No need to rush this morning, but we do decide to have breakfast a little earlier as it is a pretty long drive. The weather is looking very good as we prepare to leave and we almost wish we had another day here so close to the beach.
We spend the first couple of minutes of the drive trying to decide whether we take the inland route or the Surf Highway coast route to New Plymouth. One guidebook says the coast is a must, with views of beaches for most of the drive, whilst a second (the Lonely Planet) informs us that the road stays well inland from the coast with beach views mostly only occurring if you take any of the numerous side roads to the beaches. The shorter road is across farmland but, along with the longer drive, has almost continuous views of Mt Taranaki. It's about 90km to Hawera when we have to make the final decision, so we a leave it for now and concentrate on what's on offer before then.
Our first stop is at Paipatonga Scenic Reserve with a 10 minute walk through the bush to a lookout
There is a dune lake on the Horowhenua coastal plain, and apparently the reserve is a rare example of a transition from coastal wetland to dry terrace forest (although not sure exactly what the latter is). There are supposedly wetland birds and waterfowl as well as forest species. The site is also important historically, the local Maori people extended their village in the 1820s by building one of the two islands that now sits in the middle of the lake.
The route to the lookout takes us across a rather good boardwalk where we hear lots of birds but have great difficulty spotting any of them, except the Fantail. One sounded like it might be a Shining Cuckoo, but absolutely no sightings!
Eric enjoys sitting in the dappled sunshine on the boardwalk.
Huh, A bit more between us and the lake than there is at Kenfig, and we don't have a telescope.
On returning to the car we disturb a parrot type bird, which we currently think may be the Kakariki. we had seen it fleetingly on pulling into the car park, but not a good enough view to be sure.
From here we drive on to Manuwhatu Estuary Reserve at Foxton Beach. This is a Ramsar site, a wetland of International importance. On the way we spot this windmill in Foxton town, which did look a little out of place. there seems to be a thriving Dutch community here.
On reaching Foxton Beach we park the car and take a walk.
Eric tells us we need to turn around and walk the other way.
Along the estuary it's a wide salt marsh and mud flat, with sedge beds, so obviously an ideal spot for birdwatching.
Some Pukeko.
Eric examines the board for what we might see further afield if we had a telescope!
There are plenty of birds...but it is low tide and they are all pretty distant specks.
We can see some Bar-tailed Godwit, and possibly some Lesser Knot.
We also get some good views of Spoonbill again.
Some more landscape shots across the Reserve. There are people whitebaiting at the estuary mouth.
A picked clean fish, the Gulls seem to be the main culprits.
Perhaps, finally, a reasonable shot of an Australisian Harrier overhead.
We don't have the luxury of being able to wait for the tide to come in so that we have a better view. Consequently we head north again.
It's decision time at Hawera - we take the inland route thinking that if we get to the B&B with time to spare we can investigate New Plymouth and take a drive back down the "Surf Highway" as it doesn't get dark until about 9pm, and with such good weather there may be a good sunset on this west coast.
We drive through a town called 'Bulls',
Apparently good for antiques. Their welcoming sign is a pun, as are several other signs in the town.
Just in case you can't see, the sign reads
'Herd of Bulls? A Town Like No Udder'
Even though this is a primary route across the country it is like driving used to be in the sixties, with very little traffic, so you can just motor along at the speed limit which seems to be well adhered to by the locals.
We pass through Stafford, which has a Glockenspiel clock that plays out a scene from Romeo and Juliet a few times a day.
Not a lot else to be said about the actual route apart from the visually stunning view of what we intially take to be Mt Taranaki (it proves on investigation to be Mt Ruapehu)
then by distant views of the even more spectacular Mt Egmont (the English colonial name for Taranaki)
That looks like one of those school chemistry lesson volcanoes.
We can't stop taking photos of the mountain as we drive around, getting different aspects at each turn.
Not so distant
As we near New Plymouth the terrain changes from relativity flat plain to a much hillier landscape and we wonder what sort of views we will get from the B&B. Shouldn't have worried, when we arrive the view from the drive is...the other side of Mt Taranaki.
Is that the magic mountain?
...with the same view from one bedroom window
From the other it's the coast - it is there, honest!
so the person in charge of the tour arrangements has come up trumps again.
Front of house - it was moved to this site from somewhere else - in three sections, and completely renovated in the original style (externally and internally)
To add to this the garden at the place is having an open day. It's equivalent to the RHS open garden scheme in the UK. On arrival we have tea and scones on the rear terrace chatting with people who have attended the open day. There's also a blind Golden Lab called Daisy
It's a beautiful garden.
A Dogwood tree done in layers - they call it the wedding cake tree.
After relaxing for a while we set off into NP to check out a restaurant we have been recommended for tomorrow nights meal, and to make a booking, which is deemed essential. It looks good with views out over the bay.
Another interesting tower clock is seen.
Eric mans the guns (one of his favourite occupations you may have noticed)
Having booked the restaurant we head on down the coast to the Cape lighthouse. Stopping to ensure the back door of the car was closed, a very nosey calf came to have a look at what we were up to.
An eventful drive as we turn off the main highway towards the coast on a road signposted Historic Cape Lighthouse. Arrive at what looks to be the centre of the universe. cars parked everywhere and people milling about, some making for what appears to be a cafe/restaurant on the first floor of the lighthouse building.
This is odd as the picture of the lighthouse we were making for looked much more isolated. Turns out that this is actually the Historic Cape Lighthouse (1864), with the Surf Life Saving Club and Boat Club attached. It was decommissioned in 2006. They must be having an event of some sort.
Although it's a splendid lighthouse it's not the one we wanted to find.
We consult the map and, surprise suprise, our lighthouse is about 10km further down the coast, so off we go again. This time there is no one there but us and we have a quick snack on crackers and kiwi fruit we find in the boot while we wait the 20 minutes or so before sunset. We are joined by another lady wanting to take photos too. There are two views to photograph. The first is of the lighthouse with Mt Taranaki in the background,
whilst the second is of the waves and the sea,
and eventually the sunset.
We wait a while after the sun goes down, hoping it will turn the top of the snow capped mountain pink, but this doesn't quite happen.
Shows the lighthouse in a good light but...
...the mountain only takes on a violet hue
It's time for bed when we return so no time for catching up with blogging.