In a hole there lived a Hobbit.

Hobbiton is the most well known film location in New Zealand. Nestled in the countryside near Matamata in the North Island it is usually the first stop for many Lord of the Rings fans after leaving Auckland.

For me however it was the second stop after visiting Weathertop near Port Waikato. It has been many days now since I trekked through the farmlands and limestone bluffs surrounding Weathertop.

I returned to Port Waikato then took a bus to Pukekohe. From Pukekohe I caught the train to Papakura then transferred to a train for Britomart Station, right in the heart of Auckland. I stayed at a cheap hostel nearby for two nights before taking a Backpacker Bus South.

I previously purchased a year trip for the backpacker bus company called Stray. They have a number of bus routes that take you all across both islands and you can hop on and…