Tree with epiphytes near Rivendell.
As mentioned we had escaped from Wellington and the Huts (Upper and Lower) to get out into nature again. Spending time in the city is always good fun, but after a day it is really enough. Driving towrds Kakariki Mountain we stopped and hiked at one of the many places around Wellington that served as a backdrop for Peter Jackson’s LOTR thrilogy. The weather was beautiful, the blue sky being mirrored in the cold waters.
Our hike, Rivendell and the Shire as seen by winged Nazgul.
Melli and Lorni trying to catch up with me while hiking up a mountain đ
At first the hike ascended along a stream, leading up the steep slope of a mountain side. Trees and forest floor were covered in ferns, that we documented in picture for the maybe never to be released „Ferns of New Zealand“ gallery. One fern in particular cought our attention because of its unusual form. It turned out to be a kidney fern (Trichomanes reniforme), another New Zealand endemic species. And Melli got some good macro shots of the sori on the outside of the ferns leafs that she uploaded on her homepage among many other new pics.
Trichomones reniforme, a strange looking fern.
On our way back we took the scenic route along the river bed, here are a few happy hiker pictures with the according comments. Oh and I managed to drop my cameras USM objective down a ledge, but alas, it still works… That’s what I call quality (or as others put it „stupidity“).
In some to us seemingly primitive societies it is customary that if one drops ones Canon 330mm USM Camera Lense down a ridge one is made to sit on a gravel beach with a pair of trousers on the head, even if the camera is ok!
Sometimes the best one can do is sit on a rock in the middle of a cold mountain stream, enjoy the sunlight and watch it’s reflection on the surface as the river rolls by. Actually this is always a fine choice of what to do.
One of the many hidden dangers the unprepared tourist encounters while hiking down a river bed in New Zealand is the danger of getting ones pants wet. Another high risk factor is ducks, but fortunately none where around while this picture was taken.
Leaving Rivendell, we drove past organic blueberries (and even better organic blueberry milk shakes) to the Kapiti coast were we had arranged a date with a Weka, next.