On the beaten track

FRIENDLY TROLLS: Delighting visitors to Johanna's World.

It's all about the journey, not the destination. That was my new motto as I hit the highway between Hastings and Woodville, promising myself to stop at all the places that had caught my eye during years of zooming from A to B as fast as I could.

First stop 12 kilometres out of Hastings was the 98-hectare Pekapeka wetland, one of the most significant wetlands in Hawke's Bay. As we followed the boardwalk over the swamp amidst darting dragonflies, a mother swan and her cygnet rushed into the raupo to hide from us. Further along on an open section of water more swans, spotless crakes and New Zealand dabchicks floated on the water, barely disturbing the reflections of the surrounding brown hills.

It is estimated around 90 percent of wetlands in New Zealand have been lost over the past century, which is tragic because wetlands provide valuable ecosystems for flora and fauna, assist with flood control, and help manage climate change. Pekapeka was once used as an illegal dump, but now the restored wetland gives travellers a chance to recharge on their journey.

Further up the road in Pukehou, you can revive your body in a different way at Millstream Gardens, where Jan and Geoff Speeden have been making natural herbal ointments and skincare products for over 30 years. Unfortunately, they were closed when we drove past, but we will definitely return to check out their range of natural remedies, such as aches and pains kits, eczema cream, natural sunscreen, insect repellent, moisturisers, crème perfumes, and splinter drawing cream, to name but a few. They even sell a herbal healing salve for animals.

Our morning tea stop was at Paper Mulberry Café in Pukehou. The reincarnated Sunday school hall has also been a library, dance venue and play centre. We stuck into our delicious cinnamon brioche and gluten free raspberry and white chocolate brownie in the garden surrounded by maize fields.

Another minute's drive down the road, Pukehou Collectibles brought out my inner magpie. My eyes lit up as soon as we entered the treasure trove of china, silverware, old cameras, tools, coins, walking canes, records and dolls. I lingered over an old spinning wheel and some quirky salt and pepper shakers shaped like elderly men and women on rocking chairs. We eventually settled on a glass swan for my daughter, a miniature replica Porsche for my husband's birthday, and I vow to one day return for the chubby buddha sitting amongst the garden ornaments outside.

I briefly wondered if the two ladies we'd encountered at Pekapeka wetland and Paper Mulberry Café would think we were stalking them when we passed them again checking out the garden sculptures and wall art at Artmosphere Gallery in Waipawa. It appeared that we weren't the only ones taking our time on SH2 that day.

Artmosphere Gallery shows the work of more than 90 kiwi artists, some of whom are internationally recognised. My daughter loved Sally Maguire's animal paintings, and I loved . . . well, pretty much everything. I'll definitely be back to buy out the gallery when I win Lotto.

On Waipawa's main street the Central Hawke's Bay Settlers Museum is worth a visit. The museum depicts an early settler's cottage, a classroom, farm equipment and stores from Waipawa's early days. But our favourite area by far was the interactive room where we tried out an old typewriter, water pump, cash register, washing machine, and scales. It was particularly fun trying old-fashioned calligraphy using a quill dipped in ink. Even the restroom is a lesson in history — we couldn't resist weighing ourselves but were left scratching our heads when the scales displayed our weight in pounds!

If you drive SH2 in September, you may be lucky enough to stop at Taniwha Daffodils in Takapau when the daffodil picking is open. Railene Mabin has planted hundreds of varieties of daffodils on the 8-hectare paddock over the decades, to raise money for Plunket. For many locals the annual trip to Taniwha to pick buckets of daffodils and picnic surrounded by flowers has become a family ritual.

Anzac Park, just before Norsewood, is another great spot to stretch your legs, picnic, or camp to truly break up the journey. The 500-year-old bush remnant contains totara, kahikatea, matai, tawa, rata vine, rewarewa and cabbage trees. We took turns swinging on a particularly fat supplejack, known in our family as Tarzan vine.

The forest at Anzac Park gives an idea of conditions encountered by Scandinavian settlers who founded Norsewood in 1872 as a loggers' settlement. There are still some historical buildings in Norsewood, such as the district jail used from 1884 to 1930, and the Scandinavian influence shows in the street names. For a gold coin entry you can visit Johanna's World to view a replica Norwegian log cabin complete with a couple of friendly looking trolls, and New Zealand's first Stave Church.

When State Highway 2 was realigned in 1966 Norsewood was divided into “upper” and “lower” halves with a bridge connecting the two. In Lower Norsewood you will find the largest sock shop in the country, New Zealand Natural Clothing, which sells socks made from natural fibres such as merino wool and possum fur. You can also pick up eel food at the shop to feed the native longfin eels in the Wop Wops Wetland Park, a former swampy sheep paddock that has been transformed to help stop the decline of these at-risk eels. Lower Norsewood is also home to the Hovding Gallery, where master carver Jeff Bryan displays his traditional and contemporary designs.

Further along the highway, the rural service town of Dannevirke was also founded by Scandinavian immigrants. As a throwback to its history the Dannevirke Domain has a Viking ship playground, a must see for kids. The 20-hectare domain is also home to bird aviaries and a deer park, and is a relaxing spot for a picnic.

Dave's Den in Dannevirke is a noteworthy place for lovers of die-cast models to visit. Dave Pawson's collection of around 8,000 model vehicles will only be on display until Easter, when he is retiring from his hobby. Dave began collecting in 1980, and the oldest Matchbox toys in his remarkable collection date back to 1952.

As we departed Dannevirke we passed a Viking sign wishing us “Farvel”. Surprisingly, I realised that I felt decidedly relaxed compared with all my previous trips on the highway, when I constantly clock-watched and worried about the time I was losing at my destination. There is definitely something to be said for enjoying the ride and stopping en route.

But our journey was not quite over. We had one more stop ahead of us — our one compulsory stop every time we drive SH2 — the “Fruitful Woodville” ice cream shop at Woodville.

The massive fruit ice creams at Fruitful Woodville have become a firm favourite in our family, and a great way to end (or start) the journey. In fact, the only stress during our mission to drive SH2 slowly was the ever-present worry that the ice cream shop might close before we got there! It hadn't though, and we contentedly savoured our banana and berry ice creams on the deck by the shop, agreeing with the man next to us that it was the best place to stop a hot day.

“We stop here every time we pass through,” we told him.

“I do too,” confessed the fellow ice cream lover. “The problem is I live here!”