ollowing 19th century bridle paths, State Highway 43 traverses remote gorges through dense native forest for much of its 150km length. A short section of the Tāngarākau Gorge remains unsealed, unique for one of our state highways, but recently 2km was sealed, and piles of fine metal indicate that there may be further sealing to be done shortly. Known as the Forgotten Highway, it begins (or ends) in Taumarunui and winds its way westward to Stratford. Bizarrely, in a country where Waka Kotahi is determined to lower speed limits on many roads, and where the Forgotten Highway is classed as one of the 10 most dangerous roads in the country (it’s fine if you take it quietly), for much of its length the speed limit is 100kph, which due to the road’s twists and turns is unlikely to be achieved
