A day in the Wairarapa

Today Beth and I headed out on the windy road over the Rimutakas (part of a a series of hills that form the backbone of NZ) to the Wairarapa region.
Here looking back from Palliser Bay to the hills we crossed.



More views of the Rimutakas



We stopped for food in Martinborough with its various cafes and expensive boutiques. T-shirts from £50 anyone? A highlight was a visit to this vineyard and a chance to sample the local wines - needless to say a couple of bottles were purchased but they won't be making it back to the UK!

Also on the trip was a walk up a stream bed to the Putangirua Pinnacles, used as a setting in Lord of the Rings - do you remember the scene?

Layers of gravel were laid down 12 to 14 million years ago. Rain and floods have eroded these, but rocks within the gravel are harder to shift and so form protective caps. The sediment around is washed away leaving the pinnacles behind.


Here I am on the stream bed.

Video below shot on the beach on Palliser Bay. Next post will be in a week or so when I get back from my trip up the East Cape - Wairoa, Napier and Gisborne.