Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Back to the Manawatu Gorge

When I broke my wrist last year, there was a long descriptive paragraph came back from Radiology that the Dr sensibly translated at the time as 'nasty'.  But with good hospital treatment, and lots of hard work from a wonderful physio, my hand is pretty functional again. Surprisingly, what has taken longer than I expected, was getting my confidence back with certain physical activities. My brain has kept on wanting to protect my arm from further injury...

However, today was the day for me to get over another one of those heebeegeebee moments and head up onto the Manawatu Gorge track. I walked this track lots early in 2008, when I was preparing to walk the Camino. (From road level, you climb up onto a ridge, so that is good aerobic exercise.) There are new signs along the track now, so now I know it is 10.1km long- I never realised it was quite that far. I seldom walk the whole track in any case, as it isn't a loop. Usually I walk in for 1, 2 or 3 hours, then out again.


I had my camera with me, since I am doing the 365 challenge this year where I take a photo each day. And I had been thinking it might be time I added another landscape photo into the mix... but as it turned out, I got quite distracted by the fungi along the way.


Even these dying ones look rather beautiful.


Today I only intended to walk to a certain log that is my 'one hour' marker. It took me one and a quarter hours. I don't think I was walking more slowly than normal- I think it was all the 'photo opportunities' I kept taking...

This is the view down from the first lookout, to the White Horse Rapids below. (I never knew they were called that before- but they have new signs up along the track now, so now I know!)

I have never before seen as many drupes, mainly from tawa, as I saw today. There is a lot of work being done in this area to restore biodiversity, and getting rid of possums and other predators is one of the strategies being used. Maybe that is part of the reason for the abundance of fruit.

In places, there are quite a few tree ferns along the track, a part of our native bush I love.


And there were many tawa standing along the way, tall and straight. 

I so much enjoyed being back in the bush today, and won't leave it too long before I head up there for a longer walk. I have to say, as I am just 'getting back into it', my body gave me a wonderful buzz of endorphins today as well, with the steady climbing. Two incentives to get back there!

14 comments:

  1. It looks just beautiful, there in the bush. That path in the bottom pic looks very inviting! Good the confidence has returned.

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  2. Yes that path is the flat bit when you get up to the top of the main ridge line...though there is still a bit of up and downing along the way.

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  3. Wonderful to see you out and about Kiwi! Beautiful tree fern, I used to love them!

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  4. Yes, and last year when I did my flora paper I could have told you the Latin names straight off.... I won't try now in case I get the species muddled!!

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  5. Oh Kiwi, they are such wonderful photos and such a beautiful place to walk. I love the fungi. Are 'drupes' plums of some description? I seem to remember that drupe is another name for plum, but they look like olives. Do olives grow in NZ?

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  6. Very very nice! Makes me look forward to our warm season while being sorry for you that that will be your cold season!

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  7. Ahhh but Ted...our coldest days where I live are nowhere near as cold as yours. I might spy snow on those hills once or twice a winter, but not near my house. Our coldest days might be around 40F...but not too many are as bad as that, and we moan heartily when they arrive! We have no concept of digging out paths to the road, or digging out the car.

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  8. Lorenzo, Plums are drupes- basically it's a term for a fleshy fruit around a hard 'shell' that has the seed inside. The tawa drupes do look a bit like olives, but they are skinnier. Olives are not native to New Zealand, but some people have planted them. My former elderly neighbour had planted one that grew absolutely huge, but I don't think she got much fruit off it. There are people here who are pressing oil off them I think, but not in this area.

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  9. Margaret, what wonderful pictures! You really have developed quite the knack for taking pictures that are very descriptive. I love the fern tree, we have nothing like that, ground fern maybe 3 ft high but that's it.

    If and when I get to your end of the world, I would love to walk that gorge with you. Count your lucky stars you don't have to dig out in the winter!

    Michèle (Ottawa) Canada

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  10. Michèle, I really think one of the benefits of the 365 project is that my photos are improving. Getting the camera out every day, instead of every once in a while, means I am learning things and trying new things out. Yes, if you get here, you will be forced to walk the Gorge track, and you can see the tree fern, plus there are lots of nikau palms up there as well, and they are beautiful.

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  11. I think the camera will be a project next year. This year I am learning to play bridge! Not sure it is a great idea but figure I need to prepare for the old folks home.

    In the meantime, I am still dreaming of getting to NZ.

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  12. Michèle, ma belle, what can I say to that!! And may your dreams come true...

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  13. Margaret, I'm so glad your arm is feeling better, and that you're getting your confidence back to walk the steeper roads. The photo of White Horse Rapids is stunning! I must go to New Zealand sometime - so many photo opportunities. =)

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  14. Lots of very varied photo opportunities Hilda! It has taken me a long time to walk on slightly rugged terrain. That's why I was amazed you were able to walk some of the Camino so soon after your own broken arm!

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