Chasing Frodo: The Valley of the Ents- The Real Fanghorn

I knew long before we came to New Zealand, that when we got here, there were several places I would attempt to seek out. 

As a LOTR fan, how could I not? It's way too easily accessible not to.

So when we headed out for the day to the lake community of Te Anau, I wheedled my family into taking a couple of side trips to nowhere.

Several of these peaks were shown in the movies as the rough country beyond Rivendell. But that was not my target this day.

 This part happens to be directly on our path.

Though these outcroppings were not used in the movies, they are remarkably similar to the ones that were. 

This is the darling little town of Manapouri that is just before the town of Te Anau, with the mountains of the Fiordlands as a backdrop.

Past Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau is gorgeous farmland resting in the shadows of the mountains. Down a modest gravel road, you come upon a bit of forest. It is not on any tramping maps, and there are no trails.

Just across from the edge of the forest is exquisite rolling grazing land. 

Perfect place for a herd of red deer to graze.

Standing as sentinel to the edge of the forest, this poi whenua marks the territorial boundary and declares this a significant place. 

The forest itself is not so different from other forests that we have been in. They are all lush and thriving. 

And they are all technicolor green. But this is Fanghorn.

Wildflowers grow right up to the edge of the wood.

Once you step inside, you can actually feel the green.

This was a younger part of the forest. It goes on and on and on. And it's only about an hour and a half from our house.