Got up this morning and I ached in all my body from playing golf yesterday. We took Totty out for a walk after breakfast and then came back and made a picnic.
We set off at 10.30 and stopped for coffee at the Kaimai Cafe on the way - not the best muffin I have ever had.
We arrived at Wairere Falls at 12.00 but as the camera time has not been changed all the photos are an hour out.
As we set off along the path Jon pointed a furry lump draped over a rock just after the start of the path!!! Then we heard a voice come out of the bushes nearby saying we are hiding from our grandchildren! This woman had dressed as a bear and was waiting to frighten her grandchildren as they came down from the falls. I would have liked to stay and see what happened but there was no sign of them so we carried on. It was about ten minutes before we saw a family on the way down so the 'bear' would have had quite a wait in the heat!!
The first part of the track is quite easy mainly over and around lots of boulders but as we have had so much rain it was rather muddy. We got to the first lookout in about 40 minutes. We were looking up at the top and I said to Jon that it looked very high and surely we were not going to go all that way up???????
The next bit was really rough and hard going mainly due to mud and how steep it was. At one point thought I was going to die, my heart was racing so fast. We got to a sign saying summit but some idiot had rubbed out how far it was so we just kept going. I was never so glad to see flat land. However, it was well worth it. The track opens out onto a river which has lots of stones in it but no boulders and is quite calm. When you walk along the track it comes to the edge of the falls and a lookout and the view is wonderful right out across the plain. After some photos we went back along the track and found some nice rocks to sit on and had our well earned picnic and we were so ready for it.
After lunch I thought we ought to go and have another look at the edge as there is NO WAY I will ever be up there again!
I had counted some the wooden steps on the way up 194 wooden and so on the way down I counted the log roll steps and got to 384 log give or take one or two. If I did ever go again I would have to count the boulders and tree root steps!!!
We made our way down which was not so hard but very tiring on the thigh muscles and I was ready for the loo when we got back to the car park. I would be very nervous if I had a child that wanted to use them as there was a toilet and seat but the wee seemed to make a big echo as you did it and it sounded so far away!!! I have since been told they are called a long drop!!!
I was glad we did it but so glad to get back to the car and drive home for a nice cup of tea. We then went out to walk Totty so painful!
I am glad to say dinner was easy, just beef and salad.
Bed was very welcome!
WEATHER
Sunny clear skies, a few fluffy clouds in the afternoon but very warm. 18 degrees
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