We set out late on a Sunday afternoon, driving off into the sunset, leaving our partners to look after our kids. It was a great escape from the usual bath/book/bed routine, with 24 hours to do whatever we liked without someone nagging at us to do something for them. It was FQ’s commercial director Vanessa Bathfield (aka my work wife) and my first away trip together, and unlike the lengthy to-do lists we face daily at work and home, in this case we had just one goal — to explore Kemureti/Cambridge.
Located in the Waikato’s Waipa district, Kemureti/Cambridge is filled with tree-lined streets and heritage buildings, many dating back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras. It’s got charm in spades. When we arrived and took a walk down the main street, it felt a bit like we’d gone back in time — newer stores notwithstanding. Something else to note about this town is its longstanding history with thoroughbred horse racing, a fact that was evident from the minute we stepped outside, as the image of some of its most famous steeds are paved into mosaics on its walkways.
HOW TO GET THERE
Thanks to the Waikato Expressway, our drive down from Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland was a quick one — an hour and a half all up. We simply loaded our destination into our luxury transport for the trip — the Range Rover Evoque plug-in electric hybrid — and the wide touchscreen did all the navigation work for us. With just a few taps, I’d connected my phone so we could listen to our favourite music, but we ended up just sitting back in our contoured, warmed seats and enjoying the chance to chat. Because the Range Rover Evoque is such a quiet car (so quiet, I sometimes momentarily wondered if the engine was still running), we were able to talk with ease while we zoomed along the motorway. Opening up the panoramic sunroof topped off what was a very smooth ride. Added to that, the on and off-road handling, combined with its all-weather capabilities made me feel confident behind the wheel during some temporary rain showers. Reaching our destination, we unloaded the number of bags you might expect of two serial overpackers, all of which fitted comfortably into the boot. I relished showing Vanessa how you don’t need to expend any energy shutting it — the press of a button does it for you.
WHAT TO DO
The best way to discover this town is to walk around. There are plenty of antique shops and fashion boutiques to browse. Homeware store Green with Envy was closed by the time we arrived, but we enjoyed some window shopping. The names of the roads also hark back to yesteryear, with many named after famous writers — Byron, Shakespeare and Wordsworth streets, Keats Terrace. As well as Poet’s Track, there are lots of other walking routes, including Settler’s Track, Soldier’s Track and the walkway through Ann’s Patch. We briefly thought about doing the Te Awa River Walk, which connects Kemureti/ Cambridge to Karapiro along the Te Awa walk/cycleway beside the Waikato River, but with Vanessa in her Gucci slides we decided to continue our sightseeing from the warmth and comfort of the car.
WHERE TO STAY
Only a few minutes drive from the town centre is The Oar & the Paddle, boutique accommodation perfectly positioned overlooking Lake Karapiro. We were greeted by the owner of the house, who made us feel at home and gave me the impression he’d be happy to help with any enquiry. Among several accommodation options available here, we stayed in the standalone Oarhouse Chalet, which felt nice and private. With two spacious bedrooms and a galley-style kitchen, its highlight is the expansive view from the lounge and outdoor seating area that allow you to relax with a wine and a stunning sunset.
WHERE TO EAT
Restaurant recommendations had come thick and fast from anyone we’d told we were heading here. The top of the list? Alpino. In the heart of town, it offers a taste of Italy via a menu laden with antipasti, risotto and pasta. We were keen to try the crumbed olives we’d heard so much about, but clearly they were far too popular as they’d sold right out. Undeterred, we tried the stringy mozzarella bites, which I can confirm entirely satisfied our taste buds. Next, we moved onto the tru$e ravioli and a Gambero pizza (prawns! Chilli! Mascarpone!). We ate until we could eat no more, so we didn’t move onto the traditional Italian desserts like tiramisu, affogato and limoncello sorbet — as much as we might have wanted to. On our waitress’ suggestion, the next morning we stopped across the road from Alpino and had breakfast at Paddock café — the first ones there to buy coffee and bagels when it opened at 8. On our journey back to Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, we stopped at Punnet in Tamahere, where the outdoor playground kind of made us miss our kids. After a final delicious meal of chilli scrambled eggs with halloumi, roasted nori and candied black sesame and miso butter, we bought some lolly cake to go for all four children and hopped back in the Range Rover Evoque for a stylish ride home to see them.
Words: Sarah Murray
Photography: Jamie Bowering, Supplied
This article originally appeared in Fashion Quarterly‘s Spring 2023 issue.
Road test: the Range Rover Velar plug-in hybrid
This SUV makes travel about the journey, not the destination, for FQ’s Sarah Murray.
If I had to choose the thing I like most about the Range Rover Velar, it’d be its looks. The streamlined silhouette is so sleek and powerful, and that feel follows you into the cabin and behind the steering wheel — you feel sleek, you feel powerful.
I took this SUV for a test drive on a trip to Te Matau-a- Maui/Hawke’s Bay and marvelled at its intuitive nature. I cruised around Ahuriri/Napier in electric mode, then as the grid of streets gave way to countryside, I switched to a mix of petrol and electric power. Even when using petrol, the engine was quieter than I could have imagined. The Range Rover Velar plug-in hybrid effortlessly plugs the gap between the brand’s other offerings. It’s bigger than the Range Rover Evoque, but not as big as the Range Rover Sport, its size and shape making it perfect for the type of person (a city girl like me) who’s not quite ready to graduate to a larger off-roader but wants all the bells and whistles of one.
This feel follows you into the cabin — you feel sleek, you feel powerful.
Inside my vehicle, plush cream leather seats offered a sense of understated luxury that can be heated on crisp mornings and cooled on hot afternoons. This interior is a carefully chosen juxtaposition to the gunmetal exterior that enhances the sophisticated, pared-back shape complete with flush door handles. I drove along unfamiliar roads, bumping up the volume of the sound system using the steering wheel controls to listen to my favourite podcast by Shit You Should Care About. Soon enough, ahead of me, I could see the tree-lined stretch of road welcoming me back to my accommodation for the night. I kept driving, loving the journey, thinking, ‘Maybe just a little bit further’.
