Feb 09, 2019

Our accommodation last night didn’t have an on-site restaurant as such but thankfully with 3 hours’ notice a meal can be provided in the conservatory which was great since we were a few kilometres from the shops, and we like to get off the bikes after our day and stay off. The room was lovely and beautifully presented and we had a small balcony to sit on and chill in the breeze, well I did as I did the blog and Norm took the Mr Sheen to the bikes … as he does. I am a lucky girl!

Today we headed to Rotorua with a couple of spots of interest on the way. Apart from the great ride we checked out the Te Tapui Reserve trying to find a lookout and after a good distance on gravel roads were grateful to come across a farm worker who assured us unless we wanted to hike through forest we wouldn’t get there so we headed back to the black stuff and continued on to the Hobbiton Movie Set which was a great experience then headed into Rotorua for a couple of nights.

 

Breakfast in Huntly and discovered it used to be a black coal mining town (there is still a large power station using coal and gas) until 1914 when an explosion, the second worst mining disaster in New Zealand occurred killing 43 and injuring another 19. Not surprisingly the mine closed soon after. The town appears to be still struggling with many empty shops. This is part of a 100-year memorial near our breakfast spot.

 

Morning Coffee at Morrinsville, a tidy town amid a productive dairying area. Norm was a bit miffed that I parked up more easily than him.

One of the more memorable buildings in the main street and 2 of many artistically decorated cows!

 

Then to the Hobbiton sight and one of many Hobbit houses. Very quirky.

 

The visitors in the only hobbit house we could go in because it was larger than a meter square space.

 

A long view to the Green Dragon where we had a delicious ginger beer.

 

The artificial oak tree since the film was filmed in winter and it needed to be in full leaf. A steel and foam frame and 200,000 + artificial leaves wired on…. now that’s commitment.

 

The Green Dragon and my own hobbit taking a photo to the left.

 

And a view back to the mill to the right of the bridge. Just loved the huge pine trees which gave an awesome backdrop to everything.

 

And dinner at the Pig & Whistle in Rotorua which we discovered on our first trip to Rotorua.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Manor Views

24 Upland Road

Waterview Heights, Huntly NZ 3700

 

A beautiful old building built in 1926 as a maternity hospital which has been lovingly restored into a boutique accommodation venue. The room is a standard king and the largest we have had so far. There is also a small balcony which was a nice spot to sit and take in the view in the distance and a cooling breeze. Free Wi-Fi as we have found everywhere but it is a good speed here where some haven’t been. Everything here is immaculately maintained and beautifully clean and the manager or owner was extremely obliging. We felt very welcome. The conservatory where we had our dinner (ordered 3 hrs before) and where you can have breakfast was just beautiful.