Takarunga from Rangitoto

I went with Z on a ferry from downtown Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) to the island of Rangitoto. We walked from the ferry terminal on Rangitoto to the summit (260m or 850 ft). The sign said it takes one hour to do the walk.

Z took significantly less time than that. About three quarters of the way up, I slowed down and encouraged him to press on by himself, it being his first walk up a volcano. And a recently (about 600 years ago) active one at that.

It is a good number of years since the last time S and I went up, and the amount of vegetation now is strikingly more than then. Rangitoto is now a conservation habitat, and we were required to clean our shoes/boots before boarding the ferry. There are strict rules about where to put any rubbish; preferably take it back with us.

I took this photo from the lookout at the summit. It shows the central city scape of Tamaki Makaurau. Between the city and Rangitoto is Takarunga (named Mount Victoria by early English settlers).

I have added an extra photo of Z under the welcome arch from the wharf before we started our climb.