Tuesday's forecast was looking a little dicey but with the plucky Year 9s in tow from West Coast, Marlborough and Nelson, we all met up in Murchison to go and experience the Natural Flames up the Blackwater valley.

After driving through the farm and arriving at the fence line we donned our jackets and headed off up the valley, a beautiful example of South Island beech forest. We learned of the discovery of gas and oil up this valley in the 1920's and the equipment that was sent from Argentina to drill up to 3km underground! Oil and gas was discovered but not enough to warrant a large scale operation. Once we had hiked through the bush for an hour or so and had some interesting botanical lessons, had a taste of the honey dew on the beech trees and clambered over many tree roots we came to the site where the methane gas comes out through the ground! Steve our guide cooked us delicious versions of s'mores, hot chocolate and pancakes with honey and cream, all over the natural flames emerging from the ground!

Even though the rain came and went, we all had a wonderful adventure in a place not many people can experience.