Waking up to another glorious Wairarapa day on Saturday, the suggestion was to go visit Mt Holdsworth and take a picnic lunch. Great idea, we agreed, as none of us had been there for quite some time. And just look at the views we got of the sun glistening on the snow topped Tararua Ranges.
We soon drove into the DOC Mt Holdsworth Tararua Forest Park. Campers can stay overnight for a small fee, but it is free access for day visitors. There are many walking tracks available, from short gentle walks up to much more rugged ones lasting several days. Hunting by permit is allowed in the park, and back country huts high in the hills are available for hire for those on hunting trips.
Mt Holdsworth information board
Our small group found a nice grassy picnic area and sat out in the sunshine. Out came the lunch boxes and the thermos and we were soon happily tucking in to a nice hot cuppa and sandwiches. It was so pleasant sitting there under the cloudless blue sky in the warm sunshine, enjoying the company and listening to the wonderful bird song.
Our lunch time view
In the background we could hear the gentle sound of the Waiohine River, so some of us took the short, albeit a little slippery walk to find it. Such a pretty sight.
Waiohine River
We couldn't leave without a group photo – these always take some doing and are never accomplished the first time. Get everyone seated, then Robin set up the camera, and hurriedly scuttled back to his seat. This always seems more difficult than anticipated, and this snap is the best of a bad bunch.
Out enjoying the fresh air and sunshine
On the drive back we stopped to admire a group of handsome looking black alpacas grazing contentedly. They didn’t even stop munching on the grass as we stopped the car for a photo through the window.
Back in camp the managers were busy preparing for an evening get-together. Some of their guests had been in camp for some months during Lockdown and were finally able to continue with their plans. Supper was being prepared, and a Karaoke evening was on the cards, we were told.
The next day we all packed up ready to leave, the wind had picked up, so we were lucky to have picked such a perfect day previously for our picnic. The rain set in on the top of the Rimutaka Hill, and followed us for the rest of the day, and the temperature dropped lower and lower. We decided to break our journey and spend the night at the NZMCA Park at Plimmerton, and drive home the following day.
It was rather wet, cold and very crowded outside
The park was jam packed, crowded with members from the NZMCA Wellington Branch, who were there to help with a mass planting at nearby Taupo Swamp. Over 1000 plants and trees were planted, we were proudly told.
Taupo Swamp (Ara Harakeke) is a nationally significant flax wetland located between the seaside villages of Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay north of Wellington. The 30 hectare wetland dominated by indigenous species is valued as a recreational asset and for its ecological importance as a habitat for sedges, flax, ferns, shrubs, and grasses. The swamp is home to a number of threatened plant species, a habitat to bittern and a sizable population of fish such as brown mudfish, longfin eel, redfin bully and banded and giant kokopu.
This area is also known affectionately as the “Royal Bog”. The QE11 Trust was established in 1977 and was named after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second to commemorate her Silver Jubilee. In 1986, the Queen visited Taupo Swamp to see the Trust's work first-hand.
It may have been cold outside, but Gemma was keeping warm and cozy inside the van. Oh look, someone has left the wardrobe door open, that’s always worth exploring.
What’s in the wardrobe, she’s thinking
After our usual Sunday morning bacon and egg breakfast cooked by Robin we quickly packed up and headed up the Kapiti Coast to home. Not too far to drive, about 70km. Robin was a little concerned about the predicted gale force winds, but we made it home safely.
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