Sometimes, a walk isn’t just a walk. Sometimes, it’s a step back through history… and into a landscape that feels almost untouched, if you don’t count the weathered mining tunnels carving through the cliffs.
Recently, I put together a 4K Slow TV video of the Karangahake Gorge Windows Walk in New Zealand’s Coromandel region. It’s the kind of trail that doesn’t really rush you. You don’t need a plan. You just start walking — and almost immediately, the river’s there, keeping you company, winding and glinting alongside the path.
The Windows Walk is named, fittingly, for the old mining tunnels bored into the rock, with rough-cut “windows” that look out across the gorge. I mean, you’re literally inside a tunnel, walking along by flashlight or the faintest hints of natural light — and then, suddenly, there’s this breathtaking view framed perfectly by stone. It feels almost accidental. But of course, it wasn’t. These were once busy arteries for gold mining operations, over a century ago.
The tunnels are… longer than you expect. Some parts stretch on just far enough that you wonder if you’re going in circles. And the acoustics! Even the soft scuff of your footsteps echoes weirdly, like you’re disturbing something that’s been asleep for a long time. I’m not saying it’s spooky, exactly, but — maybe a little?
And then, outside again: native bush, birds calling unseen in the canopy, and the river, always the river, moving steadily alongside. Somewhere between the second and third tunnels, if you look carefully (and you have to look — it’s easy to miss), there’s a path veering down toward the water. At the end of it: a hidden swimming hole. Crystal clear. Almost absurdly inviting. It’s the kind of place you stumble upon by accident if you’re lucky. Or by following your curiosity a little off-trail, which, honestly, is just as good.
The video is pure Slow TV — meaning no narration, no music, no editing trickery. Just real-time sights and sounds. Water rushing over stones. Leaves shifting in the breeze. Boots crunching gravel. It’s a kind of immersive calm you don’t even realize you’re craving until you’re deep into it.
I’ll admit, walking it virtually isn’t exactly the same as being there. You don’t feel the coolness of the tunnels against your skin, or the sudden warmth when you step out into sunlight again. But there’s still something surprisingly real about it. Something grounding. Maybe it’s the pace. Or maybe it’s that you can glance around at your own speed — linger over a river view, or stare up at the cliff faces without feeling like you’re in anyone’s way.
Karangahake Gorge is one of those places that quietly gets under your skin. It’s beautiful, sure. But it’s also layered — history stacked on top of nature, and nature slowly taking it back.
If you have a few minutes (or better yet, a few hours), and you feel like disappearing into a trail that winds through tunnels, rivers, and a little bit of forgotten history… this walk might just be exactly what you need.
No tickets. No time limits. Just hit play and start walking.