a walk above and below Te Aroha

No, not a flying saucer landed, but a building...after being built it was found to be partly on Maori land.....so to keep it, it is now an Eco study centre.

This is how big a Gum tree should be!

The old fire station-note the old bell on the right!  They use this and the new one too (out of shot on the right)

the walk up to the cafe on the Domain (= public park in NZ)

Erm....looking UP.......

Nice gravelly paths to start with.....

following The Pirate, going up.....

and up even more, with sets of steps.....

and getting narrower and rougher, between huge trees.....at one point I'd had enough, but was persuaded to carry on by two farmers- dressed in singlet, shorts and gumboots (and on the way to milking after a walk) who said it was only 5 minutes to the viewing platform.....15 minutes walking along a narrow zig-zag path with rocks and roots, and a steep drop on one side....

looking down to the Waihou river and Te Aroha racecourse
and a few minutes further....

Just what I needed to instill confidence!!

Yes, 335 metres....only 600 to the top.....

A good view over Te Aroha town and the Wetlands reserve.

The walk down was better, I still wasn't 100% happy- I'd sweated buckets on the way up!   We came down past a Kauri tree..these used to be all over New Zealand, now they are protected, and items can only be made from re-cycled Kauri wood.

Then we were down by the geyser....

The only natural soda water source in the world....I think we were there too near 2pm.....

I felt a bit tired by then too!

Somehow I think I'll be staying down in Te Aroha the town, rather than going up Te Aroha the mountain!!  We'll have to find another for us, not QUITE as steep/sheer going!  The Pirate walked up there four years ago, and would love to take me all the way to the top, to see both sides of the Island...but I'm not sure if I could manage another 90 minutes or more going up.....