Whangarei Lookout.

Thursday 5th January 2012

This is Whengarei basin and it shows our objective for this morning. It is the forested peak in the left background.

Starting our walk we were overtaken by a Monarch Butterfly. (I think that's what it is). They are quite a fair sized thing, about double the size of a UK Red Admiral.

At a point along the River the path diverts and becomes the Drummond Track.  Drummond is a renowned Painter and  Poet from these parts.

Typical of many sad aspects of humanity. Graffiti on the commemorative stone.

The New Zealand Fern.

The steep walk up to the lookout is all natural and dense forestry but it holds a beautiful array of design and colour.

Like yesterday the paths are well kempt.

Visibility and scenery through the forestry was very limited and therefore photographs of one section of the walk looked very much like another so i have limited the reader to just a couple of shots as we made our way higher. Dorothy was told by a fellow walker that she was very brave to attempt such a steep path. I was thinking it might be too much but she did it with only the odd pause for a drink and a breather.

At the lookout the views were extensive if just a little hazy. It was very humid now but all the effort was worth it for the scenery spreading out before us. The camera just doesn't do it justice.

 There are numerous paths which lead away from the lookout and the day can be extended to what ever time you have available. We had to be heading back unfortunately, towards Auckland, as we have to return the van for it's MOT certificate. DOH.

Me and She at the Lookout.

She and Me at the Services Memorial.

We had been granted permission to stay on the campervan park for an extra hour so that we can do the walk and then return for a shower. Which was very kind of them. 

This afternoon we will drive south along the coast to Orewa, where we plan on stopping so that we have a short drive back to Mangere the next day.