Hamilton River Cycle

By chance we re-met the other two who were cycling from the Hamilton Gardens to Ngaruawahia and back. We all cycled for a while along one bank of the river before the three of us left them to continue. We crossed a bridge to the other bank where we had coffee....

Coffee stop. Then back along the riverside...

to Hamilton Gardens. A leasurely morning ride.

 

A more watery day

Three of us visited Te Aroha on a cloudy day. First we went around the wetlands where we saw ducks and swans...

and a piano beneath the trees.

It was a bit English with the exotic (non-native) trees.

Te Aroha's Domain is Edwardian and always pretty despite the grey skies.

We checked out the hot pools...

...including the recently renovated bath house number 2. These are mineral pools and good for the skin. Also a relaxing change from all our walking and cycling. 

Waihi and Waihi Beach

We walked around the edge of the Martha open cast mine in Waihi...

The dot on the skyline is the Cornish Pumphouse from the far side of the big hole.

The pumphouse.

The little town has a great cafe and interesting sculptures relating to the town's history.

Allister found a friend. From rocks to phones.

The old Rob Roy pub.

In the afternoon we walked from Waihi Beach, through clifftop bush to Orokawa Bay.

Then it was back to the waterfront cafe for cocktails and dinner.

 

Karangahake Gorge Cycle Ride

Here's four of the Famous Five setting off to cycle from Waihi to Karangahake.

Through farmland near the river...

over bridges...

to the Victoria Battery. This was an old gold mining area and this stamper battery was the centre of an industry employing 200 men. Little remains of the industry or the village.

Owharoa Falls, a minute up a side road were worth checking out.

Allister, Elaine and me.

At Karangahake we locked up the bikes and walked to the 'windows' tunnel. 

View from a window in the tunnel to the track we were just on.

We retraced our journey back to Waikino, where we had lunch in the old station building, now a cafe...

...before boarding the restored train back to Waihi. (There's a bike wagon attached.)

On the train.

We found a great restaurant at Waihi Beach, right on the beach. (The waves were back to normal.)

You can't tell in the photo but the moon was pink as it rose.

 

Waihi Beach

Waihi Beach - not by bus but staying in an airbnb with friends. We went down to look at the big waves that resulted from the eruption in Tonga and Cyclone Cody.

 

The dunes at North Head

We parked by the wharf at Opononi in good time for the 10.00 water taxi across the harbour. We wanted to explore the dunes at North Head.

The dunes led steeply up...

...looking back up the harbour.

Malcolm stands on some rock like lumps at the top of the dunes.

We sat and had a snack here overlooking the ocean.

On the way up some areas of soft sand were burning hot

me wandering around at the top of the dunes.

We cooled our feet off back in the harbour as we waited for the boat. Back in Opononi we had lunch before hitting the road for home.