After handing in three of four uni papers yesterday, I decided it was high time I went for another decent hike! Our local train network was completely free today (to ‘thank’ us ratepayers for our contribution?), so I headed up the Kapiti Line to tackle the Paekakariki Escarpment.

Stretching from Pukerua Bay to Paekakariki, this is a 10km hike of hills. I’m not kidding. There were a few flat sections, but they were very few and far between. There’s a sign at the start of the track that warns anyone who is mildly unfit or suffers from vertigo to quit while they’re ahead and go home (okay, not in so many words).

This is one of the small hills:

I couldn’t fit the big hills in with a 40mm lens. They’re that big.

And it’s a long way down with no hand rails. I took the below photo without leaving the trail.

But it is totally worth it for the views…

There was masses of harakeke (New Zealand flax) in flower or about to flower and tuīs going absolutely crazy over it.

There were also a couple of quirky bits. The decommissioned railway at Muri has a very beautiful mural.

And waiting at the end is Paekakariki, which has a beautifully restored railway station and signal house. Inside the railway station is a museum and an small-but-amazing secondhand bookstore. I bought something – a book on tāniko (Māori weaving) by Sidney Moko Mead – and I’m beginning to think it’s physically impossible for me to enter a secondhand bookstore without buying something. But seriously, if you’re driving past, stop and take a look, it’s good.

Well, that doesn’t look too quirky, I hear you say. But look at the little green door in the middle of the photo. Look closer….

It’s a fairy door!