A couple of years ago, in search of some interesting off-road running events, I read about the Queen Charlotte Track – a 26km run from Ship Cove to Punga Cove/Camp Bay. It sounded magnificent and I’ve since been keen to take part in this event. But as we know, traveling between NZ’s two islands is almost as expensive as going to Australia! This truly is a country of two halves (as Paul Bennett pointed out in his book). Continue reading
Hikes & tramps
Kepler Track – 23-25 December 2012
The highest point en route – Mt Luxmore.
Still bright and shiny at the start of the hike.
Gerry crossing the Waiau River at the start.
Lovely to walk in the shade of beech, kamati and podocarps.
Lake Te Anau in the back. We stopped for a quick lunch in the shade – hence the “shady” photo.
Tent pitched, fire going and a tipple in the cup. What more could a girl ask for.
Sunny and very hot once we reached the tree line, unsheltered from the tree canopy.
Leaving our packs in the path to climb the last bit to the top of Mt Luxmore.
here must be millions of similar pics out there – doing the touristy thing and get your photo taken by a fellow hiker at the beacon.
Lonely in the saddle since my horse died.
For miles and miles the path meanders on the ridge with magnificent views to both sides.
Taking a little break in the mid-day sun.
One of the two shelters on top of the mountain. This one being Hanging Valley Shelter.
At our final camp, covering every inch of exposed skin (preferably in more than one layer!) to try and avoid the pesky sandflies.
Very unusual bright purple mushroom.
Back at the start on Christmas day. Hoping next time we come down this way, we’ll the doing the Kepler track trail run.
Evidence of sandfly havoc when skin is exposed for just a short while.
23 December 2012 (15.1km) – Rainbow Reach car park to Brod Bay
It is exactly two years since our last multi-day hike/tramp. And to top it off, we haven’t been very active on the running front over the last year or so either. But we thought this hike would be a nice way to end the year and hopefully entice some new years resolutions on the active front.
White Cliffs Walkway – 26 December 2011
Gerry in the blazing hot sun, making his way up the steep climb on private farm roads.
Amused cattle with a lovely view from their grazing spot.
Me on a downhill section with Henriette in the back.
Deon, Henriette and Gerry in front. Evidence of strong winds can be seen by die angle of the tree on the hill.
Whenever I hear the world “white cliffs”, the first thing that jumps to mind, is the brewery. And why not. The White Cliffs Brewery makes a lovely brew.
We were visiting in New Plymouth for Xmas when Henriette suggested we do the walk. It is a fairly long hike, 14km point-to-point from Pukearuhe boat ramp to Tongaporutu. So, on the morning of Boxing Day, Deon, Henriette, Gerry and I left for Tongaporutu where we would leave Deon’s car at the picnic area next to the Tongaporutu river. On the way back to the start, the four of us were contemplating whether we allowed enough time to complete the walk, having left the house quite late, but we decided to do it anyway.
Manawatu Gorge Track & Tunnel Walk (10 April 2011)
Ju-huu-st the two of us…
Gerry, with Ballance bridge in the back.
Monkey business on the train track.
Scary stuff crossing the bridges.
Gerry concentrating hard on another train bridge without railings.
The Manawatu River quite far down.
Tunnel coming up! Torches out.
Light at the end of the tunnel.
Abseilers as seen from the train track side.
The last stretch which flattens out towards Ashhurst.
Walkers on the train bridge, as see from the road.
A nice touch – little certificate to show that you’ve completed the walk.
Once a year the Woodville Lions Club organise an approximately 8km walk on the train track through the Manawatu gorge, starting at the Ballance Bridge end (Woodville side) in the east and walking back to the Ashhurst Domain on the west side of the gorge.
I’ve often wondered what the gorge would look like from the other side. If you are on the one side of a river, you always long to see the other side, and vice versa. That’s life, I guess … :). We’ve driven though the gorge on several occasions by road, which is on the one side of the river, while I always look across to the train track, also carved into the cliffs of the gorge, and wonder how the graffiti got onto the concrete slabs underneath the track. With the river way below and near vertical cliffs to get to the track, the willpower of graffiti artists always amazes me. Continue reading
Manawatu Gorge trail run (30 January 2011)
Gerry under a big tree.
At the start.
Gerry making the most of an early downhill.
Taking a break at one of the lookout points
Happiness is…
A little “gate” through one of the fallen trees.
The pathway is well laid out with bridges over rivers and streams and steps where gradients are too steep.
Very windy viewpoint.
Wind Farm lookout.
A short “lunch” at the turnaround point.
Ever since moving to Palmy, the Manawatu Gorge walkway has been beckoning, literally in our backyards. According to everyone we talked to and everything we read, the gorge promised to be one of the most beautiful places in the area, and Gerry and I have been forever threatening to make the outing to see what it is like.
It is a 10.1km point to point walk through the gorge, with the idea being that you leave a car at the finish, drive back to the start and complete the walk. But what to do when you only have one car? Continue reading
Jog around the Blog 