My Perfect Weekend: Whanganui photographer Mark Brimblecombe shares his favourite weekend haunts and hobbies

Each week a member of the Whanganui community tells us what their perfect weekend in the region would be.

This week, photographer Mark Brimblecombe shares his fondness for some happy camping and a spot of fishing.

My perfect weekend is camping, or as some say… glamping.

I load up the car with my tent and gear, and enough food and drink to last a month.

My favourite places to go are the Mangaweka Camping Grounds and Lakelands Holiday Park, out by Lake Wiritoa.

The best thing is doing nothing. Just sitting, looking and listening. I guess some would call it meditation.

The next best thing is reading a book and drinking a few beers.

In recent months, one of my quests has been to catch a trout.

I’ve got all the gear, including waders, and have learned much from my fly fishing mentor here in Whanganui, Mike Barke.

Hopefully, sometime in the next few months, I’ll actually catch a trout.

When I do, the trout will be lucky to learn that I don’t want to eat it. It will be released to live another day.

There is something very relaxing and enjoyable about standing in a river while untangling a line and tying onto it a colourful little fly.

Another perfect weekend exercise is to expose a roll of 35mm black-and-white film through my old Nikon film camera.

It is so good to put aside those digital camera thingies (which is my day job) and go vintage, ‘driving’ and shooting.

While most camping weekends for me are going solo, it is always wonderful to meet and entertain neighbours, especially overseas tourists.