Monday, December 26, 2011

Out and About

In just over three months time I am heading off to France for some more walking, some of which will be quite 'hilly', so I have been 'out and about' walking, trying to get fitter. Here are just a few views from along some of the ways I have walked...

 This old fencepost on the Turitea Walkway sits amidst some of the lush grass growth 
we have had after the rains we had in November.

 On Himatangi Beach I saw many lined up along the short stretch of river, 
hoping to catch a few whitebait.

 Climbing up Turitea-Green's Rd gives me lots of up-and-down hills practice.

 Signs of summer- there were lots of spider nests on the long grass.

 Blechnum capense was the name I learned back in high school for this fern 
whose orange-edged fronds I love. It has a new botanical name now, but I can never remember it!
 From a high point on Green's Rd, I can see where I am about to descend down the road- 
only to climb up again just around the next bend. Truly, good practice for the Cluny route!

 This is the highest point along Green's Rd before I descend again to Kahuterawa Rd. 
The sign is showing that this is part of the Te Araroa Walkway down the length of New Zealand. 

 Back down on Kahuterawa Rd, a sign that summer is advancing:
the hay has been cut and baled from this paddock.
 Finally I got back onto the Gorge Walkway, which gives me more practice up hills and down...

The Gorge road is closed at present by this huge, unstable slip, which is taking months to clear.
But you can still walk the walking track- it's just not quite so easy to leave a car at each end
if a group want to walk the whole track in one direction.

13 comments:

  1. Gorgeous as usual!

    Happy holidays to you, my friend!

    :)

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  2. Beautiful! You will be well prepared if you walk these hills!

    Michèle

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  3. Yes, especially up the Gorge track Michèle. But today I never walked- I went for a swim instead!

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  4. Great practice, Kiwi! Greetings from a cold and blowy England at this festive time.

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  5. Thanks Robert. We have just had superb weather for Christmas, but it is supposed to turn to custard a bit for New Year. I guess I will just have to put my raincoat on then though and keep walking!

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  6. Fantastic to see your practice Margaret. Enjoy the preparations. There is winter sun here in England for the first time for ages. Happy Christmas,

    Andy

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  7. Glad you have some winter sun Andy. For now, I am enjoying our summer sun!

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  8. Lucky you! Brilliant and gorgeous shots

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  9. Thanks A-B-C, It's raining here today though!!

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  10. Happy New Year, faraway friend!
    What's 2012 like? Are there flying cars yet??

    :)

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  11. Thank goodness, no, Cathy! It all looks just the same as yesterday, except the skies are mostly just grey instead of raining rain today!

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  12. Yeah, as bad as they are with cars on the ground, I'd HATE to see Chicagoans try driving through the air.
    Hope it clears up for you!

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  13. Cathy, I went out for a walk, and it was raining to start with, but then cleared, and we even got some sunshine. I hope to head away for another Chemin in France mid-April so am doing lots of walks!

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