Forgotten World Highway

That is name given to  the highway 43 between Taumarunui and Stratford.  After our trip to Bennydale we are spending this weekend driving another piece of back country New Zealand.  It is a similar story. A lot of the native forest was logged, farms were broken in, coal was mined, the rail road went through.  The main shot is of Mt Damper Falls. After about a 14km drive alone Moki Rd it is a little walk across farmland and down some steps to see the stream spill over a papa bluff.  The falls are about 80m high.  Along this road we passed these wonderful steam boilers seen in the extra.  They are left from the logging era.
Our bed for the night was at the Whangamomona Hotel. (best of luck pronouncing that.  I'm not sure I am doing it correctly) We were greeted with a guest practicing the bagpipes in his bedroom.  That evening there was to be a whisky tasting.  Would we like to join in?  Oh yes please.  We were lead through the whiskys by Alistair Campbell from Whisky Galore in Christchurch.  It was very informative.   There where four men in kilts, two pipers and the evening ended with the haggis being piped around the bar and The Robbie Burns poem being said by Jim from Taihape.  A most enjoyed evening and very unexpected in such a small place.  There really is nothing else there but the hotel.