I don’t particularly like running as an exercise. I am not sure why but I have never taken to it. But not to worry. I have a better option—day hikes. There are numerous tracks around New Zealand most headed up into the hills and mountains where I can get sufficient exercise, particularly the aerobic variety.
New Zealand takes their trails and tracks seriously. They are well maintained and offer everything from day hikes to back country hikes that last for days on tracks that are described as only for experienced back country travelers. These tracks are not well marked, and you better know how to read a map and a compass. Some tracks have huts available for an overnight stay. Given the changeability of the weather, you also need to be prepared to face four seasons in a day.
I’m not interested in that kind of difficulty. I’m at most a glamper. So I stick to the day hikes. These trails take me into the bush, preserved forests that look like New Zealand probably looked before settlement—massive trees, palms, ferns, vines. I love going into the dark green forests and marveling at the densely packed flora. You expect a dinosaur to pop out any minute. These also give you an idea of the effort settlers had to make to clear the bush for farming. A Maori friend of mine told me there are photos of settlers burning hundreds of acres of forest to clear for crops and grazing. But the clearing is not necessarily permanent. Any place that is not attended to regularly will eventually be taken over by the bush. Everything grows here on a large scale. The sun is intense and the weather is temperate. It would only be a matter of time.
Saving these environments is important since a lot of land in New Zealand is being taken over by pine forests. Logging is one of the main economic drivers now. Sheep pastures are being turned into logging operations. This is problematic because pine seeds travel on the wind which means that pine trees end up in places they do not belong. There is a huge effort here to combat what they term “wilding pines.” Much like invasive animals and plants, pines can take over quickly if left unchecked. There are community groups that go out on eradication forays, cutting them down, even better digging them out roots and all. So let’s celebrate the wild forest where we can.
Here are some pics from some recent hikes. This is the Hemi Matenga Scenic Reserve where there is a think jungle of palm, ferns and vines:
This is the Barry Hadfield Nikau Reserve, one of the few remaining untouched forests of Nikau palm. This trail is primarily steps up the hillside:
This is a trail along the Otaki River through native bush where they have reserved an area of cabbage palms along a stream at a place called Chrystall Lagoon. It is really beautiful back there.
All really lovely and so much better then running.
A Yank Among the Kiwis 