It Has Been An Epic Week

What a difference a few days can make.

Early last week I was wearing long trousers, a fleece pullover and a woollen t-shirt. Temperatures – degrees Celsius – were in the mid-teens at best. With day after day of cool temperatures, showers or rain, local farmers were battling the elements to get their lamb docking done. For those helping, being wet, a bit cold and covered in mud was the order of the day.

This week it has been shorts and a light shirt with temperatures in the mid-twenties. The biggest issue this week for those of our staff who have been helping the neighbours out with their lamb docking has been sunburn.

Unlike the previous week, what a perfect few days this has been to have our first multi-day river trip departure of the season — an Epic Rangitikei. Good luck or good management? We will take good management, but probably fairer to say, good luck.

This three-day rafting, two nights camping beside the river trip, enjoyed beautiful fine warm days. This trip departs on the Rangitikei River from the Springvale Bridge on the Napier Taihape Road, with the first night spent at “The Narrows”, above the Grade 5 section.

The next morning after a leisurely breakfast, the crew link up with the daily half-day Grade 5 rafting trip and raft this steep exciting section down to River Valley Lodge. After lunch at the Lodge, it is off further downstream, rafting through the stunning canyons that open up around each bend. The second night on the river is spent at the pretty Xmas Campsite (so named because Nicola and I with daughters, daughters partners, and grandchildren, ran away to Xmas Camp one Christmas, escaping the usual Christmas hustle and bustle).

A highlight for one of the guests on this Epic Rangitikei, a Lord of the Rings fan, was being able to identify a section where some of the filming took place for one of the scenes in the Fellowship of the Ring.

the epic rangitikei - multiday rafting

The Epic is our only Multi-Day with Grade 1-5 Rapids

Rafting Under The Old Gravity Canyon Setup

christmas camp on a multiday rafting trip

The Second Night on the River at Xmas Camp

3 Beautiful Sunny Days of Rafting on the Rangitikei River

Of course there are downsides to beautiful fine days:

The lawns have suddenly gone into hyper-growth. They seem to be growing in front of my eyes. Just about every day there is that summer hum on the wind, a lawnmower from somewhere up or down the valley.

When the sun is shining, and the birds are singing, there is an intense “pull” to be outside and doing — doing what you may ask? Well, anything that does not include sitting in the office doing some mundane admin task. At least writing a blog post is creative, but still the pull to be outside is there (except if it means mowing the lawns).

As Yoda from Star Wars would say, “The pull, strong it is.” In fact, much too strong for me.

Have a great week, enjoy the sunshine we have been blessed with, and do take action on joining us on a multi-day river trip.

Off outside now.

Brian Megaw

the epic rangitikei - multiday rafting

Like What You Are Reading?

Sign Up For The 'Spirit Of The River' Newsletter

Sign up for River Valley’s monthly newsletter to keep up to date with the latest blogs, events, promotions, and most importantly the adventures.

BOOK NOW