Up to Pipiriki

Today was our river road tour. Another fairly late start saw us meandering up the road - lots of stops on the way. We walked for an hour up to a viewpoint. Disappointingly not through a lot of native bush. About half way up we joined a track which was possibly made for vehicles when they were exploring the possibility of creating a hydro power dam which never eventuated.  It was the first hot day we've had and we were prepared for cold - no sunblock and  only one bottle of H2O. Tuis sang, bees buzzed around the flowering manuka. Way below were the hives. Real manuka honey in the making flavoured with dandelions and gorse. The view was ok - but not as spectacular as we had seen along the road. From the top the river was hidden, but lots of manuka and pongas intermingled with more gorse made for a pretty scene.

We had lunch at a park beside the road. Sheltered and with a slight fragrance of compost in the air. We didn't stay long. Next stop was the culvert created during the building of the road. Rather pretty. The road wound it's way  around using the same contours as the river. Each bridge hid a narrow and deep cataract gorge, water running below but often hidden by the bush.

Then there were the maraes. Quite a number, beautifully renovated and welcoming. 

Jerusalem was our next stop. Little catholic church perched on the hill. Inside a blend of Catholicism with Maori culture. Outside the Virgin  Mary surrounded by plum trees and hydrangeas. Harry had a snooze in the car and I enjoyed a read in the shade and an explore of the school and orphanage - home to Sister Suzanne Aubert and somewhere close by James K Baxter lived in his commune.

Then on to Pipiriki - the end of the line. Harry had memories as a teenager arriving here  from his kayaking trip down the river. We came to the end of the road and instead of finding a landing spot we came across over flowing waste management containers and rusty whiteware - a reminder that humans can destroy anywhere even when it is remote and beautiful.

Last stop before a fish and chip dinner was the oyster cliffs - fossilized oysters who once lived in the sea now occupy the crumbling sandstone cliffs.