Catching the Magic

Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!

Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Blasts from the past
  • Country Kids
  • Motherhood
  • Poetry
    • 2011 Poetry
    • 2012 Poetry
    • 2013 Poetry
    • 2014 Poetry
    • 2015 Poetry
    • 2016 Poetry
    • 2017-2018 Poetry
  • Travel
    • Auckland
    • Fiordland
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Cook Islands
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • NZ to UK, with our 9 month old, 2004
  • Running
  • Special Days
Menu

My little ‘Wellington Wild Thing’ | exploring the great outdoors

Posted on January 8, 2016February 29, 2016 by BritMumInNZ

The weather in Wellington this summer school holidays has so far been very kind to us and it’s been perfect for getting outdoors and exploring the copious number of regional parks, town belts walks and nature centres.

IMG_1375

Having my parents to visit, all the way from the UK, has been an extra motivator to get outdoors and enjoy sharing some amazing natural experiences together.

IMG_1366

Of our three daughters the most enthusiastic participator in all this has been our youngest – Alice – coming up six year’s old in February. She loves nature and walks for ages without a complaint – totally immersed in her natural surroundings, like a little forest fairy (long may that last!).

IMG_1373

We recently visited the amazing Catchpool and Orongorongo Valley – Rimutaka Forest Park. The native trees and plants in these valleys are so richly green and varied. There are beautiful beech trees towering to the sky, their leaves carpeting the forest floor, along with soft moss that calls out to be touched.

Huge northern rata trees tower to the sky with epiphytes populating the trunks.

IMG_1382

Beautiful Ponga trees filter the sunlight through to the forest floor, illuminating our footsteps.

IMG_1394

Every step is filled with wonder. My parents, young Alice and I walked for nearly two hours, playing the ‘tortoise and the hare’; with my parents being the steady tortoises and young Alice being the hare – which kept temporarily turning into a ‘statute fairy’, as the tortoises passed, and then zipping past them up the track (with our dog, Cocoa, and I chasing after her!).

Of course our dog was on his lead the whole way, as Kiwi birds populate the forest (but being nocturnal we obviously didn’t see any – but it would be amazing to camp in one of the huts and perhaps hear their incredible call).

One place we visited, where bird call of all types was brilliantly plentiful, was Zealandia, the incredible valley, just ten minutes from central Wellington, where a predator proof fence has created a sanctuary for native birds to breed, feed and thrive. In the photograph below, just trailing up in the forest on the left, you can just about make out part of the fence.

Zealanida

As we stepped into the park we were immediately greeted by a couple of nectar giddy ‘Tui’, dive bombing across our path to the next flax flower to feast upon.

High in the sky above us circled Kaka, the north island native parrot, and Keruru, the plumptious native wood pigeon of New Zealand.

IMG_1348

Meanwhile, our little ‘Wellington Wild Thing’ crept along, dressed like a cat (which the fence is designed to keep out of the sanctuary!), and found the Zealandia ‘Wild Thing’…

Our Wellington Wild Thing meets Zealandia's Wild Thing
Our Wellington Wild Thing meets Zealandia’s Wild Thing

We enjoyed a beautiful walk up above the dam, to the ‘Discovery Area’, where there were ‘Hihi’ feeding stations in amongst the forest. These delightful birds flitted in and out of the trees around us and are fascinating to watch.

The sound of bird song filled the valley as we made our descent down from the feeding stations, across the dam and back to the visitor centre, stopping to marvel at the tuatara on the way (Alice was intrigued by the baby ones).

IMG_1345

It was a beautiful walk.

On another occasion we made a stop at the regional park known as ‘Rivendell’ (since the Lord of the Rings movie) at Kaitoke Regional Park.

We didn’t walk, on this occasion, but decided to enjoy some time by the river (it was a scorching day!) and found a lovely swimming hole for young Alice to cool off in.

IMG_0974

That was after some careful rock balancing and wading to get there!IMG_0968

After all that sunshine and fresh air we were ready for some shade, under a canopy of trees…

IMG_0977

And… an ice-cream (which was a very special treat – as when we usually visit there’s no sign of an ice-cream truck; but this was a scorching public holiday, in the middle of summer, with more cars and tents than I’ve ever seen – usually we can roll up to the main car-park and find a space with our eyes closed)!

IMG_0982

It’s no surprise that any mention of the school year starting, at the beginning of February, is met with a down-turned face and tearful eyes from our young Alice. She is definitely at her happiest discovering in nature, usually skipping along and humming to herself and her imaginary friends. She’s a very special little Wellington Wild Thing! xx

Linking up with –

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Related posts

  • That day when a sick day required fresh air therapy – at Tawatawa Reserve LoopApril 9, 2016 That day when a sick day required fresh air therapy – at Tawatawa Reserve Loop
  • Reminiscing on the second half of 2019 and our summer highlightsApril 19, 2020 Reminiscing on the second half of 2019 and our summer highlights
  • Home in England & beating the jet-lag outdoorsSeptember 11, 2016 Home in England & beating the jet-lag outdoors
  • Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meetJanuary 27, 2016 Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meet
  • Family time at Lake Ferry, WairarapaJanuary 16, 2016 Family time at Lake Ferry, Wairarapa
  • The last night of the summer school holidaysFebruary 2, 2015 The last night of the summer school holidays
Category: Alice Country Kids Header School hols Walks

Post navigation

← A wonderful walk at Pukaha Mount Bruce
Go! →
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Archives

Recent Posts

  • A holiday in paradise – ten blissful days in Rarotonga, in the beautiful Cook Islands. August 8, 2023
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration August 7, 2023
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon! May 10, 2023
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles! April 4, 2023
  • Celebrating a Birthday with a Meerkat Encounter! March 30, 2023
  • Summer holiday in Rotorua & Taupo March 29, 2023
  • Christmas and a Birthday in Wellington January 12, 2023
  • Summer highlights from the Wairarapa January 8, 2023
  • A long weekend with friends near Goat Island Marine Reserve January 6, 2023
  • It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – southern hemisphere style! December 23, 2022
  • Wellington Lantern Festival – in the spring rain December 18, 2022
  • Toast Martinborough – Wine and Food Festival December 16, 2022

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (51) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (70) Country Kids (59) family (115) family time (57) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (131) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (57) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (49) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (30) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)

Poetry

Follow Sarah's board Poetry by Sarah Lee on Pinterest.
20 Of The Best Expat Blogs To Follow In 2017

Related posts

  • That day when a sick day required fresh air therapy – at Tawatawa Reserve LoopApril 9, 2016 That day when a sick day required fresh air therapy – at Tawatawa Reserve Loop
  • Reminiscing on the second half of 2019 and our summer highlightsApril 19, 2020 Reminiscing on the second half of 2019 and our summer highlights
  • Home in England & beating the jet-lag outdoorsSeptember 11, 2016 Home in England & beating the jet-lag outdoors
  • Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meetJanuary 27, 2016 Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meet
  • Family time at Lake Ferry, WairarapaJanuary 16, 2016 Family time at Lake Ferry, Wairarapa
  • The last night of the summer school holidaysFebruary 2, 2015 The last night of the summer school holidays
© 2023 Catching the Magic | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme