Monday, 7 November was our last day in the Hawkes Bay. Before heading back to Auckland, we had one more walk planned (actually, initially it was two, but we would have been getting home after 7pm so we binned one of them!)
Our route from Havelock North to Heays Access Road, which led us to the Shine Falls, at 58m, approximately 180 feet, the highest falls in this part of the country.
Or, as the official Hawkes Bay Website puts it....
Rising 58 metres, Shine Falls is Hawke's Bay's most spectacular waterfall.
Shine Falls is roughly a 1.5 hours' drive away from Napier, and the last 12km is gravel road - but it's worth the trip!
The Shine Falls track is a 1.5-hour return walk and leads to the base of the waterfall. The walk passes through farmland and beneath towering sandstone bluffs. There are some uphill sections on the track as well as stream crossings, but they are all bridged and easy. Low-land Forest includes kanuka, kawakawa, kowhai and titoki.
A slightly deserted place at 10am on a working day!
The last part of the last 12km on gravel road - the car was FILTHY!
The route in, across farmland, just like it says in the notes!
A couple of images of the falls themselves
We saw lots of these rather attractive wildflowers along the route
This is obviously a significant area for timber growing and export (via the port of Napier) and we lost count of how many of these huge logging trucks we encountered, travelling in both directions. Below is an image from the web showing the type of vehicles used to move the cut logs from the forest to the port - mainly American trucks, which I have got used to seeing but will probably look a bit unusual for European (and I include you Brits in that description, Brexit notwithstanding!) readers.
Thats it for tonight and indeed the trip as a whole. Some toy soldiers shall be appearing soon, promise!
Some stunning countryside. Looks like you've had a great time
ReplyDeleteCheers Neil - yes it was and yes, we did - thanks!
DeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary once again!
And once again, I thank you, Michal!
DeleteMesmerizing photos. As I have said before, your photos remind me of the temperate rain forests of the Cascade Mountains in Western Oregon and Washington.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon. As we wound our way through mile after mile of pine forest, constantly passing Mack or Kenworth trucks hauling loads of timber, I did feel like it might easily have been the NW of the US, or maybe Canada.
DeleteMany years ago when we cruised around New Zealand nearly every Port had loads of timber logs ready for shipment- amazing. Happy Anniversary. Chris and I have been Partners for 45 Years. KEV.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kev ( pretty sure I already replied but will redo it!) timber is one of our major exports, along with dairy and meat/horticultural products. Forty five years eh, that's a decade more than us! Great effort and I hope you both have a good few more happy years together ahead of you!
DeleteMore lovely scenery Keith. Looks like a very enjoyable weekend. and you had your fair share of walks even though you had to cancel the last one.
ReplyDeleteCheers Lawrence, it WAS very enjoyable, well, most of it anyway! We always try to squeeze in as many walks as we can manage....the second one on Monday would have been great too, but getting home late with work again the next day didn't appeal....we will just have to do a return trip!
DeleteFoxgloves I think....or at least that's what those flowers are called here. Surely not a native plant I suspect it may have escaped from Victorian gardens. Loved hearing of your wanderings and your photographs to accompany them. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the travelogue Stuart! They do look like foxgloves...the trouble with flowers I find, is many look so similar to another variety, I am never sure....they were a very striking colour though!
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