Upper Kahuterawa Rd

Yesterday I walked 4km- 8km return- up the lower end of Kahuterawa Rd as far as Green's Rd. Today I walked the next 6km- 12km return- from Green's Rd up to the bridge over the Kahuterawa River, where the Sledge Track starts.  As soon as I parked the car at Green's Rd, I was immersed in a beautiful morning. A tui was eating from flax flowers right nearby, and I hadn't walked far before I saw a hawk flying up in the sky.

Yesterday's route had more hills in it, so in a sense was more use for 'training'- but the upper part of the road feels so much more wild and remote, and mostly follows the river quite closely. You get to listen to the sound of the river over rocks below as you walk by on the road above- very peaceful.

 This is a view of the river from the bridge at the top of the road, where the Sledge Track and Back Track both begin.

About 2km from Green's Rd is a riverside park, with a few facilities for a bbq etc, and I sat there for some morning tea on my way back down the road. Very peaceful place to sit, just listening to the sound of the river as it flows by. It strikes me I could make a series of photos of my shoes/feet at resting places. (Here is a similar shot from a month ago!) Ok, you can comment- not everyone is as interested in my feet as I am!

266: riverside walk

 Another lovely spring day. I wore a summer skirt and top all day, and never lived to regret it! On the way home I took a walk in the sunshine down by the riverside...

86: Te Rewa Rewa Bridge

This bridge was opened last year in New Plymouth, and allows walkers, cyclists and runners to travel along the coastal walkway, over the Waiwakaio River and towards Bell Block. Even though it was a bleak day, with threatening black clouds and occasional showers of rain, lots of people were out along the route. 

One person told me I would have to photoshop the mountain in, as you could see it straight along this bridge on a good day, but I told him I had a friend who already had many 'blue sky' photos of this bridge and I had to show the other side of Taranaki weather!

72: Gull Trouble!

At Manawatu Estuary

Spent some time this glorious morning at the Manawatu Estuary where it was low tide, and there were lots of birds to see. The smaller red-billed gulls were quite often given their marching orders by these bigger birds. Well, faced down by that big glare, wouldn't you run too?!

(I think I know what the bigger bird is, but am just checking with my ornithologist friend first in case I tell you the wrong thing!)
Final word... probably an immature black-backed gull.... my friend is not sure from the photo.... so maybe it isn't a skua....but it is still very beautiful!!

Backcountry Taihape

Yesterday I took off on a roadtrip day. I had never been on the "Gentle Annie" road from Taihape across to Hawke's Bay and wanted to try it.

My first visit was an early one to a friend who lives near Hunterville with a baby: she was certain to be up already! Next I took a wander down the main street of Taihape, full of interesting old buildings and wonderfully local, non-mall-ified shops. Then I swung into the local Tourist Office to check out some details about the route ahead. They were really very helpful- thanks guys!

I left town on the route for Napier- wee bit scary in the first few kilometres, as there were places where the road seemed to be ready to slip away down to the river! Soon I took the turn-off for 'River Valley', as the Tourist Office had directed, so I could swing by Pukeokahu School, where I know the principal.

This is a little rural school about half an hour's drive east of Taihape. They were in town for swimming sports, so the place was eerily quiet! But what an amazing view they have across the hill country.

It was leaving Pukeokahu that my plans took an unintended longer turn. The Tourist Office people had carefully highlighted the route on the map for me, showing a slight retracing of steps back onto the road for Moawhango, the quickest way to the "Gentle Annie" route, mostly sealed now. But I never re-checked my map, and was 'fooled' by this sign near the school, into thinking that I was already on the quickest route to Napier...

And thus the day's adventures really began- as I headed out onto unsealed roads for many more kilometres than I had intended, past some really isolated farm stations... And I was really glad now to have the map they had given me at the Tourist Office. Even though I had got more than a tiny bit 'lost' off my originally intended route, at least I was able to work out where I sort of was out in the wopwops- and I could tell I would eventually rejoin the Gentle Annie route further east.

This is a bridge crossing the Rangitikei River. It is always surprising when you discover how far back-country some of these rivers arise, far from where they reach the sea.  (The road was sealed over the bridge- which gives a misleading view really- as I had travelled for many kilometres on an unsealed road to get here!)

The road name changes here, which my GPS had no knowledge of. In fact my GPS kept trying to direct me to Hawkes Bay via a V-shaped route back home via the Manawatu region.... I managed to totally confuse the poor GPS, until I was back on the Gentle Annie route itself, when it finally let me head for Hastings without telling me to 'turn around when possible'.

I had travelled so far at this point, that I almost expected the river to be heading east, but it was clearly flowing westward. This view is looking back into the hill country upstream. You can see a support from a former bridge still in the river bed.

And still my back-country route continued. I came to what almost looked like a farm entry, across a cattle stop, and I was a bit concerned I had somehow missed my road connection for the Gentle Annie route.

But all was in fact well, and soon enough I was passing through Otupae Station, on a road that I imagine gets very little use by anyone other than shepherds...

Just a few  kilometres past the station, I finally emerged onto the main Taihape-Napier road, and could even see a glimpse of Mt Ruapehu in the distance.

I felt like my adventure was 'over' once I regained the main route, but interesting surprises still remained. I could see the 'remnants' of the Ruahine Range to the south.

And very soon I was passing through the southern end of the Kaweka Range, which was very rugged, full of that moody atmosphere that only such country can have.

Finally, and quite suddenly, I emerged onto the 'other side', into the more gently rolling back-country hills of Hawkes Bay... my adventure over for the day... But I will be back- as there is still a section of the Gentle Annie route I haven't been over!

24: Manawatu River running high

 

Manawatu River running high after heavy rain

 

Yesterday, according to the wonderful new Met Office website, we had 61.4mm of rain- and while that felt like an awful lot as the rain kept falling, falling, falling.... it ranked well down in the 'wettest places' location list for the day.

This afternoon finally, it has stopped raining, and I took a quick walk along part of the Bridle Track along the river. Others were out doing the same. And if you look at the very black clouds, it looks like we were all hoping to get our walks in before the rain started falling again.

6: Estuary at low tide

A family enjoying the estuary at Okains at low tide 

Each day the estuary at Okains Bay emptied and filled as the tides changed between low and high. If you timed your swimming well, you could enjoy slightly warmer water as the estuary emptied out to the sea, its water warmed while it covered the flat estuary sands. During tidal changes, the currents could be quite strong in the river, and water levels changed quickly. But there was always a time when the low tide provided a perfect play place in the river for families with young children, while deeper pools also remained for more confident swimmers.

Taken 3:41pm 6.01.2011;    Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Shutter: 1/800      Aperture: f/4.0     Focal length: 8.52mm      ISO: 80

Okains Bay- Jan 4th

For my first morning at Okains I decided to just take it easy and take the 'low road' along to the remains of the Old Wharf. The waves were crashing in a little, so you could easily see why the track/cliffs were being eroded away.

 There was lots of evidence of the volcanic origin of this area, with many rock outcrops that seemed to have once been lava outflows, as well as these much softer red rocks that were perhaps originally more ash-like.

 You can see the remains of the Old Wharf in the distance. I didn't quite go all the way: the seas were a bit high and the track a bit narrow while I walked on my own.

 Later that morning, since the tide was low, I opted for a walk up the river estuary, a popular place for parents with young children. You can see it is quite overcast by now... a promise of even more cloud to come.

This white-faced heron was one of the birds feeding in the mud of the estuary.

 Following the estuary upstream for several kilometres, I eventually came to the village. Here you can see sheep grazing quite close to the local cemetery.

 The village garage had an array of interesting signs, but was 'out of petrol'.

Last time I was here, I visited inside the village church, but that wasn't an option this time. Even though Okains Bay is quite a distance from the Darfield earthquake epicentre, there was obvious damage to the old stone structure. Like so many historic stone and brick buildings in Canterbury, it has borne the brunt of the shaking.

Flying South

This weekend was a special event down in Christchurch. I had booked window seats on my flights, and was fortunate to get magnificent views in both directions. Leaving home, there was a splendid view of the Manawatu River snaking its way across the floodplains.

Once we had reached the South Island, we traveled over the sea for much of our journey. Here Kaikoura pokes out into the ocean.

I saw several large braided rivers twisting through hill country until they reached the sea.

There were special times with my friends in Christchurch- and two of us walked along the beach near New Brighton on a calm, sunny Saturday morning.

There was also time to just walk slowly and take some photographs of autumn trees. This group of coloured leaves was lit behind by the sun for just a short time in the afternoon- and most of this tree remained green.

Monday morning I was homeward bound again, this time over land in the south. Surprisingly, there was a dusting of snow over the Kaikoura Ranges.

At Lake Grassmere, where seawater is evaporated to leave salt, the colours of the pools were intriguing from the air.

It seemed like we were passing over the Marlborough Sounds in no time.... and soon we were touching down back in Palmerston North, on North Island soil.

A cycling expedition for KiwiNomad

We had a marvellous start to spring, but things have deteriorated: we have all been suffering 'cabin fever' with the rainfall, wind, cold, even sleet in the city.... Plus last week I was revising for my genetics exam. My body was screaming for exercise.

But today the sunshine finally reappeared, without the wind. I had planned to go to an aquaerobics class, but my bicycle started calling my name... I cycled off down Napier Rd where there was ample evidence of recent rainfall- and a 'river' where one doesn't usually run...

Today the 'windmills' were in plain view on the Tararuas. We have been acquiring more and more of these industrial monstrosities over recent years. And at present, Mighty River Power is arguing to put even more up, with many of its turbines planned to be in our Turitea Reserve where the local water supply is sourced. There is a David-Goliath battle on to try and stop these beasts. Enough is more than enough: our ridge lines have been defaced already.I turned off down Te Matai Rd, peaceful in the sunshine. But this is yet another area where environmental madness threatens. Some of the best remaining horticultural soil left near the city lies here, and there has been talk of taking land for a bridge here, as well as building houses. It floods here people, that's why it's so fertile...... let's leave it for the farmers to plough in the springtime, and put in the next lot of crops....

Finally, I headed off along the Bridle Track down by the river. I hadn't been here for ages, as last time I came I got a puncture! I was surprised to see how much fresh erosion there had been in some places. The little picnic table where I used to sit down for a break is now 'off-limits'.

It was about a 20km round trip, welcome exercise on a lovely sunny morning. But I have to confess that in the last few kilometres I could feel it in my muscles. There was a time this cycle ride would have been easy, but fitness now needs to be re-built!