As I have mentioned in a previous blog, I like to walk. I walk as it makes me feel good and to walk in the fresh air with nature all around is so peaceful. This brings me on to my story for today.
I normally walk on my own in the mornings but have recently been walking in the afternoons also with my sister and her husband. They found lovely walking tracks only about 20 minutes drive away from where we live.
The area to which I refer is a small mountain which is an eroded volcano cone rising to 241m above sea level. At the summit, the views of the city and harbour are just magnificent it is also host to a memorial, an obelisk unveiled in 1957 that glows red in the night sky – a local landmark. The mountain was also the site of a Maori settlement which included three heavily defended Pa (Maori camp). The Pa complex was the site of a significant battle and massacre in the 1700's.
There are many tracks to follow and enjoy, walking alongside the river filled with huge boulders from the volcano is quite a sight to behold. Climbing up and over well laid rocks, it is a pleasant walk through the canopy of very large silver ferns, and majestic Kauri trees standing many feet high reaching up through the canopy to the sun.
As we continued along the paths – time to immerse ourselves fully in the beautiful environment, we came to a clearing, and looking just ahead of us was the bare trunk of a fern looking just like a big brown bear stretched up as if he was reaching for a honey filled bees nest, it was quite something to see. The picture of the bear you can see in the collage.
There are many seating areas along these tracks, also very peaceful clearings with tables where you can have a picnic alongside the river, the children can also have a dip in the river to cool off in the hot summer sun, I have no doubt the adults also would enjoy a cool paddle!
On another day we took a walk down boarded steps from the road to enjoy a rural walk that features a beautiful mature podocarp-hardwood forest, including outstanding Puriri trees. A walk through the limestone formations sculptured by the forces of nature was indeed very interesting. On the walk there are three underground caves that can be entered, very dark and slippery, not for the novice cavers, we left them for the experts, however, the huge boulders were amazing.
All this on our doorstep to enjoy and to be so close to a part of Maori history is kind of spiritual and being at one with nature. I will enjoy these walks in the days to come with my earphones on listening to my music and thinking how very fortunate we are to have such places to just........ be.
I will leave you with this little quote from Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
'He who is satisfied with his lot is rich'
Have a great day
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