Ashley Gorge

Last week my son traded in his old car for newer one. This morning he took me for a spin. We went to Ashley Gorge, in North Canterbury. We used to go there a lot back in the 1970s when my children were small. The reserve has changed since then. It has been developed as a camping park and trees have grown, but I could still see the bones of the old place.

We walked up to a favourite clearing. It used to be an open space looking across the gorge to the hillside on the other side of the river. I remember one time we picnicked there, our family of four. Late afternoon sunshine slanted through a gap in the hills, catching the long strands of thousands of spiderlings ballooning across the narrow gorge. For the few moments it lasted we were spellbound by the scintillating air.

This morning the sun didn’t reach down there. The air was cold, and filled with the fragrance of honey from the beech trees. The only sounds were of the river below us, and a variety of birds. Above them the pure notes of the bellbirds rang clear, like a couple of soloists with a chorus. We stood very still. After a few minutes the bellbirds came to trees close by and continued their beautiful call and reply above our heads.

The light was dim in the gorge. I did not have my tripod. I was able to get this shot by resting my camera on the ground.