Jess is a Wanderer decided to go for a jaunt around Tauranga’s famous mount on Christmas Eve. A muggy, overcast day didn’t disappoint with beautiful views from every direction. Walk around the base – taking around forty minutes or climb up and over, taking around ninety minutes.

There is free parking all along the base of the mountain, as well as a range of hip cafes and bars for a post-victory drink or meal to celebrate. The climb up is steep in parts so you definitely deserve a chilled beer at the end of it.

Here are the highlights – they’re not great because I was absolutely busting to pee at the top and there were so many people that I couldn’t find a second to squeeze into a bush… such is life! Instead, I raced down from the top and found a seafront cafe with bathroom facilities galore!