Fog in the Maniototo

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."
-- Frank A. Clark


GingerNan and I had another day today in the Maniototo area, travelling as far as the upper reaches of the Taieri River, and then trying unsuccessfully to drive up onto the Rock and Pillar Range, thwarted by the road being closed for the months of winter. We’d initially chased some banks of fog, being rewarded with misty atmospheric shots of bridges, trees and rivers – and then around a corner, some wonderfully friendly and inquisitive llamas. Many pics later we made our way up to the Patearoa Dam site and had our lunch by a maimai, enjoying the view out over the Maniototo plains towards the massive Dunstan Range.

This afternoon we made our way back along the Home Hills Run Road, past the Shearers’ quarters, and back to the Falls Dam, to looks at the wonderful old corrugated iron fishermen’s shacks. Unfortunately it started to rain, which made everything rather claggy and wet, but we were still able to negotiate all the fords and rutted roads, and arrived back at the Wedderburn Cottages with ourselves and the 4WD all still in one piece!