Peel Forest

Last weekend we finished work early, picked the boys up from school and preschool and headed 2 hours south of Christchurch to the Peel Forest. This is a Dept of Conservation area with lots of tracks to walk, with some heading off into the mountains above. It is near the Rangitata river which is good for salmon fishing and was used for some of the Lord of the Rings scenes.

After dinner at the village pub we headed to a bach (holiday cottage) we had rented for the weekend.
It was a rustic cottage set back from the road in the bush, completely secluded by the surrounding trees.
The view from the deck

 The house nestled in the bush

 

The next day, after messing about near the bach we set off on one of the short treks nearby. The tracks are all well signposted and give generous approximate times next to each walk so we can pick one suitable for all the boys.

 All smiles as the boys head off on a trek

 Negotiating one of the river crossings as Cameron has safely made it to the other bank

Cameron picks his way across another stream

 Emily Falls (renamed Cameron Falls after a less than successful river crossing!)

 Cameron taking in the nature

Later we went to another part of the forest for a short stroll along the Big Tree walk that took us to, strangely enough, a big tree, a Totara.
The big tree

Then back at the bach the boys played in the garden, down by the river and up in the treehouse while we relaxed and watched the Bellbirds, Waxeyes, Fantails and others that flitted around the garden.
Ewan makes his way up the treehouse

 The rest of the boys at the top

 A Waxeye grabs a bite

 

The next day we headed off on another walk in another part of the forest. This one started with a long stretch uphill but Finlay was determined to do it all himself even if some of the steps were almost as big as him. At the end a short walk up a river bed brought us to another waterfall.

The boys make their way up the stairs

 Finlay charges up the riverbed

 A well-earned rest