The Road to Stratford Early November, 2010
A 10 day tour
around Taranaki was not enough for some of our members. Oh NO!!
It made a lot of sense to them to ride down there. And, of course, going down the
Main Road
was a definite NO NO! Only the picturesque road paralleling the West Coast
south from
Port Waikato would do.
Lyn and Neale getting ready to catch the ferry at Northcote.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
At Britomart they were joined by Bryan for the trip to Pukekohe.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Meanwhile Donald
and Margaret have been making their way south from Port Waikato.
Lovely Limestone Downs south of Port Waikato. You can see the line of the road,
above the
bluffs at the left, as it winds its way to the valley floor and then disappears around the
bend
on the right.
Photo: Margaret
A bashful Mt Karioi (maybe it has learned something from Mt Taranaki) seen from Raglan.
Photo: Margaret
Rocky cliffs alongside Whaanga Road
Photo: Margaret
Headland at the northern end of Ruapuke Beach.
Photo: Margaret
JB and Steve join the party near Kawhia.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Kawhia CBD.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Stream running in to Kawhia Harbour near Oparau.
Photo: Margaret
Limestone outcrops on Harbour Road, which skirts the Kawhia Harbour.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
"If you want to get to Marokopa, you'll have to pass me. Are you game??"
Photo: Margaret
We will assume that, as the photos kept coming, an amicable arrangement was made with the bull.
Climbing up, up and away from Marokopa.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
This tunnel was
made at the northern end of Waikawau Beach to get livestock,
that had been driven along the beach, up to the nearest road.
Photo: Margaret
A few days later a
local was telling me about a farmer who lost about 250 head of
sheep because they refused to go in to the tunnel.
History Lesson:
The
Waikawau Beach Tunnel was formed by three men using just a pick and shovel. It was
finished on 19th October, 1911 and opened a beach route for stock to reach the 4,000
hectare Nukuhakare Station. It was built wide enough for the largest horned beast and high
enough to accommodate a tall horseman.
Looking north from the tunnel entrance.
Photo: Margaret
Mokau sunset with Taranaki sitting regally on the horizon.
Photo: Margaret
..........and as the sun sinks slowly in the west........
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Mt Messenger Tunnel
Photo: Margaret
Mt Messenger Mirror
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Cliffs at the northern end of Onaero Beach.
Photo: Margaret
South end of Onaero Beach.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Bryan departs the Otaraoa Road Tunnel.
Photo: Lyn or Neale
Stratford, with its Glockenspiel.
Photo: Margaret
Stratford's glockenspiel is unique in New Zealand.
The glockenspiel plays a scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet four times daily (at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 7pm) with figures made by the curator of the Tawhiti Museum, Nigel Ogle.
The glockenspiel performs for approximately 5 minutes, after the hour
chimes are finished.
We strolled through King Edward Park on our way from the Camp to the RSA
for our meal.
There was a beautiful display of azaleas and rhododendrons.
Photo: Caroll
Photo: Caroll
The time in Auckland, New Zealand is
Want to tell the Webmaster something?
