Lake Mangamahoe & Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve

My dear colorful friends,

today I want to share with you many more colors from my two short walks near Mount Taranaki, as I made several little stops on my way to New Plymouth. Two of these stops were Lake Mangamahoe and the Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve, and what can I say: the weather was perfect and the colors of the flowers and plants were simply phenomenal.

Upon arriving at the lake, I leisurely strolled along the water to one of the best viewpoints for Mount Taranaki. Along the way, I saw so many beautiful flowers and plants in colors I don’t even know from home. Orange, purple, red - it was simply breathtaking what nature has created here in New Zealand. After a half-hour walk, I reached the viewpoint, and even though the top of Mount Taranaki was covered, I very much enjoyed the view.

After enjoying the view, I continued deeper into the jungle and into the Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve. It’s a relatively small, but wonderfully untouched piece of jungle right on the outskirts of New Plymouth. Many native New Zealand plants and animals, and I was able to see and observe several Tuis. Additionally, a small stream flows right through here, and I could hear the constant trickling water.

It was a wonderful trip and I really enjoyed the nature here. After several days in nature, I started to crave civilization and some delicious sweet treats again. So, I headed straight from there with a stop at the beach to the campsite in New Plymouth.

In this post, I will also let nature and the pictures speak for themselves again. New Zealand is simply a natural beauty.

And in the next post, I will show you a bit of the city of New Plymouth.

Your Britta