Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Day tripping...

This is not really a day trip, more like a quick trip to the park but heavens what a park. When I first walked up to the top of Mt Eden in Auckland my jaw dropped... that green, green grass and that incredible crater.  I finally took the boys (and my camera) back last week - a fabulous view... 
Mt Eden last erupted about 15,000 years ago. There are quite a few smaller craters dotter around the cone but this is the biggest at 50 metres deep. There are 49 volcanoes in Auckland's volcanic field and we might get another one apparently. There's a 5% chance of a new eruption in the next 50 years. I've done my research though and experts will give at least a few days warning and we'll all probably sit in traffic for three days trying to leave the city. Better that than what the poor sods in Christchurch are going through. 
All those volcanoes do make for fabulous green space in the city. Mt Eden is a great spot to run, walk or take the kids to play. Mine love to stand as close as they can to the edge of the crater.
We have to make the most of playing in long grass - I won't be so relaxed about that in Australia. Mud I don't mind so much.

7 comments:

  1. Wow! What a park! I would be incredibly nervous about standing right on the edge, but what a view. gxo

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  2. I have been there often through the years and love it too! I love the old olive trees and sheep grazing at the bottom of the hill as well. I have often thought of how unlucky you would have to be if the volcano decided to awaken one day.

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  3. Wow, It reminds me of the Teletubbies green hills in reverse.

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  4. How amazing! A green crater! Beautiful pics as always Ann. Rachaelxx

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  5. How very very verdant. I'd swap my microwave for a stroll through that crater.

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  6. I took so many photos when we were there in January that I nearly filled a massive memory card - love it. (It just needs a quaint little coffee shop at the top!)
    x

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  7. we used to live right there in a castle on the side of mt eden, just magical x

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Thanks for taking the time to write, Ann x