Culture and heritage aren't just the preserve of cities and towns. They are to be found in little settlements and in the stories of people to be found along pot-holed lesser known roads, far off the most beaten tracks.
Wairarapra writer and culture and heritage enthusiast Simon Burt proves this to be the case with his fascinating first book Route.52 - A Big Lump of Country Unknown, out with Ugly Hill Press.
That big lump in question is a Lower North Island East Coast region between places. Route 52 takes you from Masterton in the Wairarapa through the Tararua district to Waipukurau in the Hawkes Bay.
It's a book with as many interesting side roads as the route itself, with Simon joined by his trusty dog Meg, and a caravan hanging on for dear life behind.
Simon Burt joined us from the Wairarapa for 2025's first Culture 101 Regional Wrap.
