Akatarawa Forest

Heading into the unknown ;-)

The Saturday left quite a bit to desire when it comes to exercise and healthy living, as I was quite
careful with the amount of walking I was doing after the kickboxing, but also after spending a late night at Will and Helen's place.

Not to say that I didn't enjoy both very much, but it didn't get me much fitter ;-)

So on Sunday, I decided to try out another park, namely the Akatarawa Reserve some 45 minutes north of Wellington, close to Upper Hutt.

I left way to late, but I was in no hurry to get home early, so it was a relaxed trip.

I think they are some kind of
giant ferns...

The Akatarawa Forest is interestingly enough a so called motorised recreational area. That means that the tracks are classified for tramping, cycling, motorcycle or quads.

I picked a path that was for all of that, so I had to step aside from time to time when people or indeed whole families came pottering on all sorts of vehicles.

It's so refreshing with this relaxed attitude to recreation.

The track started off at the same level as the Hutt River and then climbed up along a mountainside to at least 150-200 meters up and then back down again.

The vegetation and scenery us just absolutely beautiful with a mix of well known bird song mixed up with seriously exotic ones.

What can I say - it's just marvellous!