round the east cape

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This is the wildest place I've ever been, except Iceland maybe. The road goes round the coast, in the middle are mountains full of nothing. There are a few scattered villages round the coast, and a few shops, but no phone reception and no internet, no petrol just beautiful beaches with pounding surf and piles of driftwood - huge trees washed down the rivers to the beach. We took the 22km long, mostly unsealed, road along right beside the sea to visit the most easterly lighthouse in the world. Because of wind during the night, the surf was spraying up across the road, and the mist was low on the hills. Such atmosphere, I'll remember that day. Here are a few pictures from the drive round the cape. We have spent today in Gisborne, a lovely town, despite the fact that captain Cook didn't think much of it! And move on tomorrow to a lake up in the hills, where we have booked a cabin for 2 nights. See you when we reach Napier!

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Photos

driftwood
on the beach. If you want a barbie, you can always get fuel!

east cape lighthouse
we had to climb 734 steps to reach this! From the bottom we couldn't even see it, and from the top we couldn't see the rocks or the island it guards. But it was good.

Tolaga bay wharf
the longest wharf in NZ, at 600 metres. It offered a good vantge point to see the scenery,and to watch the surfers!

from the hill -
- a stiff climb it must be said, we got this view of the wharf. From here we were able to walk down to Cook's Cove, where he apparently first set foot on NZ soil.

Cook's cove
Of course,we had to go Down to the cove, then back to the top of the hill before a steep descent to the car. All walks here seem to involve several steep climbs each way!

Comments

[Sue O'Brien]

You are so fit.
Hi Alex and Carrie, You are so fit climbing up and down all those hills. I hope I am fit enough to see as much as you have seen when I come over to visit.