We left Castlepoint and started to make our way back inland towards Martinborough. The route took us through lots rolling green hills that seem very typical for the North Island of New Zealand.
Of course, all the white dots in the photo above were sheep! We saw lots of lambs and calves in the fields too, and with the bright green leaves on the trees we really got the impression that spring was on the way. After stopping for a coffee and a quick assessment of the weather, we decided that we would risk a quick hike in the nearby Tararua Forest Park.
After reaching the end of a rough dirt track we parked the car and set out on the footpath that almost immediately took us into dense forest.
After crossing the Atiwhakatu Stream on what was one of the more sturdy bridges we have come across on a tramping track we headed into the forest.
The track to Rocky Lookout climbed steadily through the forest. The dense canopy of trees meant that we had no idea where we were or what the weather was doing. Eventually we came to a split in the trail with a signpost to the lookout.
We found ourselves on a small platform in front of a rocky outcrop with great views of the forest we had walked through. As we caught our breath from the steep climb, we watched the clouds rise and fall from Mount Holdsworth in the distance.
In the other direction we could see all the way back down the Atiwhakatu Valley where we had started our hike and out towards the Wairarapa Plains in the distance. Although the clouds seemed to be lifting, we decided it was time to head back down the track and into Martinborough in search of some well earned dinner.