On the edge

Cold and frosty this morning but spectacular. Chores done we headed for an afternoon ramble on the Pupu Hydro Walkway. Actually it's a decent walk and quite a challenging climb to start with through forests of beech and rimu and mature podcarps (Podocarp forests are a mixture of tall podocarps and smaller trees (hardwoods) with an understorey of shrubs, plants and ferns. Light-loving podocarps reach for the forest canopy, while shade tolerant species thrive in the darker lower levels. Thank you Dept of Conservation). The most impressive thing though is man-made. Actually it took 8 men 6 months to make and you can't but help think - how?? in 1901 gold was found in them thar hills and the said men decided to  build a gold mining water trace - half teeny canal and half aqueduct. It's miles up, cut out of solid rock with sheer drops and goes on for 3km. Eventually it was used to bring hydroelectric power to Golden Bay in 1929, and it's still used today.Some parts are quite vertigo inducing and the forest is dense and cold with occasional glimpse out to the mountains beyond.
Feel free to take a walk