A WHOLE LOT OF POO & POOH
05 JANUARY 2024
Is It A Fungi? Is It An Animal? Nope, It's Mouldy Poo!
The Tawa Walk is a super flat and easy walk in the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, in Marlborough. It's the ideal track in all-weather as the forest canopy will keep you dry (mostly) on a rainy day and also keep you cool on a hot summer's day.
We really enjoy walking in the reserve, as there is so much to find and explore, like fungi, glowworm threads, clear streams and more! We came across these really cool fluffy things, which at first glance we though may be some sort of unique fungi (as there are so many different types in the reserve), buuuut it turns out it was just some chunks of mouldy animal poo! It was hilarious (photo is below)!!
Some other cool finds were the red bark on the trees, it was so vibrant and nothing like we had seen before, also we came across some fluro yellow fungi growing from a fallen log and some cool skeleton leaves which Sienna loves collecting... not that they make it home in one piece!
We really enjoy walking in the reserve, as there is so much to find and explore, like fungi, glowworm threads, clear streams and more! We came across these really cool fluffy things, which at first glance we though may be some sort of unique fungi (as there are so many different types in the reserve), buuuut it turns out it was just some chunks of mouldy animal poo! It was hilarious (photo is below)!!
Some other cool finds were the red bark on the trees, it was so vibrant and nothing like we had seen before, also we came across some fluro yellow fungi growing from a fallen log and some cool skeleton leaves which Sienna loves collecting... not that they make it home in one piece!
At first we thought this was some cool fungi... pretty sure it's mouldy poo!
A Different Kind Of Pooh
The track is only 1km long and takes around 30 minutes to complete the loop. We took a bit longer as we were lifting and looking inside logs, as well as playing 'Pooh sticks' on the small bridges. Have you played this before? It's a game that originated from the Winnie the Pooh books (which we LOVED reading as kids), where Pooh and his friends played it during a visit to the Poohsticks Bridge.
Here's how the game is played:
We used to play it a lot as kids and now our kiddos love it too! They play it at pretty much every bridge we cross, unless there are no sticks about!
Here's how the game is played:
- Find a Bridge: Players gather on one side of a bridge that spans a stream or river.
- Collect Sticks: Each player collects a stick. The sticks should be similar in size and weight to ensure a fair game.
- Stand on the Bridge: Everyone stands on one side of the bridge, holding their sticks over the water.
- Drop the Sticks: On the count of three, everyone drops their sticks into the water from the upstream side of the bridge.
- Watch the Race: The sticks then float downstream and the winner is the stick that emerges from under the bridge first.
We used to play it a lot as kids and now our kiddos love it too! They play it at pretty much every bridge we cross, unless there are no sticks about!
Know Before You Go
- The track is a 1km track that takes 30-minutes return
- There are toilets in the smaller carpark
- The track is flat and super easy, plus it's suitable for prams and wheelchairs
- This is a good track to do on a rainy day as it's mostly covered by the forest canopy
- There are lots of interesting things to find along the way, such as mushrooms, fungi and insects
How To Get To The Tawa Walk In Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve
The Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve is along State Highway 6 in Marlborough, just under an hour from Blenheim and just over an hour from Picton.
There are two carparks, opposite each other, so take your pick! Coming from Blenheim, we chose the larger carpark on the left because this is where the trailhead for the Tawa Track starts, which leads onto the Elvy Waterfall Track. The tracks are all well sign posted.
Click here for the coordinates on Google Maps.
There are two carparks, opposite each other, so take your pick! Coming from Blenheim, we chose the larger carpark on the left because this is where the trailhead for the Tawa Track starts, which leads onto the Elvy Waterfall Track. The tracks are all well sign posted.
Click here for the coordinates on Google Maps.
Conclusion
The Tawa Walk in Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, Marlborough, is a flat 1km loop, perfect in any weather under the protective forest canopy. There is so much to discover here like glowworm threads, fungi and quirky surprises like some fluffy animal poo (if you're lucky!).
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