Native Bush
I was recently asked what bush looks like around here.
Well, today I went for a walk.
I'm a sucker for a stylish suspension bridge
Many of the interesting walks around here start with this wonderful bridge. Apologies the sky isn’t bluer, but on the upside, less sunburn risk. Good walking weather.
The shade of these gorgeous trees is visible from miles away
walking in the bush
waaaaalking
waaaaaaaaaaaalking
Lots of walking.. but then, that’s the fun of it, right?
Part way along is this segmented swing bridge, which shakes like crazy - great for terrorising nephews. Uhh, not that I would. No. Of course not. Not shown: upset nephews.
There's a bubbling brook which runs alongside the path.. interspersed with the occasional waterfall
What is it about water? So incredibly soothing. The Japanese definitely know a thing or two, with their garden design.
and if you ever wondered what New Zealand hills look like, pretty much like this (foreground left is a shrubbery, not a hill)
There’s a very particular shade to the greenery in New Zealand. The light is quite silvery. It’s especially noticeable if you’ve travelled to Australia (where the light is more golden). So, many of the trees here have that rich, dark green shade. Once you know it, you can pick it anywhere (eg, a single frame from the middle of Lord of the Rings).
Many of the hills are also covered in gorse (an introduced pest), which are covered in SPIDERS! These are Nursery Web McMansions. When the spiders are ready, out pop thouuuuusands of baby spiders. Exciting!
Lunchtime we found a gorgeous stand of pines to lie under and eat
Peaceful. Gorgeous. No doubt pining for the fjords. Also surprisingly comfortable.
and look! Fud! (also, coffee. Extra yum!)
Even on an overcast day, the hills are pretty damn beautiful
The path back treks through a picturesque stand of macrocarpas
In case you’re curious about macrocarpas (I know you secretly are). They’re also really good for making fake swords and whacking your friends with. So I’ve been told.
Mum also weeded pretty much the whole hill on the way down, removing introduced pests (in this case ragwort. Not related to regular warts)
There are massive stands of ferns everywhere
When they're tiny, oh boy, they're like a flurry of grass
and when they grow up, they can take over entire hillsides
To see just how red those leaves are, check this contrast
back to civilization!
You may recognise this park.
The view south from that same initial bridge
Even on an overcast day the beauty around here takes my breath away.
