S is for St. Gerards: a monastery floating above Oriental Bay, Wellington

St Gerard's Church and Monastery, on the cliff above Oriental Bay in Wellington

We had a glimpse of the unique lifestyle of the monastery and the church that looms from it's cliffside over Oriental Bay - St Gerard's built in 1908 for the Redemptorists, who first arrived in New Zealand in 1883 and required a base from which they could travel and inspire Catholics to find a deeper faith.

I rang the bell and one of the priests, who hails from India, came to the door and was happy to show us around the historic building. We went into the church with its fine stained glass windows, into the residential side of the building which houses about 20 people, missionaries, priests and monks, sat quietly in their private chapel and popped into the library.
Its an old building, careworn and sparse but dignified, fiercely cold in winter, with a library that must have one of the best settings in town with its bay window and the views across Wellington.

A visit to St. Gerard's, a Wellington landmark.

M is for Mt Victoria: tramping the Southern Walkway in Wellington

A perfect day with crystal clear skies.

Wellington sparkles on a perfect summer day, there is a clarity of light which is wondrous and the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

We had such a day.

We walked the harbour; watching boats, swimmers, paddle boarders, sunbathers, runners and people taking in the joy of a good day; past Oriental Bay and then up onto the start of the Southern Walkway. Immediately the gradient tightens, with many switchbacks, steep wooden steps and inclines that got me gasping for air. The vistas across the bay and the city are worth each steep rise.

Eventually we were up and out of the houses, into the forest and eventually onto Mt Vic and the 360 degree views of greater Wellington. Too marvellous, a great walk.

Southern Walkway to the Mt Vic Lookout, sea, city, forests and interesting homes.