirational work, both for the story of how a small band of enthusiasts managed to create such a wonderful national asset, and for the details of all those tracks out there waiting for people to enjoy what they have to offer.
