Over-nighting in Putaruru

Putaruru, on SH1, is one of those towns we usually drive through on the way further north or south.  But just for a change, we decided to stop here overnight at the local POP and have a little look around. 

The history of the town was based on timber.  In the late 1940s the newly established Putaruru Timber Yards built several mills to process wood from exotic forests which had been planted nearby in the 1920s. The mills were taken over by New Zealand Forest Products in the 1970s, but changes in the industry in the 1980s caused Putaruru’s population to decline.    A further blow came in 2008 when Carter Holt Harvey, the major timber company at the time, closed their mill making over 200 workers redundant.  However, the company offered 80 jobs down the road at its Kinleith plywood plant. 

But the town survived, and is now the commercial centre for some of the most productive dairy farmland in the country.  The Lichfield Dairy Factory - which is one of the newest and largest cheese factories in the world,  is only 6km from the town centre.  Water from the nearby Te Waihou springs is bottled commercially, providing about 60% of New Zealand's bottled water.  With beautiful river walks, and the area being touted as a fisherman’s paradise, there is plenty of outdoorsy things to see and do.  We were keen to visit the New Zealand Timber Museum, but sadly this is now only open during the weekends.  Perhaps next time.

Right next door to our POP is a cute little Shetland pony living all by himself in a large paddock.  He came up to the fence  looking for something tasty to nibble.  By the size of his rotund tummy, it seems that he gets plenty of treats to keep him happy.  I’m sure he would love me to give him a nice juicy apple tomorrow morning before we head off again.

Our next door neighbour

Geoff and Eileen rejoined us in the early evening, arriving in darkness as their caravan was manoeuvred around into place.  The caravan had a trip to the factory to have a couple of little jobs attended to.  It promises to be quite a chilly night here in Putararu.  With clear skies and no winds, there could well be a bit of a frost in the morning.

Hobbiton – where the Hobbit Holes are Hiding

Our bus, called Gandalf the White, left The Shires Rest filled with 30 or so LOTR fans and fanatics on the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour this morning.  Interestingly, five of us were Kiwis, and we all hailed from Levin.  American accents seemed to fill the bus, as there was a group of 15 American engineering students, a sprinkling of older people, and an Asian family on board.

Our guide was Benji and according to OSH regulations, he warned us of the hazards involved.  Stay on the paths, all fences are electrified, and keep away from the edge of the pond and the much larger lake – some of his clients had managed to fall right in, he told us, and the water is deeper than it looks.  Our first glimpse of a Hobbit house had everyone oohing and aahing in delight.  They are so cute!  And we all wanted our pictures taken standing in front.  It worked quite well, we took one for that couple, and they took one for us, and so on it went.

Outside our first Hobbit House

We didn’t actually see and Hobbits as we walked around, but we certainly saw where they lived.  According to Tolkien, they are uncomplicated and ancient little people, shy of Big Folk and preferring well-ordered and well-farmed countryside.  They are no more than four feet tall and seldom wear shoes because their feet have tough leathery soles clad in thick, curling hair.

   Hobbit houses on the hill

Wonder who lives in this one?

We wandered around, admiring the details in the little houses, from gardens, baskets with veggies piled up, even fish hanging up to dry at the edge of the lake.

And here’s another house

The properties were all out of bounds, with just one being the exception.  We were permitted to step inside the door for a quick-smart photo stop, and Benji took all the photos, to keep us moving quickly along.

Whose a cheeky Hobbit, then?

Over the stone bridge we walked, past the thatched mill, and into the Green Dragon Inn for a complimentary mug of beer, especially brewed for the tours.  (And I don’t usually drink beer – but I made an exception since I was in Hobbiton).

Green Dragon Inn

We chatted with a family from Texas, who were doing a 5 day whizz-bang tour of New Zealand before heading back to the States.

Drinking our ales with the family from Texas

Our guide Benji did a great job, full of interesting facts and figures, and stories of some of his more colourful and fanatical customers.  His boss doesn’t allow the guides to partake of a mug of beer in the Inn, he told us sadly.  Just as well really, when the guides are taking tours all day.

Our guide Benji

It was a great morning, and we would certainly recommend the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour to anyone, Lord of the Rings fans or not.  You won’t see this anywhere else but in Matamata, New Zealand..

Wet Hamilton Weather

It’s been a wet old day here in Hamilton.  After being teased with a spate of light showers alternating with bouts of sunshine all morning, the weather gods have started playing hardball.  Torrential showers have been falling all afternoon and this evening, and the ground underfoot is now soaking wet and sodden.  Not much fun at all when we in and out of the caravan with soaking wet shoes, but at least it is not too cold today.

We waved goodbye to Geoff and Eileen after lunch.  They were taking their new caravan around to the Leisureline factory to get a few adjustments made, and were leaving it there over the weekend.  Then they were off to Auckland to visit the family for a few days.  They will catch up with us again somewhere down the track – destination to be confirmed.  Who knows where we might end up?

While we are staying here in Hamilton, we have a busy couple of days planned.  A Quilt Show for her tomorrow – that will keep her happy.  And rumour has it that a Hobbit or two may well be spotted on Sunday – we’ll keep you posted.

Muffy rather likes coming away with us in the caravan.  After sleeping peacefully curled up all day,  she woke, jumped down from the couch, and had a big stretch, as cats like to do.  Then she went and sat down by her food bowl and looked daggers at me.  Her double bowl contained fresh water in one side, and dry cat biscuits in the other.  Not at all to her liking.  If she could talk, she would be saying, “I expect better than this, you know!” 

Is that all?  Just water and dry biscuits?

Moving on to Hamilton

Surprisingly, it was not such a cold night camped at Taupo as we expected. NZMCA camps are non power, usually with just a water point available.  Taupo is well known for the cold wind which blows in across the lake from the mountains, and we  were expecting the night to get rather chilly.  As it turned out, we didn’t even need to fire up our diesel heater.  Much of the camping area is still roped off to allow the reseeded grass to get established.  And someone or other has been running rampant with a chainsaw, we noticed.   Quite a few of the pine trees around the perimeter have been cut down, and there is mounds of freshly cut  timber everywhere.    All for sale as firewood, so a big sign says.

Firewood everywhere

With the fresh water topped up, and the waste water emptied, we were soon on the road again, heading up SH1.  You can tell the seasons are changing with lots of autumn colours in the trees, golds and reds amongst the many shades of green.

  The colours of Autumn

Interesting rock formation

After a couple of hours on the road, we arrived at our stop for the night, Glenview Club, with changes to these grounds since our last visit.  Power is now available, but most of the sites have been taken over by full timers.  Luckily, there were two power sites available, we only needed two, so that suited us fine.   There is a good system in place to stop fly by nighters coming in late, hooking up to power, and leaving early without paying.  Upon registration, you are handed a key which unlocks a cover over the circuit breaker, allowing access to power. 

Glenview Club

We are back in Hamilton again as Geoff and Eileen need to drop their new caravan back to the Leisureline factory to get a couple of things attended to.  And, as luck would have it, the cook in our household found out that there is a quilt show on this weekend at Hamilton Gardens.  How fortuitous, wonder what Robin will be doing while she is admiring all the quilts on display?