Tag: Wairarapa

Exploring Patuna Chasm

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Wellington Region5 Comments

This particular Sunday morning started even earlier than on a work day. Our alarm sounds at 6:15 and by 6:50am we are out the door. The day hasn’t woken yet, it’s still quite dark and the birds are only just starting their dawn chorus. As we head along the motorway we start to see a dash of blush, peeking out from behind the hills. A little early morning mist clings to the land. We are watching the day wake up and it’s beautiful.

Today we are doing a walk at Patuna Chasm. It’s been on my bucket list for about 3 years. Finally we are doing it. Patuna Chasm is in the Wairarapa on private land so you have to book, and it’s popular. It’s also only open over the warmer months of the year, which is why it has taken us so long to do this.

We are on the first walk this morning, departing at 8:30am and are joined by my mother & father in law. We arrive and get ready, it’s a wet walk, some of it being through a river, so we change our clothes and shoes into ones we are happy to get wet and I make sure my phone is in a snap lock bag. Before beginning the walk we read through the safety signs. It mentions that in some parts the river is 1m deep and more. I knew it was a wet walk, but I didn’t realises it was that deep. This is going to be fun. And cold.

We depart punctually at 8:30am on the back of a trailer fitted with chairs. The seats are all wet, probably from the dew last night and I have a very wet bottom before we even enter the water. It’s a bumpy drive out to the start of the walk. I am fortunate not to suffer from motion sickness and actually really enjoy this type of travel. Our driver manages to navigate some pretty tight bends and after about 20 minutes we arrive at the start of the walk. After a bit of a safety briefing we are off.

Around 16 – 18 people are in this group, but we pretty quickly all find our own pace and spread out. The first part of the walk is through native bush. When I picture native bush, this isn’t what I imagine, it’s quite scrubby, but native bush is exactly what it is – manuka, kawakawa and ferns. The bush is peaceful, void of city noises. I can hear cicadas, magpies, running water and the odd bleat from some sheep.

The first part of the track is quite muddy and slippery. I take care not to fall over, while Daniel goes out of his way to slide in it, doing some mud surfing. The track then leads into a steep incline. I am actually surprised how well I manage it. I’m not huffing and puffing to the same extent as usual when I reach the top. We walk along the ridge for a bit before coming to a huge limestone rock that has it’s centre worn away. It looks like a big wave and is very impressive. The rock is smooth and super fascinating, a great place to get some photos.

A little further on and we begin to descend into the chasm. There is a rope to help us abseil down the bank.

When we get closer to the river I notice an old fossilised shell embedded into the rock. I find it fascinating at how much detail is in it and thinking about how many thousands, millions of years it might have been there.

It’s now time to enter the water. The wet part of the walk has begun. The first moment it feels freezing and I wonder how I am going to manage walking in this cold water, waist deep, but after a minute or so it doesn’t feel so bad (probably because I have gone a bit numb.) We walk up the river going slowly, navigating the rocks, some of which are quite slippery. Taking small steps is key. We see the huge rocks of the chasm, washed smoothed, shaped by the flow of water over many years. The rock face in some areas is engulfed in vibrant green moss with water droplets glistening in the light. It is simply beautiful.

It’s not too long before we approach a waterfall. Water pouring down over the rock face and moss in tiers, fanning out into the pool below. The photos don’t do it justice. My mother in law offers to take some photos of me next to the waterfall so I head out, but next minute, without even thinking, I just go and stand right under it. The water is very fresh, but so magical. And I just stand there, getting completely drenched under a spray of cool water.

I feel very alive after that and we carry on with our walk. This time we are going back down the river, towards where we first entered the water and then carry on past it to do the rest of the walk. For most of the walk, the water is below my knee, but one part gets very deep. The rest of my group decide to get out of the water and find a way around the side, but you know me, I just swim through it. I am totally soaked, from the neck down, but I’m loving it. We get one beautiful, precious life and I find moments like this, getting wet, taking the ‘road less traveled’ is what makes life so sweet for me.

We are lucky to have such a perfect weather day. There is no wind and in the patches where the sun manages to break through into the chasm, it’s quite warm. I imagine it could be a very cold walk on some days. We then approach the part of the walk where it starts to close in and get dark. We were told by our guide at the start that it would, and he assured us it was the right way. Just as we start to enter it, there is a big hole in the rock above and light floods in. It’s so bright it kind of hurts my eyes. I also find that the darkness of the chasm and the brightness from above intensifies the colours of the forest canopy. There are so many different vibrant shades of green.

Further in, there is a spot where the only light is coming from some cracks in the rocks above. This is such a unique experience and quite an adventure.

We finally make it to the end of the walk and climb out. We need to walk along the river bank for a while before heading up to the collection point. But there is also an optional swim add on, it brings you out further up the river and then you just walk back along the farmland to the collection point. No one in my group wanted to do this so I begin following them on land, but looking down at the group that has decided to do the add on swim, I just keep thinking, I’m missing out. And so, I join them.

Most of this last part is in water below my knee and we walk through another little cave. This one has some pigeons in it and their soft cooing is echoed around inside. Beautiful. The last part of the walk is where you have to swim. Well, you can walk, it was probably up to my shoulders, but I chose to swim, and it was excellent. I’m glad I listened to my gut that said, go do the swim.

Back at the collection point I enjoy the warmth of the sun on my skin and wet clothes while we wait to be picked up. The drive on the back of the trailer is cold. The combination of wind and wet clothes is chilly, but I remind myself, it’s only temporary and once back at the car park I am in warm dry clothes in no time.

We then make our way to Featherston for one of the biggest burgers I have had from Vixen. Delicious. And it certainly satisfies the hunger created on this walk. Their fries are pretty good too.

Its a challenging walk, the rocks were quite slippery in places and the water deep at times, but if you take it slowly and absorb your surroundings, I am sure you will see it for the adventure it is. You will spend the majority of the walk in the water, I timed about 50 minutes on land and about 1 3/4 hours in the river.

Exploring Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn North Island, Wellington RegionLeave a comment

I don’t know about you, but I have quite a long bucket list of places I want to visit and experiences I want to have in New Zealand and abroad. Some, like a weekend at Lakestone lodge, come with a rather large price ticket attached. Others can be enjoyed for free.

The Pinnacles Track is a walk in the Wairarapa that I have been wanting to do for some time. It featured in Peter Jackson’s LOTR – Return of the King film as The Path to the Dead. Whether you are a LOTR fan or not, this is an excellent walk and a great place to explore.

Let me set the scene; It is Matariki (Maori New Year, the first year this has been a public holiday here) and Daniel and I have decided to take the opportunity to go exploring. It’s a cold day, but the sun is trying to break through the clouds as we make the 1.5 hour drive to the reserve. I do love winter. Especially on a calm, still day. The soft blue hues of winter skies and cool mist hugging the bare trees, it’s quiet and peaceful. It’s a scenic drive, and even if we weren’t going for the walk, it would have been a nice day out.

We arrive late in the morning and I am quite surprised by the number of cars that are here. For a walk that is so remote, it seems pretty popular. We set out along the trail, if you can really call it that. You can’t really get lost (and that’s saying a lot coming from me) but the track is more just walking along the river stones, following the stream. It gets a bit muddy in parts and several times we have to cross the river, jumping across stones. (Flash back to our Abel Tasman Walk earlier in the year where I pulled a muscle in my leg from jumping over stones) Needless to say, I take a lot of care doing this. No injuries this time, and I stay dry. Good job!

The first half of the walk is flat, easy walking, following the river. Toi Toi and flax grow alongside the river and the surrounding hills are green with vegetation.

And then the landscape changes. We leave the river and the green hills behind us. This will be hard, I can see the incline goes on for sometime. I try to pace myself and watch my footing. We are walking on a mix of stones, gravel and shingle. And then Daniel calls out “Frog”. I look over to where he is pointing and just above his foot is a little green frog. I think it’s the first time I have seen a frog in the wild. It just sits there, its little webbed feet clinging onto its rock, not really bothered by us.

While part of me would like to hang out here for a while and continue watching the frog, I know I need to keep moving before I lose my momentum.

This is the first time since leaving the river that I have really looked up. We are in a fairly narrow channel, surrounded by tall, straight rock cliffs. It’s a really impressive sight. We make it to the top, stopping to take it all in and look at how high we climbed. The rock formations are something else, small and large rock chips fused together with a natural cement that has gradually been eroded away over time. They are so tall and straight, standing proud and towering overhead.

We head back along the same track to the river. The surface is rocky and uneven, so I spend a lot of time looking at my footing so I don’t trip. This does mean that I blindly follow Daniel into the mud. He is agile enough to be able to jump up onto the side of a hill and bypass it. Me on the other hand, well, I just have to go through it. (On reflection I could have back tracked and found a different route, but I didn’t have that thought at the time.) So I finish the walk covered in thick mud, well past my ankles. What an adventure.

We make it back to the car, and since we are in The Wairarapa, we head home via one of my favorite towns, Martinborough, to sit in the sun at The Village Cafe and refuel with some lunch. It was an excellent day out.

Escape to the Country

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn North Island, Wellington Region5 Comments

When our 4th round of IVF ended in November 2018, I knew it was time to close the door on the dream of having children and time to start re-dreaming a new future. I made a promise to myself, that I would make time for the things that I love and that life would be an adventure.

Travel is one of those loves.

Self care looks different to everyone; for some, it might be a bubble bath or a manicure. For me, it’s immersing myself in nature, creating time to be with my thoughts and slowing the pace of life right down.

So, for the last 3 years, I have gone on what I call my ‘annual solo retreat’. 2-3 nights, holidaying on my own, at a destination of my choosing. I do as much or as little as I like, when I like and it is bliss.

The first year I went to Waiheke Island for zip lining, wine tasting and glamping. Last year it was paddle boarding, kayaking and exploring in the Marlborough Sounds.

This year, it was a little cabin in Carrington in the Wairarapa. 3 days of solitude, rest, nature and recharging my batteries.

It’s a grey, rainy day, the first of my solo trips not to be bathed in sunshine, but I am not bothered. I arrive at my accommodation, step out of the car and am greeted with the snorting of 3 ugly / cute kunekune pigs.

My little cabin is idyllic. Set on a hill, surrounded by trees, looking out across the hills. The first thing on my agenda is a cup of tea, which I drink, sitting on the porch, soaking in the stillness, birdsong and the soft pitter-patter of rain on the roof.

The birds are abundant and I enjoy just sitting there watching them flying around. In the space of about 15 minutes I see tui, a hawk, goldfinches, magpies and a bright green parrot.

My afternoon is spent reading a magazine, watching TED talks with cups of tea and chocolate, snuggled up on the sofa beside a warm flickering fire.

Dinner is simple. A ravioli in pasta sauce and fresh bread. This trip is about making space to reflect on the year and delighting in the simple.

It’s starting to get dark, it’s still raining and there is an outdoor bath that I just can’t resist. I fill it and then settle in for a soak. I watch the change in the clouds as night draws near and the birds making their final flight as they find somewhere to rest for the night.

There are no city noises, just the whoosh of wings above me, rain and the gurgling sound of the nearby stream. This is food for the soul.

As it gets darker, the insects and bugs of the night come out. There are large buzzing noises near my ear and a very large silhouetted moth against the fading sky. I don’t have an issue with insects and really, there is nothing here that can hurt me. We don’t have super poisonous critters or dangerous mammals. New Zealand is a pretty safe place.

It’s a shame that the stars aren’t out, but I still leave my bath feeling warm and relaxed, ready to settle in for the night.

I wake in the morning to more rain on the roof, but again, I don’t mind. It’s not going to stop me from doing what I want to do. And besides, who doesn’t love the sound of rain on the roof. It is so soothing. It’s one of my favorite sounds, along with bird song.

I start to get hungry so I decide to leave my warm, cosy bed and venture out to a nearby town called Claireville. I have heard many good things about The Claireville Bakery. It does not disappoint! I am presented with a beautiful selection of fresh breads and pastries and it takes me a really long time to decide. I settle on an apricot danish and also get an almond croissant for tomorrow.

My danish is amazing and I wash it down with a cup of tea while I sit on the porch, watching the rain again. It may be wet, but it’s not cold. There is a nearby flax bush that is attracting the tuis and I watch them feed for a while before picking up my book to read. I will head out later in the afternoon for a walk before the forecast thunder and lightning arrive.

My walk is at the nearby Fensham Reserve. It has stopped raining finally, but the forest is still damp and wet. Forest is still pretty magical when it is like this. There is a large chorus of birds singing. The track is narrow but easy to follow and is surrounded by tall trees. The air is warm and cool, refreshing drops of water drip on me from the canopy above. Halfway into the walk it gets very humid and I reach a part of the track that is mostly underwater. The walk takes me a bit over an hour. I arrive back at the car park with very wet feet, but energised from the nature and fresh air.

Back at my cabin, I spend a couple of hours on the porch again, reading my book and watching the weather. I am waiting for the thunderstorm to arrive. It does, and it is awesome, I hear the deep rumbling noise, rolling across the sky above me. Night closes in and my second day comes to an end.

I wake to chickens this morning and open the skylight windows ever so slightly so I can hear the rain on the roof. This morning I am heading back to Wellington, but I leave feeling refreshed. This weekend has been a soak session. Soaking in nature and recharge my batteries.

The Cabin has been food for the soul.

Exploring Greytown

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn North Island, Wellington RegionLeave a comment

My day starts with my morning yoga. Afterwards, I lie on the floor for a while, looking out the huge windows, up at the sky. I did some cloud watching last year in lockdown and remembered thinking then that I couldn’t remember the last time I had done that. It is one of those simple pleasures that I seldom make time for. The sky is one of nature’s stunning canvases that’s always changing. For me, cloud watching creates a place of relaxation and freedom from the mind. It allows me to escape from the tasks of the day and run away with ideas, creativity and dreams. You should try it sometime!

After cloud watching, we head out to Greytown, awarded the title of ‘New Zealand’s most beautiful small town’ in 2017. Greytown was first settled in 1854 and remains of the historical township are still present today. It’s a place I have driven through many times, but seldom looked around, making it the ideal place for day 2 of girls weekend.

If you are into shopping, you will love Greytown. There is such a selection here; Vintage shops, boutique shops, op shops and more. You can easily spend the day perusing the stores. And while we do look in every shop, the places that get my attention are the cafes.

One of our firsts stops is at The French Baker. There is such a delicious selection of sweet treats and pasties, it’s a really hard choice (I am sure there were savory options too, but I only had eyes for the sweets.) After changing my mind several times, I settle on the Almond and Pear Tart. One great decision made already for the day. It was absolutely stunning. Sweet, crumbly, melt in the mouth deliciousness, beautifully off set by the tangy yogurt. While I really only had eyes for my tart, the ambiance here is also lovely, with beautiful plaster designs on the ceiling.

Wandering down the street, I take time to enjoy the old buildings, beautifully restored with their old facades still intact. I notice some plaques on some buildings, sharing the history; when it was built, what the shop was and a little bit about the family that lived/worked there. I love this little touch, it provides a glimpse into the past and I stop to read a few. One used to be a motorbike shop, another was a bakery and there was even a boot shop. It’s an interesting read and even includes an old photo of the building so you can compare it to it’s current state.

After a few hours looking through the shops, I find my feet leading me straight into GelARTo. Once inside though, the smell of freshly baked waffles is too hard to resist. Fortunately their waffles are served with your choice of gelato so it’s a win win situation. It’s not really lunch food, but hey, I am on holiday. It has been a day filled with good food, lots of cups of tea, shops and great chats.

We visit the last few shops on the street (I think we must have gone into every single shop!) before making our way home. Dinner is at Little Square Pizza in Martinborough. The first time I had pizza from here, it was just a little ‘hole in the wall’ pizza joint. It has obviously proved very popular as they have now expanded to a small restaurant with inside seating and alfresco dining. We have our dinner outside, surrounded by apple trees, bunting and string lighting. Its a lovely relaxed atmosphere. My delicious pizza with my crisp, refreshing apple cider, is a perfect ending to a great day.

Wharekauhau Country Estate

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Uncategorized2 Comments

It was a wet stormy day. I’m talking rain so thick and heavy it was causing flooding and landslips. We were in the car, already running late, stuck in traffic, trying to make it to our special lunch reservation.

Wharekauhau Country Estate in the Wairarapa was on our radar today. It’s where Daniel and I got engaged and we decided to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of this by returning there for lunch (not in a helicopter this time!)

We arrived at the lodge, late, and rushed in. Instantly the frantic hours of the morning left us as we were warmly welcomed by the staff, shown to the lounge room and served a glass of bubbles. The staff are wonderful. Warm, friendly and attentive – they are a real testament to the place.

The place was just as exquisite as I had remembered. Beautifully decorated and luxurious yet still retaining a casual air to it which instantly makes you feel relaxed and at home.  It was December, but not a warm balmy summer day. All the doors and windows were open though and they had the fires going. A beautiful warmth within the walls, while letting the wild mood of the outdoors in. So great!

We were shown to our dining room (you get the whole room to yourself) and introduced to our host Grant, who, throughout the afternoon, while serving our meals, shared proposal stories with us from his time at Wharekauhau. A nice personalised touch.

Our room contained a model of the Estate, being able to view the property from above gave me flash backs to that magical day when we arrived on the front lawn of the property by helicopter.

2009 – On the helicopter to Wharekauhau
2009 – View of the Estate from the helicopter

Guys, let me just say, if there is a special lady in your life that you are wanting to spoil (or propose to) Wharekauhau is the place to do it! The Helilunch is an awesome experience.

Wharekauhau operate a 5 course, ‘trust the chef’ menu. They will cater for dietary requirements, but other than that, what you eat is the chef’s choice.(For the main course you do get a couple of options to choose from.)

The menu packed a punch from the start; curry spiced carrot soup with coconut, macadamia, fennel and labneh. Full of flavour! ‘From the sea’ was next on the menu. Now I am a vegetarian and my husband is a big meat eater, so I was interested to see what they would do with this. Our meals came out looking identical, but Daniel’s was made with line caught trevally, and mine made from tofu. I was so impressed. I am sure it must take quite a lot of skill and creativity to do that. This was followed by 2 more delectable courses and finished off with my favourite, dessert. White chocolate and drunken nanny goats curd cheesecake with balsamic strawberries, pink peppercorn and garden mint. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Wharekauhau is not fine dining. It’s a step above. It’s luxurious dining.

After lunch we were shown a couple of the other rooms, one that was set up with a whisky bar another that was a games room. Board games, couches, a pool table, we were encourage to stay a while and use the facilities while we were there. The first time we were at Wharekauhau the weather was much more agreeable so we are able to have a wander around the extensive grounds. This time we chose to stay indoors and play a couple of games of pool. (And help myself to the lolly jars.)

The afternoon went way to quickly, but wow!

What a special place it is. When dining at Wharekauhau, you will relax, indulge your taste buds in an explosion of flavours and most import, leave with some special memories.

This place is quite dear to my heart and I am pretty certain we will return again.

The Details

Wharekauhau Country Estate is located in the Wairarapa, approximately 1.5 hours drive from Wellington. They provide luxurious accommodation and dining. A 5 course, Trust the Chef meal will cost you $165 per person. There is also the option to add on a 3 or 5 wine paring package to your meal if you wish.