Our offices closed at noon on New Year’s Eve, and the place quickly became a ghost town. We finally got our stuff to a stopping point about 12:30 p.m. and by then we were the only ones in the building. We headed quickly to our apartment, changed clothes, grabbed a bite to eat, loaded the car and were off to our predetermined destination – Matamata. When John and Shona were here last month, we saw a tall water falls from the highway in the distant mountains. We were fascinated, and decided to hike up to it. Upon getting to the location we learned that the falls was named Wairere, and has a drop of over 500 feet. At the bottom of the track a sign suggested that it would take us almost two hours to get to the falls, we were starting at 5:30 p.m. – hmmm.
Once inside the forest, the tall trees and thick tree ferns made the hike cool and pleasant and almost immediately dark in the late afternoon sun.
The track took us through a beautiful, diverse range of natural scenery that appeared to have hardly been touched by man.
In addition to the water falls, which was our original destination, there was a beautiful river which we followed up the mountain for several miles.
The path crossed several rivers and stream beds on its way up.
Along the path were several picturesque river falls and cascades.
It should be no surprise that some sections would include steep stairways or mountain paths. This particular section contained more than 200 steps.
The entire pathway meandered around and through a boulder strewn rain forest which reflected every color of green imaginable.
The light that came through breaks in the forest canopy reflected beautifully on the small ponds that we found from time to time along the river.
The falls was stunning, but the magnitude was almost in comprehensible. If we go close enough to photograph it all, it was so far away that the details were lost. Up close, only small sections could be seen at a time.
There are numerous pools to along the way, and several side tracks to be explored.
Racing the sun-dial, we took the time to explore only one side path. It lead us to a beautiful lush pasture land that overlooked a vista that the setting sun bathed in long shadows that accented the trees and farm lands far below.
Still racing the sun, we took only one short breather to grab a picture of the two of us together.
As the sun continued to fall we began to think that we might get caught in a dark forest. This was one that it would be safer to just stay the night than to try to navigate in the dark. (We picked up our pace – considerably)!
We emerged from the forest just in time to catch the sun setting behind the distant mountains on the other side of the valley.
As we drove away, the full moon poked its face above the very forest from which we had just emerged. What an exciting adventure and we were glad we didn’t have to stay in the forest the whole night.
Once inside the forest, the tall trees and thick tree ferns made the hike cool and pleasant and almost immediately dark in the late afternoon sun.
The track took us through a beautiful, diverse range of natural scenery that appeared to have hardly been touched by man. 
In addition to the water falls, which was our original destination, there was a beautiful river which we followed up the mountain for several miles.
The path crossed several rivers and stream beds on its way up.
Along the path were several picturesque river falls and cascades.
It should be no surprise that some sections would include steep stairways or mountain paths. This particular section contained more than 200 steps.
The entire pathway meandered around and through a boulder strewn rain forest which reflected every color of green imaginable.
The light that came through breaks in the forest canopy reflected beautifully on the small ponds that we found from time to time along the river.
The falls was stunning, but the magnitude was almost in comprehensible. If we go close enough to photograph it all, it was so far away that the details were lost. Up close, only small sections could be seen at a time.
There are numerous pools to along the way, and several side tracks to be explored.
Racing the sun-dial, we took the time to explore only one side path. It lead us to a beautiful lush pasture land that overlooked a vista that the setting sun bathed in long shadows that accented the trees and farm lands far below.
Still racing the sun, we took only one short breather to grab a picture of the two of us together.
As the sun continued to fall we began to think that we might get caught in a dark forest. This was one that it would be safer to just stay the night than to try to navigate in the dark. (We picked up our pace – considerably)!
We emerged from the forest just in time to catch the sun setting behind the distant mountains on the other side of the valley.
As we drove away, the full moon poked its face above the very forest from which we had just emerged. What an exciting adventure and we were glad we didn’t have to stay in the forest the whole night.
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