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.
Wairarapa writer 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.
