I discovered that an old friend who I used to work with many years ago was not so well, so I thought I’d try and cheer him up by popping in to see him in New Plymouth.

This post is really about the wild piccies!

Click on any Image to enlarge

I checked into Belt Rd campground in New Plymouth, where I met Nadine who was holding the fort. She very kindly checked me in to a waterfront site with a view which I was a bit apprehensive about due to a wind and rain warning for that night. Very nice of her to offer me that site  though 🙂

I trundled off to the first of two sites she gave me to look at … the first I checked out on foot to make sure it was solid as it was grass at the top of the cliff looking out over the port. Very nice spot but I was concerned about the grass and the water with Rafe’s 4.4 tons odd. I tried parking on it and went to move back again and I basically wheel spun to get back to the tar seal road behind.. scary stuff.

So a compromise was called on where I backed in a park further down the campground and kept my front wheels on the road. I could still reach the power box so all was well.

Needless to say, I was a bit stressed after that and went to see my friend for the afternoon and it was really nice to see him.

After an hour or so, he had some other visitors so I came back to Rafe and settled down to watch the weather.  Fantastic views but it was blowing dogs off chains!

We’ve been to this park in the height of summer and its a fantastic place but it really surprised me that they had no gravel parking at all for those odd winter months where it just rains.

When I returned after hearing from my friend who is a long term local was telling me that it never rains there.. Yeah right thought I!

I went for a walk to get some piccies and to have a look around.   A spectacular spot though with great views everywhere you look and not that far from the centre of New Plymouth shopping centre.

That night I woke up about three times to some huge puffs of wind buffeting Rafe around and I immediately thought of a motorhome and caravanner up on the edge of the cliff where I was supposed to go… it blew and it rained and it rocked and rolled.. amazing.

In the morning I got up early to get back to Auckland as it was in a full lockdown!!  I did have plans to check in on an old mate in Eltham, next time!

Having been here before in better weather, it is definitely a top spot to stay.