Park's inspiration comes in many forms

The Chateau on the Whakapapa side of the mountain.

What a great start to the New Year!

A friend of mine and I spent some time in Tongariro National Park tramping and had a lovely night at the Chateau. The aim was to get in a bit of relaxation by staying at this stunning venue and get in a little exercise to combat the over-indulgence over the Christmas/New Year festive season.

I just love this part of the country and find it so inspirational for work and just life in general. There is something definitely beautiful and refreshing about the mountains and, fortunately, we were able to enjoy our time there practically unhampered by the threatening weather. Our first tramp was to the Waitonga Falls on the Turoa side of the mountain. It is about one hour and 20 minutes return and if you take your time and photograph and enjoy the scenery along the way it takes longer. And, of course, when you get to the falls it is a must to stop and have lunch amongst the sounds of cascading water and the bounty of bird life in the area. We had tremendously strong winds going into the falls so it made walking in the open spaces quite difficult and the threatening rain clouds over the mountain were something neither of us wanted to get caught up in.

The mountain flora at this time of the year is stunning. It is a mass of delicate and brilliantly coloured plants dotted here and there. My imagination is always running wild when I see stunning and not so stunning colours from nature.

It never ceases to amaze me how even the smallest of plants can survive in such rugged conditions and the lichens (for want of a better word) sprawl and cover rocks with their intense and delicate colours with bright colours sitting side by side with neutral colours and rough with smooth textures.

The Chateau Tongariro is on the Whakapapa side of the mountain.

This is the third time I have stayed there and I love it! Parts of the original building are rambling and the newer wing is more ordered. It is an impressive building inside and out, standing out amongst the breathtaking scenery of the mountain and surrounding lowlands.

Construction on the Chateau started on January 10, 1929, with Fletcher Construction Company undertaking the contract to build. The building was opened for guests on August 1, 1929, but still unfurnished.

The Chateau was built in the style of an "elegant Georgian structure of four stories and basement, alongside the Whakapapa Ski huts". It was styled after a Canadian resort at Lake Louise and built to cater for overseas tourists, who wanted to holiday and ski, tramp or fish, to an international standard hotel accommodation.

Looking back on early photos, it was elegant and gracious and still carries that same vision today.

Ladies and gentlemen were suitably attired in dinner jackets and evening gowns for the dining room and lounges, after a good day on the slopes or in the rivers dressed for whatever their passion for sport dictated. We did dress for dinner also, although I must admit we were one of a few, but that didn't matter. We were away enjoying ourselves and what better way to do it but to step back in time for just a glimpse of what it must have been like. The food and service was superb and we were treated in the lounge to a gentleman tickling the ivories and being in the moment. That made for a pleasant change.

The Chateau was also fully booked. It was full of a few New Zealand families who were looking at conquering the crossing and mainly overseas tourists and from what we could pick up mainly German. So it was a great place to also listen to the different languages and accents.

The dining room and lounges are elegant, with huge chandeliers, heavy drapes and gilt finishes on the scotia and ceilings. There is a huge fabric drape centre piece above the parquet floor in the lounge which looks very impressive. And the supporting pillars throughout the large lounge are also draped so when the drapes are released it becomes a room within a room. This decor has been added at a later date because the original finishes were more in keeping with the Georgian style.

It certainly is an impressive building and a pleasure to stay in.

The following morning, I walked to the Taranaki Falls.

I was actually on a quest to find another walk and thought that I was on the same track. This track was truly stunning and I did get to rescue a young German tourist who had taken a wrong track. The fauna is a little different from the other side of the mountain but, needless to say, just as stunning to see the colours and textures. Unfortunately my photographs do not do it justice. Later that day, we walked into the Silica Rapids with its Golden Rapids and rich rusty rocks. The colours are formed by mineral deposits and on first glance the waters seem cloudy until you realise the water is crystal clear and it is the rock formations that we were seeing, not the water. So, for inspiration or just relaxation head to the mountains and take some time out. A perfect way to start a busy New Year!

Terry Lobb is an interior/kitchen designer and personal colour and style consultant who takes a holistic approach to living with colour, texture and style - email: terry@terrylobb.com; website: terrylobb.com