Wedding Anniversary Weekend Away

 We are just back after spending three days/two nights in the sunny Hawkes Bay, named by Captain Cook in honour of a contemporary Royal Naval Admiral and an area we haven't been to in thirty years! The neighbouring cities of Napier and Hastings and surrounding countryside are the centre of stone fruit production in New Zealand - apples, pears. plums and peaches being the most popular. The cities are also well known for their art deco architecture, due to having a massive rebuild after a devastating earthquake (New Zealand's worst ever) in 1930. 

There is a passing connection with wargaming and military history, in that the city of Napier was named after Sir Charles Napier, the hero of the Battle of Meeanee in the Indian province of Scinde. The creator of the town, Alfred Domett, fourth premier of New Zealand, named many of the streets in this settlement to commemorate the great colonial era of the British Indian Empire. Indeed, there is a small settlement in the area actually named Meeanee! 

Additionally, the adjacent town where we were staying, Havelock North, was named after British general Sir Henry Havelock to commemorate his role in suppressing a rebellion against British power in India.

According to my friend, Mr. Wikipedia, the Battle of Miani (Meeanee) was a battle between forces of the Bombay Army of the East India Company, under the command of Charles Napier and the Baluch army of Talpur Amirs of Sindh, led by Mir Nasir Khan Talpur. The battle took place on 17 February 1843 at Miani, Sindh, in what is now modern-day Pakistan. Napier commanded 2,800 HEIC troops against an estimated 30.000 and emerged victorious, with 200 odd casualties against over 2000 of the enemy. Units on the British side were

1st Troop Bombay Horse Artillery,
9th Bombay Light Horse,
12th Bombay Native Infantry,
21st Bombay Native Infantry,
25th Bombay Native Infantry,
22nd Cheshire Regiment of foot

Poona Irregular Horse

The Battle of Meeanee 1843

Over the next couple of posts, I will share images of our trip.

The journey from home to the Air BnB booked for us by our daughter in Havelock North

Upon arrival at around 2pm, we headed straight to the first walk my wife had planned for us, the Mata Peak, which is part of Te Mata Estate vineyard (wine production is another major industry in this region!)

A view down over the surrounding countryside

You have been warned!

The path to the summit brought out a significant level of fear in my wife. It was steep but I didn't find it particularly worrisome - I think it was just the exposed nature of the countryside that worried her, If this had been one of our more usual bush walks, and she could not have seen the view back down into the valley below, I don't think it would have worried her- but the mind is a funny thing, and she really was not happy!

Views above and below from the very top of the peak

Of course, we could have just driven up and taken just as many impressive photos!

A couple of views on the way down

We had followed the red trail in the map below

Later that evening, we enjoyed a very nice Tapas style meal at Deliciosa Restaurant in Havelock North, again booked for us by our daughter Amy. 

Ruth had the Ovation Lamb dish, I had the fried chicken (below), and we shared the Patatas Bravas

A great start to our three-day break - pics from day two will appear here soon!