Chateau Tongariro Hotel in New Zealand – an awesome place to spend a week!

Approach to Chateau Tongariro Hotel.

The approach to the Chateau Tongariro Hotel in New Zealand is up a curved driveway to the front door.  The building is equally impressive from the back with the snow-capped mountain in the distance.

Hotel from the Back.

I set off from the front drive for a walk.  The sun was shining impressively from behind a cloud over Mount Tongariro – a dormant volcano.  At least one hopes it stays dormant.  It last erupted about 100 years ago and had been silent until just a couple of years ago when a steam vent opened up.  There is a hot spring up there, but I did not get a chance to go there to soak.

Sunshine over Mount Tongariro.

My walk included mossy boulders.

Mossy Boulder.

And familiar vegetation, such as this heather.

Heather.  I think.

Plantings around the front of the convenience hut were somewhat formal.

Convenience Hut at Trailhead.

While the back offered a more woodland view.

  

The trees were wonderful.  Mossy, gnarly, and lichen covered.

Some had little mushrooms.

Tree with Tiny Mushrooms.

Tiny Mushrooms!

There were ferns.

And apparently mistletoe, although I could not identify it.  Maybe the yellow sign was pointing to it…

Maybe the Yellow Sign Points the Way.

But it Doesn't Look Red to Me...

Incipient fossils…

 

Sunsets were glorious.  These are from the porch above the entry portico – sunset and the sunset gilding Mount Tongariro after a fresh snowfall.

Where to next???