Taking a Break - Te Puna Quarry Park

The second day of my break was spent looking in and for art supplies shops, reading and writing, but on the last day I went to the Te Puna Quarry Park. It was a bit of a disaster. When I arrived I drove to the far end of a long parking area, to where other cars were parked, and where I could see a large noticeboard with a rough map of the paths. I decided to take the 'main circuit' which led into the bush, assuming that it would take me up and around to the sculptures and gardens. The track led me up a very step track, and I thought I was heading to the top of the quarry. But no.

After nearly an hour and a half, two falls from slippery steep ground, two grabbings of barbed wire, climbing over two fallen trees, crawling under another, and without seeing anything but bush, I emerged a few metres from where I started, and saw a sign saying 'main track', and which lead in the opposite direction. Both knees and one hip were aching almost to the point of tears and I went and ate my lunch and drank long from my cold water bottle.

I decided against the main track - I couldn't face another steep walk, even if the track was a lot better and bigger than the previous one, which was about the same standard as the track in our bush, except vertical. But I did go for a gentle wander.

 At last! Some sculptures!

 There were some pretty gardens and flowers, but the whole thing didn't live up to my expectations - I think the Waikato Arboretum Sculpture Park, also an old quarry, beats it hands down.

 Lesson: don't make assumptions. Go carefully. And remember -  Here there be dragons.