Tongariro Crossing

I've done this walk/run before a couple of times with Him Outdoors, but this time it was with the Weevil and family, and a very sore calf muscle. 

As I didn't want to overstretch things, I only walked as far as the South Crater with them, then let them go on ahead while I waited out of the wind for them to return. It was very peaceful sitting behind a boulder in a crater and listening to the sounds of nature.

Dad at Soda Springs

South Crater

Weevil and the Weevilettes at Red Crater

Nephew Olaf

Mount Ngauruhoe (also known as Mount Doom, apparently)

Niece Rachel

I took the following photo for Him Outdoors, as this was was the route we first attempted. Guess what the weather was like...

Taupo & Kinloch

A day out in Taupo with ma and pa involved a trip to the Crafty Trout Brewing Co. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was very tasty (we had great pizzas and crispy calamari).

The beers are all named after fly-fishing terms (such as Hook, Line, Sinker, Lure, Poacher). We tried the Hook - a Vienna Amber, which was malty, hoppy and smooth - and the Poacher - a Hefe-Weizen with subtle flavours of coriander, orange and grapefruit.

The Crafty Trout 

Walking around Taupo, I was impressed with all sorts of local artwork. This work by Lyden Over (of Lava Glass fame) was the first work commissioned by the Taupo Sculpture Trust and it stands outside the Tourist Information Centre. The 4,000 glass feathers in The Great Cloak of Tia represent the sky, lake and river (the blue/green side) and the volcanic nature of the region (the earthy brown side).

Tia was a Maori explorer and chief, who named this area after spotting some cliffs which reminded him of the colours in his cloak. The Great Cloak of Tia is Taupo-nui-a-Tia in Maori, although this name for the lake and township was later shortened to Taupo.

The Great Cloak of Tia by Lynden Over

Swell by Colleen Ryan-Priest

Even the rubbish bins had specific designs on them - my mum really liked them, so these are for her. They were also found on the side of the public toilets, and the Weevil made me take pictures of them, so I made her come with me in case of questioning as to my intentions.

Kinloch proved to be a popular spot with the young folk as they played cricket and then built 'fish' on the beach from sticks and sand.

We all ate fish and chips, which was delightful with such a backdrop. Some carried on fishing for their own supper.

White-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)

Lava Glass, Huka Falls and Aratiatia Dam

A few years ago, I went to Lava Glass and interviewed chief-glass-blower, Lynden Over. Coming back many years later, the sculpture garden is a welcome addition. The children enjoyed seeing how the glass works were created and then running about the park and eating at the cafe.

Mum in the glass flower garden

Of course, a trip to Taupo must include a visit to the Huka Falls. The mighty Waikato River narrows from 100m across to squeeze, gush and froth through a canyon 15m wide. The power of the water is noisy and impressive.

The Weevil and family striking poses

Natural fern unfurling

Artificial flax unfurling

Upstream: the calm before the waterfall

The Aratiatia Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River 13km downstream from Lake Taupo. Before the dam was constructed (in 1964), the Aratiatia Rapids were quite a feature, but the dam stopped the water from flowing over them. Now the gates are opened several times a day (and the times are well-publicized) to recreate this effect, while public viewing platforms allow for people to enjoy the experience of the turbulent waters. 

Apparently the rapids were used for a scene from The Hobbit in which Bilbo Baggins rescues some dwarves from some elves by putting them in barrels and sending them downstream. As I am boycotting the film, I couldn't possibly comment, but it does make it a popular hobbit-spotters' hang-out.