Matakana Market and Snells Beach

Highfield Garden Reserve Snells BeachWith the rain and wind coming from the east, we retreated from Scott Point to a lovely parkover place near Sandspit. We’d stayed there before in 2009 and it was nicely sheltered from the weather. It wasn’t a proper storm – and it had eased off by the next day. Which was lucky as it was Saturday and Saturday in these parts is Matakana Farmers Market. The market is a popular morning out from Auckland – somewhere you might go for brunch.

We enjoyed looking around and did get some yummy Turkish feta and spinach pastry things, and a nice loaf of bread.  Plus there were lots of shops with nice things for villas in Ponsonby, and a Nosh shop with all sorts of tempting nosh.

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market – and it does have veges

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market car park

Matakana Farmers Market

Matakana Farmers Market – the man who made our feta and spinach pie for tea

Matakana shop

Matakana shop – nice mirror

Some friends called by that afternoon to catch up on their way north. And next day we headed back to Snells Beach to park up with them. We were keen to explore the motorhome parks and walked over to Algies Bay, via the headland in between called Highfield Garden Reserve. This is a reserve with a difference; there are donkeys to walk through and feed. Public donkeys I think. People feed them – anyone is allowed to. The whole place was gifted to the public, and the donkeys came as part of the deal. And you’re not supposed to look a gift donkey in the mouth 🙂

Parked up near Sandspit

Parked up near Sandspit

Snells Beach

Heading from Snells Beach to Algies Bay

Snells Beach

Looking back to Snells Beach from Highfield Garden Reserve

Highfield Garden Reserve Snells Beach

Highfield Garden Reserve

Highfield Garden Reserve Snells Beach

Ross hoping the donkey is friendly at Highfield Garden Reserve

The next morning we went one last walk along the beachfront at Snells Beach before reluctantly heading on our way.

Snells Beach

Snells Beach – Kawau Island beyond

Snells Beach

Wyn with  strange plant flower thing that gets too heavy to hold itself straight at Snells Beach

Snells Beach

Snells Beach with the tide out

Gallery of photos – Scandrett and Scott Point (Mahurangi) Regional Park and Matakana and Snells Beach –  Auckland July – August 2013

Click on thumbnails to see full size. (And then you can click through them)

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