Mt. Victoria

It has been a while since I dragged you up the side of a volcano. (This one is dormant)  What do you say? Will you follow me as I travel to this cone that lies just a stone's throw away from North Head?  It's just across the harbor from downtown Auckland. Devonport sits at it's feet. I have lots of nice pictures.

Good. It'll be easy. All you have to do is click and pay a minimum of attention. I had to climb the thing on a hot day. You'll see that it's quite a bit higher than North Head, and if you asked Dianne, she would tell you that it's no picnic climbing that one. She knows. 

So lets go...

I have already walked from home to the Sturges Road Train Station and taken the Western Line to Britomart. I then took the ferry you see tied up there and am now in Devonport. 

I turn around and see my goal. That's Mt. Victoria. 

 I'm heading up the main street and will start my climb in just a couple of blocks.

From this point on it's all uphill.

Ah, I like this. I won't have to share the road I've been following anymore. 

I'm getting close to the top now and look what I see. This has got to be some cool place I can explore. I even have my head lamp with me. I can't wait.  

Think again. It turned out to be a World War Two bunker all right, but it was closed. The Folk Music Club of Auckland uses it to practice in. Good acoustics no doubt. 

How do you like that? Why do they put a sign along the road that gets my hopes up, and then lead me to a locked door. Hmmph.

I'm hot and sweaty and out of breath, and now I'm mad besides, as only a 68 year old kid who didn't get his way can be. 

(And no, I'm not joining the Folk Music Club.) 

I'm almost at the top and you can already see how much higher I am than North Head. 

At least there is a 'Disappearing Gun' to look at. 

 Don't need my head lamp here. 

 What must it have been like to fire such a monster?  The men must have gone deaf and I'll bet the concussion was terrific.  

I'm on my way back down and overlooking Devonport. At the top is the ferry terminal.  

 The trip down is shaded and lots easier than going up. 

 These remind me a little of sweet william flowers. 

 I saw this on the way up, but didn't want to stop then. This is a home that is rented out to visiting New Zealand writers.

 Very Cool.

I've shown you this fig tree before but I can't pass it without taking another picture. 

 I have about 15 minutes before my ferry arrives and it's low tide, so I've come down to the beach below the terminal building to look around. 

 Gentle waves...

 ...but raucous gulls. (Is there any other kind?)

On our way back, I spotted this jet-boat returning with a load of scrambled tourists.  Not my kind of ride. I've watched it do lots of 360's. 

 We are approaching the Ferry Building.  I've had a good hike, but I'm tired. I hope you enjoyed coming along.           -djf