Sarah you would have been proud of us today - and not because we have been playing or even watching football but because we have been cycling!

Mount Taranaki in the morning

It has been a lovely day again - almost cloudless and temperatures in the low 20s. We set off just before 9am to climb Mount Taranaki - not to the top you understand but part way! We went to the Dawson Falls visitor centre about half way up the mountain and did two walks from there. The first was to the Falls themselves which wasn't very far, though involved some climbing down steep steps. However it was worth it as the Falls were good.

Dawson Falls

Then we set off on a longer walk but, although mostly uphill was well paved with excellent boardwalk at the end. At the end was a series of pools - Wilkies Pools - which have been sculpted by the water over the years. The route to the pools went through forest of moss and lichen covered trees and banks - locally known as goblin forest!

Mossy bank

Wilkies Pools

When we left our motel we had been able to see Mount Taranaki quite well with only little wispy bits of cloud crossing over it but by the time we were walking on it, we couldn't see the top for cloud - a common occurrence apparently! However we could see down the mountain to the plain below and on to the sea. We had a cup of coffee before leaving to circumnavigate the mountain in the car.

We decided to visit Cape Egmont lighthouse, expecting it to be set in a prominent position on the coast but were a little disappointed to find it rather small and slightly set back on the cliff with no photo opportunities! Oh well you win some and you lose some! Thankfully today has been mainly win!

Travelling on to New Plymouth we drove along roads lined not only with agapanthus (see yesterday) but also on fire with montbretia and complete hedges of hydrangeas! New Plymouth is quite a large town on the north coast of the Taranaki Peninsula - larger than we expected. We had some lunch but had decided last night that in order to view the new coastal walkway in the town and a particularly stunning new footbridge we would have to cycle!

Te Rewa Rewa Bridge

We had found out where to hire cycles from and for only £5 each we were able to cycle for as long as we needed! I don't think we have cycled since San Francisco - 4 years ago but we had a most enjoyable hour or so cycling by the sea. We reckon we did about 10km which we would never have done walking after our morning's efforts!

Riding the bridge

Our reward for this was an ice cream! We then returned to Hawera, taking the route round the other side of the mountain and so completing our circumnavigation! It gradually became visible again as we finished our journey.

It is noticeably darker earlier up here in the north - by nearly an hour, I guess. We have eaten well at a local restaurant and I think we will take the opportunity to have another spa bath now in order to soothe our aching muscles!