It’s the first official day of Winter in New Zealand on the 1st of June. I took these in the last couple of weeks, round my way. You don’t have to go to the South Island to see snowy peaks and mountain ranges. These were all taken within an hour of my place in the Rangitikei. Southern Central North Island.
I call this one, ‘Top of the Mountain road’. I’ll let you puzzle over the hidden message in that title.I call this Ruapehu Space ship clouds. Took me ages to think that upThe New Zealand Main Trunk rail line, heading north towards Mt RuapehuI call this ‘Mountain Road’. Because I took it on the Mountain Road. No need to make up names when the actual name is cool enough.The open road, literally. The sign says so.The Ruahine Ranges again, looking across the Rangitikei River Valley. Snowy and sunny. A perfectly photogenic combinationWho doesn’t love a derelict barn with a tree growing out of the window on a remote country road. Just a hint of the Ruahine Ranges in the background.Mt Ruapehu, looking awesome on a partly cloudy crisp autumn day. For those unfamiliar with Mt Ruapehu, it’s a 10,000 foot high active Volcano in the middle of the North Island. 10,000 feet sounds more impressive that just shy of 10,000 feet which what it actually is. 9,177 feet in actual fact.Mt Ruapehu again, from Wanganui, or Whanganui if you preferNo snow here, but it’s not far away. This is beside the Moawhango Valley Road, not a road you are likely to find by accident. It’s up behind Taihape, in the middle of nowhere.Take extra care, like the sign says. Also the Desert Road isn’t really across a desert. It’s an Alpine Environment and quite un-desert like.This is also high in the Rangitikei Hill Country, an old woolshed looking cool in the snowy morning sunThat’s the mighty Rangitikei River Valley with a bit of snow on the Ruahine Ranges in the distance. Epic views across the lower North Island.We had a light dusting of snow in the Rangitikei hill country, I loved how the shadowed side of these hills took longer to thaw giving this cool effect on the landscape
Ahh, my old stomping grounds. As in to keep my feet from freezing solid… I once rode a horse from Waiouru to that place behind Taihape you said no one would find by accident. So the poor dear wouldn’t freeze to death during winter at the foot of the mountain I expect, or maybe it had something to do with food? Don’t know, I didn’t care to ask at age 11.
Great to see the results of your productive exploring Sand, I love a bit of armchair winter wandering.
Cripes, if this doesn’t make you feel proud to be a Kiwi I don’t know what would!! Amazingly alive and rich with colour. Thank you so much for the beautiful pics, I’m by Mt Taranaki myself 🙂 Really adore the Rangitikei, just unreal. Thank you.
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Ahh, my old stomping grounds. As in to keep my feet from freezing solid… I once rode a horse from Waiouru to that place behind Taihape you said no one would find by accident. So the poor dear wouldn’t freeze to death during winter at the foot of the mountain I expect, or maybe it had something to do with food? Don’t know, I didn’t care to ask at age 11.
Great to see the results of your productive exploring Sand, I love a bit of armchair winter wandering.
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Hey Jacq! So cool you came to visit my photos. How did I never know you rode horses? There was me always thinking you were a city girl
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Oh, and about that H in Wanganui. Why? When? Ho hum, someone must feel better I suppose.
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It was about 15 years ago, I think, I didn’t notice until I got home, I chop and change, depends how I feel on the day
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Cripes, if this doesn’t make you feel proud to be a Kiwi I don’t know what would!! Amazingly alive and rich with colour. Thank you so much for the beautiful pics, I’m by Mt Taranaki myself 🙂 Really adore the Rangitikei, just unreal. Thank you.
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