Tootling down to Greytown

Friday morning it was goodbye to Pahiatua and hello Greytown, an easy drive down through the Wairarapa.  Greytown Campground is in such a pretty setting, with native tuis and woodpigeons very easy to spot in the as they fly around the tall trees.  Neil and Ann Smith are the new camp managers and have already made many improvements to the facilities and camp sites. 

Greytown Campground

We all arrived early on Friday afternoon, and the eagle eyed blokes soon spotted that Peter and Elaine had a new car.  “Want to look under the bonnet?”, Peter asked.  There was no stopping them, it was like bees to a honeypot, nothing beats checking out a mate’s new car purchase.

What’s under here?

The campground is set in the historical Soldiers Memorial Park, and the land was purchased in 1920 with money raised by the community.  The adjacent O'Connor's bush, 8ha, is one of the last remnants of lowland forest in Wairarapa, with huge totara, matai, titoki, and tawa trees, some up to 400 years old.  This tranquil area provides food and shelter for many native birds, tuis, wood pigeons,  fantails and grey warblers.  The sports field, croquet green, tennis courts, children's playground and camping ground were added largely by community working bees and helped by various grants.  In 1922 117 lime trees were planed to commemorate the 117 soldiers from the community who died in World War One.

Impressive Memorial Gates to the Motor Camp

Native trees in the adjacent O'Connor's Bush

The sunny Friday weather came to an abrupt and in the evening when lightning lit up the skies and thunder boomed overhead.    The campgrounds soon became sodden and we sloshed across the muddy grass all weekend, but that was nothing compared to disruptions the storm caused over the hill in Wellington.  Power was out in many areas, the heavy rain caused flooding, and   some flights in and out of Wellington Airport were cancelled.  Our little band of campers got off quite lightly, by the sound of it.  And Muffy slept blissfully through each and every thunderclap, curled up safe and sound in the caravan.

 

Fork lightning over Wellington. Photo / Twitter.com/charcarruthers