“On a Mish” #432 Hanging Out (Part Three). Forest Clearing, Mavora Lakes Conservation Area. 24.3.2025. Sometimes all we need is the peace found in nature and our best bud by our side while we soak it all in. The time I could go camping at all seems a while back and these days I can go a little further than I could a couple of years ago, so when the opportunity presents itself, I take it. Even if it is just for a single night involving hanging out in a small clearing in the bush…
The evening rolled on, along with some rather dark cloud rolling into the area. At one stage a light pitter patter got heavier, and the clearing was hit by a spot of rain. This definitely wasn’t in the forecast, and I hoped I could sit it out under the shelter of a large Beech tree. Luckily the rain only lasted about 15 minutes, and once it vacated the area, I was treated to a golden sunset which made the trip well worth the effort.
Once the free evening show finished I readied the tent for both hound and human. Georgie has been on enough missions now to know where to lay in the tent and it didn’t take her long to drift off to sleep wrapped up in her blanket. I wasn’t far behind her, and with a few aches and pains I retreated to the warmth of my sleeping bag and the excitement of a sleep in the wild.
Early-ish the next morning Georgie and I were up before sunrise listening to the Ruru hoot away in the forest. I had to get back to my job in Te Anau, so after a quick coffee and feed it was time to pack up and head home. The sun slowly lit the clearing, and this made pack down a little easier as I could now see what was going on. A new day had begun, and I had started it in an epic place!
After dismantling my tent, I shouldered my first pack and we began to hike back up towards the Mavora Lakes. I stashed pack one and then collected the other, and as I got back to my car, I bumped into the first people I had seen since leaving Te Anau the day before. It was a couple of hunters who asked the classic “have you seen animals” question, which I answered by pointing at Georgie and telling them about the crashing in the forest I had heard the day before. And with that they took to the hills, and I packed the car and headed home.
The trip was the perfect less than 24-hour getaway with views to match the epic vibes of the beech forest. It is awesome to have a remote place so close to home to visit when I’m in need of some wilderness. Simply hanging out in a location for the night might sound boring to some, but for me it is the perfect dose of nature to keep my head in check and take care of the camping cravings… for now!
