Russell - Kororaeka ... A Walk Up Flagstaff Hill...

This road  goes over the hill to Tapeka Point. Half

way up there is a smaller steeper road that goes up

Flagstaff Hill to the sun dial and historic flagstaff.

Spring was in the air... Beautiful sun-tropical Hibiscus...

Tall straggly Red Hot Pokers...

Scented climbing Jasmine - considered a noxious weed!

Up the road to the Flagstaff Hill Reserve. It was a beautiful day 

and after the rain the bush has a magical smell.

The sun dial... I don't know how to tell the time...

The amazing ceramic base...

And there is Russell...

The view back down to the village and to Matauwhi Bay

The Russell main street and the front beach... Pompallier Mission

House the last house along the beach...

Looking over to the town of Paihia...

From the top of the hill I walked down another bush track...

To Titore Way... Along here to the end...

Past more flowers basking in the spring sun...

An early Camelia...

A Magnolia rambling happily...

And all the stunning new red growth on the Photinia hedge...

At the end of the road is yet another track through the bush

back to Russell...

A seat for resting on...

And enjoying the view...

And here, depending on the tide it branches left or right.

I took the low road...

Down to the beach. It's not far so if the tide was too high

I could have gone back...

But there was enough dry beach left to walk this way...

Over the rocks...

And back to Russell village. Russell is a labyrinth of well kept

walk ways, all maintained by DoC. I could walk a different way each

day and not get lost... It's too small!

 

A Week In Russell... Bay of Islands

I spent a week in Russell with friends.

I love being there, although the weather was cool

and still winter. It's a small place so long walks

filled up lots of my days. In these photos...

I walked over the small hill to Long Beach.

It's always so beautiful there regardless of the weather.

Walking down the hill and the first glimpse...

And the last as I leave!

It was a beautiful warm sunny day... The tide's out

so lots of sand to walk on.

Some kayaker's and lots of seaweed washed up by the

recent storms and wind.

Looking out to more of the 144 islands that make up this

Bay of Islands area.

I walked right round to the far end. Tradition has it

 that the rocks at the far end must be touched... 

Then you can say you have walked to the end of Long Beach!

All the rocks that are exposed at low tide. There are

mussels on some of them  but quite small still.

I left them there to grow bigger.

I'm at the end, touched the rock...

Then sat in the sun and read my book and had a nap...

Before walking back.

I'm On My Way South...

I'm planning to go slowly south...
But first I'm going to Christchurch... Again!
It's my Dad's 95th birthday so I couldn't let that
go past without a visit to see him and celebrate.
So I'm on my way to my friends house in Russell
where I'm going to park in their driveway and leave my bus.


From Tokerau Beach this was my first stop...
Ti Beach in the Bay of Islands.
It was a lovely sunny morning so I parked in the sun
on the side of the road. Opposite was a bakery
so it was coffee and a croissant
in the sun as I enjoyed a different beach.

In the other direction, still Ti Beach, is Waitangi,
the historic site where the Treaty was signed.
Northland is a magical area of New Zealand...
Every bend in the road presents another divine beach.

Here I am, parked in the sun...

Then on my way again. This is Paihia... I came
back here the next morning, on the passenger ferry from Russell,
 to get the bus to Auckland airport.

But the next bend in the road...

And the next... Bring me to the next beach... Te Haumi...

It's very tidal...

And the tide is out...

Past the Mangoves that grow into trees here
in the warm climate... Past the entrance to the camping ground...

I've turned left here and driving through a small settlement...
Opua... A big marina has developed here in the last few years...
But it's also the place to get the car ferry to Okiato...
And onto Russell.

Down another hill and nearly there.

The last bend... Two lanes here. In the summer time when this is a very
popular tourist destination there is aways a long queue of
cars waiting for the ferry.

The narrow stretch of water that separates Okiato and
Russell from the mainland...
It's a haven for yachts and oyster farms.

I'm on the ferry... You can see the landing ramp on the other side.
From there it's 10km to Russell town.