Te Aroha with its mountain in the background. Photo / Janna Dixon
Te Aroha with its mountain in the background. Photo / Janna Dixon
Elisabeth Easther enjoys great outdoor activities in a quaint hamlet.
Te Aroha is one of those charming little towns that needs to be visited more often.
With its cycle trails, including the Hauraki Rail Trail, a former rail line that takes you offroad to Paeroa and beyond, this hamlet has pretty houses, excellent dining establishments and therapeutic hot pools thatmake it a winner in winter.
If you don't fancy lazing about all day, the Howarth Memorial Wetlands is perfect for a pleasant stroll.
For those after something a bit more brisk, head out of town to Wairere Falls, which at 153m is the North Island's tallest waterfall.
You can climb the several hundred steps to the halfway lookout point or go the hard yards and continuing walking to the top, which takes two hours.
Both provide an excellent work-out and, whichever you choose, you will deserve that hot pool when you descend.
Te Aroha Leisure Pools is the family-friendly option with its three pools: a big one for playing, a hotter, shallower one for lounging and a super toasty one for soaking.
If you fancy something more intimate, check out Te Aroha Mineral Spa's private pools for more serene bathing as well as treatments.
Te Aroha is also great for treasure hunting, ranging from Second Thoughts Collectibles, and Restoration Antiques, to the cheap and cheerful Salvation Army Family Store.
Adrian Wolseley's scrap metal sculptures at Historic Creations are a must-see, too, as is the local museum where you can learn all about "taking the waters".
There is a risk, of course, that a day trip might not provide enough time to take in all of Te Aroha's charms, which means you will be delighted to learn the town's accommodation runs the gamut from a darling little Youth Hostel, a former nunnery and bed and breakfasts in historic homes.
