Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!
Just over an hour’s drive from Wellington, over the Remutaka Hill, is the sprawling countryside of the Wairarapa, comprising of the villages of Featherston (famous for the number of book shops per head of population), Martinborough (wine village), Greytown (boutique shops), Carterton (with Stone Henge Aotearoa close by) and the larger town of Masterton. This…
Over a decade ago friends of ours moved from Wellington to the north of the north Island, settling an hour’s drive north of Auckland, on the east coast near New Zealand’s first marine reserve, Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve (Goat Island). Their place is a ten minute drive from the thriving small town of Matakana,…
With continued niggles in my left hip area and peri-menopause symptoms (oh the joys!) I am taking a much more balanced approach to running these days, spending more time on strength, stability and stretching. I enjoy yin yoga classes to balance out the ‘yang’ of running. I listen more to my body and rest when…
It was a rare Saturday, in the recent spring school holidays, when my husband and I had an afternoon completely to ourselves, that we headed out to the beautiful native forest in the Orongorongo Valley, in the southern Remutaka Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand. It’s not that we don’t walk together often…
Patuna Chasm is a place I’ve been aware of for years and finally got around to visiting! Having admired photographs of Patuna Chasm for a while, and hearing rave reviews from anyone that’s ever visited, I was hoping my high expectations wouldn’t be let down. I had no need to worry! This incredible walk, through…
Autumn is rolling into winter fast here in New Zealand, with snow falling heavily on the mountains of the north and south island. Whilst the deciduous trees have lost most of their leaves, the wide selection of native evergreens keep the land looking green (check out the New Zealand native plants guide on the Department…
The drive from Wanaka to the Blue Pools Track, in Mount Aspiring National Park, is stunning. There are so many perfect photo stop opportunities. We just had a day to explore and that teaser made me want to revisit for a lot longer, to enjoy the many walking opportunities. To get to Blue Pools, we took State Highway…
New Zealand is experiencing the hottest summer in 150 years! It’s been the most incredible summer in Wellington too (which can be hit and miss). We’ve had temperatures in the high twenties and into the thirties, the beaches are crowded, the sea is being swum in (normally only for the brave or crazy) and sales…
We landed in London on Thursday, after three flights from Wellington, New Zealand, taking some serious flying hours! It’s just Alice and I on this trip, whilst my older two daughters are at home with their Daddy. Alice is such a happy and positive travel companion. We managed to get a good stint of sleep…
I’m a great believer in gentle exercise helping to heal the body and a few weeks back, when my ten year old daughter was fighting off a long lingering chesty cough, with a dose of antibiotics, I took her out to explore a Wellington trail we’d not explored before. The walk, located in the hills…
We visited Lake Ferry, on the south coast of the Wairarapa, over the New Year. It’s a place of incredible wild, rugged beauty and only a half hour drive from Martinborough. The small beach village, on the shores of Lake Onoke, is known for its fishing, particularly ‘white bait’, where Lake Onoke meets the sea….
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. Having my parents to visit, all the way from the UK, has been an extra motivator to get…
A short drive north of Masterton, is the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. I visited with my folks, from the UK, and my youngest daughter, age five, over the Christmas/New Year hols. It was a gorgeous day when we visited and after a cuppa on the deck of the cafe – with a surprise…
Last week, after dropping the girls off at school, I drove back to the south coast, with my dog on my lap, and decided, on the spur of the moment, to do a walk I’d often thought about doing, but hadn’t yet got around to doing. I wasn’t best equipped. I really should have taken…