Tunnel walk

 The North Island family have flown home again but while they were here we went for a walk through the newly opened Chain Hills Tunnel walking and cycling track on one of our sunny summer days. They've been few and far between so we make the most of them when they come about.

 I was wanting to walk through it and was thrilled when granddaughter Chloe rang to see if I wanted to join them, I didn't want to go by myself. She said 'Mum will be by to pick you up in a few minutes'. So I grabbed a quick snack for lunch, a glass of orange and then we were away.

When we arrived at the carpark the kids were already playing on the swings next to the community hall.

Once baby was in her pram we set off. Seven of us plus Sassy, the dog.

It was a couple of hundred metres further down the road to the track entrance then up a slight rise before we came to the tunnel entrance.

We hoped the lights wouldn't go off while we were inside, well I did anyway, but there were quite a few people doing the walk and I'm guessing we all pressed the button before we entered. No one wanted to be left in the dark.

It must have been a tight squeeze for a train to get through here.

No not a toilet stop just the kids playing with the stones.

Out the other end.

And a short stop before we headed back.

Baby had woken by now and wanted to walk with Mum ☺️

A short walk through a bit of bush and we were on the homeward leg.

 Eventually the tunnel track will link up with other tracks and tunnels on this side of the city to make a good long track for those who want to make a real adventure of it.

It was an enjoyable walk with family and I was away from home for just about an hour and a half so not too taxing for us older people :)

******

Take care out there. and keep safe, there are a lot of weather related disasters happening in the world, from fires and floods to severe snowstorms and land slips.

My prayers are with the people in our North Island and the families who have lost loved ones.

blessings

Diana

Through the track (part two)

As promised I have finally taken another walk 
through the track and taken photo's on the other side. 

Apart from this one. 

I couldn't resist. Cows have such beautiful eyes.

 I'm not sure that they were 'girl' cows though, 

I think they may have been juvenile boys, so I didn't tarry long.

Juvenile boys of any kind can be a bit unpredictable.

They were in the paddock where previously

the horse had been looking over the electric fence.

This side of the track is more cultivated than the other side.

I was going to say more civilised 

but thought that would be rather rude of me, haha.

But you'll see what I mean.

Horses relaxing in the spring sunshine.

The pine trees at the back are 

actually quite a distance away, 

across a road well behind the front houses.

Sheep in a paddock at back 

with deer fencing in the front. 

The deer fences are two metres high, 

to stop the deer escaping. 

No deer there today though.

A sheep, alpaca and horse 

at the racecourse end of the track. 

I thought they were all sharing the same 

paddock but no, the horse is further back.

A fairly traditional farm house,

when it was built it would have been regarded

 as rather a flash place - right up to date.

These days it may have the farm labourer 

and his family living in it,

or the original farmer with his wife,

 while the son will have built himself a new 'flash' place

just down the road a bit where Dad could keep an eye on him.

The entrance and driveway to a 'new flash' house.

If you look really hard you can just see the corner of 

the house behind the trees near the left side of the picture.

And back to the start,

from whence we came.

I hope you've enjoyed taking another stroll 

through the track with me in the spring sunshine.

It was lovely and warm with no breeze

and a hawk (aka: swamp harrier) circling overhead.

Until next time,

take care,

Diana

Through the track (part one)

I dropped my little mother off after church last Sunday

 and thought I'd go for a walk through the track

 just around the road from her place.

I had the trusty old camera with me and took a picture or two.

I wish I'd taken more so I could show you

 how different one side of the track is from the other.

But that's okay, a project for another day.

This end of the track has poles across it to deter road traffic.

 The other end is open so that stock trucks 

and the private vehicles 

of  homeowners can enter, and preferably, exit.

Someone has come along and dug the middle post out, 

you can see the mark where it had been buried to.

On this day I saw an older man drive up, 

remove the post, drive through then replace it.

I suppose if he had driven right around the paddocks

 it wouldn't have taken much longer than it took to do all that.

Still it takes all types to make this world interesting.

I'll take you down the left hand side today.

As you exit the beginning of the track

 is this sheep race, used for getting the sheep

 onto the trucks to go to the freezing works. 

'Nuff said.

Over the gate, and the electric fence,

 who's looking at who?

A general view from the roadside.

A thrush on that same gate, old stables and sheds.

I thought he would fly away when he heard the camera

 but no, he turned around and posed for me.

Looking towards town across the paddocks.

Firewood and storage shed.

Racehorses and mares out at pasture 

at the other end of the track.

There is a racecourse in this area and 

quite a few stables and horse studs.

Time to turn around and head back to the car.

I hope you've enjoyed a little walk 

with me on a cool spring afternoon.

I'll do the other side another day.

Wishing you all well 

for the rest of the week.

Diana

taking the autumn air

Autumn is certainly here, the nights are drawing in and getting decidedly colder but the days are beautifully clear and calm, on the whole, with lovely blue skies and high white cloud. Sometimes there is a bit of a wind and today and yesterday the breeze was definitely coming off the snow on the mountains further inlands.

I decided to go for a wander yesterday over Wingatui way, through the track and down by the paddocks. I left it just a little late as the sun was getting low and was on the other side of the shelter belt, thus leaving me in the shade a bit of the time. That wasn't a problem really till I decided to turn around and come back and a bit of a breeze had come up, nipping the ears and the nose and causing just a little bit of ear ache, but that's what happens when you forget your hat. The shadows were getting long but there was still enough sun to make it quite a pleasant walk. It was so peaceful, a dog out walking with its human, just a wee Jack Russell having fun, were the only others I saw. No I tell a lie, there was a mum and dad out with their 2 kids, one on bike and another in a pushchair, all enjoying the autumn afternoon.

There were horses in the paddocks naturally, as this is horse racing territory with stables and horse studs in the area. And there were also about a dozen or so sheep further along and in another paddock some young bulls lounging around. Still further down the track I came across a big black sheep with a young chocolate coloured alpaca for company...very cute.

I finally have a new pair of shoes for walking,  how long has it taken, almost 12 months. "Tone walkers" - they are supposed to build the muscle tone in your legs as you walk, and you can certainly feel them working the leg muscles when you are out and about. I've also been to physio for my back and she has given me all sorts of exercises that are not only helping my back but other parts of the body as well, all I have to do is remember to do them all and I have to confess I haven't done any for a day or two, but tomorrow is always another day.