Monday, January 4, 2010

Having a Staycation..........

We've been making the most of the beautiful sunny summer weather, and enjoying some quality family time around Whangamata. Last Sunday we went for a 3 hour walk up "Parakawhai" one of the valleys just south of our town.

The walk takes you along a stream and through old gold mining tracks and of course beautiful New Zealand native bush. This is one of the waterfalls that you are rewarded with at the top of the track. There are 2 other waterfalls flowing from pool to pool.


This swing bridge has recently been completed and crosses over the larger waterfalls. You can see my husband holding on to the sides of the bridge as Caitlin had decided to jump up and down just to make the bridge swing..... as you do when you're 10 years old!


We stopped on the other side of the bridge for a picnic lunch, sitting on quite a large rock that we thought was safe until we looked back to where it was and saw that it was jutting out from the pathway and most of it was over hanging above the stream below.

 
At the beginning of the track there are numerous waterholes to swim in and some are deep enough to dive into. We promised the girls we will come back soon just to go for a swim. We forget that these activities are right on our doorstep and it was good to remind ourselves how lucky we are living here with so many outdoor activities to enjoy.

2 comments:

Needled Mom said...

It looks and sounds like a fabulous place to visit. I love the swing bridge.

Rafael's Mum said...

What a fantastic outing! Thanks so much for sharing the pics with us! Glad too the overhang was strong enough.... eeeeek...... Beautiful surroundings!

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