SATURDAY - DAY ONE SUMMARY
DAY ONE OVERVIEW
Once you arrive at the Kerikeri Sports Complex car park, please promptly check-in at our desk located at the luggage truck. The Check-In Desk is open between 7:00 – 7.30 am. There we will complete registration, allocate you to your chapter transport and provide you with tags for your luggage. All pilgrims must check-in prior to boarding the coaches. Coaches depart at 8.00am sharp.
Make sure you have your daypack with you after dropping off your luggage and everything that you require for the day. You will not have access to your luggage again until you reach base camp at the end of the day.
Coaches will transport you to the Pilgrimage start point in Ohaeawai, where we will have mass at about 8.50am. Once mass concludes, gather with your bag at the start point for a blessing (follow the direction of event staff). The 1st pilgrimage chapter will depart immediately following the blessing, with the second chapter departing 10 minutes later.
The first leg of the pilgrimage is an easy 10.1km walk out of Ohaeawai and along Lake Omapere, to the first rest stop and lunch break at about 12:00 pm.
After a 30-minute break and light lunch, we’ll walk for around 9km to Saint Patrick's Church for our second rest stop at about 2:15pm. This small country church will be open and available for those that would like to stop and pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. As we approach Saint Patrick's Church, we will be entering the spectacular rolling countryside of Okaihau.
From Saint Patrick's Church, we walk the final leg of 4.3km to arrive at a local farm and our camp for the night. You will collect your luggage and be pointed to an area to set-up your tent. Dinner will be served at about 6.00pm.
An admin tent will be set up to provide you with relevant information, such as timings, weather conditions and recommendations for the next day. The admin location will be set up each night stop to provide assistance and information.
All going well, a short 1st Aid Blister Clinic will be held that evening, for those that wish to learn more about tending to their feet and general physical wellbeing during the walk.
Please note that there are no washing facilities located here. You are encouraged to bring some wet wipes to help freshen up.