On our return along the Scarborough track to Taylor's Mistake, the last of the evening sun grazed the Port Hills. On the other side of this lies Lyttelton Harbour.
I love the unusual light that occurs when the descending sun slips below cloud (especially a nor'west arch) and lights up the Port Hills against an overcast sky.
By the way, referring to your comment in the previous post about little sign of earthquake damage: on 13th June 2011 a geologist went up to the Scarborough track on Whitewash Head to check out damage from the first earthquake, when the second one struck. He was lucky to escape with his life as both cliff and track fell away.
Maybe the cliffs nearer Taylor's Mistake were more stable and less affected. I presume the track from Scarborough has been re-routed to avoid Whitewash Head. It's scary to watch the video and remember times when I've walked along that very same part of the track. Friends had the last house along Whitewash Head and the track ran close to their boundary. (The house remained.)
Looks like a place where one could walk off into Forever, or the Faraway Nearby. Love the names of just about everything there in NZ ... titipounamu, Aotorea, Taylor's Mistake. Thanks, Pete.
Lesley, the track from Nicholson Park to Whitewash Head is closed. From Taylor's Mistake the track climbs up towards the Head but is fenced off where it begins to level out; the walk along the top of the cliffs is now inaccessible. I don't imagine it'll reopen in the near future.
Barbara, something similar to the sense of strangeness in O'Keefe's painting seems to haunt the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula. Curious that you should mention The Faraway Nearby, because I've recently finished reading Rebecca Solnit's book of the same name. Speaking of names, we do have some wonderful ones here, including the world's longest place name.
Reminds me of some Japanese landscapes, seemingly so plain and simple, but it draws the eye deeper and further in.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Zhoen.
ReplyDeleteI love the unusual light that occurs when the descending sun slips below cloud (especially a nor'west arch) and lights up the Port Hills against an overcast sky.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, referring to your comment in the previous post about little sign of earthquake damage: on 13th June 2011 a geologist went up to the Scarborough track on Whitewash Head to check out damage from the first earthquake, when the second one struck. He was lucky to escape with his life as both cliff and track fell away.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5166526/Video-Quake-hit-Whitewash-Head
Maybe the cliffs nearer Taylor's Mistake were more stable and less affected. I presume the track from Scarborough has been re-routed to avoid Whitewash Head. It's scary to watch the video and remember times when I've walked along that very same part of the track. Friends had the last house along Whitewash Head and the track ran close to their boundary. (The house remained.)
Looks like a place where one could walk off into Forever, or the Faraway Nearby. Love the names of just about everything there in NZ ... titipounamu, Aotorea, Taylor's Mistake. Thanks, Pete.
ReplyDeleteLesley, the track from Nicholson Park to Whitewash Head is closed. From Taylor's Mistake the track climbs up towards the Head but is fenced off where it begins to level out; the walk along the top of the cliffs is now inaccessible. I don't imagine it'll reopen in the near future.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, something similar to the sense of strangeness in O'Keefe's painting seems to haunt the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula. Curious that you should mention The Faraway Nearby, because I've recently finished reading Rebecca Solnit's book of the same name.
Speaking of names, we do have some wonderful ones here, including the world's longest place name.