Today I left Wellington and headed back out into the countryside on my way to New Plymouth, which actually is quite like the old Plymouth, but a bit smaller. The North Island is very different to the South, more gentle rolling hills and smug livestock than dramatic mountains, but is very pretty and reminds me a lot more of home. There are A LOT of cows, which is surprising as NZ cheese is rubbish. Anyway, I arrived in New Plymouth after a five-hour drive and settled in at the cute little Sunflower hostel, which affords fantastic views of Mount Taranaki, the imposing, snow-capped volcano that dominates the region, and which I have a big date with tomorrow…
Tuesday 3rd November
So today I climbed mount Taranaki, not quite to the top, but as far as the snowy bit. I can say for certain it is the most challenging hike I’ve ever done, but totally worth it. Not only was it incredibly steep, but the paths were narrow in places and littered with volcanic rocks, and as I approached the clouds the visibility was quite poor. But further up the mountainside offered panoramic views of, what felt like, half the North Island, and once through the canopy of clouds I could look down on them swirling over the many peaks of Egmont park and the volcano's craggy sides. It took me five hours to walk up and then down again to the visitors centre, which is located about one third of the way up. After lunch I decided to hike further down the mountain into the cloud forests. This hike wasn’t quite so steep, but oh so beautiful. The cloud forests are like a set from a Tim Burton film, with blue skies peeping through twisted, moss-covered branches, vines and tree roots… I half expected some goblin in stripy stockings to jump out and ask me three riddles… or maybe that was just lack of oxygen from the altitude.
My shuttle driver Ian picked me up at 4.30pm, almost literally as I could barely move by that point, and asked me how I got on. I told him that I got as far as the transmitter on the summit. ’You did well’ he said casually, ’that’s the most dangerous trail in New Zealand, we lose about six hikers a year doing that trail, a few ex-army…’ nice of him to tell me all this AFTERWARDS. Oh well, I’m alive, and even more smug now.
Wednesday 4th November
Ow. Feeling the effects of yesterday’s climb I still had to force myself onwards, this time to Hamilton. I had some time to kill in the morning first, so went for a gentle wander around Pukekura Park. This pretty town park has a boating lake, flower gardens, a waterwheel and waterfall, and made for a very pleasant stroll, especially as the weather has turned gorgeous again. Then it was on with my pack and on the bus.
I got to Hamilton around six and soon found my lovely little boarding house. Hamilton is a very pretty city, with a huge river running through it, dotted with high bridges and lined with little parks. I’ve never seen so many joggers in my life. Again, it reminds me a lot of home, and with the weather now a lot more settled I can see it’s going to be a nice place to relax for a few days and rest my bones after my mountain climb.
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