Martinborough Fair

The sun is out woohoo!....

This summer has been a bit of a disappointment in Wellington. According to the news it has been the worst summer, in terms of hours of sunshine, in thirty years. We have had the lowest number of beach days (days with more than 8 hours of sunshine) since 1987.

Luckily we spent a lot of the summer on the South Island and managed to avoid all the bad weather. However at this time of year we would normally have managed to swim in the sea quite a few times, and so far we have only managed it once.

So following our first week back at work we decided we needed cheering up and so headed north over the Rimutaka's to check out Martinborough Fair in the Wairarapa. A colleague recommended it as she liked visiting all the craft stalls but she did warn us about the traffic. And she was right. Clearly a lot of other people from Wellington had the same idea.

We had to park some distance from the little town and walk in. It was packed!

It was a gorgeous day and we didn't mind the walk into town as we got to pass all the vineyards that surround the little urban area.

The little town square and surrounding streets were jam packed with stalls and stands selling crafts, second hand goods and delicious smelling chutneys, jams, cheese and sauces. We spent a good couple of hours exploring what was on offer.

They also had a section for fairground attractions and weird balls on water. I think their called Zorbs.

Unfortunately we only spotted the horse and carriage just before we left. If we had seen it earlier I would have loved a ride.

I can thoroughly recommend Martinborough Fair as an excellent day out. Even in the heat we had today the little town has plenty of shelter and the food trucks are plentiful and varied enough to suit everyones taste. 

The bit I loved the most though was the lady doing the announcements over the loud speakers. During the day as well as the normal announcements for lost children, she announced several lost husbands who had apparently been mislaid and were looking for their wives. Plus half an hour before the fair closed she advised everyone to check they had all they had come with and to make sure that their bags, keys and purses were not lost. It was like someone had handed the loud speaker to my Nan for the afternoon!

Photography and a holiday in Lake Ferry

During the last school holidays we decided to cross over the Rimutakas and spend a few days exploring the Wairarapa. In particular the area around Lake Ferry (Lake Onoke).

This is a strangely isolated and beautiful spot which is probably a lot busier during summer. But when we went it was still absolutely breath taking. The lake is formed by a large sandy spit which has cut off the freshwater lake from the Tasman Sea. It appears to be a popular area for fishing and camping and is apparently a very good area for surfing as well. However the blustery, cold wintery weather made visiting the one and only restaurant/pub in the area more appealing.

The Lake Ferry Hotel is perched on the edge of the coastline and is the only facility of any kind in the area. Thankfully it is warm and welcoming and the food is likewise. We spent two evenings there eating and enjoying the cheery warmth surrounded by the few other hardy holiday makers in the area.

Martinborough is about a forty minute drive from Lake Ferry and we spent an enjoyable morning nosing around the shops and cafes there. We also took the kids to the Pinnacles which is one of the locations from Lord of the Rings. The scene when Aragon visits the underworld to get the army of the dead.

This is a spectacular walk but not as creepy or scary as the film made it appear. As a geographer I find it a fascinating example of the power of water to create and change landscapes.

As it was my birthday whilst we were there I took the opportunity to mess around with my new tripod and lenses and I am quite happy with the results!

A winter sunset over the Rimutakas.