Diagonally opposite the road exit from Lucy's Gully is Ahu Ahu Road. When my friend, Bev and I were there, she recalled the family of a friend who lives down that road and I was sure I'd heard my daughter talking about a wedding venue down that road. We both had heard enough about it to be tempted to take a drive to see where it might lead us.
We thought the beach at the end of the road, with it's tree lined shore would be a great place to spend a hot summer's day.
It was just a stroke of good luck that, as we turned around to go back, we noticed the road narrowed to a track and carried on, parallel with the beach. It was like an invitation to follow it. Which, of course, we did.
Where the road ended it was obvious there was nowhere else to go. Unless on foot, across the little swing footbridge which lead to the beach on the other side of a little mountain stream.
Two surfers returning from surfing the Far Side.
Driftwood - one of the things I love about Taranaki beaches.
A little piece of driftwood sitting on the hand rail of the swing bridge and
freshly arriving driftwood in the mountain stream below.
It looks like the perfect spot for a nice hot day!
ReplyDeleteDo you miss the Queensland beaches at all?
Hi Liz, I used to miss the Queensland beaches but I've come to appreciate the beauty of the NZ coast. When I first arrived I wouldn't have given you tuppence for driftwood, rocky headlands, little mountain streams but they have worked their magic on me. If I feel a need for wild surf beaches, they are easy to find.
DeleteSuch a nice, quiet place! It would tempt me to stay and just relax for days there.
ReplyDeleteoh it's so pretty! I love finding spots like this, where is Lucy's Gully?
ReplyDeleteHi Amy, It's south of New Plymouth on SH45, about a 20 minute drive, just past Oakura. I'm slowly exploring all the roads that lead off the highway to the beach.
DeleteIn Britain 'driftwood' generally means occasional branches and twigs but in New Zealand whole forests seem to end up on beaches in some places. I recall one beach north of Gisborne which was simply a mass of dead tree trunks. When one thinks of them all floating out at sea at some stage they must pose a huge threat to shipping.
ReplyDelete