Wairere Falls

An early start today, destination Hobbiton in Matamata south of Auckland. Our Hobbiton tickets were booked for lunchtime so we thought we’d squeeze in a quick walk to Wairere Falls, a scenic waterfall on the way to Matamata. The walk tracked along a beautiful stream cutting through the rain forrest – a really stunning tramping track.

Stunning pattern on the inside of a tree fern

Frustratingly we never did get to see the waterfall though. After a steep 'when will it ever end' climb up some steps that seemed to go on forever, we’d already been walking for around 45 minutes, so we asked a couple heading down if we were far from the falls… but they said that we’d passed them and had come too far, so we turned around and disgruntledly backtracked. However at the bottom of the of the steps we then relayed the information to another couple who we thought we’d kindly pre-warn before they embarked on the upward climb, and they said that the falls were definitely at the top and not far away once at the top….grrrrr. 

There was no way on Earth that my feeble weak little chicken legs would be able to cope another climb – they were already shaking like jelly when I stopped… I tell you I’m going to have calves of iron when I’m done with New Zealand! 

Still, despite not making it to the falls the scenery was pretty beautiful enroute. 

If we can squeeze it in before we go I'd love to do this walk again and this time get to the falls as they are supposed to be pretty spectacular!

Then it was a quick stroll back and onto Matamata for our Hobbit tour which I'll continue in my next blog entry.