Auckland From Every Angle

Kia Ora!

This week I've had time to do a bit of sight-seeing around Auckland. The weathers been great for it! Last week the weather was intermittently rainy and always windy- a few people blamed my arrival for it as it had been a bit nicer before I arrived! But still, this week the mid-winter weather has bought us sun and more sun. If shade and the light breeze was avoided, it would have passed for a hot day in the UK.

So with new friends I climbed a few of the currently dormant volcanic scoria cones. The most recent eruption here was 550 years ago and another isn't expected for hundreds of years more. So they're pretty safe to explore. Coincidentally, the most recent eruption completed the land mass now known as Rangitoto Island.

One Tree Hill

Sorry for the dodgy camera work...

Formally the largest volcanic cone in Auckland, One Tree Hill is a few miles away from the city. I climbed it with Scott, Pauline, Marion, Daniel and Nora. The climb only took twenty minutes but it gave great views of the city.

And here is a photo of the first (live) sheep I have encountered since my arrival! I was nearly bought a book on sheep spotting in New Zealand by Febe and Adam- here's my first spotting guys. I may just resort to photographing every type of sheep I see and tick off my own made list haha.

Sheep- Breed Find Number 1

Mount Victoria and North Head

The ferry which took us across the sea

Unlike One Tree Hill, this was a day trip. Across the sea from Auckland is an are known as Devonport. Here are two more volcanic cones which provide great views of the city. We (this time Scott, Adele, Nora, Daniel and Timo) had to take a 20 minute ferry to get there. There is a little town street to greet you when leaving the ferry.

Me on mushrooms

Mario Bros. guys? No? Just me then :-)

Panoramic view on top of Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria is the highest of the two scoria cones and where we found ourselves first. Another angle, but another great view of Auckland City and a closer look at Rangitoto Island. There were also some strange mushrooms vents for the water station under the mount. Why mushrooms? I have no idea, but at last I could get the full Super Mario Bros. experience!

We then walked over to North Head via a beach and dock. Although North Head was not as high as Mount Victoria, I think this mount was the most stunning of the three visited. Rangitoto was even closer still and the city looked great with the harbor in the foreground. It felt like being on a small isolated island with points of interest in every direction.

The European adventurers

View of a beach from North Head

View of Auckland city from North Head

View of Rangitoto Island from North Head

I hope you enjoy the photos. In the near future I hope to climb Mount Eden to see Auckland from yet another angle.

And for the eagle eyed readers, the badges were with me all the way today...

Kia Ora,

Ben