Category: Photo Challenge

Challenges from the Wordpress Community

Hills Road Walk

I have still got a few posts left in me about my travels at the end of last year – feels odd writing that as I haven’t yet acclimatised to being back in the UK. I keep expecting to see my grandson having breakfast, or being able to go for a walk along a beach. Sigh!

One reason for visiting New Zealand was to meet my son’s partner’s family and in particular, her parents who live in the delightful surfing town of Raglan on the black sands of the west coast of the South Island, about 2 hours south of Auckland. This is the Waikato region; a landscape formed by volcanoes creating a lush, fertile green pastoral heaven. It is no wonder that Peter Jackson picked this region for the home of the Hobbits (Matamata).

Raglan is overlooked by Mount Karioi in the Pirongia forest park, an extinct volcano. Although it would have been amazing to trek into the forest and among the Podocarps, such as rimu and totara which are found at lower altitudes, along with tawa and tree-ferns, the weather was against us, being too wet a lot of the time. I did manage a short walk along Hills Road, where the ‘in-laws’ live, with views towards Mount Karioi and Whaingaroa Harbour. Join me on this walk and enjoy the wonderful views all around in this picturesque part of the country.

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Mount Karioi in the background
Whaingaroa Harbour
Tui Bird
Wild flowers
Whaingaroa Harbour
Wild Daisies
Wild Daisies
Hills Rd
Hills Rd
Wild flowers
Hills Rd
Dairy Cattle
Daisies
Unusual mailbox

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If you enjoy a walk, short or long, then you may enjoy visiting Jo’s Monday Walk where you are in for a treat.

Bench series #1

For some time now I have been photographing benches when I come across them. I like benches. I especially like them when they are placed in a convenient position, like half way up a hill, or on the top of a cliff, preferably with a view. Some benches have plaques, some have slats, some are made of wood, some are good (to sit on). So for the next year, as a new feature, I am going to post a photo of a bench/seat each week. So you can take the weight of your feet and relax and breathe…

This one comes with a lovely view of the garden.

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Lutyens Seat in Abbotsbury Sub-tropical Garden (Dorset)