A Bookish Day Out in Raglan
I like the beach, I really do, but after a quick dip or a bodyboard I’m not really one to sit in the sun. I go from cuttle-fish white to boiled lobster in the space of five minutes and there’s only so many times you can apply sunscreen until it becomes thick with sand and rubs the already red bits raw. If we’re talking a beach with a hammock in the shade and one of those little thatched cocktail huts then I’m there with a wedge of pineapple and a tiny umbrella on top. I like my activity with easy access to comfort.
That’s why Raglan is an absolute gem of a place. A town on the west coast of New Zealand about 45 minutes drive from Hamilton, the beaches are huge and covered in black sand that can burn the bottom of your feet at the height of summer. It’s like catnip for surfers because it’s got the longest left-hand break in the world (I’m presuming it’s break and not brake, but who would know). There’s paddle boarding, kite surfing and any other activity you can imagine that takes place on, under or near water. However, it’s also a town with fantastic coffee and several very good places to go book shopping. We’ll come on to the Belgian waffles! Just a heads up, summer weekends are busy particularly around the time of Soundsplash, a multi genre music festival held in January each year.
The thoughtfully curated bookshelves at Zinnia
The eclectic book table at Atamira
The first port of call has to be In My Good Books, a secondhand bookshop that stocks everything from classics to children’s fiction. Typically they’re open from Thursday-Sunday and Mondays on public holidays, but check their Facebook page as times are seasonal. Take cash and then go right next door and blow the rest of it on La La Land’s LOADED Belgian Waffles. Waffled-up, you can head over the road to Zinnia, an eclectic shop that sells everything from antique spoons to socks. They have a beautifully curated book section with art and design books, books on wellbeing as well as literary and children’s fiction. At this point you may need caffeine. Zig-zag down the alley through to Volcom Lane where you’ll find Raglan Roast, half-hidden behind a grapevine. Roasting daily, they serve a perfect Flat White, or in my case an Americano. You can sit outside, read one of your bookish purchases or chat to the variety of locals and visitors that share the communal seating area. I’ve learnt about everything from Shitzus to cider presses whilst sitting in the sun there, none of which has been remotely useful! Your final book stop is Atamira on Bankart Street. Chock-full of beautiful things; clothes, beauty products and shoes, they also have a book table that has a mix of classic and contemporary fiction and some non-fiction. Te Reo for platform or stage, Atamira really does showcase New Zealand design…..and it smells divine in there.
If you can wangle a weekend away, Raglan has a lot more to see and do. Bridal Veil Falls, Wairēinga, is just a little way out of town. Hidden in a forested dell that feels prehistoric, this 55 metre waterfall is spectacular. Be warned, there’s a lot of stairs to the lower viewing platforms, but that might help you build up an appetite for fish and chips at Raglan Fish on the wharf. Right next to the fishing boats and overlooking the water, it’s a beautiful spot. You might just need to be prepared to share it on a sunny day. My number one tip is to head slightly out of town and up to The Conscious Kitchen at Solscape for brunch on a summer’s weekend. The food is organic and plant-based (nothing with a face or a mother according to the sign on their counter) and the view in unsurpassed.