One of the world’s more picturesque eateries

Lauded by the upmarket food and travel magazines Craggy Range has been our regular Easter treat since arriving in New Zealand. So last week it wasn’t cheese batches for lunch but rather a long leisurely stroll through the Craggy Range menu.

Somehow the food tastes better when you have a fantastic view to admire at the same time and the sun is shining. Luckily for us we got both and had some nice things to eat too.

The winery is located looking at the Te Mata Peak. A stunning mountain surrounded in Maori Folklore. The story goes….

Centuries ago the people living in pa (fortified villages) on the Heretaunga Plains were under constant threat of war from the coastal tribes of Waimarama.

At a gathering in Pakipaki (5km south of Hastings) to discuss the problem, the solution came when a wise old woman (kuia) sought permission to speak in the marae. “He ai na te wahine, ka horahia te po, ” she said. (The ways of a woman can sometimes overcome the effects of darkness).
Hinerakau, the beautiful daughter of a Pakipaki chief, was to be the focal point of a plan. She would get the leader of the Waimarama tribes, a giant named Te Mata, to fall in love with her, turning his thoughts from war into peace. The plan succeeded, but she too fell in love.

The people of Heretaunga, however, had not forgotten the past and with revenge the motive, demanded that Hinerakau make Te Mata prove his devotion by accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks.
The last was to bite his way through the hills between the coast and the plains so that people could come and go with greater ease.

Te Mata died proving his love and today his half-accomplished work can be seen in the hills in what is known as The Gap or Pari Karangaranga (echoing cliffs).

His body forms Te Mata Peak, the legend says. At sunset one can often see, in the mists which stretch from the crown of Kahuraanake, the beautiful blue cloak with which the grieving Hinerakau covered the body of her husband before leaping to her own death from the precipice on the Waimarama side of the peak. The gully at the base of the cliff was formed when her body struck the earth.

Pity my photography skills just can’t do it justice!

So here’s some professional ones….

Views from Te Mata to Hawkes Bay Coast

Pooches on parole

It’s been a risky strategy but Fortnum and Mason have been allowed to try out Domestic Executive HQ this week. This is all part of their growing independence away from their play pen and crates. Whilst you can’t leave them unsupervised they are getting better as just being around the house.

They’ve been really good bedding down whilst I’ve been coaching by phone. Only one or two minor altercations with things on the floor but overall I have to praise their obedience and ability to just hang out and sleep. If only Fortnum didn’t snore so loudly!

Here’s some pics of the sleeping babes during today’s working session. Cute eh!

Ocean beach – will this soon be a memory?

One thing New Zealand isn’t short of is beautiful places. The natural beauty of the country is really what makes this such a special place – they don’t call it God’s own country for no reason!

On Monday we finished our break in Hawkes Bay with a stroll on Ocean Beach, an olympic effort throw of stone from where we were staying. It’s a beautiful sandy beach that has great surf breakers and miles of unspoilt views.

Before you get too carried away in the idyllic view – there are plans afoot to change all of that. They want to build 1,000 -yes no joke – by this beach which currently has a few baches. One one hand you think well why not build a community in such a beautiful spot – there’s certainly enough space and there loads of other deserted beaches elsewhere. As you might imagine the local community have different views and there’s a massive campaign to save Ocean Beach.

You can follow the story if you’re interested. If not, simply enjoy the view!

So what do you say – should they develop Ocean Beach?

Moonstruck

I’ve jabbered on a bit about the nights drawing in and getting darker. The plus side is that you can see the stars earlier and there is more time to be moonstruck. There have been some awesome sunsets recently and full moons to keep us entertained. Here’s one we captured on camera from our cottage at Cape South, Hawkes Bay.

Being away from the urban areas is something I’ve come to really love – no light polution to spoil the view. The downside of course is that there are plenty of dark spots for boogey men to hide in as I found out to my peril when walking the dogs the other day in the dark.

You’d think that with two strapping dogs I’d be well protected. You need to see Fortnum and Mason in action to realise that they are not guard dogs and Mason does a wonderful four legged bounce backwards at anything he doesn’t like. Including bushes that sway in the wind after dark!

Thank goodness for daylight saving. If they hadn’t changed the rules we’d have been in early darkness by now.

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More luck this time

I don’t want to tempt fate as there is still one more day to run at the test match for England and the Black Caps up in Napier but we did enjoy our trip to the match on Sunday.

It was a bit of a worry though as we turned on the radio on Saturday morning only to hear that England were 18 for 3. Crikey, it was going to be a torturous weekend. As you might imagine seeking someone to blame for the Brit’s performance I was called a bad jinx. Last time I went to a cricket match it was in Melbourne to watch England play Australia in the ashes. And we all know what happened there.

The sun didn’t shine on us in Napier but we did at least watch the final overs of England’s first innings and then see the Black Caps bowled out in less than one day!

Fingers crossed we get the right result and the boys don’t let themselves down.

Batting for England

Interesting notice for lunch break

Doh, I think that they meant this lot who were closer to the pitch! It was a wonderful sight to see kids playing cricket and an inspection of the pitch by fans.

More lunch time entertainment – Ian Botham, Mike Atherton and David (hmm, still looking good!) Gower broadcasting for Sky

Afternoon tea entertainment – NZTV and the Dilmah Team sponsored guest spot where every guest get’s their Dilmah goodiebox!

Yah, back on the field again – our boys from blighty

Basset Blogging: back home with family

Since we didn’t think that Fortnum and Mason would be able to stand a day at the cricket we packed them off to their basset family for the Easter break. They were very excited when they arrived to be back in familiar territory happily climbing into their kennels when we arrived.

When we went to pick them up they were sitting happily with their brother and sister peering through the gate waiting for us. They were definitely pleased to see us, jumping up and squeeking loudly with Mason trying to get through the gate and not being held back by the fact he was simply to big to squeeze through the gap!

Here’s a few pics of their basset family. You have to understand that Basset photography is a complete profession in its own right but hopefully you’ll get a sense of their whanau at least.

From left to right: Bonnie, Clyde, Mason and Fortnum

Hot boys!

Four of the five adult bassets at Courtside Kennels

Abbie (mum) and Berkley (uncle) – can you see the family resemblance?

Easter break

Ophs, sorry bloggers, forgot to tell you I was taking a break. You guessed it, to Hawkes Bay. We returned to Cape South where we’ve been going every Easter since we came to NZ to live. Once again it didn’t disappoint.

We dined at Craggy Range Winery (reported as one of the world’s best dining spots), went to the cricket, watched the sea at Ocean Beach and generally chilled out in one of the most idyllic places you can find.

Lots to blog about so hold onto your hats!

Guestblogging: Sarah’s reflections of NZ

Guest blogger: Sarah

Our intrepid traveller tramping the Milford Track

The reward at journey’s end

I’ve just returned home to cold, snowy Yorkshire after a fantastic three week trip to New Zealand. Julie and I met in 2005 when she joined NHS Direct as my boss and I’m lucky to have had her as a friend ever since. When she emigrated two years ago, I promised that I would be out to visit when they’d built their dream house in the country. Having followed Julie’s New Zealand adventures, like many of you, via her blog, it was great to finally see her again in person, meet Martin, Fortnum and Mason for the first time, and to stay in their beautiful new home.

It will come as no surprise that the Treanors made me feel so welcome, took me to some lovely places in Wellington and the surrounding area, including Martinborough (home to a number of small wineries – hic!) and Cape Palliser (where I was thrilled to see a fur seal colony). It was equally as nice just sitting on the veranda in the sunshine drinking tea, catching up on our news and playing with the bassets.

Fortnum and Mason are even more adorable in the flesh than in the photos on Julie’s blog. They love to lick your toes if you’re wearing sandals, jump up with their muddy paws when you’ve just put a clean pair of trousers on, and steal your knickers or socks when you’re trying to put them in the washing machine!

I thought it would even be stretching Julie and Martin’s generous hospitality if I stayed with them for the whole three weeks, so I visited Auckland, Queenstown (a particular favourite for me) and Christchurch. I also completed the 33.5 mile Milford Track, which is described as one of the greatest walks in the world, and it certainly lives up to its reputation. I did the ‘softies’ version of the trek, opting for the more luxurious lodges complete with beds, duvets, hot showers, flushing loos, and a 3 course dinner and breakfast cooked for you, rather than the more ‘hearty’ independent version where you stay in huts, with bare bunks, basic cooking equipment and only a cold water tap for washing.

It was hard saying goodbye to Julie after having such a wonderful time, but I hope to be back to see her and Martin in the not too distant future. I’ve certainly fallen in love with New Zealand and can see why they have decided to make it their home. And I promise, the 27 hour flight to get there is a breeze!

Cruising the coast

It was a beautiful day today – sun shining with temperatures in the high twenties. A perfect day for cruising what can otherwise be a bleak coastline of the South Wairarapa.

It’s been a while since I visited Cape Palliser as the last time we were there it rained, my back was really hurting and on driving home we found out from our prospective neighbours in Gilbert Road that the minx of a developer was hatching a plot which meant we would never be able to get the piece of land we were due to buy. All round it wasn’t the best of days.

The fine weather and different circumstances made the trip today a real pleasure. We had to go hunting for seals as Sarah, my staying from the UK hadn’t seen seals so far on her trip. I’m pleased to say that neither the sun, sea or seals let me down and they put on a real show for Sarah as you can see from this photoblogging.

I know, not sea or seals but the rural icon of NZ taking a stroll down the coast road when my in-laws were visiting and makes this photoblog complete.