Rakaia Gorge by Emily

 

The Rakaia Gorge on the day we visited as well as the 1882 bridge

Being in New Zealand has meant being surrounded by breathtaking views at all times. Visiting the Rakaia Gorge only further supported this statement. A gorge is a geographical feature similar to a canyon, except steeper and narrower. It’s a narrow valley with a stream or river running through it - the Rakaia River in this case. Constant erosion from the running water, melting glaciers, and geologic uplift can all contribute to the formation of a gorge.

We stopped by the Rakaia Gorge on our way back from a busy day of two back-to-back farm visits. That morning we were hosted by David Acland at Mt. Somers Station and that afternoon we were hosted by 2019 Nuffield Scholar Recipient Hamish Marr at Longfield Farm. There’s no doubt it was a long day and we were starting to feel it. When we learned we got to walk around and see the gorge in all of its beauty, we all found a store of energy.

When we pulled into the parking lot, Dr. Griffiths and Mrs. Garey set two rules: don’t jump off the cliff and don’t go swimming. Of course, within a minute of exiting the bus, we had already found a path down the cliff side that led all the way to the water. It was a quick and easy walk down and we were met with the most rewarding view. Many of the waterways we have seen while here in New Zealand are a stunning balance of breath-taking blue and clear to the bottom and the Rakaia Gorge is no exception. Even on a cloudy day, you could still see the blueness of the water. It’s surrounded by lush vegetation and a number of different landscapes including Mount Hutt. We even saw the historic one-lane bridge completed in 1882 and is one of the oldest wrought iron bridges in New Zealand One might go as far to say it’s truly GORGE-ous!

                                       
We didn’t stay much longer than twenty minutes because we eagerly awaited dinner back on campus! However we made sure to maximize our time there. We watched other visitors enjoying the rope swing under the bridge, relaxing laying in their tubes and even swimming with their dog! We dipped our fingers and toes in and were met with chilly delight. In true boys will be boys fashion, they took turns finding big rocks and dropping them on each other before progressing to skipping smaller ones across the water’s surface. We took in a final look at this stunning geographical landscape and then hiked back up to the bus!

Pictured: The Rakaia Gorge from aerial view on a sunny day.




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