Upper Mangatawhiri Campsite is a campground at Mangatawhiri in Franklin, the rural south of the Auckland region, and it holds a 4.5 Google rating. Good campgrounds stand or fall on the basics: level, well-drained ground, reliable water and shelter, so it pays to arrive before dark and choose a pitch properly rather than wrestling a tent by torchlight. At bush-edge sites in country like the Hunua foothills, regulars pack as though the nearest shop is half an hour away, because it usually is, and they check fire rules before lighting anything in summer. Repellent, a torch and a spare tarp for damp evenings are the quiet marks of an experienced camper. For anyone wanting a peaceful base in Franklin farm-and-bush country, this campground puts the Hunua Ranges within easy reach.