Once Again to the Wairapapa

Once more to the Wairarapa for us. Looked up a great discussion on the NZ motorhome forum about places to go and on the strength of this headed to Waiohine Gorge (1333 Longitude:175.3904500000 Latitude:-40.9963333200) keen to see their special swing bridge. It is incredible! Enjoyed a walk across, stopped for photo opportunities. 

Local info says this could be the longest swing bridge in the world..??

 

Had power issues tonight. Despite having charged the battery before leaving home we didn't have enough power to fire up the gas heater! So early to bed for us!

Off to wander around some of the other sites suggested in the above forum. Looked at 1363 and 1363. Lovely pub beside the Gladstone one. We're surprised to find so much housing and wine growing as well as good ol fashioned sheep farming. Passed Parkvale Mushrooms, well worth a visit. Bought myself a grow your own kit from the lovely ladies there along with a box of seconds of course.. Guess what's for lunch!! Well worth a visit thats for sure. 

Moved on to Martinborough to get some power for the night. Lovely top 10 camping ground $36 for 2 with power. Had to test out the cafes and of course the lovely boutique style shops..

Left Martinborough heading south and took the first left on a road that we hadn’t travelled before. what a great decision that was! Didn’t realise that this was one that headed to the coast and some 3 new free camping sites. Excellent. Found a wind farm that we didn’t know existed and is actually the first in NZ, erected in 1996, 15 windmills in all. 

Almost an hour after leaving the town we were on the coast after some kms of gravel road but in pretty good order. Very surprised to find this is a haven of surfers, so many arrived as the afternoon wore on. (numbers 8990, 8991, 8992) Had a lovely time beach-combing (paua shells for my sister - nothing for me..... well we will see!) and getting some exercise.

Moved on a little north following the coast road to the camp at Te Awaiti and stopped there the night. Small ground with very little that is level except the area that is a little close to the sea for my liking but what a spot to camp! Waves pounding and thrashing. No surfers here but a special spot, very enjoyable. No walking tracks or fishing opportunities here. Stopped to admire and enjoy the waves and rocks on our way out of camp the next day and got to watch some seals up close and personal! 

Lunch stop at the top of Lake Wairarapa, always a good place to see something happening. today it was a group of mostly classic Landrover owners putting their skills to the test. Excellent entertainment. They even asked us if we wanted to put our camper through their little course. The object of which was to complete it in the slowest time possible.