I have had these Hokahey Border Reiver civilians knocking around for a little while now - they arrived at the same time as the Mounted Reivers featured a couple of months ago. They are, like the rest of the original Graven Images figures, lovely big chunky sculpts and very easy to paint - these were started Saturday and completed Sunday. There is, in fact, one more figure. But he has the look of a gentleman and I thought I would team him up with a second pack of the D'Arlo Heidmans Family figures from Col Bills - so he will be painted in due course!
The farmer and his wife...
... a shepherd...
... and a Heidsmans family, confronted by an unwelcome guest!
Note a few more of the 3D printed furniture items included in this scene - I have two single and one double bed. Luckily, as can be seen, the wardrobe fits into the height of the tower house rooms!
The whole group, facing off against a couple of reivers.
Tuesday 15 March was our first full day in New Plymouth and we headed up into the lower slopes of Mount Taranaki - ironically, on the one day when there WAS a period of cloudy weather - and we were right in the middle of it!
Maori carving at the visitor centre - they are quite fixated with phallic symbolism!
A plethora of walks were available
A somewhat optimistic max speed sign, the 5km access road was very narrow and a constant series of twists and turns - max speed was probably 50-55km!
Early hydro electric power explained
One previous visitor had described the foliage here as a "Goblin Forest".... I think you can see why
The terminus of our first walk - a nice 30ft waterfall
Some rather steep steps led to and from the base of the waterfall
A "Screaming" tree!
Walk two and the mist/low cloud is much in evidence - it was pretty cool too - around 10c!
After a couple of hours in the cold and mist, we headed down to the plain and had lunch at the small town of Inglewood, where they have this rather extravagant Glockenspiel clock tower
After lunch; and a walk through an area where a railway was built into the bush in the early twentieth century to extract gravel and road metal
I think this has more the look of D Day defences than a castle!
Amazing to think a railway used to run through this cutting!
The only physical evidence that remains of the railway - it was all pulled up during WW2
Back in New Plymouth, we headed out to Paritutu Rock
The idea was to climb it, but when we got to the part where the path changed into rough foot steps hewn from the rock face and chains hammered into the stone to drag oneself upwards - discretion became the better part of valour!
Some views from halfway up Paritutu
Where we gave up our ascent - to be honest, I am genuinely surprised, in our risk averse world, that this route is still open to the general public to access themselves, completely unassisted and unmonitored by anyone!
New Plymouth is the centre of the New Zealand off shore oil and gas industry, such as it is, and there are a lot of storage tanks such as these around the place
Back in the hotel, just what you need after around 20km of bush walking and a near death experience on a large, vertical rock!
And a final view of the sunset from a different location. Day three next time!
Another batch of lovely scenic photos. I see what the visitor meant by Goblin Forest! Easy to imagine Middle Earth. You’ve got me thinking of spending the kids’ inheritance.
ReplyDeleteI think you should do it......if all you have to leave them is the cost of a trip to New Zealand, they won't miss it, and we are opening up to overseas tourists again pretty soon!
DeleteLove the Border Reivers. Have you tried the resin buildings from Hoka Hey, great value
ReplyDeleteThanks Scotty...I will have a look although I have found the postal charges from Hokahey a bit off putting. They seem to average about 50% of the order value 😩
DeleteFantastic scenery, once more, Keith, especially the waterfall and ocean sunset. Your travels remind me very much of coastal Oregon where I spent much time in my younger days. A place to which I still return when I need a good think.
ReplyDeleteAnother familiarity of note is to see that the Maori made 'totem' poles similar to the Pacific Northwest natives.
DeleteThanks Jon. I think there must be some kind of long list cultural link between many of the occupants of the Pacific Rim....there seem to be similarities between languages and traditions etc of Maoris, Tongan, Samoans, Hawaiians and also some Native Americans. A lady I know through work is very involved in wake (canoe) building and operating, and she has been over to exactly your part of the world to help and advise the local tribes on how to create traditional ocean going canoes from a single large tree trunk.
DeleteGreat photos of some very interesting terrain.
ReplyDeleteThe new figures will add color to any Border Rievers scenarios. The 3d printed furniture looks great! Lookng forward to games in the era and the pulp variety.
Thanks Joe, I am glad you like both the scenery and the figures!
DeleteThat printed furniture looks great in place Keith. and the figures are of your usual excellent standard. I think all the Taranaki region needs is a couple of Hollywood celebrities to take their holidays there and it would be at the top of everyone's list, although the locals are probably happier that it's not.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lawrence ... and yes, you are probably right on both counts re Taranaki!
DeleteSome lovely new figures to your collection Keith and as always fantastic scenery too. I loved the Goblin Forest and Screaming Tree, very apt names and the rest of the terrain wasn't too bad either:).
ReplyDeleteIn complete contrast I was back in the Fens this weekend visiting family and am always slightly taken aback at hoe flat most of it is, despite having grown up on the edge of them many moons ago. Living where I do with plenty of hills, woods etc, the Fens seem rather blan in comparison, but I must admit I do love the vastness of the skies you get, specially the sunsets.
Thanks Steve. I have a very vague memory of a family holiday in the Fens...we were on a boat of some kind, possibly a narrow boat, moving from place to place. I don't know if that was the whole holiday, or if we just did it for a day trip. I think I was aged three or four and my sister is two years younge, so no one I can ask now to veiny my dim recollections. I quite like how "different" it is from most areas of the country.
DeleteGreat shots!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and comment...not the best post as an introduction to my blog....I do occasionally mention wargaming too!
DeleteGood looking figures and furniture too ! I quite like scary experiences on rock faces but I know that it’s everybody’s cup of tea , my favourite photo is the beer 👍
ReplyDeleteCheers Matt. If I was twenty and had a couple of mates to apply peer pressure, I might have made it up....but nowadays and accompanied by my wife, I lacked the motivation! It was blowing a gale too, which didn't help!
DeleteVery cool. That’s one impressive wilderness you trudged through. I get sore just by looking at it. 😀
ReplyDeleteHahaha...yes indeed...I could certainly feel my calf muscles the first couple of days, Stew!
DeleteGreat looking terrain and your civilians look good, as does their furniture, very wealthy for the period, I'm not surprised they're getting a visit from the reivers!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteCheers Iain and very true re the furniture...it can only be used in the Pele Towers of the local gentry, not in the hovels occupied by the general populace!
DeleteGreat looking figures and 3D terrain pieces, Keith. Love the beautiful scenery too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dean...appreciate your visit and comments as always!
DeleteThose civilians are great! I love non-combat sculpts, they add that much more to a table outside of being objectives, etc.
ReplyDeleteThat view from halfway up the rock... wow!