04/08/2018 - Mount Taranaki successfully captured

Every morning, our gaze wandered between the trees. Is Mount Taranaki finally visible today?! And indeed. After the fourth night in Stratford, the snow-covered slopes of the volcano were already visible before the morning shower. The excitement rose in us! Since we didn't want to waste any time, we skipped washing the breakfast dishes, stacked and placed them in the footwell of the car, and set off towards Mt Taranaki! After just a few minutes, we stopped at the roadside to take the first pictures. It rises impressively from the vast, flat region and towers over the adjacent pasture fields. A fantastic sight!
We didn't hesitate long and continued our journey. The closer we got to the volcano, the denser the forest became. Eventually, the two-lane highway turned into a one-lane avenue. Many trees towered on both sides. We were thrilled.
Before we reached our destination, the Visitor Centre at the foot of the mountain, we made a stop at the Dawson Falls. These fall down a former lava flow. Even though the current outside temperature was not particularly pleasant, we set up our photo equipment near the 18-meter-high waterfall. The small stream resulting from the waterfall proved to be a beautiful foreground. :)
Then we went back to the car and to the main parking lot of the Visitor Center. From here, several hikes of different lengths start. Since we are in the middle of winter, some of the paths were snow-covered and therefore not accessible to everyone. We decided on the 45-minute track that leads to the Wilkies Pools. The hiking trail is classified as wheelchair accessible and therefore very well developed. You walk past moss-covered trees, over small bridges, and along a stream. The snow-covered Mount Taranaki always loomed in front of us. Not a single cloud obstructed the view, allowing us to clearly see the outlines of the summit.
Half an hour later, we arrived at the aforementioned pools. Where once a lava flow passed, there are now smaller cascades and several pools. The surroundings seemed unreal. The gray, partly moss-covered stones and the clear stream that winds its way into the valley looked magical. We left the well-developed hiking trail and explored the area on our own. We climbed up on the edge of the stream, meter by meter, looking for a way to the next outcrop. The further we progressed, the more impressive the scenery became. Despite the cold, the place magically attracted us. We imagined what it would be like to lie in the pools here in the summer. It would definitely have its appeal - aside from the great view. :)
Some time passed and we left the beautiful spot to continue following the hiking route. We turned off the main path and took an alternative route. We hoped that this would lead us to another highlight of the national park. However, the footpath became increasingly difficult. The few wooden steps were flooded with water, and the undergrowth at the edge of the path increasingly took over. Soon, there was no clear route visible anymore. Occasionally, due to the poor visibility of the ground, minor mishaps occurred - we stood ankle-deep in the mud. ;) But we didn't want to give up ...
After about 20 minutes, we finally made it. Back on the slightly wider hiking trail, we took a turn and reached the right path that led to a suspension bridge. On site, we were greeted by one of the highest suspension bridges in the national park. The narrow bridge spans a deep gorge at a height of 40 meters. The maximum capacity of "1 person" did not have a positive effect on trustworthiness. The bridge wobbled heavily when crossing. Carefully, we let our gaze wander down into the gorge - and flinched. Even though we don't have a fear of heights, we were relieved to have reached the other end. However, from here it was only a hut ... and that was not our next destination. So we sneaked back across the high, swaying suspension bridge.
On the remaining path, we crossed the stream again, admired petrified lava rocks, and enjoyed the unobstructed view of the majestic mountain.
Three hours later, we arrived back at the car. And wouldn't you know it? At that very moment, the first clouds moved in front of the volcano. Soon, its summit was no longer visible. From 2:00 p.m., the beautiful Mt Taranaki, like in the past few days, was hidden behind a wall of clouds.
We drove back to the campsite, put our feet up, and looked at the pictures we took. We quickly agreed that waiting for better weather was absolutely worth it!