From the Forest to the Castle

Thursday 4 December

A peaceful but chilly awakening with the birds singing their hearts out in the bush around us at Peel Forest. We had negotiated a late check out with the Camp Custodian so set off for a hike to the Acland Falls and then on to the Big Tree Walk. There was a lot of uphill and steps which challenged my knees as they adjusted to the new orthotics in my hiking boots. Acland Falls was a little underwhelming with just a single cascade falling through a groove in a rock in a dark wee corner of the woods. We moved on from there, up and around the hillside, across to Te Wanahu Flat and set out on the Big Tree Walk.

Only about 600m in, we found the biggest tree in the Big Tree Walk - a mighty thousand year old Totara standing over 30m tall, with a girth of over 8m which was pretty impressive. There were many other vast trees in the forest, including the tall but much slimmer kahikatea trees - some of which reached skyward to even taller heights.

Back at the DOC camp we had lunch in the sun at a picnic table then packed up and pulled out of the camp just as the next evening’s campers started arriving, past the Te Wanahu Flat again, with it's beautifully decorated facilities block.

It was a fairly short drive over to Castle Claremont with a quick stop in Temuka for a couple of supplies and a visit to Santa! New World was in full Christmas mode with staff all in Christmas costumes and T-shirts, Santa sitting under the tree and a spin-the-wheel Christmas tombola where Louis won a pack of Dettol wipes and a laundry bag (very handy for Banjo, though not exactly festive!)

Loved being back at the castle - we parked up there last autumn and enjoyed the setting and the peace & calm. It was quite quiet with just 3 caravans, and a later arrival of a moho with a family from Woodend. Spent ages strolling around the ground and enjoying the buzz of the bees who were loving all the summer pollens. Said hello to Robert on his busy rounds on the mower & quad bike but the dog was not in a sociable mood so we gave each other a suitably wide berth. Maybe she wasn't happy with her dog house on wheels which I loved!

Had a chilled evening and an early night - perfect!