New Plymouth

This week I found myself in New Plymouth again. I stayed at my regular hotel and decided to enjoy the spring weather and walk to dinner. Now on this map below you may be able to see Timanadra street (off of Hwy 3) just south of the cementaryand a small blue creek to the right of it. On my map there was a walking path market on the west side of the stream that when all the way to the ocean.

Well the path from the hotel was clearly a path, with stairs and bridge, although it appears to have not been used recently given the heavy layer of leaves covering most of it.

It lead to the loveliest section of bush kissed water.

But the path became hard to follow from that point. I ended up finding a stye that lead to some pathways through thick grass. I figured it must be the trail, although quickly I realized that the paths all went random directions.
So I walked to the top of the hill where I found a very clear path. I climbed the fence and started walking along it. It turned into an uphill concrete slab covered in cow pies. Soon I realized that it opened into a field of cows. I went over the fence into a field of grass to the left of the cows.
And then I was spotted. All of them ran towards me and the brown one with horns was particularly keen to get to know me. I could clearly see that there was a step stye at the end of the field, but to get there I had to go through the cows. I couldn't retreat as there was nothing between me and the cows for a good 1/4 mile. Now that I was spotted, I knew they'd follow me.

I stayed there for a good 15 minutes sorting out what to do, when the cows start to run away from me. Suddenly a jogger appeared an ran right through the field. I followed him, but the cows turns straight at me and ran with me.

I did survive though and climbed over the stye to find myself in a cemetary.


It was rememberance day and there were lots and lots of flowers... I wandered through reading the grave stones.Eventually I found my way back down to the river which had a very clear path. I followed it under roads, past a mini waterfall, and then came upon this swing.
It arced back and forth over the stream which was a good 10 feet below the river bank.

Then the path meet the sea and the Coastal Walkway. New Plymouth has won many awards for this infrastructure and heaps of people were out. Here is a shot of the water fountain.


Near town, the path is graced with a Wind Wand. That is where I left the sea walk and headed in to find some dinner.



I treated myself to a nice meal at a fancy restaurant complete with dessert... although the walk was itself felt so adventureous and sweet it could be argued that it was a dessert in and of itself