3 May 2007

Hātea River Walk

page 4

Most of the nikau we've encountered has been relatively young, but here and there are some biggies.

Here and there along the bank a paler moss stands out.

The track is becoming just a little more relaxed along here.

We reach the main bridge to Mair Park, to the right, another fork heads uphill, and the straight ahead branch continues along the river.

Here's a shot from just past the bridge.

Downhill, echoes of the Avon are obvious.

On our side of the river, it's a bit gloomier.

but it picks up further along

It's a very different river now than the one we began the walk with.

Besides ducks there are a variety of seabirds.

Whatever happened to visitors books?

We're obviously not far from civilisation, and sure enough

We're out in the open now, with suburbia not far off at all.

Up a hill

The track is tending towards scruffy as we leave the bush and enter a kind of transition zone.

The last few hundred metres are close up beside neighbouring houses

and we head out to join the road

It's beginning to rain as though it might just set in, and we cover the camera and head smartly back to the van along the route we've just walked.

There's a towel, a dog towel, and a thermos of coffee and some chocolate biscuits in the van, and dry clothes, and I'm ready for them. But a lovely walk and one I'll gladly return to.