Waiohine Gorge
Yesterday I ran and jumped off of a mountain into an air current with my arm around a Swedish man -- also known as hang gliding, and it was a BLAST! They say you feel like you're flying when you go skydiving, and when I went in Australia, I will say that I felt "lift" when I outstretched my arms at 200km/h, but hang gliding... wow... it's really like being a bird as you catch the wind and truly soar! I loved it! Spectacular scenery, of course, but you'll have to wait in the wings for the post showing that. :) For now, here is some more Wairarapa scenery.
The Waiohine Gorge is another trailhead that leads into the Tararua Forest Park. When I went there, it was later in the day and I had actually just intended to go to a small nature reserve on the edge of the nearby town of Carterton, but I couldn't find where I was supposed to turn to get there, so I kept driving and thought I'd poke in at the gorge when I saw that sign for it.
A tree-shrouded road, to give you a break from tree-shrouded path pictures, haha!
It was already getting dusky as I started out on a walk, so I just went about half an hour in and turned around so I wouldn't end up hiking in the dark. The famous attraction of the gorge is one of New Zealand's longest swing bridges and that's right at the start, so at least I got to see that! I kind of feel silly for being excited about that narrow swing bridge in the Coromandel, because it was teeny compared to this one! They were both only a foot wide, but this one was so long you almost couldn't see the end, and it was WAY higher. :p
See the little waterfall on the right?
Crazy tree with roots going up its side or something...
As I said, I didn't make it far, so here's another bridge picture as filler. :p
A different angle of that little waterfall.
The road out to the gorge is about 15km from the main road, and narrow,
winding, unsealed, and complete with steep drop-offs for the last bit.
The Waiohine Gorge is another trailhead that leads into the Tararua Forest Park. When I went there, it was later in the day and I had actually just intended to go to a small nature reserve on the edge of the nearby town of Carterton, but I couldn't find where I was supposed to turn to get there, so I kept driving and thought I'd poke in at the gorge when I saw that sign for it.
A tree-shrouded road, to give you a break from tree-shrouded path pictures, haha!
It was already getting dusky as I started out on a walk, so I just went about half an hour in and turned around so I wouldn't end up hiking in the dark. The famous attraction of the gorge is one of New Zealand's longest swing bridges and that's right at the start, so at least I got to see that! I kind of feel silly for being excited about that narrow swing bridge in the Coromandel, because it was teeny compared to this one! They were both only a foot wide, but this one was so long you almost couldn't see the end, and it was WAY higher. :p
See the little waterfall on the right?
Crazy tree with roots going up its side or something...
As I said, I didn't make it far, so here's another bridge picture as filler. :p
A different angle of that little waterfall.
The road out to the gorge is about 15km from the main road, and narrow,
winding, unsealed, and complete with steep drop-offs for the last bit.