International Green Space Award Winner

Five times!  Once again I am flummoxed by how many diverse, inconsequential and esoteric awards there are on the planet.  But more on who won that coveted award (five times) in a second.

 

This morning we rose in the WONDERFUL and MUCH LOVED and NOT HATED AT ALL North Palmerston.  Checked-out by 10, were on the road towards the east coast promptly.  Initially, the highway rises over a small mountain range, top speed 60, most corners 30 to 45 max, wind generators across the ridges.

Then, as we descended, Highway 2 had a detour, and we ended up on a rural route for about 20 kms; nothing but cattle, sheep, sheep, cattle, and the fields where sheep and cattle call home.

About an hour in we wound up back on Highway 2 which we took east until well past 11 when we pulled into Norsewood, a rural village which was basically a café, an information post, and a garage museum.

Back on the highway, we turned into Hastings just past lunch hour.  After a wander, we took a fabulous fresh salad lunch at a deli off the main drag (including a lamington, it’s obligatory, they ask you when you leave the country where and when you had your lamington and if you can’t prove you’ve eaten at least one New Zealand baked lamington, not a packaged Aussie fraud, you’re denied security clearance), then drove into Havelock North where we’ll be parked for the next four nights.  HN is to Hastings a bit what West Van is to Burnaby; a little chi-chi, twee and upmarket-y.  We had a poke about.

By the time it hit two we checked into our AirBnB for four nights.  This is something of a gem, a small architectural feat by Pete Bossley (who is an admirer of the late John Scott, link here, who was English, Irish, Scottish and Maori, and who built two homes for the owners, one in 1967, the other more recently).  Our place is called The Pavilion.  That’s like a Royale with Cheese I’d say…

After we’d sorted ourselves we headed back out.  It was a gorgeous afternoon, low 20s, cloudless, zero humidity.  We headed up to the Te Mata park, a large green-space with hiking trails, cycling trails, paragliding opps, and absolutely over-the top viewpoints.

 

We started with an hour or so hike to the Big Redwoods, old stands of conifers dating back a century or so.

After our hike we drove the final two clicks to the peak; the drive was harrowing, I repeat harrowing, a single lane dual-carriageway road with a precipitous drop-off along treeless bluffs.  Te Mata is, as referenced above, a five time winner of the International Green Flag Award.  Quick: Name three other winners.  Shrek maybe?  Dunno.

Back at the pavilion, I took a swim (water not heated!) which was refreshing after the hike.  Then we headed out to dinner.  The property backs onto a river, and a path leads from the yard down to the river and the river path to “town” is about 10 or 15 minutes (half the time of driving).

We took dinner at Mary’s, the “less expensive” outpost for Craggy Range winery (on site at the winery?  Three courses $95, wines to match $95, accommodation: starting at $750 night) in Havelock North.  It was Vancouver-like to be able to walk to and from dinner.  The food, however, seemed a little exaggerated in description for what was plated, but it was a lively evening out nonetheless. 

 

And, bonus today, if all the pictures weren’t enough, here’s a mountain top video Stephen took.