Arriving at Rimu Hut, we immediately felt transported into a remote forest oasis. It gives the feeling of being as far away from the city, as if we had hiked hours to reach it, not simply hopped straight out of our car! Surrounded by trees and perched atop the hillside, grazing sheep gazed curiously at us as the unique A-frame invited us in.

Small signs on the trees pointed the way to the property’s private trails, igniting our adventurous spirit. We started exploring the tracks, where we found our way to a private pond secreted amongst the trees. A small canoe was waiting for us which we cast out onto the water, to simply float around enjoying the quiet serenity. It is truly a magical place punctuated only by birdsong. Returning to the hut, we lit a small fire to heat the cosy cabin against the cool summer evening and easily fell asleep - blissfully content in our abode.

Early the following morning, we made our way to nearby Hunua Falls to wander the trails and enjoy the spectacular waterfall. As the sun rose high into the sky, we travelled to Clevedon to check out the village’s popular Sunday Farmers Market where we sampled the market’s fresh croissants, pretzels, coffee and more. From there we went practically right next door to a strawberry farm to pick our own delicious strawberries. Finally, we topped off our afternoon with a visit to the beautiful Kawakawa Bay to soak up more summer sunshine.

After a day full of excitement, we eagerly made our way back to the Rimu Hut to spend the remainder of the day relaxing. The tranquillity of the area allowed us to experience a slice of life far removed from the hustle and bustle of the big city and yet, we had travelled no further than Auckland’s doorstep.

There will always be days when we can’t wait to get out of the city and get lost in nature for a weekend and Rimu Hut is one such place that absolutely cannot wait to visit again.